The Low Altitude Assault Transport carrier (LAAT/c),[1] also known as the LAAT/c assault carrier,[3] AT-TE Carrier[10] Tank Lifter,[11] or the Republic Dropship[12] was one of the two models in the Low Altitude Assault Transport line of gunship designed to transport a single All Terrain Tactical Enforcer. The ship locked onto an AT-TE with its magnetic claps and brought the walker to the designated drop zone.[1] They were used by the Grand Army of the Republic during the Clone Wars,[4] and by the Galactic Empire as well. They could also carry K79-S80 Imperial Troop Transports[13] and RTT-04 armored troop transports.[6]
Characteristics[]
The Low Altitude Assault Transport carrier produced by Rothana Heavy Engineering was a heavy airlift variant of the Grand Army of the Republic's Low Altitude Assault Transport/infantry gunship. Initially designed as a carrier for the All Terrain Tactical Enforcer, the LAAT/c was a fast, lightly armed vehicle used to transport walkers and other heavy vehicles,[3] such as RX-200 Falchion-class assault tanks,[5] to the battlefield for fast deployment. These large, 175,000-credit airspeeders allowed Galactic Republic Army commanders to move and deploy their armored forces quickly and efficiently.[3]
Like the LAAT/i, from which the carrier was derived, the LAAT/c had a long, narrow fuselage with a broad, armored flight deck forward and a pair of high-mounted, downward angled wings mounted aft. Two huge ion engines were mounted in armored nacelles above the wings, which provided the vehicle with a blistering straight-line[3] maximum speed of 620 kilometers per hour[1] and a maximum acceleration of 100 kilometers per hour. The troop compartment of the LAAT/i was replaced with modular articulated electromagnetic clamps and other cargo-handling equipment used to carry and deploy vehicles.[3]
While not a frontline combat vehicle like the LAAT/i, the carrier still possessed a respectable defensive weapons load-out, armed with two light laser cannons mount in ball turrets below the flight deck, and two more were mounted aft beneath the speeder's engines for both anti-fighter and anti-personnel purposes. In addition, four unguided air-to-ground rockets were mounted beneath both wings, which provided the craft limited light anti-air capabilities and the ability to clear fighting vehicles and droids from contested landing zones. The LAAT/c was also equipped with medium-ranged sensors, had a passenger complement of two for capacity, and crewed by a pilot and co-pilot, while also possessing a cargo capacity of fifteen metric tons for encrumbance.[3]
Appearances[]
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Notes and references[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 Ultimate Star Wars
- ↑ Star Wars Encyclopedia of Starfighters and Other Vehicles
- ↑ 3.00 3.01 3.02 3.03 3.04 3.05 3.06 3.07 3.08 3.09 3.10 3.11 3.12 3.13 3.14 3.15 3.16 Collapse of the Republic
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 Star Wars: Episode II Attack of the Clones
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Star Wars: The Clone Wars — "The Zillo Beast"
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Knights of Fate
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 Darth Vader (2017) 13
- ↑ Star Wars: The Clone Wars — "Grievous Intrigue"
- ↑ Star Wars: The Clone Wars — "Landing at Point Rain"
- ↑ Star Wars: The Visual Encyclopedia
- ↑ Star Wars: The Clone Wars — "Weapons Factory"
- ↑ Star Wars: Card Trader (Card: Republic Dropship - Guardians of the Republic)
- ↑ Darth Vader (2017) 14