Mass Deployment Carapace

The is a Republic drop pod. The Type-54 MDC is a heavy dro pod that is used to deploy whole units to the ground. It's greatest feature is the fact its entirely reusable, delivering a host of warriors to the ground, then returning to it's mother ship. 
==Description==
Most drop pods in service with the Covenant or UNSC are designed to transport a single occupant, or a few people at a time. The Mass Deployment Carapace changes that though. Mounted on Republic carriers, the MDC delivers 20 soldiers to the ground on a lightning-fast deployment system. To do this, it uses a cluster of impulse engines to send the large pod to the ground, then uses its forward thrust engines to decelerate to a stop. The pod uses a two decks, each with gravity anchors to secure the passengers. These decks are sealed by energy doors, protecting the occupants. These decks are environmentally controlled for comfort, and don't require specialist breathing gear. 
Once it has come to a stop, it maintains a hovering position with an anti-gravity generator. It releases a gravity dampening pulse, allowing the crew to leap from the pod to the ground without harm. Once their passengers have left the MDC, it reverses the thrusters and flies back to it's host ship, where it docks using a trio of arms. 
The pod itself is crewed by a single operator, and the entire thing is armoured like a tank, with a thick heat shield and layers of nanolaminate under that. It is most commonly seen reinforcing positions, as it is a little too large to successfully perform the same lightning attacks that it's smaller cousins can. Most often, they can be seen where Republic battle lines are faltering, suddenly deploying a mass of eager warriors into battle, or reinforcing assaults. 
==UNSC Remarks==