Infantry Support Platform

The Infantry Support Platform, abbreviated to ISP and also known as the clone swamp speeder, was a military landspeeder that was used by the Galactic Republic during the Clone Wars, a war between the Republic and the Confederacy of Independent Systems from 22 BBY to 19 BBY. Due to the vehicle's powerful and unique turbofan and repulsors, it was highly maneuverable even in difficult terrain. The speeder was equipped with two forward-terrain laser scanners and two twin swiveling blaster cannons but could be modified to carry twin beam cannons or Multi-Missile Pods. It first saw action during the Battle of Kashyyyk of 19 BBY. Shortly after in the same year, the ISP was deployed during the Battle on Felucia as part of the Outer Rim Sieges against the Separatist Droid Army as well as during the Battle of Cato Neimoidia.
==Characteristics==
The Infantry Support Platform, abbreviated to ISP and referred to as the clone swamp speeder or simply swamp speeder, was a light landspeeder developed by Aratech Repulsor Company and produced by Uulshos Manufacturing. It was built from the foundation of a standard BARC speeder, a speeder bikeUltimate Star Wars that was considered a lighter variant of the ISP. As such, and because of its powerful and unique turbofan and repulsors, it was highly maneuverable and able to easily operate on most terrain quickly and smoothly, making the speeder convenient for a range of combat situations.
The speeder could attain speeds of 100 kilometers per hour, had a length of five meters, and was equipped with two frontal twin swiveling blaster cannons, which were capable of disabling larger vehicles with its blue bolts. The cannons could be swapped out for twin swiveling beam cannon turrets or twin swiveling Multi-Missile Pods. Each of the two ISP pilots could either individually control each weapon or link them together for larger targets, and the armaments could fire significantly over the speeder's weight. Between the weaponry was a blaster pre-charge capacitor. The ISP also had a forward-terrain laser scanner on both sides as well as two mudshields on the front.
The unique turbofan produced less noise than most ion thrusters and could be reversed to provide a sudden stop. Two pilots sat toward the rear beside the craft's central repulsorlift, directly above which was the turbofan. Like most of the Galactic Republic's vehicles, the speeder was mostly gray with red accents, although the clone troopers of the 442nd Siege Battalion, who wore Phase II clone trooper armor equipped with green accents, used ISPs that were also given green markings.
==Role==
The ISP could travel through most terrain and was originally designed for patrolling swamps. The ISP's weapons allowed it to combat larger enemy vehicles like shielded gunships and fighters, allowing the speeder to effectively support infantry units, especially those under direct threat. The speeders were especially strong when fighting against the NR-N99 Persuader-class droid enforcer, a droid tank of the Confederacy of Independent Systems.
==History==
The ISPs were utilized by the Galactic Republic toward the end of the Clone Wars, a galaxy-wide war waged between 22 BBY and 19 BBYStar Wars: Galactic Atlas against the Separatist Alliance. The ISPs were first used during the Battle of Kashyyyk in 19 BBY, where they earned the nickname "swamp speeder" from the Republic's clone troopers. On the planet Kashyyyk, the ISPs were used in conjunction with HAVw A6 Juggernauts, AT-AP walkers, clone scout troopers, and Wookiee warriors against the Separatist Droid Army. They served as an equivalent of the Wookiees' Oevvaor Jet Catamarans and Raddaugh Gnasp fluttercrafts.
In that same year, Infantry Support Platforms were also utilized by the 327th Star Corps in the Battle of Felucia as part of the Outer Rim Sieges, where they escorted AT-APs, AT-TEs, and AT-OTs in search for any signs of droids. Under the direction of Commander Verd, they also found use in the Battle of Cato Neimoidia during the last days of the Clone Wars, where they were used by the 442nd Siege Battalion alongside AT-RTs to besiege a Separatist base in Tarko-se, a city on the planet Cato Neimoidia where the Separatists housed their forces in an arena.Star Wars: Battles that Changed the Galaxy
==Behind the scenes==
Infantry Support Platforms first appeared in the prequel trilogy film Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith, released on May 19, 2005. Later, on July 20 of that year, the vehicles were identified in the Star Wars Legends continuity as Infantry Support Platforms in the article "Ground Assault" from the eighty-third issue of the Star Wars Insider magazine. The article also introduced "ISP" and "swamp speeder" as alternative names for the vehicle. The speeder was first identified in the new Star Wars canon as the swamp speeder in the Star Wars Expert Guide in 2016,Star Wars Expert Guide while the Star Wars: The Black Series "Clone Troopers" pack, released by Hasbro through Entertainment Earth in late 2016, brought the abbreviation "ISP" back into canon. The 2017 reference book Star Wars: The Visual Encyclopedia introduced the names "clone swamp speeder" and "Infantry Support Platform" into canon as well.
The vehicle was developed by concept artist T.J. Frame when he first joined the Episode III Art Department. At first, he came up with a Star Wars–style swamp boat, which was inspired by real fanboats. The aforementioned Star Wars Insider article also described the ISPs as a futuristic reinterpretation of the real airboats used to cross marshes throughout the American Southeast.
==Appearances==
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===Non-canon appearances===
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==Sources==
*Star Wars Expert Guide 
*Star Wars: Complete Locations 
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*Star Wars: The Visual Encyclopedia 
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*Star Wars Encyclopedia of Starfighters and Other Vehicles
*Star Wars: Complete Vehicles
*Star Wars Complete Vehicles, New Edition
*Star Wars: Battles that Changed the Galaxy
==Notes and references==
Category:Aratech Repulsor Company products
Category:Repulsorcraft models
Category:Uulshos Manufacturing products
Category:Vehicle classes of the Galactic Republic