MT/191 drop-ship

The MT/191 drop-ship was a shuttle, troop transport, and dropship manufactured by Meller & Dax.
==Characteristics==
Meller & Dax's MT/191 drop-ship was a troop transport and shuttle designed to drop company-sized army formations from orbit into combat zones. Measuring 52.5 meters, the drop-ship was crewed by a single pilot and carried one hundred and sixty soldiers. MT/191s had a cargo capacity of two hundred metric tons, and consumables to last a single day.
The MT/191 drop-ship was designed to rapidly drop from orbit to the surface of a planet in a controlled powerdive. Before launching, the drop-ship was covered in VACX, an ablative coating designed to burn off during atmospheric re-entry. As the drop-ship plummeted to the surface, the ablative coating protected the drop-ship from the high-friction temperature of re-entry, protecting the ship before it landed in a controlled fashion. MT/191s were also able to approach and land on the surface of a planet in a normal manner. The MT/191 could reach speeds of 1,200 kilometers an hour during a rapid drop, and speeds of 650 kilometers an hour during the return flight.
The MT/191 employed a single light laser cannon for defense, located directly above the cockpit. The cannon was generally retracted into the body of the drop-ship, and could only fire when extended. The laser cannon could not be extended during an atmospheric drop. The weapon was not intended for combat, and was only to be used as a deterrent as the ship traveled through combat zones. Underpowered, it was only intended for use as an anti-personnel and anti-vehicle weapon during landing operations.
==History==
An older design, the MT/191 was primarily used by the Galactic Empire to drop Imperial Army and Imperial Navy companies into combat. Stormtroopers employed their own assault shuttles, and did not use the MT/191. When not being used in a combat capacity, the MT/191 was used to transfer personnel and cargo through the fleet.
Standard Imperial doctrine called for MT/191s to land in sufficient numbers at landing sites that had been pre-arranged and pre-bombed. TIE/LN starfighters were ticketed for escort duty during landing operations. 1,860 MT/191s were assigned to the first Death Star,Death Star Technical Companion and they were assigned to Torpedo Spheres as well.Lords of the Expanse
The Special Unit squadron of the Scimitar assault wing employed two flights of the MT/191 drop-ship. Primarily used to ferry ground troops to the surface during combined assault operations. When not in combat, the drop-ships were employed as cargo vessels and shuttles. They were classified as combat craft in the wing's organizational chart, and not as utility craft.
The Alliance to Restore the Republic captured several MT/191s during the Galactic Civil War, and employed them as troop transport and shuttles for Alliance Special Forces. However, the Alliance found obtaining sufficient VACX to coat the ships to be difficult, and instead resorted to applying "home-brew" formulas. While a mix of air-foam/silicate ceramic gave the best results, other mixtures had been known to fuse, melt, burn-off, or ignite while in transit.
==Sources==
*Imperial Sourcebook
*Death Star Technical Companion
*Death Star Technical Companion, Second Edition
*Imperial Sourcebook, Second Edition
*Lords of the Expanse
*Rules of Engagement: The Rebel SpecForce Handbook
==Notes and references==
Category:Dropship classes
Category:Starship classes of the Galactic Empire