Tau-class Assault Shuttle

Manufacturer
Cygnus Spaceworks

Model
Tau-class Assault Shuttle

Class
Strike Shuttle/Boarding Craft

Cost
140,000 Credits

Max Space Speed
70 MGLT

Hyperdrive rating
Class 1

Armament
Ion Cannon (2)
Twin Blaster Cannons (1)
Tractor Beam (1)

Crew
2

Minimum crew
1

Passengers
12

Cargo capacity
5 metric tons

Role(s)
Assault Shuttle
Boarding Craft

Background and History

The Tau-Class Assault Shuttle was designed late in the days of the Galactic Civil War, too late to fulfill their contracts with the Empire as it was defeated by the Rebellion. The newly reformed Republic did not wish to honor the Imperial contracts, so the shuttle production was halted and the few hundred that were produced were sold off at auction.

A cross between a Lambda and a Sentinel-class, the Tau shares the cockpit design of both ships and the s-foil style wings to each side fold upwards to minimize space in a hangar. The dorsal wing is much shorter than either the Sentinel or Lambda, allowing the shuttle to fit in most hangar slots designed for a large starfighter.

A pair of ion cannons are mounted forward, to each side of the cockpit and a drop-down twin-blaster cannon is mounted to the belly of the craft. A tractor beam is also mounted to the belly, designed more for holding the assault shuttle onto the hull of a larger ship in instances where a forced docking is required.