version 4 - The Alien Encyclopedia

UA 571-D: A variant of the UA 571 sentry gun equipped with a HF laser. (CMTM)UA 571-F: A variant of the UA 571 sentry gun equipped with a 40mm automatic grenade launcher.(CMTM)UD-4 Cheyenne-class dropship: A line of dropships used by the USCM in the late 22 nd and 23 rdcentury. In accordance with a Department of Defense requirement formulated after the Tientsin conflict,the UD-4L can lift up to 16 tons from orbit to the surface and back, the equivalent of fourfully-equipped infantry squads or one M577 APC, including passengers, in the later models. Whileprimarily designed as a dropship, the UD-4L actually fills additional roles on the battlefield, such astransporting goods or using its considerable armament to act as a fire support gunship. Models ofthe series include the UD-4B, UD-4C, UD-4E, UD-4H, UD-4J and the most advanced and mostfamous variant, the UD-4L. (A2, A:INF, CMTM)UD-4B: The original production variant of the Cheyenne-class dropship series. Powered by AtcoWyoming F23 turbines. In comparison to later models, the UD-4B is 1.5 meters shorter, bringingthe ship to a total length of almost 24 meters, and lacks the secondary weapon pods. (CMTM)UD-4C: A gunship variant of the Cheyenne-class that introduced the secondary weapon bay and thefront-mounted gatling gun system to the series. (CMTM)UD-4E: An upgrade of the UD-4B, sporting F29-L13 turbines that improves the performance in atmosphericflight. (CMTM)UD-4H: A Cheyenne-class variant that is considered a landmark stage of the line. The ship's lengthwas extended by 1.5 meters to a total of over 25 meters, making it the first version able to carry theM577 APC. New TF-900 turbines were added as well, in addition to a broad-spectrum sensor arrayand a command datalink. (CMTM)UD-4J: An UD-4 variant with an upgraded airframe. (CMTM)UD-4L: The epitome of the Cheyenne-class dropship line. Weighs 18 tons unloaded and has alength of roughly 25 meters. As the latest and most advanced model in the UD-4 series by the yearof 2179, the UD-4L boasts a significant upgrade to its sensors, defense systems and firing control.Two UD-4Ls were used by the USCM squad involved in the Hadley's Hope incident in 2179.The airframe of the UD-4L is constructed around a central payload bay, specifically designed toprovide enough space to hold the M577 APC. Aside from its boarding ramp on the ventral side, theship can be accessed by personnel through a port side entry. The UD-4l is operated by a crew of twopeople, one being the pilot and the other being the weapons officer. The weapons are arranged intwo main pods on both sides and two secondary weapon pylons that can be folded out if needed.However, with the secondary pods extended, the UD-4L is unable to achieve supersonic speed. Protectionis mainly provided by a covering of Venlar ballistic armor.The ship is powered by two Republic Dynamics TF-900 turbines, while TF-200/A-14 ramrocketscan provide high-level speed between Mach 2 and Mach 12. The airframe is designed to withholdmaneuvers up to 6g. Stealth characteristics are the rounded profile and laser and radar absorbents.Additionally, the UD-4L is shielded against a numerous range of detection methods.The UD-4L is controlled and directed via a Herriman-Weston 5/480 mainframe equipped with asemi-intelligent software. In addition to manual interaction, the ship's computer also supports voicecontrol.Communications are processed by an AN/ASC-155 datalink, offering a broad range of frequenciesand options.Compared to its predecessors in the UD-4 line, the UD-4L underwent drastic improvements to itssensor suite. The sensor input is handled by a two-fold TFRDS system, divided into the ATLIS sub-