The Sentinel-class landing craft, also known as the Sentinel-class shuttle, was a transport used primarily by the Galactic Empire to carry troops, small vehicles, and supplies. With its folding wing configuration and matching cockpit module, the Sentinel-class landing craft was based on the Lambda-class shuttle, both shuttles having seen design origins in the Theta-class shuttle. However, unlike its predecessor and its counterpart, the landing craft's exterior was encased in armor plating 25% heavier than the armor of a Lambda-class. The landing craft was also equipped with four deflector shield projectors. Despite its large size and heavy weight, the Sentinel-class was fast and agile due to its Cygnus HD7 engine array. The Sentinel relied on a crew consisting of a pilot, a co-pilot/sensor officer, as well as three gunners, the minimum crew required was just one person. The head gunner handled the eight fire-linked laser cannons, while the remaining gunners manned the ion cannon, the repeating blasters and the fire-linked missile launchers. The vehicle's sensor suite, which was located in the cockpit, allowed navigation in nearly all conditions and featured infrared imaging, motion detectors, and life-form indicators. The vessel's computer also featured an automatic mapping function and a rudimentary autopilot that could pilot the vessel towards an Imperial garrison, starship, or homing beacon during emergencies, and included powerful communication arrays which enabled contact with all Imperial starships and garrisons within a given system. The interior of the shuttle could be customized for each mission, removing or adding seating. In its standard configuration, a Sentinel-class could carry 54 stormtroopers (approximately six squads), 12 E-Web heavy repeating blasters, and 6 74-Z speeder bikes. When its seats were removed and it was converted to carrying supplies, it could transport 36 74-Z speeder bikes, or 12 compact assault vehicles such as AT-STs or AT-PTs. Its total cargo capacity was 180 metric tons. Sentinels could also carry TIE Maulers and SPMA-Ts into battle. For insertion into a planet, a Sentinel carried a Class 1.0 hyperdrive. Sentinels were also used to deploy Marine landing forces onto enemy starships. The landing craft's weapons load consisted of 8 laser cannons, 2 concussion missile launchers, 1 retractable turret-mounted ion cannon, and 2 rotating repeating blasters (retractable, used when landing). Three gunners were responsible for manning these weapons, which were all linked to the shuttle's precise targeting computers. Since the Sentinel-class was heavily armed, it also served as a combat support vehicle. Sentinel-class landing craft were deployed from Imperial airbases. Read more...
