Source: Technical Readout 3057
Mass: 1,903 tons
Armament:
1 Long Range Missle 20 Rack
1 AC/5
2 Short Range Missle 6 Packs
1 Large Laser
10 Medium Lasers
4 tons LRM ammunition
2 tons SRM ammunition
1 ton AC/5 ammunition
The Gazelle Class armor transport has been extensively modified over the years. The original Gazelle Class DropShip, launched in 2531, was designed to carry a company of light tanks. But the Succession Wars dictated a more flexible cargo facility, and the size of the Gazelle�s vehicle bay was increased to accommodate larger armored vehicles. Unfortunately, the designers had to reduce the crew quarters and cargo bays during the modification, resulting in very cramped conditions for the Gazelle crew and limiting the design�s usefulness for extended missions.
The modern Gazelle carries 15 tanks and their technical-support crews. The vehicles are tightly packed into a 60-meter by 18-meter bay accessed through the craft�s nose. The cramped bay and single ramp greatly impede the speed of unloading units. Many crews worry when an inexperienced unit comes on board, as most of the Gazelles lost during the Succession Wars were destroyed on the ground while unloading vehicles.
The vehicle crews are accommodated in three bays on the vessel�s second deck. Each bay has facilities for one lance�s personnel, with four triple bunks, one for each vehicle crew. Additional bunks house the armor-unit support personnel. The DropShip crew occupies a bunkroom of similar size and fittings to those used by the vehicle crews.