Skiffs refer to smallest of craft that are often used for short range transportation.[Citation needed] Utilized by both the United Nations (UN) and the Martian Congressional Republic (MCR) as well as by Outer Planets Alliance (OPA) and civilians for transport between vessels, stations, and planets.
Variants include military dropships, short range shuttles, and repair skiffs.
Miliary/Government dropship Skiffs[]
Marauder-class[]
Much larger than their utility and maintenance brethren, dropship skiffs are meant to transport officers and soldiers to ground or from ship-to-ship. The UNN makes a few different sizes and models at the Bush Naval Shipyards, but the basic purpose and idea remains the same.
Insertion-class[]
Much larger than their utility and maintenance brethren, dropship skiffs are meant to transport officers and soldiers to the ground or from ship-to-ship. The UNN makes a few different sizes and models at the Bush Naval Shipyards, but the basic purpose and idea remains the same.
Troika-class[]
The only Martian dropship to be mounted with ground-focused artillery, the Troika-class dropship can set down on any battlefield and provide heavy cover fire while Martian Marines pour out of it.
Chariot-type Dropship Skiff.[]
Chariot-type
The Chariot-type Dropship is a classification of dropship employed by the Martian Congressional Republic Navy (MCRN). Scirocco-class assault cruisers can carry a complement of three Chariot-type dropships and several are carried in the internal hangars of Donnager-class battleships. They can carry a complement of twelve Martian Marines alongside a complement of Recon Marines equipped with Goliath Powered Armor.
L-Type Dropship Skiff.[]
L-type
This class of ship is used by the United Nations Navy. It is designed to descend and ascend from a planet's surface into space as well as acting as a shuttle between ships. The L-Type bears a strong resemblance to the MCRN's Chariot-type.
It is known that Earth and Mars use several different models and variations of L-Type dropships. For example, the variant that was used to transport Chrisjen Avasarala and her retinue are shown to have a luxurious interior, unlike the variant that was used for transportation of a captured OPA agent, which had a more utilitarian, military-like interior.
A complement of six L-Type Dropships is carried in the hangar bays of Truman-class dreadnoughts.
M-Type Dropship Skiff[]
The M-Type Dropship Skiff is often used by the United Nations Marine Corps onboard Leonidas-class.Government shuttles/aircraft[]
UN One[]
UN One over Mars.
The shuttle UN One is a VIP aircraft/shuttlecraft for use by the Secretary-General of the United Nations. The shuttle has a luxurious interior and is capable of being stored inside the hangar bay of a Leonidas-class battleship.
During the UN's first diplomatic visit to Mars, then Secretary-General of the United Nations, Chrisjen Avasarala, arrived onboard this shuttle and later returned onboard it to Earth. During a moment of national security, the Secretary-General returned to this vessel, and it took off whilst a threat to Earth was present.
Civilian shuttles[]
RCE Heavy Lift Shuttle[]
A RCE Heavy lift shuttle.
The RCE Heavy Lift Shuttle is a large dropship class used by Royal Charter Energy for transporting colonists and heavy equipment from colony ships onto new worlds.
The colony ship Edward Israel had one of these when it travelled to Ilus IV. Upon reaching the planet and entering into atmosphere, the heavy lift shuttle travelled to a pre-built landing pad. Upon reaching this landing pad, a bomb was detonated on the surface, heavily damaging the heavy lift shuttle and causing it to crash, which killed many of its crew and passengers.
RCE light shuttle[]
A RCE Light shuttle.
The RCE light shuttle is a smaller shuttle also used by Royal Charter Energy.
The Edward Israel carried three of these during its trip to Ilus IV. All three were destroyed, one by the planet's moon, the other being used for the attack on Rocinante, and one crashed with the Heavy Lift Shuttle.
Knight-type shuttle[]
A Knight-type shuttle.
Regulations dictate that Ice-haulers needed at least one shuttle capable of traveling in atmosphere. Equipped with a non-Epstein Fusion Drive, this shuttle type has limited range.
P&K Knight was a shuttle owned by the Pur'n'Kleen Water Company. The old shuttle was attached to the P&K Canterbury and later destroyed onboard the MCRN Donnager. This type of shuttle was in civilian service and considered a very old vessel.
Khonsu-class shuttle[]
A Khonsu-class shuttle.
The Khonsu-class shuttle was a secret stealth design used by Protogen. This shuttle was able to serve as a forward scout for the Amun-Ra-class frigate and was capable of traveling short to moderate distances from its mothership to transfer personnel or supplies.
A shuttle of this class the Anubis-1A was used by Julie Mao to reach Eros station and left in dock at the station whilst she went into seclusion.
Civilian skiffs[]
Belter pirate armed skiff.
Many various types of skiffs are in use by civilians across space. These vessels are always small, and usually with a single drive cone.
Due to their small size and likely more practical usage some of these skiffs are modified to be pirate vessels with installed torpedoes and/or PDCs.
Construction skiffs[]
UNN repair skiff.
Construction Skiffs are small skiffs used for making repairs to capital ships and stations. These vessels have claws attached to them for holding materials used for repairs.
Construction skiffs were used at Tycho Station for repairs on docked ships such as the Rocinante when it was heavily damaged fighting a Protogen frigate.
Repair skiffs were used in the United Nations Navy fleet and Outer Planets Alliance fleet during the Slow Zone Incident.
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