Ships

Low-Altitude Assault Transport/Carrier

(AKA Republic Gunship)

The Low Altitude Assault Transport/carrier, also known as the LAAT/c, was a LAAT carrier gunship employed by the Grand Army of the Republic during the Clone Wars. These atmospheric transports were also referred to as AT-TE carriers.

The Rothana Heavy Engineering LAAT/c variant was designed primarily to airlift AT-TEs and other heavy cargo right into the thick of battle. The Gunships also airlifted other military hardware such as portable power generators, shield projectors, observation posts, field medical centers, supplies, and fixed artillery. It was also capable of retrieving damaged AT-TEs.

Similar in design to the LAAT/i version, the carrier gunship removed the infantry model's troop hold, and featured heavy-lift agrav drives that held payloads in place under the main hull. The magnetic clamps hold payloads in place and can be disengaged instantly, allowing payloads to be dropped speedily. A wide wingspan allowed for maximum distribution of repulsorlift vanes when carrying heavy weights.

The front of the gunship features a hunchback-style cockpit bubble, wherein the gunship pilot sits. The chin-mounted laser cannon turrets and the tail mounted laser cannon were the crafts only defense.

At the Battle of Geonosis, a LAAT/c airlifted the Forward Command Center onto the battlefield while other carriers transported walkers onto the front lines. Some four hundred LAAT/c gunships were deployed during the battle. 

During the Clone Wars, carrier gunships were known to transport Saber-class fighter tanks, RTT transports, and both AT-XT and AT-TE walkers. Once its cargo is deployed, LAAT/c are normally withdrawn to the protective environs of its carrier.

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