Rebel Alliance U-Wing

Description

The UT-60D U-wing starfighter/support craft, also known as the UT-60D, U-wing or UT-60D U-wing Troop Transport, was a transport/gunship model manufactured by Incom Corporation and used by the Alliance to Restore the Republic during the Galactic Civil War. Used to drop troops into battle, and provide cover fire for them, U-wings were pivotal in
transport and protection of the Rebel Alliance’s ground forces during the Battle of Scarif.

The U-wing’s two wing-like strike foils, or S-foils, were retractable and could be positioned forward-facing or backward-facing depending on the situation.  The movement of the
S-foils was controlled by the S-foil articulation servomotor assembly. The backward-facing, or flight configuration was used in combat situations as it increased the coverage envelope of the ship’s deflector shields and helped radiate excess heat from the engine’s core. The increased wingspan, however, often became a liability in rough atmospheric conditions, resulting in the flight configuration primarily being reserved for high-altitude and interstellar operations.

U-wings were armed with a pair of fixed-position Taim & Bak KX7 laser cannons, which were powerful enough to penetrate the shielding and hull armor of an Arquitens-class light cruiser. Since its primary weapons required the use of the ship’s orientation for targeting, one or both of the loading doors were transformed into gun ports with the mounting of improvised
weapons. Therefore, any infantry-based heavy weapon could be mounted to become
part of the craft’s load-out. The Rebel Alliance opted to not equip permanent side-firing
modifications so as to not lose this versatility. One such example of these heavy weapons was the “Roba” M-45 repeating ion blaster.