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Sentinel-class landing craft

<Sentinel-class landing craft

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For other uses, seeSentinel.

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Sentinel-class landing craft

Production information

Manufacturer

Model

Sentinel-classlanding craft^[2]

Type

Landing craft

Cost

240,000credits^[3]

Technical specifications

Length

38meters^[2]

Maximum acceleration

2,400 G^[4]

MGLT

70MGLT^[5]

Maximum atmospheric speed

1,000km/h^[5]

Engine unit(s)

CygnusHD7 engine^[5]

Hyperdrive rating

Class 1.0^[5]
Class 10(backup)^[6]

Hyperdrive system

HD7 Hyperdrive Activator Unit^[1]

Shielding

2 forward and 2 aftshield generators^[1](rated 120SBD)^[2]

Hull

Rated 28RU^[2]

Navigation system

Navigation computer equipped^[6]

Armament

Retractablelaser cannons (8)^[5]
Concussion missilelaunchers (2)^[5]
- 8 missiles each^[1]
Retractableion cannon turret (1)^[5]
Retractable repeatingblaster cannon turrets (2)^[5]

Complement

Standard configuration:
Alternate configuration:
- 36 74-Zspeeder bikes^[5]

- 12Compact Assault Vehicles^[5]

OrTIE Maulers^[7]OrSPMA-Ts^[7]

Crew

Pilot (1)^[8]
Co-pilot/sensor officer (1)^[8]
Gunners (3)^[8]

Passengers

up to 75 troops^[3]

Cargo capacity

180metric tons(total capacity for passengers or cargo)^[5]

Consumables

1month^[3]

Communication systems

High-power communication array^[4]

Usage

Role(s)

Affiliation

"Imperial landing craft. We're about to haveplenty of company."

―Commander Arhul Narra^[14]

TheSentinel-class landing craft,^[5] also known as theSentinel-class shuttle,^[3] was atransport used primarily by theGalactic Empire to carry troops, small vehicles, and supplies.

Characteristics[]

"I have aSentinel-class ship that's standing idle. I think you'll find she's just what you need."

―Wedge Antilles toMassimo^[11]

Sentinel schem — *Sentinel*-class schematics

With its folding wing configuration and matching cockpit module, theSentinel-class landing craft was based on theLambda-class shuttle,^[15] both shuttles having seen design origins in theTheta-class shuttle.^[3] However, unlike its predecessor and its counterpart, thelanding craft's exterior was encased in armor plating 25% heavier than the armor of aLambda-class. The landing craft was also equipped with fourdeflector shield projectors.^[16] Despite its large size and heavy weight, theSentinel-class was fast and agile due to itsCygnus HD7 engine.^[1]

The Sentinel relied on a crew consisting of apilot, 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.^[6]

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 rudimentaryautopilot 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.^[4]

Eaw sclc — ASentinel-class landing craft with wings folded for landing

The interior of the shuttle could be customized for each mission, removing or adding seating.^[6] In its standard configuration, aSentinel-class could carry 54stormtroopers^[16] (approximately six squads), 12E-Web heavy repeating blasters, and 674-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^[1] such asAT-STs^[7] orAT-PTs.^[17] Its total cargo capacity was 180 metric tons.^[5]

Sentinels could also carryTIE Maulers andSPMA-Ts into battle.^[7] For insertion into a planet, aSentinel carried a Class 1.0 hyperdrive.^[5]Sentinels were also used to deployMarine landing forces onto enemy starships.^[18]

The landing craft's weapons load consisted of 8laser cannons, 2concussion missile launchers, 1 retractable turret-mountedion cannon, and 2 rotating repeating blasters (retractable, used when landing).^[1] Three gunners were responsible for manning these weapons, which were all linked to the shuttle's precise targeting computers. Since theSentinel-class was heavily armed, it also served as a combat support vehicle.^[3]

Sentinel-class landing craft were deployed from Imperialairbases.^[19]

History[]

Cattena Squadron prepares to deploy from inside of aSentinel.

After theClone Wars, theGalactic Empire made a change from starships like theAcclamator-class assault ship that were able to land on planets in order to unload troops, to space-boundStar Destroyers, the sheer size of which required them to remain in orbit above the planet. That change brought about the need for a dedicated, armored, and maneuverable landing craft to safely transport troops directly into battlefields.^[3] The Cygnus-Sienar shuttle family fulfilled most of the Empire's needs for light transports, introducing theSentinel-class landing craft some time before theBattle of Yavin, and it eventually became the main troop transport in theImperial Navy.

The primary use of theSentinel-class was to transport troops betweenStar Destroyers/Cruisers/Star Dreadnoughts and the surface of a planet, but they could also serve as air support, short-range scouts, light cargo vessels, and even starfighter support.^[3] The vehicle was also used in conjunction with largerY-85 Titan dropships orAT-AT barges for joint infantry and armor assaults, as well as making an excellent atmospheric transport, with many Imperial garrisons keeping at least one Sentinel on-hand for this purpose.^[4]

Landing craft carried ground forces into numerous battlefronts early in theGalactic Civil War.^[7]

Amodified version carried special containers for extra cargo, used to deploy vehicles as big as AT-STs.^[9]

Sentinel btm — ASentinel flying over Cloud City

A number ofSentinel-class landing craft were used on the desert world ofTatooine, where they deployedsandtroopers and theirdewback mounts to search for the missingDeath Star plans in0 BBY.^[5]^[20]

In 0 BBY, shortly before the Battle of Yavin, aJedi and some Rebel prisoners tried toescape theDeath Star in aSentinel but the 501st Legion blew theSentinel up before they managed to take off. They then killed the Jedi leader and the breakout was over.^[18]

Imperialofficer Brenn Tantor, before his defection to theRebel Alliance, used theBattlefield Holographic Control Interface to orderSentinels to deploy reinforcements from orbit to numerous battlefronts.^[17]

Sentinels also carried reinforcements toDarth Vader in theEvacuation of Yavin.^[19]

These shuttles could carry a modified recon speeder bike that featured an encrypted communications link to theSentinel.^[6]

More than sixmonths after the Battle of Yavin,^[21] aSentineldeployed a strike force to destroy the Rebel starshipNonnah.

A landing craft also carried a force toattack Red Squadron onLubang Minor, but was destroyed by a veteranclone trooper.^[14]

Reconaissance mission TCG by David Nash — AnImperial squad disembarking from aSentinel

The Rebel Alliance had at least oneSentinel, and used it in araid on theKessel prison.^[10]

In3 ABY,^[22]Sentinels carriedsnowtroopers to the surface for theBattle of Hoth.^[9] A short time later, the Empire deployed seven landing craft to carry itsoccupation force toBespin.^[19]

A Sentinel boarded the Emperor was attacked in mistake by Dr. Raygar by using a cannon that the doctor made from the powers of the Sunstar that was meant for the Emperor. It was seen Dr. Raygar entered to receive his punishment from Emperor Palpatine.

Rebelprisoners from the battle later took aSentinel to escapethe Maw after they werefreed byRogue Squadron.^[9]

Production continued after theBattle of Endor, selling them to Imperial groups and private companies, by6 ABY the shuttle had became quite common.^[1]^[5] Because of their versatility along with heavy arms and armor, theSentinel-class saw great popularity inside and outside the Galactic Empire, being used by various other groups including the Rebel Alliance, theNew Republic,^[5]Galactic Federation of Free Alliances,mercenary groups, and continued serving theImperial Remnant long after the death ofEmperor Palpatine during theBattle of Endor in4 ABY.

The New Republic developed its own unique replacement for theSentinel-class, theBantha-class troop carrier assault shuttle, which featured much heavier armor than its Imperial counterpart.^[4] At least oneSentinel, called theNeuer was still in use by theFel Empire as late as139 ABY.^[23]

Behind the scenes[]

Several sources list theSentinel-class as being 20 meters long (i.e.The New Essential Guide to Vehicles and Vessels), the same length as theLambda-class shuttle. Based on the vessel's similarity to theLambda-class and other craft in the same family (especially theKappa-class shuttle), a more realistic length would fall somewhere between 29 and 45 meters. The space combat simulatorStar Wars: X-Wing Alliance depicts theSentinel-class at a length of 38 meters, and a side-by-side comparison in theStar Wars: Empire at War terrain editor scales theSentinel-class at approximately 31.6 meters. However, the scales from bothEmpire at War games are known to be notoriously incorrect, especially the distortion between starfighters and capital ships. It is currently unknown which is the official canon length.

Many depictions ofSentinel-class shuttles inLegends media are based on a particular intermediate-stage concept artwork by TyRuben Ellingson, rather than the finalized version fromShadows of the Empire and the movies. These depictions, as seen in the above images in this article, typically feature a less-bulky hull and perfectly straight wings as compared to the canonSentinel-class.

TheSentinel-class landing craft is one of fewC-canon elements to be used in the films; it first appeared in theShadows of the Empire game, and appeared in thespecial edition ofA New Hope.

Sentinels serve as the Imperial landing craft in all threeStar Wars RTSvideo games:Star Wars: Force Commander,Star Wars: Galactic Battlegrounds, andStar Wars: Empire at War.