Gamma-class assault shuttle

The Gamma-class assault shuttle was an Imperial shuttle used to ferry spacetroopers into battle.

Characteristics
In a standard operation, a Gamma-class assault shuttle would pull up near an enemy ship and take hold of it with either its tractor beam or power harpoon. It would then launch its spacetroopers to seize control of the vessel, sometimes crippling the ship beforehand with a few well-placed turbolaser shots.[1]

These ships were composed of three sections. The first section was the command crew cockpit, where a crew of five not only controlled the shuttle, but monitored its spacetroopers as well. The second section, the main body, was where the spacetroopers were carried. There were forty holding compartments for spacetrooper armor, enough for an entire platoon. [1]

While being stored in the assault shuttle, the spacetroopers' power armor was constantly being recharged. Each compartment was equipped with a fold-away door, allowing the shuttle to quickly launch its troopers into space.

To protect its valuable cargo of elite spacetroopers, assault shuttles were very well shielded. Unlike most combat ships, which devoted 25% of their power to shields, the shields of a Gamma-class assault shuttle took up a full 62% of its power, with over half of that directed to the ship's front arc. This allowed assault shuttles to withstand heavy damage as they pulled up near hostile ships.[1]

Gamma-class assault shuttles were both atmosphere and space capable. They were equipped with Class 2 hyperdrives (Class 18 backup). However, their capability for hyperspace travel was limited, because their nav computers could only hold enough data for three jumps.