UD4L Cheyenne

The UD4L Dropship is a fictional dropship and tactical transport used by the United States Colonial Marines in the movie Aliens. It was derived from an original United Americas Department of Defense requirement formulated at the end of the Tienstin conflict. It acts as a gunship by using its own internal gun and deploying weapon pods and hardpoints for rockets and missiles. The principle airframe is constructed from superplastic-formed diffusion-bonded metal matrix composites (MMC) and its 103.6 cubic meter internal payload bay can easily fit a M577 A.P.C. (turret stowed). The engines can produce exceptionally high thrust for low specific fuel consumption. The UD4L Dropship is also called a "Cheyenne." It has AN/ALQ-2004E defensive systems to keep it well protected. It has two types of power plants to allow vertical take-off capability (VTOL) hover to the hypersonic trans-atmospheric.

Specifications
Crew: Pilot and Chief/Weapons Officer

Engines: 2 Republic Dynamics TF-900 turbines each rated at 310 kN dry thrust and 2 TF-220/A-14 combined cycle engines.

Dimensions Height: 6.05 m Length: 25.18 m Span: 12.59 m

Weights Loaded: 18,260 kg Maximum Loaded: 34,630 kg

Performance: Power to weight ratio (loaded) 1:3.3; (maximum loaded) 1:1.7. Range is variable dependant on mission profile, load and ambient atmospheric conditions, but the UD4L is capable of dropping a load from low orbit, landing vertically, and lifting to orbit again from a vertical launch.

Armament: 1 x 25 mm gatling gun with 900 rounds 32 x 150 mm unguided rockets 12 x 70 mm unguided rockets 8 x 120 mm guided rockets 7 x AGM-220 air-to-ground missiles 3 x TSAM threat suppression missiles 3 x AIM-90 short range air-to-air missiles