D20 Heron

The D20 Heron is a United Nations Space Command atmospheric and space heavy-lift dropship.

Design details
The D20 Heron is very large and roughly square in shape, featuring a protruding area at the front of the ship which most likely serves as the bridge. The Heron features four tilt engines, two mounted on opposite sides of the ship, and four conventional, rear-mounted engines. The configuration allows for easy maneuverability in space, such as among debris fields. The Heron was originally intended to deploy the infrastructure required to begin and sustain humanity's colonization efforts. The necessities of the Human-Covenant War forced the UNSC to re-purpose the craft for a combat support role.

The D20 is capable of transporting and placing a prefabricated firebase "pod" on a suitable landing zone designated by friendly ground forces. When deploying a firebase pod, a circular structure amidships spins clockwise, possibly unscrewing to detach the payload. The vessel is capable of operating in both atmosphere and vacuum. Up to ten Herons can be docked on the exterior of a Phoenix-class support vessel, with five being berthed on either side.

Operational history
The converted  embarked ten D20 Herons Febuary 2531. These dropships were used extensively to construct firebases on Harvest, Arcadia, and Shield World 0459 in February 2531. During the Battle of Shield World 0459, a collision between Spirit of Fire and the Covenant destroyer Proclamation's Tithe resulted in the destruction of all five of the human vessel's portside Herons. By the time Spirit of Fire arrived at Installation 00 in May 2559, the lost Herons had been replaced. However, the ship's crew primarily used D81-LRT Condors in place of the Herons for building firebases on Installation 00; the Herons were instead used exclusively for mass deployment of cargo and troops in secured rear areas.

Trivia

 * The Heron has a slight resemblance to the troop carriers from the film Starship Troopers.

List of appearances

 * Halo Wars
 * Halo Mythos: A Guide to the Story of Halo
 * Halo Wars 2