D79-TC Pelican

The D79-TC Pelican, formally known as the Dropship 79 Heavy - Troop Carrier, is a UNSC dropship designed by Misriah Armory. It had become the UNSC's standard dropship by 2557, replacing the D77-TC and D77H-TCI models.

Overview
Unlike the D77 and its H variant, the D79 features a twin-bubble canopy akin to that of the 21st century Mi-24 Hind gunship/attack helicopter. It has a sleeker, more rounded fuselage which presumably improves its aerodynamics. A tall air intake is located immediately adjacent to the fuselage on either winglet, while a shorter but wider intake is mounted in front of and beneath each forward thruster; two smaller intakes are located above these. Two small maneuvering thrusters are mounted on either side of the fuselage. The Pelican is armed with a pair of GAU/53 70mm MBHRC cannons mounted on a gimbal.

Gunship variant
In addition to the standard dropship model, a more heavily armed gunship model is also used. This version has only one nose-mounted autocannon, with the second being replaced by an M6 Grindell/Galilean Nonlinear Cannon, a larger version of the infantry-issued "Spartan Laser". Its dorsal surface features a large turret-mounted cannon similar to that of a bomber. A seemingly manned grenade launcher or machine gun is mounted on each side of the fuselage.

Trivia
In Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn, Spartan Blue Team's D79 Pelican sports the post-war version of the UNSC emblem, despite the series taking place in 2526.

List of appearances

 * The Commissioning
 * Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn
 * Halo 4