D96-TCE Albatross

The D96-TCE Albatross more formally known as the D96 Troop Carrier, Equipment Dropship is a heavy-lift dropship of the United Nations Space Command.

Background
The D96-TCE Albatross has, for many decades, been an indispensable part of the UNSC's fleet of armored vehicles, capable of deploying vehicles, crates, weapons and raw supplies, such as hydrogen, deep behind enemy lines. It serves as both an atmospheric and exoatmospheric vehicle capable of deliver troops and supplies wherever needed once a landing zone has been secured. Although the Albatross possesses no armament, its nimble maneuverability and heavily armored, expansive cargo bay allow it to transport troops, weapons and vehicles safely.

The Albatross' cargo bay is capable of transporting multiple vehicles and other heavy weapons at a time. Once it has landed, it lowers three metal ramps holding the bay, allowing its cargo to be unloaded. Both times the Albatross has been seen, it is used as a makeshift base, indicating that it may also serve as a mobile field command post for the UNSC.

Known Albatross dropships

 * 03: Attached to the UNSC Aegis Fate, 03 crash-landed near an abandoned Jiralhanae base.

Trivia

 * An Albatross is a seabird, in keeping with the UNSC's tradition of naming all it vehicles after animals, with the exceptions of the Cyclops and Gremlin, which are named after mythical creatures, and the Longsword, Shortsword, and Sabre, which are named after bladed weapons.
 * Some Albatrosses have words inscribed on their hulls by their crews, similar to those pilots painted on the exterior of their bombers in World War II. 03 bears the words "Covenant Killer Mk C" and "Humanity-1 Flood-0".

List of appearances

 * Halo 2
 * Halo 3
 * Halo: Fall of Reach

Related pages

 * United Nations Space Command
 * D77-TC Pelican- The most common UNSC dropship.
 * D77H-TCI Pelican- A newer model of the Pelican.
 * Pod- A heavy transport craft, similar in design to the Albatross.
 * D82-EST Darter- A supply ship that bears some resemblance to the Albatross.