EarthGov Gunship

The EarthGov Gunship was a large manned aerial vehicle developed to give EarthGov military and security personnel firepower, field support and transport. Built around a sealed, pressurized cabin, it operated as readily in vacuum and in space as in atmosphere, which made it well suited to law enforcement across Titan Station, the colony known as the Sprawl. During the 2511 outbreak the craft was used to hunt Isaac Clarke, and one later carried him clear of the Site 12 Marker. (Dead Space 2)

Role on the Sprawl#

EarthGov Gunships were used throughout the 2511 outbreak on Titan Station, deployed by Director Hans Tiedemann to pursue Isaac Clarke across the Sprawl and later by Ellie Langford to rescue Isaac from Marker Site 12. The craft's technical and tactical capabilities made it a formidable assault vehicle, able to hunt and pursue specific targets and to engage them with superior firepower across a range of combat theaters. Although it was not a dedicated starship, the gunship could operate effectively in space and airless environments thanks to its sealed and pressurized cabin, which is what made it a practical choice for law enforcement operations on the station. A gunship also carried Gabe Weller down to a landing platform on the station. (Dead Space 2; Dead Space 2: Severed)

Armament and systems#

Judged against Isaac, a single craft was at least ten metres long from the cockpit to the tips of the thrusters. The gunship carried a wide array of weaponry in its role as a support and assault craft. Its armament included a pair of fully rotating tri-barrel gatling cannons under the nose, six homing missiles for ship-to-ship engagements, sensor and communication jamming devices, and fin-stabilized napalm bombs suspended behind swing doors on the belly of the ship, apparently for bombarding positions on the ground. The bombs spilled into the vacuum when the Tormentor struck Ellie's gunship. (Dead Space 2)

At the front, a pair of swivel-arm mounts held high-powered searchlights to detect and illuminate targets hidden from view, with a third light on top of the craft. One variant that pursued Isaac Clarke was fitted with a retractable slat armor assembly over its front. The windscreen appeared to be polarized. (Dead Space 2)

The gunship's engine control nozzles consisted of three large, independently steering thrusters, which let the craft make tight, flexible turns. Inside, the cockpit held two seats together with holographic displays, a thruster switch and the craft's other key controls, and Ellie Langford wore an EVA suit while flying one. Two doors allowed quick entry and exit. (Dead Space 2)