Lambda-class shuttle
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{{SW Craft
|image=Image:Roj-Shuttle-Tydirium.jpg
Lambda-class shuttle landing on Death Star II
|name=Lambda-class shuttle
|Manufacturer=Sienar Fleet Systems
|Specification=Shuttles
|Type=Lambda
|Length=20 meters
|Weapons=N/A
|Shield=N/A
|Hull=N/A
|Crew=(2) Pilot
|Speed=1,400G
|Troop=N/A
|Affiliation=Galactic Empire (Star Wars)
|Cargo=20 troops or 80 metric tons
|Passengers=20 troops
|casualties1=
|casualties2=
|notes=
}}
In the fictional Star Wars universe, the Lambda-class shuttle is a standard light utility aerospacecraft in use throughout the Imperial Navy.
Built by Imperial starship manufacturer Sienar Fleet Systems, it is reasonably well-armed, with two wing-mounted dual laser gun turrets (with some versions mounting an additional rear twin-laser turret, just above the main thrusters) and a pair of chin-mounted, fixed-forward twin laser guns, suggesting that its main role is special operations forces insertion and extraction. Its similarity to an already-existing type of civilian light utility craft reinforces this impression. However, because of poor acceleration and manoeuvrability it is incapable of adequately defending itself from enemy starfighter forces. This is exemplified by all flights of ranking Imperial personnel being accompanied by a pair of TIE fighters.
The Lambda-class shuttle was being phased into service during Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back, replacing the Theta-class shuttle, seen in Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith, and production continued even after the Empire fell. The distinctive trihedral foil design, first seen in Republic transports in Revenge of the Sith, is reminiscent of the T-16 Skyhopper, designed by Incom Corporation, but rather than three fixed wings, the two lower wings are mechanically articulated. During flight, the lower wings fold out for stabilization, and when landing, fold in, thus shrinking the vessel's size. A variant on the design was used in the Sentinel-class Landing Craft (Imperial landing craft), seen briefly in Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope.
The shuttle Tyderium is an example of the Imperial Lambda-class shuttle. The Rebel Alliance captured the Tyderium and used it to transport a small Rebel commando team to the forest moon of Endor. In orbit above the planet was the construction site for the Empire's second Death Star, which was using an image of false vulnerability to lure the Rebel fleet into a massive trap designed to wipe out the Rebellion. The Rebel taskforce managed to destroy the Imperial Shield Generator which was projecting a defensive energy shield around the Death Star from the surface, thus enabling Rebel fighter craft to launch a direct attack on the Imperial space station.
Trivia
- In the LucasArts computer game TIE Fighter, the Lambda-class shuttle was erroneously referred to as a "Tyderium shuttle", although all the mission briefings correctly use the Lambda name. It is unknown how or why this error occurred; it was corrected by the release of the collector edition. It is possible that this error was probably due to the mistake of the developers naming it as such as there is a Lambda-class shuttle that goes by the name of "Shuttle Tyderium". Others speculate that the name Tyderium was much more well known than Lambda.
- TIE Fighter significantly downgraded the Lambda shuttle, arming it with only 4 forward-firing laser cannons and removing the rear defensive turret. The game also introduced an advanced and sleeker version of the Lambda shuttle known as the Escort Shuttle. Along with stronger shields and greater firepower, an additional cannon was mounted on the rear of the main pod. The rear-mounted turret was notoriously accurate, turning the shuttle into a real threat to enemy fighters for the first time. It was exceedingly difficult to destroy one in an unshielded craft and survive, forcing the player to attack them from a distance with warheads.
- In TIE Fighter, both Lambda and Escort Shuttles were common found in Rebel or pirate hands and often used as starfighters, contrary to most official sources that stated that shuttles were exclusively used by Imperials for transporting VIPs.
- Two Star Wars flightsim games contain missions where the player must acquire the Shuttle Tyderium; one in the PC X-Wing Alliance, the other in the Gamecube Rogue Leader (and the co-op remake of Rogue Leader in Rebel Strike were the 2nd player to land at the shuttle would control the rear turret as the first piloted).