D79H-TC Pelican

Dropship 79 Heavy-Troop Carrier

D79H-TC Pelican (abbreviated D79H-TC), also known as the Pelican Gunship, is an extremely versatile aircraft capable of carrying troops, cargo, or vehicles, and sporting a heavy arsenal of weapons. Because of this, the Pelican is both a capable support gunship, and troop deployment carrier.

After years of requests from players, the D79H-TC Pelican became the first flyable Pelican model that is neither an easter egg or a mod. The Pelican can be flown at at the start of the Halo 4 level Shutdown. The standard model of the Pelican has two nose mounted machine guns, operable by the pilot. The Gunship model of the Pelican has two side-mounted turrets, similar to Falcon, and a rocket turret above the cockpit. The pilot also has access to a nose-mounted machine gun alongside a Spartan Laser. The Pelican flyable in Halo 4's campaign has a seemingly infinite boost, unlike most Covenant vehicles. So far, the Pelican is only drivable in Shutdown and it is unknown whether it will be drivable in Spartan Ops.

Trivia

 * The D79H may be the UNSC's analog to the Covenant's Phantom Gunboat.
 * Unlike the earlier D77 models, the cockpit opens to allow the pilot inside.
 * Unlike previous Pelicans, the downward thrusters are no longer on the nacelles and are instead on the main body.
 * The D79H Pelican is the most heavily armed gunship in the UNSC.
 * The D79H also is equipped with an advanced version of the Spartan Laser.
 * Unlike other Pelican models, the D79 supports acceleration thrusters.
 * On the mission Reclamer three pelicans are seen flying away from the Mammoth, and it is possible that it takes three D79s to lift a Mammoth.

List of Appearances

 * Halo 4