The Earth Government Gunship is a large manned aerial vehicle developed to provide EarthGov Security and Military personnel extensive firepower, support in field, and of course transportation. It is first encountered in Dead Space 2.
Summary
EarthGov Gunships appear frequently throughout the course of Dead Space 2, used by Director Tiedemann to pursue Isaac Clarke over "The Sprawl" and later by Ellie Langford to rescue Isaac from Marker Site 12. The Gunship's technical and tactical capabilities make it a formidable assault craft able to hunt and pursue specific targets and engage them with superior firepower in a variety of combat theaters. The gunship, while not a dedicated starship, can function effectively in space and airless environments due to a sealed and pressurized cabin, thus making it a suitable choice for law enforcement operations on the Sprawl.
Armament
Gunship Underbelly ( The Tormentor obscuring view of fuel tanks)
The EarthGov Gunship boasts a wide array of weaponry and technical hardware in its role as a support and assault craft. The armament includes a pair of tri-barrel Gatling cannons under the nose, with grey rockets/missiles in dual clusters of three behind and above the cannons, sensor and communication jamming devices as well as fin-stabilized napalm bombs suspended behind swing doors on the belly of the ship. At the front are a pair of swivel-arm mounts, occupied by high-powered searchlights to detect and illuminate targets hidden from view. One variant that pursued Isaac Clarke featured a retractable slat armor assembly. Presumably this is meant to protect the front of the vehicle from incoming fire or debris.
The gunship's engine control nozzles are made out of three large, independently guiding thrusters, enabling the ship to execute sophisticated and highly flexible maneuvers and to quickly compensate against side winds and turbulence (such as in atmospheric flight during storm conditions, like during the Convergence Event in Dead Space 2). This would give it an edge over the Wai Lao-class shuttle with its more conventional, fixed engine thrusters.
Together, this diverse equipment allows the gunship to function within times of peace as a patrol craft and in hostile situations as a dedicated gunship.
Death Scene
During the final moments of Dead Space 2, Isaac has to reach the Gunship piloted by Ellie as he maneuvers his way past the debris field. A quick time event will initiate as soon as he reaches the ship's rear engines.
- Should the event be completed successfully, Ellie will pull Isaac into the ship before the game ends.
- If the player fails to complete the QTE, Isaac's thrusters will suddenly malfunctions as the Gunship flies ahead of him and sucking him into its thruster. Isaac struggles to move himself forward but is pulled back into the engine fire and incinerated. Ellie's screams can be heard in the background.
Trivia
- While never shown it can be assumed both the Gunship and Tormentor were destroyed in the explosion.
- It is also possible the Gunship possesses some form of auto-pilot as Ellie is seen reaching for Isaac at the doorway as the Gunship pilots itself out of the Government Sector. Gabe Weller is also shown standing at the cabin door while the Gunship is descending to a landing platform.
- In the Dead Space 2: Severed DLC, Gabe has to destroy a Gunship near the end of Chapter 1.
- During Isaac's first encounter with the Pack near the Concourse, there is a toyshop with a picture of an EA model gunship, exactly the same as the one seen in-game and the one available for purchase.
Gallery
