The Gazelle Class is one of the smaller DropShip types operating within the Successor States, though it is not as small as Fury or Leopard Class Vessels. Designed to transport a single armor company onto the battlefield, the ship has a reinforced vehicle bay able to hold 15 tanks, with a total mass of just over 900 tons. The cramped personnel facilities accommodate as many as 55 people, including the troops and the ship's crew.
         The Gazelle's interior is composed of three major decks. The bottom deck houses the ship's large vehicle bay, which is roughly 18 meters at its widest point by 59.5 meters long. Entrance into this section is through a heavy retractable ramp located in the DropShip's nose. Originally designed for the smaller armored vehicles of the past, the bay had to be enlarged later to accommodate larger, heavier vehicles. To gain extra space, the personal accommodations and the aft cargo section were reduced. The personnel lift also had to be removed from this deck, and was replaced by a retractable ladder.
         The deck's design can create logistical problems. Many inexperienced assault units have faced lengthy delays because of the difficulties of packing and unpacking a full-strength unit into the bay. Well-trained units develop an order of deployment to expedite off-loading and to increase the survivability of the entire DropShip. Many Gazelle crews worry whenever a green unit comes aboard because so many DropShips have been destroyed on the ground due to delays caused by inexperienced units. Smart Gazelle captains sit down with unit commanders to outline the best procedures for rapid deployment.
         Deck two is commonly referred to as the main deck.   It contains the engine room, bridge, and quarters for all ten crewmembers. The Aft third of this deck houses the bottom half of the ship's drives.
         The top deck contains most of the systems and facilities required by the crew, including the laundry, waste recycling, water tankage, med bay, mess hall, and fuel storage. The aft portion of this deck houses the upper half of he ship's drives. In order for the ship to use its transit drives, super-hot plasma is channeled from the engine core to the drive mechanism. In the Gazelle, this channel passes through the compartment next to the engineering control center, causing uncomfortably hot conditions for the Engineers. To alleviate the problem, an air circulation shaft was installed from the top deck, through the main deck, and opening in the vehicle bay below. Roughly 3 x 11 meters wide, this shaft spreads heat evenly to reduce overheating the engine section. Inside this shaft are an access ladder, catwalks, and other numerous pipes and conduits.
         The Gazelles's passengers are divided up among three bays located on the main deck. Each bay provides housing for a single armor lance's personnel. Sleeping arrangements consist of four triple-stacked bunks, one per vehicle crew. To provide room for additional personnel, a fifth bunk is also included. Each person has a small wall locker for storing personal gear. A shared washroom takes up a large portion of the room. Because of the lack of space in the bay, the platoon lieutenant does not have a desk and chair, as on many other DropShips. Instead, he must attend to his administrative tasks in the mess hall or in the vehicle bay. As on many other troop transports, the CO and First Sergeant share a small bunkroom. The ship's crew is housed in a bay next to and identical to the three troop bays.
         In the last 50 years, three new versions of the Gazelle have been released. The first, and most expensive, is built by New Syrtis with some advanced weapons and its engines and internal structure reinforced to allow it to carry more tonnage. The designs built at Galax and Atreus are identical to the original, though with some small differences in weapons and armor. The Gazelles are often acquired by free traders as they are easily repurposed to carrying bulk cargo.