The largest military DropShip in common service, the Excalibur has long been used to transport a complete combined-arms regiment, heavy on infantry and tanks, light on BattleMechs. They first entered service in 2786, shortly after the start of the First Succession War, to replace the Star League craft that were already becoming rare. They capable DropShip helped to keep the Successor States fighting when the Star League vessels disappeared entirely, but by the thirty-first century the technological degredation of the wars nearly claimed even these lower-tech vehicles. Only a last-minute retrofit that replaced their entire engine cores saved the design from the scrappers. Still, by that time only the Sucessor States and the most high-profile mercenaries could still keep them working.
         After the Clan Invasion, the DropShip Irregulars mercenary unit became one of the most visible units to use them. They retrofitted both of their Excaliburs to carry a battallion of BattleMechs and also added what appeared to be a capital-class particle cannon in the nose. Some holovids show this as a facade, while others actually depict the cannons as fully functional. The Irregulars used the appearance of their ships to bluff, or not, their way through numerous blockades over the years, the most famous of course being the Word blockade over Solaris VII during the Jihad. Unfortunately, the Word destroyed both ships during the long war for Solaris, and a final answer as to actual weapons capability of the ship will most likely never be found. After the Jihad ended, Solaris rebuilt its manufacturing base and Doctor R. Raisley rebuilt the DropShip Irregulars' shattered ships, and the capabilities of these ships are easy to document.
         Five huge bays make up the majority of the craft’s interior. Three of these are fitted to accommodate a company of ’Mechs each, with full repair facilities unlike the older Excaliburs, and one bay is devoted to a squadron of AeroSpace fighters. The final bay contains the troop decks, which include quarters for vehicle crews, MechWarriors, technical personnel, and an entire infantry battalion. Each infantry deck contains barracks, mess and recreation rooms for each platoon and training and medical facilities for each infantry company. Near one of two ramps leaving this deck is a small car pool where a lance of vehicles can be secured.
         The quarters for the Excalibur's 50 crew members are located above the troop decks. These quarters comprise 21 double-occupancy rooms, and eight single-occupancy suites for the captain and senior officers. The central portion of the deck houses mess hall and recreation facilities, with a trio of elevators for access to other decks. An isolated, security code-equipped elevator provides access to the command deck.
         The new Excalibur carries an impressive weapons load, built using the most advanced weapons technologies that any of the Clans have to offer. RACs, extended and pulse lasers, and ATMs ring the DropShip, giving it a dangerous bite. Finding ammunition for them though can be difficult, forcing anyone that uses them to be careful. Spare parts to repair them can also be hard to obtain, but while they operate they are deadly. All of these weapons are mere bug zappers compared the massive particle cannon in the nose though. While many believe that the DropShip Irregulars' first Excaliburs did not have a main cannon, nobody doubts that the current ones do. They have used the massive particle cannon to blow through numerous fleets over the years, giving both the ships and the Irregulars a dangerous reputation.
         After seeing these fully armed and operational DropShips in action, other units in the Allied Mercenary Command have purchased them as well, but no one outside the AMC has yet been able to field one. This version of the Excalibur is not currently in production as no orders for the specialty ship have come in for several years, a testament both to the expense of keeping them operational and to their continual ability to avoid being shot down.