Better known as the Cheyenne, the UD-4 Utility Dropship is the signature tactical transport of the United States Colonial Marines – a space-capable gunship designed to quickly deploy troops from orbit. Stationed aboard a larger spacecraft, the Cheyenne can rapidly relay troops, supplies, and heavy equipment – up to and including an armored personnel carrier – to any point on the planetary surface, with VTOL (Vertical Take-Off and Landing) allowing it to handle even rough terrain.

The Cheyenne saw use in the doomed expedition to LV-426, ferrying Ripley, Burke, and a squad of Marines down to the ill-fated colony. These dropships were ultimately Ripley's lifeline off the infested planet, but they also proved worryingly susceptible to infiltration – as the Xenomorph Queen stowed away on the landing gear...