Patrol Dropships: Design questions.

[Korzon77]

Most Dropships are designed for combat or direct landings. But what about a "Coast guard" dropship. What would you put in a ship designed mainly for disaster relief, patrolling, customs duties and anti-piracy actoins (normal pirate units, not the rogue Smoke Jaguars that show up with a cruiser). Oh, it also has to be able to hang around until relief arrives.

[Cryhavok101]

I posted this originally in my project yamato thread, but coast guard is basically what it's for, in a nutshell:
http://bg.battletech.com/forums/index.php?topic=55047.msg1270544#msg1270544

I've seen a couple other disaster relief dropships on here before, but this is my closest.

[Liam's Ghost]

Personally, I'd start with an Intruder class dropship, and use some of that fantastically large cargo bay to add on a naval comm scanner and long term quarters for the additional crew you'll need and at least some of the marines (you might want to cut back on the total contingent though).

[Daryk]

Liam is close... the principal thing you're looking for is CARGO SPACE.  It's eminently reconfigurable, and can be used to meet pretty much any other requirement you can levy.  An NCSS is a great addition, as well as a solid base of weaponry and armor to deal with pirates, but cargo is the main thing.

[kato]

A general outfit as a naval tug could also be considered in that role.

[Maingunnery]

There is one canon example:

http://www.masterunitlist.info/Unit/Details/7416/saturn-patrol-ship

[marauder648]

How about a more modern version of the DroST IIB?