he Sokar-pattern Stormbird is a dedicated attack lander, the design precursor to the smaller, more widely-produced Thunderhawk Gunship. It was conceived as a specialised, high-durability orbital assault craft, a mobile bastion and firebase that can land a Space Marine strike force and withstand heavy ground fire while its passengers force a landing zone. To this end, the Sokar Stormbird features all-round gun turrets and dense composite armour comparable to a main battle tank, as well as void shield generators and redundant thruster units to keep it airborne even when damaged.