Normandy (Mass Effect)

The Normandy derives her name from the Normandy landings of World War II. The initial Normandy was created in 2183 as an advanced prototype "deep scout" stealth frigate with help from the Turians, a race of aliens who were once hostile to humans. Most of her revolutionary technology is incorporated into her source of propulsion, the Tantalus drive core, which is also the source of her stealth capabilities. By temporarily "tucking in" and "storing" the heat energy produced within her hull to evade detection, Normandy can travel undetected or drift passively for a lengthy time of observation, though this technique is not without danger. The stored heat must eventually be released, otherwise the ship risks cooking her own crew alive. To aid in the stealth, the Tantalus drive allows Normandy to move without the use of heat-emitting thrusters. The Normandy is armed with GARDIAN (General ARea Defensive Integration Anti-spacecraft Network) point defense lasers, a spinal mass accelerator cannon, and advanced Javelin disruptor torpedoes, as well as kinetic barriers.

With great labor and elaborate secrecy, Normandy SR-2 was built by Cerberus to be a larger, more powerful vessel upon the original's destruction. Envisioned with a more hospitable interior design based on the layout of the original (with five decks compared to SR-1's three), more crew-oriented comforts and civilian accommodations (like leather seats, a small kitchen area, and two observation decks, one of which contains a bar) are available. She features greater space in living quarters, research laboratory, observation deck, and cargo bay. She now possesses shuttles that can be used for more precise landings the spacecraft cannot attempt. The list of upgrades is numerous, which the player has the option of researching and applying in the second and third games. Combined with her speed and maneuverability, Normandy is now capable of significant offensive feats, equipped with Javelin disruptor torpedoes, point-defense lasers, and the Thanix cannon, a Reaper-based weapon. She's even defensively great, thanks to the addition of kinetic barriers, deflective armor, and stronger shielding. Finally, Normandy is also given an onboard AI in the form of the "Enhanced Defense Intelligence", colloquially referred to as "EDI", who later becomes a squad member in Mass Effect 3.[2][3] EDI coordinates many of the ship's combat functions, assisting, and even supplanting human piloting if needed.

Cerberus's many alterations produced a craft nearly double the original's size and mass, now armed and armored with even more sophisticated tech. All this required an even larger Tantalus drive core to compensate. This new core is housed within a sphere which holds element zero and is technologically different from the original Tantalus core; the manner in which it generates an immense output of power for the ship is meant to evoke a super-collider.[4] The ship still retains the SR-1's stealth characteristics, but is now more sustainable. However, unlike the SR-1, the SR-2 can no longer land on every planet due to her increased mass, requiring shore parties to use a shuttle to get to a planet's surface.

The Normandy SR-2 first enters service in 2185, two years after the end of Mass Effect. The Illusive Man had Cerberus build the SR-2 for the newly-revived Commander Shepard and his/her team to aid them in their mission to stop the Collectors' galaxy-wide campaign of human abductions. The ship's communicator was modified to provide instantaneous contact with the Illusive Man. As part of the final mission of Mass Effect 2, the severity of the damage Normandy receives while fighting the Collectors is heavily dependent on how many upgrades the player managed to research and purchase for the ship.

In Mass Effect 3, Normandy, while not receiving any major modifications, undergoes a further retrofit in 2186; although the retrofits are not completed in time before the Reaper invasion, she is repainted in the Alliance Navy colors of blue and white after reentering the hands of the Systems Alliance on Earth following the events of Mass Effect 2: Arrival, becoming more like a military vessel once again.[3] In spite of her relatively small size compared to other starships in the series, Normandy continues to be touted as the fastest, most advanced, and most iconic vessel of the Alliance fleet. She led the charge of united Citadel alien races in the Battle for Earth at the game's finale.

In Mass Effect, the SR-1 carries the M35 Mako, a six-wheeled infantry fighting vehicle equipped with thrusters, a 155mm mass accelerator cannon, and a coaxial machine gun. The Mako is designed to fit in the small cargo bays of Alliance scouting frigates such as Normandy. Its small size and low weight allow it to be easily deployed to virtually any world. In Mass Effect 2, the Mako can be found at the crash site of the destroyed SSV Normandy on Alchera, partially encased in ice and rock but otherwise almost completely intact.

In Mass Effect 2, the SR-2 carries the M-44 Hammerhead, a hovering infantry fighting vehicle that functions as a replacement to the Mako. It is only usable in the DLC missions Firewalker and Overlord, and does not play a main story role, nor does it return in Mass Effect 3.

In Mass Effect 2 and Mass Effect 3, interplanetary flight personnel carriers stored in the SR-2's cargo bay are two UT-47 Kodiak that can be used to make landings the new Normandy could not attempt. The A-model shuttles are employed significantly more in Mass Effect 3, where they (along with the ship) are retrofitted to Alliance specs, repainted in Alliance colors, and are now armed with mass accelerator cannons on both sides of each craft. The Kodiak is nicknamed "Combat Cockroach" by Alliance marines because of its durability and looks.