An STEV resembled a sleek teardrop, with four 'prongs' raising from the top. Constructed from a double-folded layer of Mandalorian Iron, and featuring an underlayer of lead foil and a ceramic skin, these pods were surprisingly durable. The internal ceramic skin and layer of lead foil provided a decent amount of protection from the extreme heat generated during the drop through a atmosphere, but the passenger compartment still became almost intolerably hot, and it was not uncommon for the passenger to literally be 'cooked' alive during a drop. Also, the stock model featured no shield generator and, Mandalorian Iron hull notwithstanding, they were still extremely vulnerable to AA fire.