Unlike the earlier VCX-350 light freighter, the VCX-700 sacrificed cargo capacity for armament, and was equipped with a dual laser cannon turret, four ion cannons, an autoblaster, and four concussion missile launchers. It could only carry five tons of cargo, but its strong armament and heavy armor plating made it well-suited to protecting VIP passengers. The VCX-700's hull configuration superficially resembled the Trade Federation's Armored Assault Tank, with engines mounted above and behind a hemispherical main hull, while other aspects of the design resemble the Firespray-class in its landed configuration, such as the loading ramp beneath the tail section, the tail mounted cannon and the top silhouette.