GLIDER CLASS TRANSPORT SHIP

	class:	Glider - [unknown]
	type:	Transport
	length:	157 meters [?]
	mass:	56,520 metric tons [?]
	power:	unknown - Possibly an Antimatter or Fusion reactor system.
	duration:	unknown
	accel.:	2 km/s/s [?]
	crew:	unknown
	agility:	unknown
	weapon:	none
	defense:	Re-enforced Poly-crystalline armor

[Excerpts from EFS file Zeta-7197701, as stated by Senator Richard Compton following a diplomatic visit to Minbar, 2256.*]
The Glider type transport ship appears to be the Minbari equivalent to a passenger or military transport vessel. Personally, it reminds me of a cross between a bat and an old picture of a Lockheed C-5 Galaxy class transport I once read about. Available statistics on this vessel were scarce; few of my questions regarding its technology were answered and those that were answered were quite vague, though I must admit my Minbari guide was quite politely in tolerating all my questions. I think he even found some of them amusing.

I believe the Glider to be a larger version of the Minbari Flyer and is likely used to transport passengers around Minbar or curry them to in-system colonies, bases or other star systems via a jump-gate. I know its space capable for a fact, because I got a pretty good photo of one as it was leaving Minbar orbit, while my own transport was making read to land on the planet (see image above). I did not notice any visible exhaust, typical of an ion engine however.

I estimate its length to be about 157 meters based upon the size of the platform used to carry a group of people aboard a Glider type transport.* The technology in use was amazing! The transport silently came to a stop a few hundred meters above the ground, and then a circular mouth on the bottom opened up and then a beam of light shot out from the ship, towards the waiting passengers. At first I thought it was maybe scanning them, but all of a sudden the passengers. were carried aloft on some disc, right through the air and aboard the transport. I suspect that the beam was some sort of magnetic or gravitational beam, similar to the tractor beams on Centauri vessels. The technology must be a lot more refined however, to lift something as fragile as a Minbari being without crushing them.

When I asked my guide where the people were going, he didn't answer but I recognized the robes as being similar to those worn by the Gray Council's entourage, back during the surrender negotiations. Even though few answers were forthcoming from my guide, I was able to take some pretty nice pictures (see EFS file Zeta-7197701 pg. 47-51 for details) and have made some speculation as to some of its functions.

Firstly, its large wings and rear tail suggest that it is designed to fly via conventional atmospheric methods, in addition to flying using gravitational or magnetic technology, which seems to be pretty standard among all the Minbari craft I've seen. The outer wings appear to have engines on their tips, not unlike a Starfury, though I'd contend that they are most likely the ship's gravitational drive and I didn't see any evidence of ion or particle thrust engines. There are also two additional pontoons tucked in under the wing and near the fuselage, but I can't really speculate as to their function.

[*Content of this page is supposition based on what was seen, and based upon the technology and characteristics of other Minbari vessels.]
[*As seen when Lennon was transported to a ship of this class during "In the Beginning."]