SSV Dubai

"Ah the good 'ol Dubai, she maybe old but she's still one nasty bitch."

- Lamar Tarleton, commenting on the SSV Dubai's combat capability

The SSV Dubai is an Alliance Seattle-Class Light Cruiser that has been modified to serve as a blockade runner and usually serves as transport for N7 operatives, most notable of these is Zeta Team.

Mass Effect: Faustian Bargain
The Dubai is first seen after Zeta Team completes its mission aboard the Batarian slaver ship Kharik's Fist. It extracts the prisoners and Zeta Team from the ship before destroying the Kharik's Fist with a few rounds from its mass accelarator cannons.

Purpose
The Dubai was one of seven Seattle-Class Light Cruisers chosen to be refitted to serve as blockade runners and a reconnisanse vessels. These modified cruiser were outfitted with more powerful engines and drive cores, combined with the Alliance's latest and greatest VIs to allow for optimal performance and allow these ships to employ guerilla tactics and conduct strafing attacks with fatal accuracy. However, this speed and maneuverability comes with a cost; the cruiser's have very limited offensive and defensive options in ship to ship combat, as they were designed to slip behind enemy lines and either dropped infilitration teams to take out enemy supply lines or ravages enemy bases via orbital bombardment. In addition; the blockade runners have less durable armor to allow for maxium speeds and rarely have kinetic barriers active, thus they are extremely vulnerable to enemy fire. As a result, these cruisers use their impressive speed as their primary defense and evasie action; easily outpacing ships of similar size and even rivals the speeds of most patrol frigates.

Trivia

 * The Dubai's speed being used as its main evasive action was based off of the SR-71 Blackbird