Panther Clipper Mk II
- Not to be confused with Panther Clipper LX.
The Panther Clipper Mk II is a large freighter produced by Zorgon Peterson. Early access for ARX began on 22 July 2025.[1]
Zorgon Peterson's first large ship evolves the iconic Panther Clipper design for the modern era. It offers the highest cargo capacity of any non-capital class craft, along with numerous hardpoints across its massive hull to deter pirates. Adaptable stabilisers and specialised drive housing lets the Panther Clipper Mk II make full use of overcharged Frame Shift Drives. Skilled hands will be needed to ease this vessel's bulk through a starport access corridor, however.
— In-Game Description
Overview
The Panther Clipper Mk II's design is based on the original Panther Clipper, which first appeared in Frontier: Elite II. The Panther Clipper was the largest ship in that game, being extremely slow as a consequence, and was described as capable of buying entire planets out of their cargo. Due to its immense size, it was capable of being equipped with planetary bombardment-class weaponry and powerful shields that shrugged off attacks from small pirate craft.
The Panther Clipper Mk II is the first large SCO-optimized ship in Elite Dangerous, as well as the first ship that can be fitted with the MK II Cargo Rack module. It has a maximum cargo capacity of 1238 tons,[2][3] giving it the same capacity as a fully-laden Type-8 and Imperial Cutter combined.[2]
The two large hardpoints are centrally mounted on the ship's underside, behind and in front of the fighter bay, with a small hardpoint on each side of the rear large mount. On the dorsal side, the hardpoints are mostly positioned toward the aft of the ship surrounding the grey cargo modules, with two medium mounts in the back and two small mounts in the front, and the remaining two medium hardpoints are located on the slightly-laterally-slanted parts between the fore and aft engine nacelles. The ship's low maneuverability makes turreted weapons the obvious choice for commanders who wish to carry more active defenses.
Purchase Locations
| System | Station | Date | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shinrarta Dezhra | Jameson Memorial | Always available | 10% discount, Founders Permit needed |
Outfitting
- Main article: Outfitting
All ships are highly customizable through the Outfitting menu of Station Services. Listed below is the default load-out for the Panther Clipper Mk II.
| Category | Default System | Default Rating | Default Class | Max Class |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Small Hardpoint | Empty | -- | -- | 1 |
| Empty | -- | -- | 1 | |
| Empty | -- | -- | 1 | |
| Empty | -- | -- | 1 | |
| Medium Hardpoint | Pulse Laser | -- | -- | 2 |
| Pulse Laser | -- | -- | 2 | |
| Empty | -- | -- | 2 | |
| Empty | -- | -- | 2 | |
| Large Hardpoint | Empty | -- | -- | 3 |
| Empty | -- | -- | 3 | |
| Utility Mount | Empty | -- | -- | -- |
| Empty | -- | -- | -- | |
| Empty | -- | -- | -- | |
| Empty | -- | -- | -- | |
| Empty | -- | -- | -- | |
| Empty | -- | -- | -- | |
| Bulkheads | Lightweight Alloys | I | C | 1 |
| Reactor Bay | Power Plant | E | 8 | 8 |
| Thrusters Mounting | Thrusters | E | 8 | 8 |
| Frame Shift Drive Housing | Frame Shift Drive (SCO) | E | 7 | 7 |
| Environment Control | Life Support | E | 5 | 5 |
| Power Coupling | Power Distributor | E | 7 | 7 |
| Sensor Suite | Sensors | E | 5 | 5 |
| Fuel Store | Fuel Tank [x128] | C | 7 | 7 |
| Internal Compartments | Cargo Rack [x128] (C) | E | 7 | 8 |
| Shield Generator | E | 7 | 8 | |
| Empty (C) | -- | -- | 7 | |
| Empty | -- | -- | 7 | |
| Empty | -- | -- | 6 | |
| Cargo Rack [x32] | E | 5 | 6 | |
| Cargo Rack [x32] | E | 5 | 6 | |
| Empty | -- | -- | 5 | |
| Empty | -- | -- | 5 | |
| Empty | -- | -- | 4 | |
| Advanced Docking Computer | E | 1 | 2 | |
| Supercruise Assist | E | 1 | 1 | |
| (PAS) | I | 1 | 1 |
- (L) = Loaned Module
- [x#] = Capacity
- (PAS) = Reserved solely for the Planetary Approach Suite or Advanced Planetary Approach Suite
- (C) = Cargo Compartment reserved for Cargo Rack, Fuel Tank, or MK II Cargo Rack
Development
The concept art for this ship was shown during the monthly Frontier Unlocked on 30 April 2025. The ship specs and the 22 July 2025 early access for ARX release date was confirmed during the Frontier Unlocked livestream on 25 June 2025.[1]
Trivia
- There is a miniature of the classic Panther Clipper on the right side of the dashboard.
- On its promotional webpage, it is mentioned that Zorgon Peterson's manufacturing team worked closely with the Brewer Corporation in relation to outfitting the Panther Clipper Mk II for contributions towards System Colonisation.
Videos
Gallery
-
Promotional image of the Panther Clipper Mk II from the front-left. Used as a base for the in-game standard Shipyard icon. -
Promotional image of the Panther Clipper Mk II from the front. Used as a base for the in-game pre-built Shipyard icon. -
Panther Clipper Mk II promotional image with a transparent background. -
Teaser image of the Panther Clipper Mk II concept, showing the size of its rear-right landing gear compared to a Scorpion and two commanders. -
Image of the Panther Clipper Mk II concept in flight.
-
Image of the Panther Clipper Mk II concept when landed. A Scorpion and four commanders are included for size reference. -
Image of the Panther Clipper Mk II concept when viewed from behind. -
Profile shots of the Panther Clipper Mk II concept's thruster. -
Promotional image of the Panther Clipper Mk II Stellar Edition, showing the pre-build's exclusive Freighter Gold paint and included Merchant aero kit. -
A Panther Clipper Mk II, sporting a Community Goal-exclusive black-gold paint, leaving a planetary port -
Promotional "Detailed Overview" image of the Panther Clipper Mk II. -
Promotional launch image of the Panther Clipper Mk II. -
Size comparison of (from left to right) the Type-9 Heavy, Panther Clipper Mk II, Beluga Liner, and Imperial Cutter. -
A Type-7 Transporter (left) and Panther Clipper Mk II (right) docked at a planetary port. -
Panther Clipper Mk II landed on planet
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Elite Dangerous - Frontier Unlocked - June 2025 - YouTube - 25 June 2025
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Clipper Capacity Clarified (Elite Dangerous) - YouTube - Galnet News Digest - 27 Jun 2025
- ↑ Panther Clipper MK II Highlights - Elite Dangerous - 27 June 2025