The ship is very similar to the Systems Alliance's SSV Normandy SR-1, having been based on the design layout of the original. The Normandy SR-2 has several key differences, the most significant being that she is almost twice the mass of the original. Cerberus also designed the ship with more crew-oriented comforts by including civilian-grade accommodations (like leather chairs and a kitchen). The ship still retains the SSV Normandy SR-1's stealth characteristics. However, unlike the SR-1, the SR-2 cannot land on every planet—due to her increased mass—requiring shore parties to use a shuttle to get to a planet's surface.