A squadron of Aureks on Serroco during the Mandalorian Wars
The Aurek fighter was a 9.2-meter-long delta-shaped starfighter armed with two heavy laser cannons and two proton torpedo launchers, capable of holding six torpedoes. The fighter was capable of considerable acceleration and maneuvering, and had variable-geometry wings. They were easily refuelable and rearmable, thus driving down costs.
Although the Aurek fighters saw combat throughout a span of 4,000 years as the Republic's main "hyperspace snub," they underwent extensive upgrades and revisions from one era to the next.
Following the Great Sith War, the Republic entered an era of restoration. During this period, the Republic Navy requested a "Generation Tomorrow Starfighter" to replace their aging Star Saber XC-01. The Aurek was the winning design.
Aurek fighter models were used by the Republic during the Mandalorian Wars (3976 BBY–3960 BBY), the Jedi Civil War (c. 3956 BBY), the First Jedi Purge (c. 3951 BBY), the Great Galactic War (3681 BBY–3653 BBY) and the New Sith Wars (c. 2000 BBY – c. 1000 BBY). They also saw service in the Onderonian navy and in civilian squadrons, due to a naval policy of reselling damaged fighters and buying new ones rather than repairing them.
Several squadrons of Aurek fighters comprised part of the Republic fleet that attacked the Star Forge during the Battle of Rakata Prime. A number of these ships were used by Jedi Knights to land on board the Star Forge during the decisive strike against Darth Malak's Sith Empire. Later, General Vaklu's fleet, which blockaded Onderon during the Sith Civil War, included fighters of this type, six of which attacked the Ebon Hawk when it entered the Onderon system only to be destroyed by the ship's dorsal turbolaser turret in the ensuing dogfight.
Aurek fighters continued to see use in the Great Galactic War and, later, the New Sith Wars. Hammerhead-class cruisers could hold a squadron of Aurek fighters during the New Sith Wars era. The contemporary Corellian Colonizer Praxeum ships carried at least 12 Aureks each.
The design would still see usage later, with models in use until the rise of the Galactic Empire, though as the product of Outer Rim engineers rather than shipyard design teams.
As with most craft seen in Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, this ship was initially unnamed. Eventually, Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords: Prima Official Game Guide tentatively identified the ship as the A-wing. However, with the release of Darth Bane: Path of Destruction, the ship was renamed to become the Aurek fighter, and Leland Chee confirmed it was the same ship. As Aurek is the first letter of Aurebesh, the alphabet of Galactic Basic, the new name is considered to hold the same meaning.
The sound effect used for the Aurek fighter's engines is borrowed from that of the N-1 starfighter.
- Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords: Prima Official Game Guide
- Knights of the Old Republic Campaign Guide
- The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia
- The Written Word on Hyperspace
- The Jedi Path: A Manual for Students of the Force
- Book of Sith: Secrets from the Dark Side
- The Essential Guide to Warfare