Baffles were installable components for a starship engine that functioned by scattering the expelled ion exhaust. This scattering action could disguise a ship's energy emissions, making them resemble insignificant traces undetectable by hostile sensors. A prime example is the utilization of engine baffles by spy probes to conceal their energy signature.
During the Galactic Empire's reign, the VCX-100 light freighter Ghost, employed by the Spectres rebel cell, featured baffled engines. Later, in the war between the First Order and the Resistance, Resistance mechanic Rose Tico received the assignment to modify the Resistance's MG-100 StarFortress SF-17s to evade detection. To achieve this, Tico outfitted the bombers with baffles designed to disperse their energy output, mimicking the method used by the Resistance's probe droids. However, given the SF-17s' significantly greater energy emissions compared to a droid, she also required the crews to weld fuel tanks and energy shunts onto the baffles. This addition allowed for the temporary storage of some exhaust, which would then be gradually released over time in minimal quantities.