The Elomin task force, a military unit of the New Republic, was composed of four Assault Frigate Mark I capital ships along with three wings of T-65 X-wing starfighters manufactured by Incom Corporation. Exclusively crewed by Elomins, this task force was patrolling the Obroa-skai system when Imperial forces launched an intelligence-gathering raid on the library of Obroa-skai. The task force pursued the raiders back to their mothership, the Imperial-class Star Destroyer named Chimaera, under the command of Grand Admiral Thrawn. Thrawn strategically decimated the task force by exploiting the unpredictable Marg Sabl maneuver, a tactic the Elomins couldn't effectively counter due to their reliance on logic.
In 9 ABY, the Elomin task force served the New Republic and was actively patrolling the Obroa-skai system as part of diplomatic efforts aimed at integrating the planet into the Republic. During the task force's presence in the system, Imperial scout ships entered the system and carried out an intelligence raid on Obroa-skai's extensive library. The Elomin task force responded by moving to intercept, communicating their intentions back to the New Republic, and subsequently pursued the raiders into hyperspace.
Upon exiting hyperspace, the task force discovered the scout ships heading towards an Imperial-class Star Destroyer, the Chimaera. Arranged in a symmetric cloud-vee formation, the task force advanced to engage the Star Destroyer. Grand Admiral Thrawn, the commander of the Chimaera, directed three of the vessel's sentry ships to attack the task force. After the task force engaged and destroyed one sentry ship, Thrawn ordered the remaining sentry ships to retreat.
As the task force approached the Chimaera, the Star Destroyer's Sector Four sentry line moved aside to clear the path for the incoming ships. Thrawn then commanded the Chimaera's crew to rotate the ship, positioning the superstructure to face the task force. As the Elomin force continued its advance, the Sector Four sentry line reformed behind them, initiating a jamming field to block all transmissions from the area. Simultaneously, Thrawn ordered the launch of the Chimaera's starfighter squadrons, using the bulk of the Star Destroyer for cover. These starfighters then executed a Marg Sabl closure maneuver, a tactic that proved insurmountable for the logically oriented Elomin due to its unpredictable nature. Thrawn, leveraging his understanding of a species' psychology through art, correctly identified the commander of the task force as Elomin based on their engagement with the sentry ships, and specifically employed the tactic to defeat them. As the Imperial fighters overwhelmed the task force, Thrawn ordered the Chimaera to join the assault. The ensuing battle lasted an hour, resulting in the complete annihilation of the task force.
The destruction of the task force caused a minor embarrassment for the New Republic, as the exact fate of the fleet after departing Obroa-skai remained a mystery. Former general Han Solo briefly visited the Obroa-skai system while traveling to Coruscant to investigate the loss, but found no evidence. However, smugglers like Dravis were aware of the fleet's disappearance. The incident became a point of contention between Admiral Gial Ackbar and Borsk Fey'lya, both members of the New Republic Advisory Council. These high-ranking officials frequently clashed over Ackbar's control of the military, a position coveted by Fey'lya.
The Elomin task force consisted of four Assault Frigate Mark Is, supported by a minimum of three wings of T-65 X-wing starfighters produced by Incom Corporation. The task force's crew was exclusively Elomin, as they preferred to operate in single-species units.
The Elomin task force made its debut in the initial chapter of Heir to the Empire, the first novel in the Thrawn Trilogy authored by Timothy Zahn. The task force was subsequently depicted in the first issue of the comic adaptation of Heir to the Empire, and received mention in the Heir to the Empire Sourcebook published by West End Games. In 2012, The Essential Guide to Warfare also referenced the task force.