During the events of the Mission to Ovanis storyline, the military organization known as the First Order employed a specific landing platform design. This platform served as a staging area from which they deployed both TIE/fo space superiority fighters, TIE/sf space superiority fighters, and atmospheric assault landers.
The landing platform utilized by the First Order was a type of flat, open-topped starship designed to carry both starfighters and ground troops. This platform was a fairly simple, rectangular, flat-topped vessel, recognizable by the presence of two fins at the front and a single bridge positioned away from the center. For defense, the platform was equipped with three twin laser cannons located on its underside, along with an additional twin laser cannon situated near the bridge. Larger cruisers, like the Maxima-A class heavy cruiser, could deploy these First Order landing platforms.
Much like the aerial landing platform used by their predecessor's, the landing platform of the First Order could be used to transport troops and various starcraft, and also to function as a staging area. It supplied fuel and provided a place for starfighters to land on mountainous planets where landing would otherwise be problematic.
The platform had the capacity to transport a mix of eight TIE/fo or TIE/sf space superiority fighters, along with two AAL-1971/9.1 Troop Transport vehicles and at least one First Order speeder bike.
A crew of at least 14 individuals was required to operate the First Order landing platform.
During the time of the Cold War, the First Order, a military organization, made use of at least one of these landing platforms. In approximately 33 ABY, during the Resistance's mission aimed at Ovanis, the First Order deployed this platform from the Ravenous, a Maxima-A-class heavy cruiser. The platform was sent to the surface of Ovanis to support Agent Terex in his pursuit of the Resistance pilot Poe Dameron. This platform arrived carrying 2 TIE/fo space superiority fighters, 6 TIE/sf space superiority fighters, 2 AAL-1971/9.1 Troop Transports, 2 single-person transports, a First Order speeder bike, and a squad of First Order Stormtroopers including at least 2 Flametroopers, 8 First Order jet troopers, and 2 First Order Special Forces troopers.
The landing platform hovered above the rocky terrain of Ovanis, blocking the entrance to a cave. This action cut off Black Squadron, the Resistance starfighter group, from their commander, Poe Dameron, who was inside the cave negotiating with the native Crèche at the time. Dameron was unaware that the First Order had arrived, or that Agent Terex was in pursuit with a squad of troopers. Black Squadron, seeking to seize the platform and gain an advantage, launched an attack, destroying the First Order's TIE support. However, during the assault, the landing platform was destroyed. The resulting debris blocked the entrance to the Crèche cave, trapping Poe Dameron inside with the First Order forces.
The First Order landing platform was initially featured in the 2016 debut issue of the Star Wars: Poe Dameron comic book series, which was written by Charles Soule and had illustrations by Phil Noto.