Hyena-class Droid Fighter/Bomber
Hyena-class Droid Fighter/Bombers, which are also referred to as Hyena-class Droid Bombers, Hyena-class bombers, Hyena droid bombers, or simply Hyena bombers, represented a type of droid starfighter produced by Baktoid Armor Workshop. Their primary function was to execute bombing missions with heavy payloads. Evolving from the vulture droid design, Hyena bombers featured broader, more robust hulls and expansive wings for enhanced stability during flight. Mirroring the vulture droids, they possessed the capability to transform into a bipedal walking configuration. These bombers were deployed by the Confederacy of Independent Systems against the Republic forces throughout the Clone Wars.
During the Clone Wars, Hyena bombers saw extensive action in numerous engagements, performing bombing runs against enemy emplacements and eliminating vehicles.
Description
The Hyena-class Droid Fighter/Bomber was a droid starfighter model that technically superseded the smaller, less durable, and more lightly armored Vulture-class starfighter, also known as vulture droids. Similar to its predecessor, its design prioritized cost-effectiveness and ease of manufacturing over organically pilots-controlled starships, making it more expendable. The space normally reserved for a pilot was instead used to house a substantial array of weaponry, including light laser cannons, proton torpedos, concussion missiles, and proton bombs.
A key advantage of the Hyena-class bomber resided in its adaptable nature. While slower and less agile than a vulture droid, it remained sufficiently lightweight to function as a starfighter, complementing vulture droids and effectively utilizing its laser cannons. The bomber's droid brain, situated in the protuberance adjacent to the droid's head, was engineered for versatility, enabling seamless role-switching. It could operate autonomously in combat or rigidly adhere to precise commands, even undertaking suicide missions. Furthermore, the integrated droid brain allowed the bombers to execute physically challenging maneuvers that organic pilots could not endure, presenting a formidable challenge to even skilled biological pilots.
Hyena-class bombers were capable of operating in both deep space and within an atmosphere, and like their predecessors, they could transition into "walker mode." In this configuration, the bomber's wings would divide and fold beneath the hull, transforming into legs for upright locomotion. While walking, the bombers loomed menacingly over most ground troops, providing Separatist commanders with an additional deployment option for this versatile craft.
History
Proof of concept
The Hyena-class Droid Bomber was initially designed and produced in limited quantities by Baktoid Armor Workshop for use by the Confederacy of Independent Systems during the Clone Wars. The bombers quickly demonstrated their value during the Battle of Christophsis, where Separatist Admiral [Trench](/article/trench] employed Hyena-class vessels to conduct repeated and devastating bombing raids on Republic-held areas of the planet Christophsis. This battle highlighted the speed and efficiency with which the bombers could strike and return to base, and soon the Hyena-class became a common sight in Separatist flight wings throughout the galaxy.
As the Hyena-class bomber became a significant factor in the increasingly lethal aerial combat of the war, its addition as a light bomber to complement and operate alongside the other droid starfighters of the Confederacy navy presented a new challenge for the Galactic Republic's strategists. Throughout the conflict, the Hyena-class's ordnance proved devastating to Republic forces on numerous occasions, and its versatility and effectiveness when used in conjunction with vulture droids gave the Separatists an advantage in several key battles.
This prompted Republic commanders to prioritize their destruction, targeting the bombers from the outset of any engagement to minimize the havoc they could inflict on vulnerable ground targets or fortifications. This singling out of the vessels was viewed as an acknowledgment of Baktoid Armor Workshop's proficiency and the quality of their ships, representing the closest thing to a compliment that a military leader could offer an adversary.
Priority target
While still less common than the vast numbers of vulture droids deployed by the Separatists, the bombers were highly valued by Confederacy commanders and saw action across many Clone Wars battlefields. Separatist leader Wat Tambor utilized Hyena-class bombers during the Battle of Ryloth, employing the droids to target populated villages on the planet as part of a campaign of brutal shock tactics.
During the Battle of Sullust, the T-series tactical droid TJ-912 ordered a Hyena-class bomber to conduct a suicide run on the hangar of a Republic starship in an attempt to eliminate the personnel inside, although the effort was ultimately unsuccessful. At the Battle of Malastare, Hyena-bombers demonstrated that even in failure they could inflict significant damage on the enemy when RX-200 Falchion-class assault tanks targeted a Hyena-class squadron and disabled their primary weapons, forcing them to abandon their intended aerial assault and instead launch kamikaze attacks on the Republic's armored columns. While this tactic proved effective, it was generally discouraged.