Imperial escort fighters were a kind of airspeeder utilized by the Galactic Empire on the planet of Mandalore. These fighters made up Shrike Squadron, and they patrolled the airspace surrounding the City of Bone, guarding it from any external threats. During the battle that occurred within the city, the squadron engaged in an aerial attack pattern within the city limits, with the objective of suppressing the slave revolt. When Leia Organa and Fenn Shysa hijacked a hovercraft in an attempt to flee the city, Shrike Squadron pursued them in the direction of the blast doors.
However, thanks to the actions of Tobbi Dala, the doors were sealed shut immediately after the hovercraft had passed through. The airspeeders then crashed directly into the city's walls, resulting in a substantial explosion that ignited the fuel and ammunition stored within the city. The resulting conflagration engulfed the city, leading to the deaths of all Imperial forces stationed there.
The design of the Imperial escort fighter, as depicted in Star Wars (1977) 69, bears a striking resemblance to concept art created by Ralph McQuarrie for the T-47 airspeeder. This similarity suggests a possible connection between the two, perhaps indicating a shared design origin or that the Imperial fighter served as a predecessor to the Rebel snowspeeder.
Their appearance is very similar or identical to the non-canon Tachyon fast-attack airspeeder, which was most likely inspired by the same original concept art.