An ion thrust engine as seen on a Venator-class Star Destroyer
Ion engines, which are also known as ion drives, ion thrusters, or ion drive thrusters, represented a prevalent form of sublight drive technology. These propulsion systems worked by creating charged particles and then expelling them from the ship's aft section, thereby generating thrust. A key advantage of ion engines, in contrast to many other forms of starship propulsion, was their lack of both moving parts and components that operated at high temperatures. This resulted in significantly reduced maintenance requirements, a benefit that translated into both time and cost savings, and consequently led to their widespread adoption within the Imperial Navy. Of particular note is the fact that many starfighter designs within the TIE fighter series were furnished with twin ion engines. The ion exhaust produced by these engines had the effect of rendering a vessel detectable by sensors.
During the period of conflict between the First Order and the Resistance, Sienar-Jaemus Army Systems was responsible for the production of various ion drive models, among which were the SJAS-210 and the SJFS-200a.