IOS 24 IOS 24 represented an Imperial Sensor array. Its defensive capabilities included a primary Sensor Array, stationary defense systems, and a Control Station platform, which housed a complete squadron of starfighters. Given the space station's isolated location, it's probable that the resident pilots possessed limited combat experience.
This station served as the primary objective for the Rebel Alliance's Defiance Task Force as they sought to reach safety; the destruction of the installation was a necessity to enable the Task Force's escape into the Outer Rim. To obscure the true target, simultaneous attacks were planned against other sensor arrays in the sector.
The Rebels successfully deceived Imperial intelligence, launching their attack with minimal resistance. The Gamma-class ATR-6 assault transport group, Cloak, disrupted communications, preventing the station from sending out distress signals. With communications disabled, both the main array and the Control Station faced destruction, allowing the main contingent of the Task Force to arrive nearby and slip into the Outer Rim undetected.