Kierah Koovah, known by the moniker "Gunny," was a pilot from Mimban who led the New Republic's Vanguard Squadron. Koovah battled the Galactic Empire's Titan Squadron during the Galactic Civil War, continuing after the Battle of Endor. She piloted a UT-60D U-wing starfighter/support craft and had a cybernetic arm.
During the time of the Clone Wars, she provided assistance to the Galactic Republic's 224th Clone trooper unit as they fought against the Separatist Droid Army within the Nanth flatlands during the Battle of Mimban. A battalion of B2-series super battle droids were deployed, cutting her off from her squad, and thunderstorms made communication impossible. Aiming to link up with her unit and gather reinforcements, she used a skyhopper, but it was shot down before reaching its destination. Although she called it a successful crash landing, her left arm became trapped in the wreckage; she chose to sacrifice her arm to escape. She reasoned that living with one arm was preferable to waiting for the droids and that one hand was sufficient for wielding a blaster. She managed to drag herself out of the flatlands, though in a foul mood, leaving her Clone unit quite surprised. They gave her medical attention, and they eventually won the battle. She was disappointed that the Clone troopers were replaced by stormtroopers only three years after the battle. After the Empire disrupted communications during the Mimban Campaign, Koovah learned to use a blaster, but she lost many friends in the resulting conflicts. Before retiring, she had hoped to train the younger squadron pilots.
Before the events of the Battle of Endor, she held the position of leader within Vanguard Squadron, flying a UT-60D U-wing starfighter/support craft. At that time, her squadron was composed of Gracalia Vatara Sienar, Keo Venzee, and Feresk Tssat (Frisk). Following the battle in 4 ABY, Commander Lindon Javes was assigned as the new unit leader, taking command of the New Republic MC75 Star Cruiser Temperance, and a new starfighter pilot, known as Vanguard Five, joined the squadron.
Due to flying patrols and investigating a communications blackout, Koovah was unable to personally meet the new commander. When Javes gave his introductory speech to the squadron, Sienar mentioned rumors of a secret New Republic project. Koovah responded that she didn't care what the project was, as long as it helped end the war.
After identifying the communication blackouts, Koovah and Venzee were sent to Cavas to fight off Imperial forces that were jamming communications. Javes had given the squadron a brief overview of Project Starhawk and insisted on restoring communications to support the secret project. Before they left for the mission, she advised the squadron's newest member, Vanguard Five, to stay alert and out of trouble. Her best advice was to stay with the squadron, a simple message she felt hotshots and lone wolves needed to hear.
Upon their arrival at Cavas, Koovah and Venzee encountered strong Imperial resistance, which they managed to hold off until Sienar and Frisk joined them. Together, they destroyed the Imperial jammers, restoring communications in the sector. Koovah believed the Empire would not invade their territory soon after the victory and compared Venzee's skills during the mission to those of Delan Vook, a frequent winner of the Dragon Void Run. She expressed a desire to visit the cantina on the Temperance to celebrate, but Javes informed them of a visitor and a new mission.
Wedge Antilles briefed them, explaining how Talus Group had chased the Imperial II-class Star Destroyer Victorum away from a medical convoy near Yavin 4. He requested Vanguard's help in seizing the Star Destroyer to assist in the completion of Project Starhawk. After successfully assisting in the theft of the Victorum, Koovah expressed her desire to see the Empire attempt to reclaim the ship. The mission reminded her of when she stole an armored transport hauler filled with scout walkers after the Empire invaded Mimban. She described it as a good time after she and her squad turned the walkers against the Empire, and she assumed Javes had a similar plan for the Victorum. She praised Antilles for choosing the right team for the job, suggesting Alphabet Squadron would have been less successful, jokingly calling them slackers.
The Victorum jumped out of hyperspace behind enemy lines, requiring Vanguard to engage the enemy and prevent them from retaking the ship. Being behind enemy lines brought back memories of the incident where she lost her arm. Vanguard successfully held off Imperial forces while a boarding team repaired the Star Destroyer's damaged hyperdrive. Once the repairs were completed, the Victorum and Vanguard jumped to hyperspace, arriving at the location of Project Starhawk within the Ringali Nebula. Javes confirmed that the reason for stealing the Victorum was to aid in the construction of the Starhawk.
After Titan Squadron intercepted and destroyed a convoy of engineers en route to the nebula from Hosnian Prime, Vanguard was dispatched to Esseles to destroy an old Imperial listening post. Javes had sent a decoy message to lure out his former protege-turned-nemesis Terisa Kerrill, and they completed this mission successfully.
Following the mission, Koovah reluctantly agreed with Frisk that the New Republic should have seized the post rather than destroying it, stating that after stealing a Star Destroyer, anything Imperial seemed appealing.
Vanguard Squadron was then assigned the task of luring Kerrill's Imperial II-class Star Destroyer Overseer into the Zavian Abyss, a task they completed successfully. Koovah noted that the Abyss contained a debris field of ships that had previously failed to navigate the area and had likely been there for a long time. She knew Captain Kerrill was waiting for them somewhere in the Abyss, wanting them all dead, but she urged the squadron to remain calm and stick to the plan. The Overseer sustained heavy damage after colliding with the Starhawk, and Koovah was pleased with the outcome, believing the Imperials deserved retribution with interest.
After the Overseer later retaliated against the Starhawk, damaging it and wiping out its defense fleet, Koovah and Vanguard escorted Chief Engineer Zerelda Sage to an old broadcast hub near Galitan to repair it and send a distress call to the New Republic. Before departing for the mission, Koovah spoke to Vanguard Five, acknowledging that things seemed difficult but noting they had faced death countless times. She said that being stranded in a nebula was nothing compared to the dangers they had survived in the Zavian Abyss. She also dismissed Titan Squadron, believing they would have stopped Vanguard already if they could. She acknowledged that they were at war and that everything would be challenging, but the New Republic had entrusted them with the mission, and Vanguard never gave up, no matter how difficult things became. Upon arriving at the moon, Koovah maintained that the Abyss was worse than the shattered moon. After Sage successfully restored the broadcast hub, Koovah praised her, saying they could not have sent the message without her. Following the message, Anvil Squadron arrived to provide assistance, with Javes joining the squadron, although he was shot down shortly after while defending the Starhawk.
General Hera Syndulla tasked Koovah and Vanguard with holding off Imperial squadrons while the dying Starhawk was piloted into the shattered moon near Galitan. The resulting shockwave would destroy all nearby Imperial ships, allowing the New Republic to escape.
As they entered the battle, Koovah commented that the Starhawk was designed to stop Imperial fleets and that it was going to accomplish that in its final act.
During the battle, Javes emerged from the damaged starship and assisted Vanguard with their mission. Ultimately, the Starhawk crashed into the moon, and the New Republic forces escaped the resulting shockwave to continue the fight another day.
Kierah Koovah was a character in the 2020 video game Star Wars: Squadrons, with Rebecca Wisocky providing her voice.