Phase I ARC Trooper Armor

The Phase I ARC Trooper Armor was a complete armor system constructed from plastoid, intended to be worn over a close-fitting body suit. This armor incorporated reinforced plating on the forearms, thighs, and chest regions. Additionally, it featured a sophisticated helmet that integrated a durable, long-range comlink.

A kama was integrated as a waist covering, providing added protection for the legs and groin area. Each armor configuration included an integrated load-bearing harness and a survival kit. This experimental armor served as a trial run and a preliminary model for the Phase II clone trooper armor, which was ultimately developed using the Phase I ARC trooper equipment as a foundation.

During the Grand Army of the Republic's active service, ARC troopers frequently received new equipment before other clone soldiers. These field tests allowed armor designers to refine armor for widespread adoption. Specifically, Phase I ARC Trooper Armor was issued to ARC troopers early in the Clone Wars. The gear was employed as a live trial for the upcoming Phase II clone trooper armor, with the ARC armor serving as a kind of prototype. Clone ARC Commanders belonging to the Rancor Battalion were observed wearing Phase I ARC Trooper Armor while overseeing clone training activities on Kamino, their clone homeworld.

Later on, ARC officers were seen utilizing this equipment during the defense of Kamino. Subsequent to their promotion to ARC trooper status following that battle, clone troopers Fives and Echo were outfitted with Phase I ARC gear. Both troopers were wearing their armor during the Battle of Lola Sayu, where Echo was believed to have perished. Eventually, the ARC troopers, including Fives, transitioned to Phase II ARC Trooper Armor. Concurrently, the general clone forces were issued the finalized Phase II gear, which had been informed by the ARC troopers' testing and usage.

The initial appearance of Phase I ARC Trooper Armor occurred in the Star Wars: The Clone Wars episode "Clone Cadets," which debuted on Cartoon Network on September 17, 2010. It was shown alongside the episode "ARC Troopers" as a one-hour premiere for The Clone Wars: Season Three. The sourcebook Knights of Fate provided the first identification of the armor. However, full confirmation that it was the same gear seen in The Clone Wars Season Three didn't occur until the release of Rise of the Separatists.

Within The Clone Wars, the ARC trooper equipment, which was later designated as Phase I ARC Trooper Armor, was intended to signal the shift from Phase I clone trooper armor to Phase II armor among standard clone forces. Dave Filoni recognized that by the conclusion of Season Three, Phase I armor had become the predominant gear viewers had seen, signaling a need for change. Consequently, the production team developed the ARC trooper armor as an intermediate prototype, bridging the gap between Phase I and Phase II armor. Filoni cited the fan-based 501st Legion as inspiration, noting that its members, having only just mastered the creation of The Clone Wars-inspired Phase I armor, were concerned about the show's eventual transition to Phase II. Observing that his team was already preparing for the premiere of Phase II armor, which would make its first on-screen appearance in The Clone Wars: Season Four, Filoni chose to create a transitional design between the show's Phase I and Phase II aesthetics.

From a narrative standpoint, this decision also aligned with the early timing of certain events within the war's timeline. The initial appearance of ARC troopers in this gear occurred in the Season Three episode "Clone Cadets," a flashback episode set during the show's first season. In designing the equipment, Filoni tasked the design and concept artists, including Wayne Lo, with combining aspects of the different armor types. Notably, the helmet represents a fusion of the standard Phase I and Phase II clone armor designs.