Phoenix Squadron was a distinguished starfighter group operating as part of a cell of resistance fighters. These rebels fought against the Galactic Empire in the years leading up to the pivotal Battle of Yavin. Commander Jun Sato was the leader of this squadron.
The pilots of Phoenix Squadron flew A-wing starfighters, which were housed on Sato's command ship, the Phoenix Home. The squadron could also be moved using docking tubes by the fleet's blockade runners. With the loss of the Phoenix Home, the squadron lost its permanent base and instead docked with the other ships in the Phoenix fleet. After the rebels successfully stole an Imperial fighter carrier from Ryloth, the squadron established a new base.
In the years preceding the Battle of Yavin, Phoenix Squadron undertook missions alongside the Ghost's crew, which included a minimum of four A-wings.
During a battle with Darth Vader, several members of the squadron were killed. The surviving members, along with the rest of the fleet, then dispersed.
Phoenix Squadron participated in the rebel relief effort on Ibaar, where Phoenix Leader was killed during the initial attempt to breach the Imperial blockade. Following this, Hera Syndulla was promoted to the position of Phoenix Leader after she successfully used a prototype B-wing starfighter to break through the blockade.
Sabine Wren created a painting to honor Phoenix Squadron's resilience and Syndulla's promotion to Phoenix Leader, as a gift for her friend. Mon Mothma, the founder of the Alliance, noticed the artwork and considered it a perfect symbol of the effectiveness of rebel fighter forces. Mothma requested that Wren finish the painting and include the phrase "Fly For Freedom!" as a rallying cry. The completed artwork became a potent recruitment tool for the Alliance.
Phoenix Squadron, along with the rest of the Phoenix rebel cell, managed to escape an Imperial attack on rebel facilities on Garel, which consisted of five A-wings.
After a raid on an Imperial depot on Lothal to acquire three Sphyrna-class Hammerhead corvettes supplied by Alderaanian Senator Bail Organa's adopted daughter, Princess Leia Organa, the squadron rejoined the rest of the fleet above the Lothal system.
Following regrouping, Phoenix Squadron, under Syndulla's leadership, was dispatched to the Mandalorian colony of Concord Dawn to request safe passage through the system. However, Fenn Rau, the leader of the Mandalorian Protectors, refused their request. Rau and the Protectors, acting on behalf of the Empire, opened fire on Phoenix Squadron, resulting in the deaths of two pilots and severe injuries to Syndulla. In response, the rebels, Jedi survivor Kanan Jarrus and Sabine Wren, destroyed the Protectors' Fang fighters and captured Fenn Rau.
Phoenix Squadron suffered the loss of another pilot during an operation to steal supplies from the Empire. With the squadron lacking a place to land and store their starfighters, Commander Sato authorized a mission by the Ghost's crew to seize an Imperial fighter carrier orbiting Ryloth. The Ryloth resistance leader Cham Syndulla and his allies Numa and Gobi Glie assisted the Ghost's crew. Phoenix Squadron supported the operation by sending two RZ-1 A-wing interceptors to harass the TIE/sa bomber carrying the two rebel teams. After completing their task, the starfighters jumped to hyperspace. The squadron greatly benefited from acquiring the fighter carrier.
Following the Ryloth heist, the former Imperial fighter carrier became Phoenix Squadron's new headquarters and base. Members of the squadron engaged Imperial forces during an attack on the rebel fleet. After the Ghost returned with stolen fuel supplies from Horizon Base, the fleet prepared to depart for the Yost system. However, Chopper and his new friend AP-5 informed Hera and Commander Sato that the Imperials had set a trap in that system. Instead, AP-5 and Chopper provided coordinates to Atollon, a planet without an Imperial presence. Phoenix Squadron accompanied the rest of the fleet there.
While the unit was establishing their new base of operations on Atollon, named Chopper Base, one of the Squadron's pilots, Lieutenant Dicer (Phoenix Six) was attacked and disappeared.
Admiral Kassius Konstantine, who had been trying to deal with Phoenix Cell for some time, soon gained the help of Grand Admiral Thrawn. Governor Arihnda Pryce of Lothal had requested Thrawn's assistance after his decisive victory over the rebels on Batonn.
During a meeting with Grand Moff Wilhuff Tarkin, Admiral Konstantine, Agent Kallus, and Pryce, Thrawn reported that Phoenix Squadron had destroyed Mining Guild ships using the Sereeda Waypoint. He quickly deduced that the rebels planned to attack the Imperial salvage plant Reklam Station inside the planet Yarma. Later, Phoenix's A-wings engaged with Governor Pryce's Imperial TIE fighters above Yarma. Thrawn allowed the rebels to escape because he wanted to destroy the entire rebellion.
After Commander Sato received intelligence that the Empire was planning to impose martial law on Mykapo, Phoenix Squadron and the Spectres traveled there to evacuate rebel sympathizers. The Phoenix Squadron pilots Phoenix Two and Phoenix Three escorted a Sphyrna-class Hammerhead corvette and the Phantom II which evacuated the civilians. Later, Phoenix Squadron rendezvoused with the rest of the rebel fleet in deep space. Elements of Phoenix Squadron later took part in Commander Sato's attempt to rescue his nephew Mart Mattin from Admiral Kassius Konstantine during a brief skirmish over Mykapo.
Using the information discovered by Ezra's team, Hera began planning a strike on the Lothal Imperial armory complex. Ezra was assigned to lead the mission but was relieved after he was tormented by dark side visions created by the former Sith Maul. While Hera and the rest of Phoenix Squadron departed for Lothal, Ezra stayed behind with Kanan and Sabine to deal with the threat posed by Maul. They subsequently became involved in a mission to Dathomir which led them to discover that the Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi was still alive and held the key to destroying the Sith.
At Chopper Base, Hera Syndulla urges Wedge Antilles and Derek "Hobbie" Klivian to hurry because they were late for a training exercise.
Knowing Kenobi was out there, Ezra commandeered Phoenix Squadron's RZ-1T trainer to find the Jedi. Ezra traveled to Tatooine where he was attacked by Tusken Raiders and the trainer was destroyed. Ezra pleaded for Kenobi's help, but Kenobi had his own responsibility on Tatooine. Therefore, Ezra was forced to return empty handed.
The Phoenix Cell was preparing for an attack on the Imperial forces present near Lothal gathering a large portion of the Massassi Group, led by General Jan Dodonna. However, Thrawn not only knew of their intentions, but had discovered their location through a rebel spy who was recently caught. Thrawn's fleet arrived near Atollon and formed a blockade, trapping the rebels in orbit of the planet. Phoenix Squadron was led into battle by the ghost and fended off the TIEs attacking their capital ships. Though the rebels fought hard, they ultimately lost the battle, with a great many ships, being destroyed. Commander Jun Sato made one final attempt on the blockade by crashing the Phoenix Nest into Admiral Kassius Konstantine's Interdictor vessel. This allowed a single starship to push past the blockade into hyperspace to find help. Without their flagship, the remaining vessels of the rebel fleet were forced to retreat to Chopper Base.
Thrawn's forces stormed the base and a fierce battle ensued. The base soon became overrun and the last of the rebel vessels made for the blockade. A Force-sensitive creature called the Bendu began attacking both sides after being taunted by a rebel, and chaos resulted. Although at least two more pilots were killed while the base was evacuating, rebel reinforcemnts arrived and destroyed the second Interdictor-vessel, allowing the surviving rebels to escape. However, the damage had been done to their forces and only four of the seventeen starships were still operational.
At a later time, Syndulla guided Phoenix Squadron in an attack on Lothal. While they succeeded in killing Imperial ace pilot Vult Skerris, they were also destroyed by a second wave of TIE fighters. All ships crashed to Lothal, and Secon Daree, who appeared to be the only survivor found with the remains of the squadron, was taken away for interrogation. The Empire also captured Syndulla, who had managed to survive the attack. Mart Mattin (Phoenix Two) was the only member of the squadron who was able to escape. With Kanan Jarrus' sacrifice, Syndulla was later freed.
During the Battle of Jakku, which marked the Empire's final major stand, the New Republic deployed an A-wing squadron also named Phoenix Squadron.
The name "Phoenix Squadron" was considered for Alphabet Squadron to provide a connection to the squadron featured in Star Wars Rebels. It was also considered as a name in Star Wars: Squadrons.