The SS-54 light assault gunship, alternatively referred to as the SS-54 assault ship, represented a gunship design from Botajef Shipyards. Although intended as the corporation's initial entry into the armed forces sector, the gunship found greater acceptance among mercenaries and those engaged in bounty hunting.
Botajef Shipyards, a relatively small shipbuilding enterprise located on the Outer Rim planet of Botajef, envisioned the SS-54 assault ship as a gunship capable of challenging established starship designs in the military market, like the GAT-12 Skipray and the Firespray-31-class patrol craft. Paradoxically, the Galactic Empire mistakenly categorized it as a light freighter, an error that was never corrected due to the nature of Imperial procedures.
Featuring a rounded, heavily armored command deck and a hull that narrowed from the front, the SS-54 was often described as possessing an insect-like appearance. Its tall, squared-off rear section bore resemblance to the Republic Military's LAAT/c heavy vehicle carrier. Two adjustable arms extended towards the rear of the vessel (one on each side), each connecting to the SS-54's powerful Incom HA-980a H/O ion engines. Befitting its intended military function, the standard weaponry included four linked ZX7 medium laser cannons positioned forward in the prow, and a twin light laser turret located dorsally, behind the engine arms.
The SS-54 was presented to the military market soon after Botajef Shipyards rose to prominence with their AA-9 Freighter-Liner. Despite its original target demographic, it instead cultivated a small but dedicated following among mercenaries and bounty hunters, who came to value the design for its perceived simplicity, dependability, and adaptability.
Among these users was Sugi, a Zabrak bounty hunter active during the time of the Clone Wars. Sugi's SS-54, named the Halo, eventually passed into the possession of her niece Jas Emari during the Galactic Civil War, where it participated in events such as the Liberation of Kashyyyk.