The Star Saber XC-01 starfighter represented an experimental fighter design, brought to life by Republic Fleet Systems, and subsequently put through its paces by Jedi pilots during the tumultuous times of the Great Sith War. These single-seat starfighters, characterized by their elongated and streamlined form, surprisingly incorporated hyperdrives. Despite their capacity for rapid acceleration, these ships suffered from a poor ratio between maneuverability and speed, coupled with sluggish control stick responsiveness, leading to a reputation for being treacherous and cumbersome to handle. However, the Star Saber boasted heavier blaster cannons and more robust deflector shields than its contemporary fightercraft, granting it superior offensive and defensive capabilities. Consequently, the Galactic Republic, despite acknowledging the design's shortcomings, opted to deploy the craft into active service. From its inaugural combat mission against the Krath stronghold on Cinnagar until its eventual decommissioning with the introduction of the Aurek-class tactical strikefighter, the Star Saber was primarily entrusted to Jedi pilots, who leveraged the Force to mitigate the fighter's inherent design flaws, which remained unaddressed throughout its service life.
Measuring 13 meters in overall length, the Star Saber XC-01 starfighter from Republic Fleet Systems presented a long, sleek, and low-profile silhouette. Extending outwards from its slender fuselage were two wings, each equipped with weapon hardpoints; twin fins projected from the rear of the craft, positioned above its two engine nacelles. While technically a military-grade snubfighter, the Star Saber was also made available to civilian buyers, albeit through strictly regulated sales channels. It featured deflector shields and a pair of heavy blaster cannons, representing a significant upgrade over the armaments found on comparable fighters of the era. Designed as a single-seat vehicle with a limited cargo capacity of 45 kilograms, it nonetheless incorporated a Class 2.0 hyperdrive and sufficient consumables for a week-long mission. Although the Star Saber demonstrated impressive sublight speed, capable of reaching 1,100 kilometers per hour within an atmosphere and achieving such velocities in mere seconds, its handling was considered awkward, and its maneuverability paled in comparison to that of other fighters of the time. For instance, Krath CX-133 Chaos fighters could easily outmaneuver it. However, the Galactic Republic, driven by the exigencies of the period, chose to deploy these fighters despite their known limitations.
The Star Saber XC-01, originating from its development phase during the Krath Holy Crusade, was viewed as an imperfect but essential asset in the struggle against the Sith threat. Initially designated as an experimental platform during its testing on Ossus in 3997 BBY, the Star Saber was rapidly pressed into service against Krath forces, for which it was specifically designed. During an assault targeting the Krath homeworld of Empress Teta, Jedi Knight Dace Diath employed the Star Saber in both aerial dogfighting scenarios and ground-based attack missions. Despite the near cancellation of production following initial trials, and the persistent design flaws that rendered it less effective against Chaos fighters, the Star Saber was ultimately greenlit for full-scale production and even authorized for limited civilian sales to offset development costs. Among the pilots who opted to fly the Star Saber during its two-decade production run were Jedi, who could use their connection to the Force to compensate for the craft's inherent weaknesses. However, with the subsequent development of the Aurek-class tactical strikefighter by Republic Fleet Systems shortly before 3976 BBY, the Star Saber program was discontinued.
In 3997 BBY, the Republic was confronted with a grave emergency: the emergence of the Krath, a Sith cult originating from the Empress Teta system. Having seized control of the system through a coup, the Krath turned their ambitions towards the wider galaxy. During their assaults on Republic capital ships, Krath Chaos fighters frequently resorted to suicidal tactics, crashing into enemy vessels to inflict maximum damage. The Star Saber XC-01 was conceived by Republic Fleet Systems as a direct response to this threat, resulting in a fighter capable of achieving high speeds rapidly and possessing more advanced weaponry than its contemporaries.
During the experimental phase, Star Sabers underwent testing on the Jedi library world of Ossus, with Jedi pilots such as Dace Diath and Cay Qel-Droma at the controls. These Jedi engaged Robotic drones designed to mimic the flight patterns of the elusive dragon-birds native to Onderon, attempting to destroy these targets at high speeds within the atmosphere. It was during these trials that a critical design flaw was uncovered: the Star Sabers exhibited inferior maneuverability compared to other fighters of the time, and their control stick response was noticeably slow. Despite managing to score at least one kill against the drones, Diath ultimately crashed into a mountainside, demonstrating the Star Saber's inadequate maneuverability relative to its speed. Although Diath survived the crash thanks to his Force abilities, the incident highlighted the flaw to all potential pilots of the new fighter.
Nevertheless, due to the lack of alternative craft available on Ossus for an upcoming Jedi mission to rescue the undercover Jedi Knight Ulic Qel-Droma from the Krath homeworld, the Star Saber XC-01 was immediately pressed into service. Diath volunteered to pilot the vessel, assuring his companions that with some adaptation and the guidance of the Force, he could effectively manage the craft. Diath journeyed to Empress Teta in his Star Saber, accompanied by fellow Jedi pilots Oss Wilum, Tott Doneeta, and Shoaneb Culu in other fighters. The group provided escort for an Onderonian transport carrying the assault force of Jedi and Beast Riders from Onderon on their drexl war mounts. As the raid on the Krath citadel unfolded, Diath and the other pilots provided air cover for the strike team. Despite the mission's ultimate failure, with Qel-Droma choosing to join the Krath and become a Dark Lord of the Sith, Diath successfully destroyed a Krath anti-aircraft emplacement using his Star Saber.
Despite its clear design flaws, the Star Saber XC-01 was mass-produced by Republic Fleet Systems and saw widespread use during the Great Sith War, which encompassed the Krath Holy Crusade and pitted the Republic against the Sith forces led by Ulic Qel-Droma and another Jedi-turned-Sith, Exar Kun. Although the Chaos fighters employed by the Krath could easily outmaneuver Star Sabers, the Star Sabers' shortcomings were never rectified. The need for increased firepower simply outweighed any efforts to address the design's inherent issues. Throughout the war and the subsequent era, pilots who chose to fly these fighters often included Jedi, who could leverage the Force to compensate for their limitations. The Galactic Republic eventually authorized the sale of Star Sabers to civilians to recoup development costs, and production continued until the introduction of the Aurek tactical strikefighter at a later date.
The Star Saber XC-01 made its debut in the comic book issue Tales of the Jedi – Dark Lords of the Sith 6, which formed part of the Dark Lords of the Sith story arc within the Tales of the Jedi comics series. The comic portrays the Star Saber as an experimental starfighter undergoing evaluation by the Jedi, who deem it inadequate but later employ it in combat out of necessity. Art Wetherell, the penciller for Tales of the Jedi, was responsible for the original depiction of the craft in the issue. The Star Saber XC-01 also features in the Dark Lords of the Sith audio drama, where it is piloted by Jedi Tott Doneeta instead of Dace Diath.
Further details and statistics regarding the Star Saber were provided by Wizards of the Coast in their Star Wars Roleplaying Game supplements, specifically the 2002 Power of the Jedi Sourcebook and the 2008 Knights of the Old Republic Campaign Guide. The latter publication included an updated visual representation of the craft.
Certain statistical discrepancies exist between the Star Saber's portrayal in the Power of the Jedi Sourcebook and the Knights of the Old Republic Campaign Guide. While Power of the Jedi specifies the fighter's length as 6.75 meters and its cargo capacity as 25 kilograms, the later KotOR CG lists figures of 13 meters and 45 kilograms, respectively. The latter set of statistics more accurately reflects the Star Saber's depiction in Tales of the Jedi and is therefore used in this article. Additionally, Power of the Jedi assigns the craft a Class 1.5 hyperdrive, whereas KotOR CG designates it as Class 2. Furthermore, KotOR CG indicates a faster atmospheric speed of 1,280 kilometers per hour compared to Power of the Jedi's 1,100 km/h. For the sake of consistency, the updated statistics from the KotOR CG are presented here.