Starfighter

Starfighters frequently blurred the lines with other types of vessels, in addition to having several unique sub-types. Bombers were spacecraft crafted to deploy substantial explosive payloads, often sacrificing maneuverability and linear velocity. Interceptors encompassed a variety of starfighters that typically emphasized speed and nimbleness over adaptability and offensive capabilities, sometimes at the cost of explosive capacity, life-sustaining systems, or the ability to enter hyperspace. Gunships were heavily armed vehicles intended for deploying ground troops into landing zones established by their powerful weaponry. Their significant armament frequently provided them with notable air-to-air or space-to-space combat effectiveness, even though they were optimized for air-to-ground engagements. Certain starfighter types could be modified into trainers while retaining their combat potential. These included particular types of transports, shuttles, and light freighters.

The main armament for the majority of starfighters consisted of laser cannons, but supplementary weapons such as proton torpedo launchers could augment their offensive capabilities. These were often highly effective against other starfighters and similar targets, but lacked the necessary firepower to penetrate the defenses of a capital ship, as demonstrated during the Battle of Naboo. However, certain starfighters, such as the A/SF-01 B-wing starfighter, possessed sufficient weaponry to independently destroy capital ships. Starfighters could also inflict widespread destruction when operating in coordinated groups: a squadron of Y-wing bombers could carry enough explosives to obliterate an entire city, engulfing the battlefield in brilliant white explosions that disrupted enemy sensors.

Many starfighters were outfitted with deflector shields to safeguard them from enemy fire, radiation, and impacts from micrometeoroids. They typically carried a single deflector shield generator that could be adjusted to protect specific areas of the starfighter. Some starfighters, however, most notably the Eta-2 Actis-class light interceptor and the TIE/ln space superiority starfighter series, did not have shields, instead relying on their agility and the pilot's skill to evade threats. Other prevalent forms of protection included heavy armor plating and sensor jammers. Starfighters included warning systems that alerted pilots when an enemy missile had locked onto them, and they could also use their laser cannons to intercept these missiles, even those traveling at incredible speeds, provided their targeting computer was operational.

Certain starfighters were equipped with a hyperdrive, either integrated into the craft or attached externally via a hyperspace transport ring. Due to their compact size, most starfighter navigation computers or navicomputers could only store one or two hyperspace routes, which had to be pre-programmed or installed using removable datachips (for emergency jumps, navicomputers could also receive coordinates transmitted from friendly ships). This made astromech droids a valuable asset to many starfighters, as they had the storage capacity to hold up to ten hyperspace coordinates.

A starfighter's main propulsion method was through sublight engines, allowing it to escape a planet's atmosphere and gravitational pull within minutes and traverse immense distances in realspace. Despite their small size, these sublight drives could accelerate starfighters at thousands of times the standard gravity. To protect pilots from the lethal effects of G-forces generated by sublight drives, starfighters were equipped with acceleration compensators. These compensators were designed to automatically adjust their settings during flight, but if this function failed, pilots could be exposed to potentially hazardous g-forces.

During space engagements, starfighters flew and engaged in combat at speeds that would be inconceivable within an atmosphere, covering thousands of kilometers in mere minutes. Only the vastness of space and the relative velocities of the participants made such speeds comprehensible to most pilots. Even then, computer assistance was essential for precise piloting, as even a one-degree error in a starfighter's vector could result in it missing its target by kilometers. Certain starfighters, such as the A-wing, were so fast and agile that, lacking an astromech droid for assistance, even beings with Jedi-like reflexes found them difficult to control. Starfighters flying in close formations relied on tight communication between their navicomputers and astromech droids to maintain perfect spacing.

For atmospheric flight and during landings and takeoffs, starfighters employed repulsorlift engines as a secondary means of propulsion. Because the exhaust from sublight engines was hot and mildly radioactive, using them within an inhabited world's atmosphere was generally prohibited. However, in dire situations, a starfighter could engage its sublight engines for added speed during atmospheric flight, even flying at maximum acceleration, as seen during the attack on Pandem Nai. While starfighters could function at such speeds in an atmosphere, it placed immense strain on both the ships and their pilots. Systems would begin to fail after only a few minutes at such velocities, and laser cannons risked melting from the heat generated by these maneuvers. Starfighters equipped with deflector shields could use them to smooth their passage and improve control while operating within an atmosphere. Deflector shields could also enable starfighters like the ARC-170 and V-wing to reach hypersonic speeds within an atmosphere.

However, most starfighters were not designed to excel in atmospheric flight and were at a disadvantage against airspeeders when flying below mountain range, as they had to sacrifice their superior speed. Exceptions included the X-wing and the TIE/sk x1 experimental air superiority fighter, the latter of which was classified as an atmospheric fighter but could also function as a starfighter.

Starfighters have been an essential component of space-based warfare for millennia, participating in conflicts as far back as the days of the Old Republic. However, with the establishment of the modern Galactic Republic and the subsequent millennium of relative peace, large-scale battles involving opposing space-based combatants became exceptionally rare.

In 32 BBY, the Jedi Order utilized the Delta-7 Aethersprite-class light interceptor, but primarily as personal transportation rather than for space combat.

That year, N-1 starfighters belonging to the Naboo Royal Space Fighter Corps confronted and defeated the Trade Federation's Vulture-class starfighters during the invasion of Naboo. Some N-1s remained combat-ready until the end of the Cold War. The Vulture droids also had a long operational life, with some remaining in service during the Age of the Empire.

Around the same time, Darth Maul operated the Scimitar, a customized Star Courier that also served as a formidable starfighter. It remained in service to the Sith Order well into the Imperial era.

Near the end of the Separatist Crisis, Jango Fett owned and operated Slave I, a customized Firespray-31-class patrol and attack craft. After his death at the First Battle of Geonosis, his son Boba inherited the ship and continued to use it until at least 9 ABY.

During the Clone Wars, the Jedi continued to use the older Delta-7s, but also developed the Delta-7B Aethersprite-class light interceptor and Eta-2 Actis-class light interceptor. The clone trooper pilots under their command flew Low Altitude Assault Transport/infantry gunships, V-19 Torrent starfighters, BTL Y-wing starfighters, Aggressive ReConnaissance-170 starfighters, Clone Z-95 Headhunters, and Alpha-3 Nimbus-class V-wing starfighters. Grand Master Yoda operated his own customized Actis-class fighter. Skull Squadron, a Mandalorian unit serving the Republic, flew Fang fighters. At the conclusion of the Clone War, some of the Republic starfighter classes would be inherited by the Galactic Empire, while others would be decommissioned and fall into the hands of the rebellion. Others would be discarded entirely, seeing almost no military service after the conclusion of the war.

The Separatists, who opposed the Republic in the Clone War, primarily used Vulture-class droid starfighters originally built for the Trade Federation. Later, to counter the increasingly capable and diverse clone fighters, the Confederacy produced and deployed droid tri-fighters, Hyena-class Droid Bombers, and HMP droid gunships. The Separatists also constructed manned fighters for their organic commanders, such as Rogue-class Porax-38 starfighters, Belbullab-22 heavy starfighters, and Ginivex-class fanblade starfighter. Geonosian forces, allied with the Confederacy, flew Nantex-class territorial defense starfighters, while the Umbaran Militia flew their native Zenuas 33 Umbaran starfighters. The Zygerrian Slave Empire, which allied itself with the Confederacy, had a small force of Huttese HH-87 Starhoppers, which saw action against Republic forces on Kadavo. Death Watch, a Mandalorian splinter group allied to the Confederacy, operated Kom'rk-class fighter/transports, which served as both transports and bombers. After falling out of Count Dooku's favor, Death Watch pledged allegiance to Darth Maul's Shadow Collective, but continued to use the ships in battle. After the conclusion of the war, many of the starfighters used by the Confederacy's regular forces survived the Clone War and were used by rebels fighting against the Empire.

At the end of the Clone War, the Imperial Military inherited some of the starfighter classes of the Republic Navy. By the time of the Galactic Civil War, however, it primarily relied on the TIE fighter series. This new generation of vehicles, powered by twin ion engines, was developed from technology used in the older Republic starfighter and transport classes. These craft included the famous TIE/ln space superiority starfighter, TIE/rb heavy starfighter, TIE Advanced v1, TIE/sa bomber, TIE Advanced x1, TIE/IN interceptor, TIE/d "Defender" Multi-Role Starfighter, TIE/sk x1 experimental air superiority fighter, and TIE/rp Reaper attack lander. The Empire also deployed VT-49 Decimators and Y-45 armored transport haulers. In addition to Imperial use, numerous TIE/LNs were given to the Mining Guild and converted to TIE/mg Mining Guild starfighters. Imperial TIEs would occasionally fall into rebel hands, and the rebellion made good use of these opportunities.

Desperate for any equipment they could find, the rebellion operated numerous starfighter classes from a variety of sources. Bail Organa's rebel network operated RZ-1 A-wing interceptors as early as 18 BBY. The Free Ryloth Movement used old Separatist droid starfighters in 14 BBY. Berch Teller's rebel cell also used Separatist fighters, in addition to Z-95 Headhunters. Beginning around 5 BBY, the Spectres utilized the Phantom, a customized Corellian VCX-series auxiliary starfighter that functioned as both a shuttle and scout craft. The Spectres eventually joined Phoenix Cell, which utilized A-wings and a small number of RZ-1T trainers, which were A-wings converted into two-seat trainers. Jan Dodonna's unit used decommissioned Republic Y-wings, which served as multi-role fighter-bombers. Later, the loose network of rebel cells evolved into the better-organized Alliance to Restore the Republic, which continued to operate a fairly ragtag collection of whatever equipment they could acquire.

The Rebel Alliance Starfighter Corps employed A/SF-01 B-wing starfighters, E-50 Landseers, converted HWK-290 light freighters, T-47 airspeeders, T-65B X-wing starfighters, T-65C-A2 X-wing starfighters, UT-60D U-wing starfighter/support craft, V-4X-D ski speeders, and at least one YT-1300 light freighter, in addition to some of the older classes. Additionally, the rebellion made use of stolen Imperial vessels. Many starfighter types used by the various rebel groups continued to see action with the New Republic.

Several starfighter classes were used by private security forces, such as the Storm IV Twin-Pod cloud cars used by the Bespin Wing Guard.

In its early years, the New Republic continued to operate the rebellion's old starfighter classes, and even continued stealing TIEs when the need arose. Beginning in 5 ABY, the New Republic operated the T-70 X-wing starfighter, which was an upgraded version of the T-65. They also operated RZ-2 A-wing interceptors. By the time of the cold war, the New Republic Defense Fleet had retired all of the older starfighter classes (as well as some of the newer ones, such as the B-wing Mark II) in favor of the T-85 X-wing.

The First Order Navy continued the TIE line that the Empire had begun, with the new models upgraded to modern combat standards. This new generation of TIEs included the TIE/fo space superiority fighter, the two-seat TIE/sf space superiority fighter used by the First Order Special Forces, and the TIE/vn space superiority fighter used by Kylo Ren. The TIE/wi Interceptor and TIE/wi modified interceptor would also come to exist. Meanwhile, the Resistance's Starfighter Corps continued using T-70s donated by sympathetic senators. They also made use of a small number of single-seat A-wings and a few Z-95 Headhunters for covert operations. On occasion, Resistance personnel would steal First Order TIEs, just like their Rebel predecessors had 30 years before.