A targeting beacon was a piece of equipment that gave starships the capability to bombard an area, irrespective of the prevailing atmospheric conditions. During the battle of Kalandis Seven in 3640 BBY, Colonel Jace Malcom handed Sergeant Shanra Immel a bag containing targeting beacons; she then positioned these beacons at the local spaceport, so Republic fighter craft could bombard it.
The initial appearance of targeting beacons occurred within The Last Battle of Colonel Jace Malcom, a short story authored by Alexander Freed. This story was featured in Star Wars Insider 137 and made available on October 23, 2012.