The Tarkin Initiative was a clandestine strategic group operating within the Imperial Military Department of Advanced Weapons Research, an agency itself reporting to both Imperial Intelligence and the Imperial Security Bureau. Established by Governor Wilhuff Tarkin, this Initiative is credited with the creation of both the first and second Death Star battle stations. Like other key members of the Imperial hierarchy, officers involved in the Initiative, such as Director Orson Krennic, were protected by Imperial Intelligence's elite death troopers. Despite their personal animosity, Krennic was the leader of the initiative, answering to Tarkin. Tarkin Initiative containers played a role in mining operations conducted on the planet Ilum. The Initiative was also responsible for the construction of the assassin droid BT-1 at one of their facilities. This droid, however, proved to be dangerously homicidal, eliminating all personnel at the base before triggering the base's self-destruction. Sometime prior to the secret mission to Geonosis, Doctor Aphra discovered the droid, reprogrammed its behavior, activated it, and subsequently placed it under the command of Darth Vader. The Hutt clone trooper was also a product of the initiative's work, but these troopers were not widely deployed and instead were kept in storage aboard Hivebase-1.
The Tarkin Initiative's symbol featured a hexagonal shape, designed to resemble a stylized, multifaceted kyber crystal. Scientists associated with the Tarkin Initiative labored to decipher the mysteries of the crystal on the planet, with the goal of creating a devastating superweapon.