Vanguard Squadron

Vanguard Squadron served as a starfighter squadron for the New Republic, specifically as part of the New Republic Starfighter Corps. Their expertise lay in conducting rapid response attacks, executing high-stakes rescue operations, and ambushing Imperial capital ships. The squadron was composed of a minimum of five New Republic pilots, including Kierah Koovah, the Mimbanese Vanguard Leader, as well as Feresk Tssat, a Trandoshan, Keo Venzee, a Mirialan, and two humans, Grace Sienar and another pilot. Every member donned an orange flight suit, with the exception of the Trandoshan, who wore a blue one.

The squadron utilized a variety of starfighters based on the demands of the mission, including T-65B X-wing starfighters, BTL-A4 Y-wing assault starfighter/bombers, RZ-1 A-wing interceptors, and UT-60D U-wing starfighter/support craft. Following the battle of Galitan, they also began using the A/SF-01 B-wing starfighter. Their starfighters were distinguished by light green-and-blue markings. At one point, the squadron's headquarters was located on the Acclamator-class transgalactic military assault ship Lodestar, which acted as the flagship for New Republic General Hera Syndulla and her Barma Battle Group. Later, they were based on the MC75 Star Cruiser Temperance, under the command of Commander Lindon Javes. While stationed on the Temperance, Zerelda Sage, the ship's chief mechanic, handled Vanguard Squadron's maintenance requirements.

In 4 ABY, a few weeks after the Battle of Endor, Vanguard Squadron's fighters were on the Lodestar undergoing maintenance. The mechanic Sergeant Ragnell prioritized the repairs of Vanguard's fighters, which caused discontent among the members of Meteor Squadron and Hail Squadron, the other two squadrons stationed aboard the Acclamator-class assault ship.

Vanguard Squadron was later dispatched to assist ground troops against the Galactic Empire's Treinhaus Citadel on the planet Argai Minor. They were joined by Meteor and Hail Squadrons, as well as the rest of Syndulla's battle group. The fighting was intense. New Republic Intelligence suspected that Imperial forces on the planet were receiving logistical support from an external source, and they questioned whether the enemy's supply lines extended to Pandem Nai, where the Empire's 204th Imperial Fighter Wing had established their base. As a result, Syndulla brought in the New Republic's Alphabet Squadron to help with patrols during the citadel salvage operation, due to their specialized knowledge of the 204th.

Later, Vanguard Squadron and the rest of Syndulla's battle group traveled to the Pandem Nai system, forming a blockade outside a minefield while Alphabet Squadron engaged the 204th at their tibanna gas mining stations. When a fire erupted in the planet's tibanna clouds, Syndulla directed her battle group to navigate the minefield to help resolve the issue.

The squadron performed routine patrols. Upon returning from one such patrol, they encountered a problem with long-range communications, which they reported to the Temperance. While still en route back to the fleet, they listened to a speech by their new commander.

The New Republic began to experience communication disruptions, and a patrol in the Bormea sector went missing. Lindon Javes, who had recently been promoted to commander of the MC75 Star Cruiser Temperance, tasked Vanguard Squadron with investigating a possible Imperial incursion. The squadron was divided into two teams: Feresk, Grace, and Vanguard Five searched for the missing scouts, while Gunny and Keo Venzee investigated the cause of the communication interference.

Feresk's team jumped to the planet, where they discovered the remains of the scouts, with no survivors. They were then ambushed by an Imperial Gozanti-class cruiser, which quickly deployed four TIE fighters, which were promptly eliminated. Realizing that their comrades were heading into a trap, they scanned the wreckage of the Gozanti and started searching for their friends. Feresk's team encountered two IGV-55 surveillance vessels and their escort of six TIE fighters. The trio destroyed the jamming ships, restoring communications in the area. Although they couldn't contact the fleet, they located Gunny and Keo, who were already engaged with an Imperial force consisting of one Arquitens-class command cruiser, two additional Imperial jammer ships, and their TIE fighter escort. The group initially targeted the fighters, but they received reinforcements via a Gozanti cruiser that entered the battle. Working together, Vanguard Squadron managed to eliminate the fighters and jammers, restoring communications, but they needed to call for assistance to finish off the Arquitens. Javes dispatched two CR90 corvettes to help them destroy the cruiser. With communication restored, Wedge Antilles was able to send a message to the Temperance requesting assistance on an assignment.

A battle took place above Yavin Prime when the New Republic's Talus Group trapped the Imperial II-class Star Destroyer Victorum in the atmosphere. With the aid of Vanguard Squadron and a boarding party, they successfully gained control of the ship and fended off Imperial reinforcements.

After seizing the Imperial II-class Star Destroyer Victorum, the ship was damaged in the previous battle and was unable to complete the jump from Yavin Prime to the Nadiri Dockyards, leaving it stranded in Imperial territory. After requesting assistance, the Temperance sent Vanguard Squadron to provide cover from two approaching Quasar Fire-class cruiser-carriers that were closing in on the Star Destroyer. Following a brief battle, the Imperial forces were held back, and the Star Destroyer was able to jump to hyperspace after repairs.

Vanguard Squadron escorted the Victorum to the Nadiri Dockyards, where the New Republic was constructing a prototype Starhawk-class battleship called the Starhawk. The Victorum's parts were salvaged and used in the construction of the prototype ship.

Vanguard Squadron participated in a strike on an Imperial Esseles listening post above Esseles to bait the Imperial II-class Star Destroyer Overseer and delay the Imperial search for the Nadiri Dockyards. The strike was successful, and the listening post was destroyed.

In an attempt to prevent the Empire from discovering Project Starhawk, Vanguard Squadron led an attack that lured the Imperial II-class Star Destroyer Overseer using droid-piloted transports. The Imperial ships were ambushed, and the Starhawk revealed itself for the first time, using its powerful tractor beam to pull the Star Destroyer into large asteroids, damaging it and forcing Captain Terisa Kerrill's forces to retreat.

While the Nadiri fleet was away defending various New Republic outposts from hit-and-fade attacks by the Empire, the Nadiri Dockyards and the Starhawk were left vulnerable to attack. The Overseer launched an assault, led by Titan Squadron, destroying the dockyards' shield generators and hangars. This allowed the Imperials to launch a baradium missile assault on the Starhawk, causing extensive damage. The Temperance returned in time to protect the Starhawk from destruction and force the Imperials to retreat, but it sustained significant damage to its hyperdrive.

Hera Syndulla decided that the next step was to move Project Starhawk to the safety of Chandrila. However, with neither the Starhawk nor the Temperance having a functional hyperdrive, the fleet had to carefully navigate through Sissubo's debris field with Vanguard Squadron providing close protection. Titan Squadron attacked the smaller ships of the fleet, targeting floating power cores from wrecked Star Destroyers in the debris field. The explosions of these cores destroyed eight CR90 corvettes and one EF76 Nebulon-B escort frigates. Due to the extreme danger, Syndulla's fleet was forced to change course and enter the Ringali Nebula.

With Syndulla's forces lost, weakened, and in desperate need of reinforcements, Vanguard Squadron was sent on a mission to reactivate an old Rebel broadcast hub located over the nearby moon Galitan and to send a distress call for New Republic reinforcements. Anvil Squadron responded and arrived to assist. A major battle ensued, with the Overseer accompanied by Imperial reinforcements from Admiral Sloane's fleet. Titan Squadron led an attack on the Starhawk, defeating Anvil Squadron and Lindon Javes in the process. One Titan TIE managed to penetrate the Starhawk's hull and damage the tractor beam core, causing a catastrophic overload that would ultimately lead to its destruction. Kerrill's forces withdrew, but some of the Imperial fleet remained.

Syndulla decided to sacrifice the crippled Starhawk. Corvettes were used to tow the massive battleship using its functional tractor beam, while Vanguard Squadron fought off waves of TIEs. Once it reached its optimum velocity, the Starhawk crashed into the moon's exposed core, and the unstable tractor beam mechanism detonated, resulting in a massive explosion of molten rock and a subsequent shockwave that destroyed all nearby Imperial ships caught within it.

Around 5 ABY, Vanguard Squadron was assigned to a special operation in the Bormea sector to improve the New Republic's starship supply situation. The squadron eventually required support, which Syndulla provided by leaving the rest of her battle group at their own campaign in the Cerberon system.

However, while Syndulla was working with Vanguard Squadron, her battle group was devastated by the 204th, and the Lodestar was lost in the battle. Syndulla and Vanguard, aboard the MC75 Star Cruiser Temperance, traveled to the Cerberon system and joined a battle between a remnant force of the battle group and the 204th at the Core Nine mining megafacility on the planet Troithe. The X-wings of Vanguard Squadron engaged the 204th's TIEs, taking orders from Wyl Lark of Alphabet Squadron and assisting ground troops from the New Republic's 61st Mobile Infantry. One Vanguard fighter crashed into a canyon near the mining facility.

When the Alphabet Squadron pilot Chass na Chadic sang through the comms, the Vanguard pilots cursed and ignored her. Another of Vanguard Squadron's fighters was lost by the time the 204th began withdrawing from Core Nine on a bulk freighter. As one Vanguard pilot reported 204th TIEs docking onto the freighter, Tssat asked Lark where their squadron was needed. Lark ultimately directed all fighters to pursue the freighter and its escorting TIEs. The bulk freighter then launched missiles, which distracted some of the New Republic fighters while X-wings from Vanguard squadron continued to chase the freighter. The 204th ultimately escaped aboard the freighter, allowing the New Republic forces to claim victory.

Following the loss of her flagship, Lodestar, at the hands of the 204th on Troithe and the near-total destruction of Meteor Squadron, General Syndulla was assigned a new flagship, a refitted Star Destroyer, Deliverance, and assembled a new starfighter wing under the command of Commander Wyl Lark. Hail Squadron continued to serve in the starfighter wing, although they had suffered heavy losses at Cerberon. The surviving pilots from Lark's makeshift strike force that he and Nath Tensent had put together on Troithe were transferred to the newly formed Wild Squadron. Flare Squadron was summoned by Syndulla to support the Hunt for Shadow Wing, replacing Vanguard Squadron.

Vanguard Squadron made its initial appearance in the 2019 novel Alphabet Squadron, penned by Alexander Freed.