TIE defender

• Appeared in:
  
  I
  II
  III
  IV
  V
  VI
  CW

• Size:
  9.2 meters long

• Weapon:
  4 laser cannons, 2 ion cannons, 2 warhead launchers

• Affiliation:
  Galactic Empire

• Type:
  Advanced experimental starfighter

• Manufacturer:
  Sienar Fleet Systems

• 

From the Expanded Universe

Conventional Imperial design philosophies would not have produced the TIE defender, but the repeated successes of Alliance starfighter pilots forced the Empire's hand. Developed in absolute secrecy by the higher echelons of the Imperial Navy, the deadly new TIE defender was to be an evolution of TIE technologies in a bold new direction. Though labeled as a 'logical advance,' the defender was the Empire's silent nod of respect to the Rebellion's starfighter forces.

Eschewing the swarming wing maneuvers that were a staple of Imperial combat doctrine, the TIE defender would instead empower a single pilot to operate as a formidable fighting force. Unlike the standard TIE fighter, this model featured sturdy deflector shields and a hyperdrive engine, and packed incredible firepower.

Three sets of angled quadanium solar gather panels cluster around the familiar circular cockpit. Using the latest in Sienar Fleet Systems technologies, a robust I-s4d solar ionization reactor powers the starfighter, while twin P-sz9.7 ion engines provide propulsion at an impressive 40 percent higher yield than the standard TIE/ln.

An SFS F-s5x flight avionics system translates the pilot's instructions into twisting acrobatic maneuvers. A triple array of maneuvering jets on the branching tri-wing assembly allows the TIE defender to tumble through seemingly impossible dives and jinks, outshining the impressive TIE interceptor in sheer agility.

Each wingtip holds powerful weapons. The two lower wings each hold a pair of SFS L-s9.3 laser cannons which can be fired singly or linked. The upper wing carries two Borstel NK-3 ion cannons, while the main hull of the craft supports a pair of M-g-2 general purpose warhead launchers. Enveloping the craft are forward and rear-projecting Novaldex shields, which protect the reinforced titanium hull.

Overseeing the TIE defender project was Admiral Zaarin, an Imperial officer who ultimately proved to be a traitor. The foolhardy Zaarin even had the audacity to strike against the Emperor himself. Ironically, his own starfighter project was employed in a bid to stop him. Colonel Maarek Stele and Lord Darth Vader figured prominently in early TIE defender missions to stop Zaarin.

At more than five times the cost of a standard TIE fighter, the TIE defender proved too expensive to produce in large numbers. Only a handful of these ships were deployed as part of Onyx Squadron during the Battle of Endor. The scandal over Zaarin's defection and the political upheaval that followed the Endor further scuttled any plans to introduce the defender to the fleet in mass quantities.

Behind the Scenes

The TIE defender was developed for the 1994 LucasArts space combat simulator computer game, Star Wars: TIE Fighter. Much of its technical information was delineated in accompanying guide and strategy books.