TIE/D automated starfighter

The TIE/D automated fighter, or droid/drone TIE fighter, was used by the "reborn" Emperor during his attacks on the New Republic in 10 ABY.

The TIE/D was manufactured by Sienar Fleet Systems, who had also manufactured the original TIE/ln. As a result, much of the spaceframe of the vehicle came from the standard TIE. The TIE/D was equipped with additional armor plating, twin laser cannons, and rectangular solar arrays for additional power needs. It was fast, small, and very expendable. Every TIE/D had an integrated Cybot Galactica Ace-6 droid brain which could be updated with new tactics&mdash;despite this, it was still often easily outwitted by sentient starfighter pilots.

The TIE/D was developed by the Imperial Remnant to serve as expendable support fighters for living TIE pilots, since living pilots were in short supply. Prior to the Battle of Endor, the demand for automated fighters had been low when the Empire had an endless supply of clone and Academy-trained personnel at its disposal. Though the Clone Wars had shown the effectiveness of living pilots over droid starfighters, Imperial engineers were still determined to produce the ultimate automated space combat fighter.

The TIE/D was first introduced against the New Republic on Mon Calamari six years after the Battle of Endor. There Imperial World Devastators unleashed terrible destruction on the ocean world. During the battle, TIE/D fighters were pitted against New Republic V-wings and E-wings. The New Republic pilots were able to outwit these drones just as Old Republic Clone and Jedi pilots were able to outwit Separatist droid starfighters. Since the bulk of the TIE/D manufacturing plants were within the World Devastators themselves, when these massive superweapons were destroyed, most of the Empire's TIE/D fighters were taken with them.

Appearances

 * Dark Empire
 * Dark Empire II
 * Empire's End
 * Star Wars: Rogue Squadron