First Order Department of Military Research

The First Order Department of Military Research was an organization within the First Order dedicated to military research and the development of weaponry and armor for the First Order. The Department developed First Order stormtrooper armor, modelled after Imperial stormtrooper armor. They also created the helmets worn by First Order TIE Fighter Pilot and the riot shields used by riot control stormtroopers. Weapons created by the First Order Department of Military Research included the BL-155 Laser ax, the D-93 Incinerator flamethrower and the Superlaser siege cannon. In addition to weapons and armor, the department also created IT-000 interrogator droid, a new generation of interrogator droid based on the old Imperial IT-O Interrogator that was used for torture.

Behind the scenes
The First Order Department of Military Research was first mentioned in the 2019 reference book Ultimate Star Wars, New Edition.