TIE/D Defender/Legends

TIE/D Defender "Imperial High Command decided that defender pilots would only be selected from TIE interceptor pilots who had flown at least twenty combat missions and survived. We're either the best pilots in the Imperial fleet or the luckiest."

- Rexler Brath

The TIE/D Defender was a high-performance Imperial TIE series starfighter used by the Galactic Empire and other factions.

Characteristics
The high success rate of the more advanced Rebel starfighters against standard Imperial TIE Fighters resulted in a mounting cost of replacing destroyed fighters. This, combined with the realization that the inclusion of a hyperdrive would allow the fleet to be more flexible, caused the Imperial Navy to rethink its doctrine of using swarms of cheap craft instead of fewer high-quality ones. It was this that had led to the recent introduction of the TIE Advanced x1 and its successor, the TIE Avenger, and the TIE Defender itself was touted as the next "logical advance" of the TIE series&mdash;a starfighter that was fast, well armed and capable of hyperspace travel.



Sienar Fleet Systems followed specific Imperial instruction in developing the TIE Defender, equipping it with a series of innovations over previous models.

The pilot module was similar to those found in other TIE series fighters, with a ball cockpit and a hatch on the top for entry and egress. TIE Defender pilots were required to wear the standard TIE pilot uniform, suggesting that, like previous models, the TIE Defender lacked life support systems. However, in another departure from the design of previous TIE models, the TIE Defender featured an aft section, containing an I-s4d solar ionization reactor to store and convert solar energy, as well as the ship's thrusters. Instead of the two parallel wings found on previous TIE models, the TIE Defender had three quadanium solar array wings mounted around the aft section. Their distinctive triple-wing shape led Corran Horn to dub them "trips". The wings themselves appeared similar to those found on the TIE Interceptor and TIE Avenger; however, unlike on its predecessors, the wings on the TIE Defender were angled out instead of in. The inclusion of a third wing provided additional solar power to increase the ship's range and the ship's energy management system was designed to allow weapons and shields to be charged with minimum loss of power to the propulsion system.

One disadvantage of the design was an aft blind spot which could potentially be exploited by enemy fighters maneuverable enough to get behind the Defender and which was the cause of some frustration among pilots.

The TIE Defender was one of the fastest starfighters in use during the Galactic Civil War. Although it was based on the standard twin ion engine design, it was upgraded to the entirely new, powerful P-sz9.7 twin ion engine, which allowed it to travel at speeds almost 40 percent faster than a standard TIE Fighter in an atmosphere. The Defender's triple wing design allowed for three arrays of maneuvering jets and it featured an advanced F-s5x flight avionics system to process the pilot's instructions. When combined, these systems made the ship not only faster, but more agile than any other starfighter in Imperial service.

The TIE Defender also featured a hyperdrive which allowed it to operate independently of capital ships. Testing of the original prototype indicated the need for a more powerful hyperdrive and production models included a class 2 ND9 hyperdrive motivator, modified from the version developed for the TIE Avenger.

The TIE Defender's weapons systems were designed to allow it to engage multiple enemy fighters as well as the armed freighters frequently used by the Alliance. It carried a formidable array of weaponry; in standard configuration it had four L-s9.3 laser cannons mounted on the two lower wings and two NK-3 ion cannons mounted on the upper wing. The laser and ion cannons could be set to fire separately or, if concentrated power was required, to fire-linked in either pairs or quartets. The ion cannons could even be fired simultaneously with the laser cannons. Two targeting sensors were located between each pair of cannons to provide the pilot with a constant stream of targeting information. The ship also featured two M-g-2 general-purpose warhead launchers on the bottom of the pilot module, each of which could be equipped with proton torpedoes or concussion missiles. Depending on the mission profile, the ship could be fitted with alternative warheads such as proton rockets or magnetic pulse warheads. The inclusion of warhead launchers in the design was considered audacious by some members of the design team.

A small tractor beam projector could also be equipped, allowing the ship to inhibit the mobility of enemy fighters, making it easier to target them with the ship's other weapon systems. Models produced by Ysanne Isard's Defender production facility regularly carried such tractor beams and the technology found other uses, such as allowing TIE Defenders to tow damaged starfighters until they could achieve the required velocity to enter hyperspace. Corran Horn discovered that by using the beam to target a large object, he could effectively use it as an anchor, allowing the TIE Defender to achieve a tighter turning circle.

The ship's defenses were provided by a reinforced titanium hull protected by a pair of forward and rear projecting Novaldex shield generators&mdash;another advantage over standard TIE models. The shields were designed to recharge more rapidly than in previous Imperial fighters.



As with other TIE series fighters, the TIE Defender utilized a wheel and yoke control system. Pulling back would cause the ship to climb, pushing forward would cause it to dive and the ship could be made to bank and turn by twisting the controls. Grips on either side had the weapons trigger switches while an array of buttons and switches in the middle controlled other functions, including throttle, weapons selection and target acquisition. Manipulating rudder pedals caused maneuvering planes to expand or contract to angle engine thrust and quickly alter the ship's trajectory. The ship featured an auto-landing function to plot entry vector and landing speed, although the pilot could retain manual control if they preferred. When not in use, the ship could be left in a password controlled standby mode to prevent unauthorized use.

Various display panels inside the cockpit allowed the pilot to monitor ship's systems and the surrounding area. The main Combat Multi-view Display displayed sensor data on targeted ships while additional monitors displayed short range sensor contacts. Additional panels displayed the remaining charge of weapons, shields and tractor beam systems, current warhead load and power usage. A chronometer was used to display the mission time or, during hyperspace travel to countdown to reversion to realspace. A heads-up display assisted the pilot in aiming the ship's weapons and displayed data from the ship's threat warning system.

It was recommended that the ships operate in flight groups of four, using their hyperdrives to conduct patrols across large areas of space, though the versatility of the TIE Defender allowed a large degree of flexibility in its use , and even a single craft could prove formidable.

The TIE Defender was in many ways far superior to any other starfighter of the time, capable of outperforming the majority of Rebel starfighters with its combination of firepower, speed and maneuverability. However, the sophisticated featured of the TIE Defender had two major implications. The inclusion of the hyperdrive, shields, and reinforced armor made the ship heavier than any of its predecessors&mdash;a fact which made its speed and maneuverability all the more impressive. More importantly, the ship was very expensive, with each unit costing 300,000 credits&mdash;more than five times the cost of a standard TIE fighter.

History
"TIE Defender, standing by."

- TIE Defender pilot



Development and testing
Such was the importance of the TIE Defender that the top secret development project was conducted under the supervision of top naval commanders, including Grand Admiral Demetrius Zaarin, then head of research and development for starfighter technology. The starfighter's development took place shortly before the Battle of Endor, the project overseen by Zaarin at his research facility. By the time that the TIE Avenger, modified by Zaarin to use new hyperdrive technology, entered service, the TIE Defender project had reached the prototype stage.

With the prototypes ready for inspection, Darth Vader instructed Zaarin to have six prototypes of the new fighter delivered to Emperor Palpatine on Coruscant for his personal review. Three cargo ferries from Sela group were sent to the research facility to collect the prototypes, loaded into containers for transport. The Rebel Alliance attempted to disrupt the loading operation but their raiding party was defeated by Imperial fighters.

The Empire soon learned that the Rebels were planning an ambush at Vinzen Neela 5, where the prototypes were to be transferred to the Imperial escort carrier Hininbirg. This time, Rebel fighters were joined by the CR90 corvettes Mar Duun and Vop Hui, which were attempting to plant a minefield around the rendezvous point. Responding quickly to the threat, Maarek Stele led a group of TIE Avengers to the rendezvous point, arriving before the Imperial ships to prevent the ambush and cover the transfer operation, allowing the Hininbirg to complete the delivery of the prototypes to Coruscant.

After initial testing of the prototypes, the fighter entered service, deployed to a limited number of elite squadrons for full field testing. However, these tests were never extensive and this, together with the prohibitive cost, meant that even an organization as wealthy as the Imperial Navy chose not to mass-deploy such a fighter. Furthermore, the fact that the ship did not fit in with the traditional tactics of the Imperial Navy led to some resentment towards the ship, and the commanders that used them in battle.



Zaarin's betrayal
The TIE Defender's most extensive use during the Galactic Civil War occurred when Zaarin attempted a coup against Emperor Palpatine. While Darth Vader led the search for the forces of the treacherous Admiral Harkov, Zaarin's forces attacked Vader's ship, the Imperial-class Star Destroyer Garret. Though the Garret survived it had sustained damage that would prevent Vader from reaching Coruscant in time to warn the Emperor. Fortunately, the Garret was one of the few ships to be carrying TIE Defenders, the Dark Lord of the Sith having brought them aboard in the hope of conducting operational trials. Vader selected five ace pilots, including Maarek Stele, to accompany him to Coruscant in the new starfighter.

After escaping a trap set by Zaarin's Immobilizer 418 cruiser Harpago&mdash;destroying the ship with the help of the Nebulon-B2 frigate Osprey&mdash;they arrived at Coruscant to find the Emperor's Star Destroyer, the Majestic, badly damaged and the Emperor being taken to Zaarin's flagship, the Star Destroyer Glory. The TIE Defenders disabled the Emperor's shuttle and protected it while the Emperor was rescued by loyal forces.

Zaarin attempted to ensure a technological advantage by eliminating TIE Avenger production facilities throughout the Empire. Although the Empire was unable to prevent the destruction of the facilities, Zaarin's own starfighters were used against him as TIE Defenders held his forces off long enough for Imperial personnel to evacuate and to prevent Zaarin from looting technology which could be used to produce his own TIE Avengers and TIE Defenders. They also proved instrumental in capturing magnetic pulse warhead technology from the Rebel station RS-32.

Zaarin's own starfighters continued to be used against him, and the TIE Defender played a major part in the defeat of the rogue Imperial.

The TIE Defender attracted the attention of several other groups who attempted to acquire the ship's technology. During Zaarin's coup, Hamo Blastwell, a Rebel agent posing as an Imperial officer, attempted to steal the plans to the starfighter from the Glory. Blastwell managed to escape though Zaarin's crew prevented him from taking the plans. Some of these fighters may have fallen into the hands of the Zann Consortium.

Some TIE Defenders were stationed aboard Darth Vader's flagship, the Executor. During the Battle of Mygeeto&mdash;as the Executor led Imperial forces in the invasion of the Rebel base on Mygeeto&mdash;the Imperial fleet came under attack from several Rebel capital ships, and Admiral Firmus Piett ordered use of TIE Defenders in the defense of the fleet. Flown by elite pilots, TIE Defenders aided in the destruction of the Rebel ships and the Empire went on to capture the Rebel base.

A handful of TIE Defenders, as part of Onyx Squadron, saw action at the Battle of Endor. However, they were a very small minority of craft at the battle; the majority were TIE Fighters and TIE Interceptors.

As the Empire began to crumble following the Battle of Endor and the death of Emperor Palpatine, the cost of the TIE Defender became an even greater factor and the model was decommissioned, preventing it from ever achieving widespread use. The few squadrons that remained in service were largely used to patrol the Empire's remaining boundaries of what would become the Imperial Remnant. However, the ship remained politically unpopular.

Imperial Remnant
"Nice machines. I still prefer my X-wing, but I'll take a trip in a pinch."

- Wedge Antilles

The TIE Defender received some support from Countess Iran Ryad, an Imperial politician who trained as a starfighter pilot in her spare time. After the Battle of Endor, Ryad requisitioned a TIE Defender and quit her political role to take command of a group of four TIE Defenders charged with patrolling the coreward borders of the Empire. Ryad had her TIE Defender, the Red Star 1, heavily modified to enhance its shields, provide increased maneuverability through an upgraded engine, and allow increased firepower by tuning the fire control system. However, the modifications came at a high cost of 62,500 credits. After several successful patrols, Ryad took command of Red Star Squadron and began attacking any ships entering Imperial space without permission. Her actions brought her into conflict with her commanders and, after being charged with treason, she was eventually defeated by Baron Soontir Fel.

The ship would resurface during the return of Grand Admiral Thrawn, though they were still deemed too difficult to produce and maintain, and remained a minority within the Imperial fleet.

During the New Republic's campaign against Prince-Admiral Delak Krennel's Ciutric Hegemony, Rogue Squadron was sent in search of an Imperial superweapon near Distna. However, the superweapon rumors were bait to lure them into a trap, and they were quickly ambushed by six squadrons of TIE series starfighters. The Rogues were rescued from the trap by the arrival of two squadrons of TIE Defenders, Interloper and Stranger Squadrons, under the command of Colonel Broak Vessery. The Defenders hit Krennel's forces hard, using a combination of lasers and torpedoes to eliminate Krennel's remaining forces within five minutes of their arrival. Despite the Rogues' reluctance to trust the Imperials, they agreed to follow them back to their base before Krennel sent reinforcements.

The Imperials were stationed at one of several secret Imperial bases throughout the galaxy. The base was one of the few facilities capable of producing TIE Defenders. It was an indication of the rarity of the TIE Defender that the three full squadrons of the fighters located at the base were more than Rogue Squadron's commander, General Wedge Antilles, thought had ever been built. Formerly under the command of General Arnothian, he had intended to use the TIE Defenders to establish himself as a warlord before Director of Imperial Intelligence Ysanne Isard disposed of him and took control of the facility.

Isard claimed that she wanted peace with the New Republic. To this end, she had dispatched Vessery to aid the Rogues and now proposed to prove her intentions by helping them eliminate Krennel and rescue prisoners from her Lusankya, including Jan Dodonna. Isard would provide Rogue Squadron with TIE Defenders and cover identities to aid them in infiltrating Krennel's capital on Ciutric, posing as Imperial defectors. They would then eliminate the shield generators and defensive positions, allowing her forces to storm the prison. Meanwhile, a New Republic fleet would engage Krennel's forces.

The Rogues quickly began training on the TIE Defender. Over the coming weeks, they engaged in frequent simulated battles against Interloper and Stranger Squadrons before departing for Ciutric. Although Isard betrayed both sides, using the Defenders, Rogue Squadron pilots successfully brought down the planetary shield of Krennel's capital Ciutric IV, rescued the prisoners, and eliminated a clone of Isard herself. After the real Isard was killed, Vessery disappeared along with his two squadrons of TIE Defenders.



Defenders remained in limited use under the Empire. They were deployed at Adumar in the service of the 181st Imperial Fighter Group under Turr Phennir, but only four were present. These fighters acquitted themselves well and destroyed or disabled many New Republic starfighters.

Yuuzhan Vong War
A squadron of Defenders were stationed aboard the Immobilizer 418 cruiser Wrack during the Yuuzhan Vong War. Three participated in the Battle of Bilbringi; two were destroyed and one retreated to Imperial space. At the Battle of Mon Calamari, many wings of Defenders were deployed into combat as part of an elite strike team, with other notable squadrons such as Rogue, Twin Suns, and Vanguard Squadrons.

Behind the scenes
The TIE Defender was created for the game Star Wars: TIE Fighter in which the craft was flyable by the player. Although this craft was initially left out of the multiplayer Star Wars: X-wing vs. TIE Fighter for the sake of balance, the game data files still have an entry for the TIE Defender in the craft library, with the description field reading "Advanced space superiority fighter. This craft is too powerful to be put in this simulation. Dream on, fanboy!"

There is some discrepancy among sources as to the length of the ship. The TIE Defender's Databank entry describes it as 9.2 meters long ; however, Star Wars: TIE Fighter had originally given the length as 10 meters, a length which was repeated in The Official Star Wars Fact File 73. Furthermore, both The New Essential Guide to Vehicles and Vessels and More Starships! list the length as 6.6 meters.

In both TIE Fighter and X-wing Alliance, the TIE Defender is depicted as faster than both the RZ-1 A-wing interceptor and the TIE Interceptor. This was reinforced by X-wing Alliance: Prima's Official Strategy Guide, which described the ship as the "fastest and most maneuverable craft in the galaxy". The figures given in the New Essential Guide to Vehicles and Vessels do show it as faster than both, but only in an atmosphere, while it's acceleration value is slightly lower than the TIE Interceptor and significantly below that of the A-wing.

Both The Essential Guide to Vehicles and Vessels and the TIE Defender's Databank entry place the cost of the ship at 300,000 credits. More Starships!, however, states that each unit cost 200,000 credits.

Appearances



 * Star Wars: Empire at War: Forces of Corruption
 * Star Wars: Galactic Battlegrounds
 * Star Wars: Rebellion
 * Star Wars Battlefront: Renegade Squadron
 * Star Wars: TIE Fighter
 * Star Wars: X-wing Alliance
 * Star Wars: Imperial Ace
 * X-wing: Isard's Revenge
 * X-wing: Starfighters of Adumar
 * The Final Prophecy
 * The Unifying Force