Advanced Recon Commando trooper

ARC troopers are fictional soldiers from the Star Wars saga, during the Clone Wars era.

ARC troopers - more formally known as Advanced Recon Commando  - are elite clone troopers of the Republic. Specially trained by Jango Fett for increased independence in battle, the ARC troopers were kept in stasis on Kamino until the cloning facilities themselves became threatened by the Confederacy of Independent Systems. Following their activation during the Battle of Kamino, the ARC troopers were integrated into the Army of the Republic. An elite unit, led by a red-marked ARC trooper captain, was instrumental in defeating the defences of Muunilinst, and bringing the leaders of the Intergalactic Banking Clan to justice. They had a ARC Comander that had yellow marks, just like normal Clone Troopers

Though they often fought alongside the Jedi Knights, ARC troopers held little regard for the noble Order, though, as with all clones, the recon commandos were conditioned to follow all superior orders without question.

Due to their increased independence, some ARC troopers developed distinct personalities. Anakin Skywalker befriended ARC trooper A-17, whom Anakin nicknamed Alpha. The ARC trooper captain known once known as A-98 (Nate) changed his name to Jangotat after meeting the former girlfriend of Jango Fett.

By the end of the Clone Wars, cloning technology implemented in the regular clone troopers rendered the special ARC trooper squads obsolete.

ARC troopers were armed with heavy blaster rifles, reverse-polarity pulse grenades and, on occasion, PLX-1 missile launchers. They wore advanced versions of clone trooper armour. This armor was extended into standard Clone Trooper armor.

''ARC troopers first appeared in the Republic comic series (specifically, Republic #50, the Defence of Kamino), and took centre-stage in chapters 2 and 3 of the Clone Wars micro-series. Their armor was the basis for the EP. III Clone trooper.''