Delta-7 Aethersprite-class light interceptor/Legends

Delta-7 Aethersprite-class light interceptor "She is a remarkable vessel. With the engineering breakthroughs we tackled developing her, she's just the start. She's a real sign of things to come."

- Walex Blissex

The Delta-7 Aethersprite-class light interceptor, more commonly known as the Jedi starfighter due to its extensive use by Jedi, was an interceptor commissioned just before the outbreak of the Clone Wars in 22 BBY.

The starfighter was highly advanced and carried sophisticated equipment, but it was expensive to produce. The ship was armed with four laser cannons (originally the Delta-7 carried two laser cannons but due to Jedi Master Saesee Tinn's recommendations many of the fighters were upgraded to contain the extra two cannons behind breakaway panels), and an advanced communication and sensor array kept the pilot of the ship well-prepared in firefights as well as peacetime.

The Delta-7 fighter was fairly prominent in the Clone Wars, mainly through its use by Jedi. One of the most famous encounters and tests of the Delta-7 was the tracking of bounty hunter Jango Fett by Jedi Knight Obi-Wan Kenobi through the asteroid fields of Geonosis.

Characteristics
"Beautiful ship."

- Jango Fett



Due to their visual similarities, the Delta-7 appeared to be an evolutionary descendant from the ancient Aurek fighter; it was a small, sleek interceptor used by the Jedi Knights for reconnaissance missions. However, the starfighter was fitted with two twin-barrel laser cannons allowing the pilot to fight when necessary. As part of the Republic's Judicial Department, the starfighters owned by the Jedi Order were colored in the red and white hues that represented the diplomatic immunity that the Jedi enjoyed. However, some would be painted in other colors as the Clone Wars progressed.

Designed by engineer Walex Blissex, who would later design the Alpha-3 Nimbus-class V-wing starfighter and work on the Rebel Alliance's RZ-1 A-wing interceptor with Jan Dodonna, the Aethersprite was originally too small for a hyperdrive and instead relied on other spacecraft or an external hyperdrive ring for faster-than-light travel. The Aethersprite had very powerful sublight engines, driving it to a maximum acceleration of 5,000 G.

The size of the craft also would not allow for a factory model astromech droid navigator, as future starfighters such as the T-65 X-wing starfighter used. Instead, astromech droids were integrated directly into the starfighter, with only the droid's truncated heads visible. There were at least two models of these droids, the R3-D series, which was used primarily for targeting, needed because the starfighter was so fast that most pilots would not be able to fire correctly, and the R4-P series, which was used more for navigation than targeting. However, some variants would allow for a factory model astromech droid navigator.

History
"He-ey, nice ship there, Adi! If you're thinking of selling&hellip;" "This ship is not for sale. It is a prototype that may become a powerful aid to the Jedi."

- Reti and Adi Gallia



The Delta-series predated the Jedi's use of the Delta-7, which began testing at around 27 BBY, and came into service shortly before the Clone Wars. The Delta-6 starfighter was used around the time of the Invasion of Naboo, and the Delta-12 Skysprite was released on the civilian market following the launch of the Outbound Flight project; it would seem that this starfighter was also tested by the Jedi as Obi-Wan Kenobi flew one himself just before the launch.

Saesee Tiin, not pleased with vessel's already impressive performance, modified a pair of the starfighters to better suit his needs. He managed to increase the starfighter's weaponry by adding four quad-pulse laser cannons to its usual complement of two dual cannons, which were fitted behind breakaway panels until the pilot chose to enter "fight mode"; this was only done when it was deemed absolutely necessary. In addition to these weapons, Tiin also managed to fit a small Class 3 hyperdrive of his own making, negating the need for a hyperdrive ring unless time was of the essence. He also replaced the regular pilot seat with a more comfortable meditation chair, allowing for a Jedi to enter into their meditations much more easily during long hyperspace journeys.

Jedi Master Adi Gallia flight-tested one of these Delta-7 prototypes when faced with Captain Cavik Toth and his Trihexalon fleet, taking it to the Karthakk system shortly before the Battle of Geonosis; the resounding success of this mission meant that many of the existing Delta-7s were modified to Tiin's specifications. It was here that she also learned to use several Force powers in conjunction with the starfighter, both offensive and defensive.



Obi-Wan flew the other of these prototypes on his mission to Albecus, also shortly before the Battle of Geonosis, and was attacked by Jango Fett in his Slave I en route. He managed to fight him off thanks to the hidden weaponry and continued on his journey; it seems that the next time Kenobi faced Fett, he was in a regular Delta-7. It is possible that the result would have been very different if he had been in the same prototype.

Stationed in the hangar bays of the Jedi Temple on Coruscant and other facilities, Aethersprites were assigned to all field Jedi. General-use starfighters were colored in turquoise, and starfighters coded for use by specific Jedi were colored red. Other hues emerged due to individual customization during the Clone Wars. Anakin Skywalker extensively modified his Delta-7, adding large turbine engines, an internal hyperdrive, and a paint scheme reminiscent of that used on his podracer on Tatooine. Some Delta-7s even included a bomb chute in the rear or a forward seismic charge launcher, although these were rare.



As Delta-7s were lost in battle, they were replaced by Delta-7Bs. The main modification of the 7B series was that the droid socket was centered. This allowed unmodified, detatchable astromechs (R2 series and higher) to be used. This move was popular amongst most Jedi, and the trait was carried on to the Eta-2s. Plo Koon also flew a Delta-7B.

Towards the end of the Clone Wars, manufacturer Kuat Drive Yards developed a more refined starfighter&mdash;the Eta-2 Actis-class interceptor&mdash;based on experience gained from the Delta-7 Aethersprite. These fighters were used in large numbers during the Clone Wars, including the Battle of Coruscant. A number of Delta-7 starfighters remained in use by the Jedi after the introduction of the Eta-2, including Plo Koon's personal starfighter, as he preferred the Delta-7, to the point that he continued to use it until his death. Several years after the Clone Wars ended, Kuat sold the entire Delta line to Sienar Fleet Systems. Afterwards, the Delta-7 would be phased out.

Wedge Antilles would later retrieve a Delta-7 after crashing on Geonosis sometime after the Battle of Hoth in the Second Battle of Geonosis during the Galactic Civil War. As he needed a way to escape the planet, the exterior was relatively undamaged, and his R5 unit repowered it. It was later stored in a starfighter hangar.

The design of the Delta-7 later evolved into the R-22 Spearhead and the RZ-1 A-wing interceptor of the Galactic Civil War.

Non-canon appearances

 * Tag & Bink: Revenge of the Clone Menace
 * LEGO Star Wars: The Video Game
 * LEGO Star Wars: The Complete Saga

Notes and references
Delta-7-Aethersprite Jedi-Sternjäger Дельта-7