TIE/IN interceptor/Legends

TIE/I starfighter "Your generic TIE grunt is just plain suicidal. And the TIE Defender jockey is bloodthirsty. But the TIE Interceptor pilot, he's suicidal and bloodthirsty. When you see a squad of those maniacs flying your way, you'd better hope your hyperdrive is operational."

- Kyle Katarn

The TIE/I starfighter, or TIE Interceptor, was an improved version of the TIE Fighter. It was identifiable by its arrow-shaped side panels, as distinct from the hexagonal ones on its parent craft.

Details
Like its predecessor, the TIE Fighter, the TIE Interceptor carried no shielding but had superb acceleration and maneuverability. Improved avionics were implemented and the radiator panels had a cut-out notch to improve lateral visibility. The original production variant had four laser cannons, one mounted on each wingtip, though some have hypothesized the existence of a version with ten cannons, including an additional cannon mounted at the end of each wingtip and two more in the empty command pod hardpoints, much like the original TIE Fighter. There was also a special variant painted completly red with significant upgrades that was available for use by the Emperor's Royal Guards. It also featured two small wings sticking out from each solar panel.

Emperor Palpatine, knowing the supreme abilities of the TIE Interceptor, had planned to replace all standard TIE Fighters with Interceptors. By the Battle of Endor, TIE Interceptors filled 20% of the total Imperial Starfighter Force.

Though unshielded, the Interceptor's speed and multiple cannons made it an effective craft against most Rebel fighters, provided there were superior numbers of Imperials to prevent concentration of fire.

During and after the period in which Grand Admiral Thrawn took control of the Imperial Remnant, many of his TIE Interceptors were shielded to minimize casualties due to limited pilot supplies and limited ship numbers compared to the endless TIE Fighters of years past.

Due to their distinct shape (and their speed), TIE Interceptors came to be referred to occasionally as squints by enemy pilots.

Behind the scenes
A seemingly irresolvable inconsistency is the appearance of the Interceptors in Star Wars: X-wing that takes place before the Battle of Yavin. The existence of this craft during that time is established since some sources say that it was the main reason behind the development of the A-wing by the Rebel Alliance as a countermeasure. It is not obvious how this can be reconciled with the majority of sources that states the Interceptor was made after Yavin.

Appearances

 * Star Wars: Rebellion
 * Galactic Battlegrounds
 * Star Wars: X-wing
 * Star Wars: TIE Fighter
 * Star Wars: X-wing vs. TIE Fighter
 * Star Wars: X-wing Alliance
 * Star Wars: Battlefront II
 * Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi
 * Tatooine Ghost
 * Star Wars: Rogue Squadron
 * X-wing Rogue Squadron: In the Empire's Service
 * X-wing Rogue Squadron: Mandatory Retirement
 * Star Wars: Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy