Clone jet trooper

A Phase II jet trooper.

Clone jet troopers, or aerial clone troopers, were clone troopers equipped with and trained in the use of jetpacks.

The Republic rocket-jumpers of the Old Sith Wars and Darca Nyl's airborne mercenaries from before the Invasion of Naboo may have been their predecessors, and the Jumptroopers of the Galactic Empire were their successors.

Equipment

File:Jet trooper.gif

A Phase I jet trooper.

They utilized their limited flight jetpacks to rapidly cover great distances and gain aerial advantage over their enemies. The agility of the flying jet trooper made him difficult to hit and could ambush their enemies from behind. Jet troopers were made famous by Commander Cody, who would use jetpacks frequently in missions with his battalion, and the 7th Sky Corps.

Jet troopers were issued DC-15A blaster rifles or EMP launchers and later DC-15x sniper rifles as their primary weapons. They were also equipped with the DC-17 hand blasters, which was very powerful and accurate, especially for its size. It also had a better cooling capacity so it could continue firing for a long period of time without overheating. They also carried EMP grenades, thermal detonators or Detonator charges.

Jetpacks were also used by some ARC trooper units, and the jet troopers themselves were bred at a similar rate to the ARCs, but retained the uniformity of the standard clones. The extra training was to learn how to control and manipulate the jetpack. They were not, however, ARC units, and were deployed into other combat units, one being the 501st.

Jet troopers wore either green, orange or blue armor. They sometimes wore kamas to protect their legs from fire while they were in air. The jet troopers had specialized armor so that they didn't get injured from falling from extremely high places. Their jetpacks featured built in Warheads, which cause devastating blasts against their enemies.

Jetpacks should not be confused with jump packs, which would later be used by the Imperial dark troopers. Jump packs simply rocket the wearer up at an angle for around 2 seconds, whereas a jetpack could be controlled and switched on and off at any point during the flight.

History

File:Clonejettrooper.jpg

Clone troopers using jetpacks during the Battle of Christophsis.

Two different types of jet trooper armors were in use during the Clone Wars. The first wore standard Phase I clone trooper armor with the addition of a JT-12 jetpack, while the second, and presumably later model, wore sleek, sealed armor for greater aerodynamics and an improved jetpack to operate in higher altitudes. However, the armor had less protection against enemy attacks. The Kaminoan resistance to the Galactic Empire utilized jet troopers as their primary infantry, but carried DC-15x sniper rifles as one of their primary weapons.

Clone Commander Cody wore a jetpack not dissimilar to those worn by the Phase II jet troopers, and for this reason he was sometimes known as the 'Jetpack Commander'. Commander Cody commanded them during the clone wars, Cody used the jetpack while on an unidentified planet attempting to attack a shielded city. Cody had been on this planet for three months attacking the shield until Anakin found a hidden tunnel under the shielded city. Anakin and Obi-Wan knocked out the shield generator thus allowing Cody, a squad of jet troopers, and many AT-RTs to storm the city and win the battle.

File:Jet troopers and clone marshall commanders.jpg

A jet trooper fights beside Commander Gree, Generals Unduli and Secura and Commander Bly.

In the Battle of Geonosis, a jet trooper was assigned to acquire a Geonosian holocron that fell from one of the Geonosians. The holocron was successfully delivered to Republic lines and sent to be analyzed for its secrets.

Jet troopers also took part in the battle of Coruscant when Jedi Master Saesee Tiin landed in a Republic Star Destroyer that had been heavily damaged, they jumped out of the lower rear hangar bay with some jet troopers on to the nearest Trade Federation cruiser. Taking control, Tinn had the ship fire its cannons on the nearest Providence-class carrier.

Standard clone troopers were known to have used jetpacks during certain missions. During the Battle of Christophsis, jetpack-wearing clones were led into the battle by Captain Rex, aiding General Anakin Skywalker. During the battle, they fought against Octuptarra combat tri-droids. A small unit of clones, including Rex and Denal, utilized jetpacks during the mission to Skytop Station.

Variations

• Clone blaze trooper: The clone blaze trooper was the Grand Army of the Republic's frontline close combat infantry support unit and a type of jet trooper.
• RP trooper: Also known as Repulsorpack Troopers, were a variant of jet troopers who utilized repulsor packs to move around a battlefield.

Behind the scenes

LucasArts designed the clone blaze trooper, a division of the jet trooper, after looking at the concept art for the jet trooper.

LEGO included an "aerial trooper" based on the sky trooper concept art with the Clone Turbo Tank set. The aerial trooper also appeared as a Hasbro action figure and was described in Star Wars Insider 84 as a trooper of the Sky Corps.

Clone troopers using jetpacks have appeared in Star Wars: The Clone Wars TV series, but nothing has connected these troops to the jet troopers.

Appearances

• Star Wars: Battlefront (First appearance)
• Star Wars: Battlefront II
• Star Wars: The Clone Wars
• Star Wars: The Clone Wars: Republic Heroes
• Republic Commando: True Colors (Mentioned only)
• Star Wars: Clone Wars — "Chapter 22"
• Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith game

Sources

• Star Wars Miniatures: Clone Strike
• "Droidworks Assault, Part 2: The Fight for TD-32" (original article link) on Wizards.com (content now obsolete; backup link)
• "Grand Army of the Republic" (original article link) on Wizards.com (content now obsolete; backup link)
• Star Wars Insider 84
• The Clone Wars Campaign Guide
• Battlefront II: Prima Official Game Guide