- "My contacts have uncovered a source of Data Fragments abandoned by the Empire's old Advanced Weapons Research division, once directed by Orson Krennic."
- ―Kada Jahr
The Imperial Military Department of Advanced Weapons Research, simply known as Advanced Weapons Research; also called the Imperial weapons division, Department of Advanced Weapons Research, or Imperial Advance Weapon Development, was an agency of the Galactic Empire responsible for the development of emerging technologies for use by the military. Weapons development fell under the arm of Imperial Intelligence, while it looked to the Imperial Security Bureau to defend the agency's secrets.[4]
History[edit | edit source]

Director Orson Krennic led the Advanced Weapons Research division
Advanced Weapons Research was responsible for Project Blackwing, a clandestine experiment to revive necrotic tissue.[4] To ensure the secrecy of the Death Star project, the Imperial weapons division used poison canisters to perpetrate genocide against the Geonosian species.[6] In 2 BBY,[7] the Spectres and Saw Gerrera discovered several of these canisters on Geonosis during a mission to investigate the disappearance of the Geonosians. Sabine Wren recognized the canisters as belonging to the Imperial weapons division.[6]
The group also developed the Electro-Proton Bomb/Defoliator.[5]
Under the leadership of Director Orson Krennic, Advanced Weapons Research was responsible for the completion of the long-delayed Death Star project.[1] Krennic, however, was killed on the planet Scarif during the battle where the Rebel Alliance managed to extract the Death Star plans.[8]
Despite Krennic's death, the group continued and was responsible for the construction of the second Death Star.[9]
Appearances[edit | edit source]
Sources[edit | edit source]
Star Wars: The Black Series (Pack: Director Krennic) (backup link) (First mentioned)
- Art of Coloring: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story
- Star Wars: Rogue One: The Ultimate Visual Guide
- Star Wars: Rogue One: Rebel Dossier
- Star Wars: On the Front Lines
- Star Wars: Absolutely Everything You Need to Know, Updated and Expanded
- Star Wars: The Rebel Files
Star Wars Helmet Collection 34 (Databank A-Z: Davish Krail–Kuat Drive Yards)
- Dawn of Rebellion (First identified as Imperial Military Department of Advanced Weapons Research)
- Star Wars Encyclopedia of Starfighters and Other Vehicles
- Star Wars: The Complete Visual Dictionary, New Edition
- TIE Fighter Owners' Workshop Manual
- Ultimate Star Wars, New Edition
Star Wars: Card Trader (Card: Director Krennic - 2020 Base Series 2) (First identified as Department of Advanced Weapons Research)
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (Pack: Death Trooper Collectors Gallery Statue) (backup link)
- The Star Wars Book
Director Orson Krennic in the Databank (backup link) (First mentioned)
Imperial Death Troopers in the Databank (backup link)
Notes and references[edit | edit source]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2
Director Orson Krennic in the Databank (backup link)
- ↑ Thrawn: Treason
- ↑ Star Wars: Commander
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 Star Wars: Rogue One: The Ultimate Visual Guide
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Star Wars: The Rebel Files
- ↑ 6.0 6.1
Star Wars Rebels – "Ghosts of Geonosis"
- ↑ Star Wars: Rogue One: The Ultimate Visual Guide establishes that the mission to investigate Geonosis, seen in "Ghosts of Geonosis," occurred 2 years before the events of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. Star Wars: Galactic Atlas places the events of Rogue One in 0 BBY. Therefore the mission to Geonosis took place in 2 BBY.
- ↑ Rogue One: A Star Wars Story
- ↑ Star Wars: Rogue One: Death Star Deluxe Book and 3D Wood Model