OI-CT

The OI-CT^[5] was a quadrupedal^[2] model of industrial crane transport walker manufactured by Kuat Drive Yards^[1] and utilized by both the Galactic Empire^[3] and New Republic.^[6]

Description[]

OI-CTs were massive mobile crane walkers deployed across various industrial worlds that fell within Imperial jurisdiction^[2] during the years leading directly up to the Galactic Civil War.^[7] Intended for use outside of the battlefield,^[1] these walkers could traverse varied terrains including shallow waters^[2] and volcanic mountains.^[3] The OI-CTs chassis consisted of large metal beams and two thick cables that met in the front to form a protruding crane boom and jib.^[2]

These walkers were commonly used for tasks such as moving shipping containers or picking up ships in salvage yards, with operators specifically using these balanced frames to relocate unwieldly or heavy objects. Their four-legged design added stability and gave the operator room to brace and adjust the legs as needed in order to accommodate outsized loads.^[1]

History[]

OI-CT-Ahsoka — Hera Syndulla observing an OI-CT at Santhe Shipyards

The OI-CT was manufactured by Kuat Drive Yards,^[1] a corporation known for making a number of other influential walkers including the All Terrain Armored Transport^[8] and the All Terrain Scout Transport^[9] They saw notable use on the planet Corellia^[2] as early as 13 BBY^[10] and as late as 9 ABY,^[11] traversing the shallow waters surrounding Coronet City's Santhe Shipyards.^[2]^[4] They were also used on the planet Mustafar during the construction of Fortress Vader^[3] by 12 BBY.^[12]

Additionally, they were seen around Ferrix City on the planet Ferrix^[7] as late as 5 BBY,^[13] where they were used in conjunction with heavy industrial crane transports by the local scrappers.^[7] By 9 ABY,^[14] they were also utilized by the New Republic among the post-Imperial salvage yards on Coruscant, parked alongside dismantled Imperial-class Star Destroyers when not in use during nighttime hours.^[6]

Behind the scenes[]

The OI-CT first appeared in the 2018 movie Solo: A Star Wars Story,^[2] but was not identified as such until 2019, in a video from the official "Star Wars Kids" YouTube channel.^[5] The concept was pitched by James Clyne, design supervisor at Lucasfilm,^[15] though concept artist Vincent Jenkins has also been credited with the walker's finalized appearance,^[16]^[17] with further concepts from Thang Le.^[18]

OICT-ThangLe-ConceptArt — Thang Le's OI-CT concept art mirroring real-world "Oakland cranes"

Pablo Hidalgo stated in a Twitter thread posted on April 11, 2023, that the OI-CT calls back to a piece of real life folklore surrounding AT-ATs being inspired by Oakland cranes. While he goes on to deny this claim,^[19] as George Lucas as done in the past,^[20] he goes on to facetiously reveal that he may have named the OI-CT either "Outsized Industrial Crane Transport" or "Oakland International Container Terminal."^[21] Hidalgo finished the thread by reaffirming the idea that James Clyne had major hand in the OI-CT's design, and that Clyne most definitely took inspiration from the aforementioned cranes, bringing the tale full circle.^[22]

The official reveal of the heavy industrial crane transport (HI-CT)'s name and acronym in a preview for the book 2024 Star Wars Encyclopedia: The Comprehensive Guide to the Star Wars Galaxy lends credence to the notion that "Outsized Industrial Crane Transport" is, in fact, this walker's actual in-universe name.^[1]