Elite Squad Trooper

Elite Squad Troopers, or ES troopers, were special forces troopers who served the early Galactic Empire prior to the termination of cloning production on Kamino. In the aftermath of the Clone Wars, Elite Squad Troopers were a pathfinder division for the eventual rise of conscripted soldiers in the Imperial Army, which, at the time, consisted entirely of the clone troopers who once served the Galactic Republic. Imperial officers such as Vice Admiral Edmon Rampart and Admiral Wilhuff Tarkin supported the Empire's initiative to supplement and eventually replace the clones with willing recruits.

A team of highly trained Elite Squad Troopers, ES-01, ES-02, ES-03, and ES-04, served under Clone Commander Crosshair. Their introduction to the ranks of the Imperial Military threatened the interests of the Kaminoans, whereas Tarkin saw them as further evidence that the Empire would be better served by a cheaper conscription force than an expensive clone army.

Text and facts from the “Elite Squad Trooper” article on Wookieepedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0. Modified for this site.