TIE/d "Defender" Multi-Role Starfighter

The TIE/d "Defender" Multi-Role Starfighter, also called the TIE/D Defender or simply the TIE Defender, was an advanced experimental TIE series starfighter manufactured by Sienar Fleet Systems for the Imperial Navy of the Galactic Empire. The starfighter was referred to as the TIE Defender project or the TIE Defender program while under development. Unlike previous TIE models, the starfighter featured a hyperdrive as well as deflector shields, and was easily recognized by its three wings mounted around an aft section of the cockpit. These specifications made the fighter much more difficult to destroy than standard TIE fighters.

The TIE Defender was considered a fighter-bomber; it was armed with heavy cannons and missiles. The ship was designed by Morgan Elsbeth and introduced as a result of Grand Admiral Thrawn's new fighter initiative at the Imperial Factory on Lothal in the year 2 BBY, launched to deal with the growing rebel threat. It was supported by both Grand Moff Wilhuff Tarkin and Emperor Palpatine. It was developed from a prototype called the TIE Advanced x7. As the project was to be less expensive than Project Stardust, and due to the constant delays of Director Orson Callan Krennic, many in the Empire started to consider using the fundings of Project Stardust for Thrawn's TIE/D Defender instead.

However, after Governor Arihnda Pryce destroyed Lothal's fuel depot to kill Jedi Knight Kanan Jarrus, the project was halted indefinitely. Additionally, the funding for the fighter line was ultimately reassigned for Project Stardust. Although it never saw widespread use during the Galactic Civil War, many of its design features were later incorporated into the TIE/sf space superiority fighter and TIE/vn space superiority fighter of the First Order, the Empire's successor.

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