TIE Interceptor

A later addition to the TIE starfighter arsenal, the TIE interceptor sports a jagged pair of dagger-like wings, giving it an ultrasleek profile that hints at the blinding speed the fighter possesses. Like the standard TIE, the interceptor has a ball-shaped single-pilot cockpit suspended between a pair of bracing arms. The arms terminate in solar gather panels that power the craft. Unlike the TIE fighter, the interceptor has four powerful laser cannons mounted on the tips of the dagger wings. TIE interceptors figured prominently in the Battle of Endor.

The TIE interceptor was designed by Sienar Fleet Systems as an answer to Incom's T-65 X-wing starfighter. Based on Darth Vader's x1 TIE Advanced prototype, Sienar crafted a space superiority craft with greater speed and firepower than the standard TIE/ln. For economic and training ease, Sienar retained the ball-shaped TIE cockpit and many of the control interfaces, but souped up the TIE's performance to impressive levels.

The dagger-shaped solar gather panels afford the pilot increased visibility and greater power. A new system of ion stream projection modulated by tiny deflectors gave the TIE interceptor exceptional maneuverability. During the Galactic Civil War, the TIE interceptor was introduced to TIE wings, with a single squadron of 12 interceptors standard on most Star Destroyers.

Although rarer fighter models exist with greater performance -- such as the TIE defender -- the TIE interceptor represents the pinnacle of the TIE series. During the time of Grand Admiral Thrawn's campaign, several TIE interceptors were seen to carry shield generators, indicating their importance to the struggling Imperial effort.

ILM constructed the TIE interceptor models used in filming in two scales. The main fighters were 36 x 31 x 46 centimeters in size, while the smaller ones were 13 x 18 x 12 centimeters.