The TIE fighter or Twin Ion Engine fighter is a series of fictional
starfighters featured in the ''
Star Wars
''Star Wars'' is an American epic film, epic space opera media franchise created by George Lucas, which began with the Star Wars (film), eponymous 1977 film and Cultural impact of Star Wars, quickly became a worldwide popular culture, pop cu ...
''
universe
The universe is all of space and time and their contents. It comprises all of existence, any fundamental interaction, physical process and physical constant, and therefore all forms of matter and energy, and the structures they form, from s ...
. TIE fighters are depicted as fast, agile, yet fragile starfighters produced by Sienar Fleet Systems for the
Galactic Empire
Galactic empires are a science fiction setting trope, in which most or all of the habitable planets in the setting's galaxy are ruled by a single centralized political entity. Galactic empires most frequently appear in works in the sub-genre ...
and by Sienar-Jaemus Fleet Systems for the
First Order
In mathematics and other formal sciences, first-order or first order most often means either:
* "linear" (a polynomial of degree at most one), as in first-order approximation and other calculus uses, where it is contrasted with "polynomials of high ...
and the
Sith Eternal. TIE fighters and other TIE craft appear in ''Star Wars'' films, television shows, and throughout the
''Star Wars'' expanded universe. Several TIE fighter replicas and toys, as well as a TIE flight simulator, have been produced and sold by many companies.
Origin and design
Colin Cantwell
Colin James Cantwell (April 3, 1932 – May 21, 2022) was an American concept artist and director known for his work on films like '' 2001: A Space Odyssey'' and ''WarGames'', but primarily for doing initial concept designs and models for a num ...
created the concept model that established the TIE fighter's ball-cockpit and hexagonal panels design for ''
Star Wars
''Star Wars'' is an American epic film, epic space opera media franchise created by George Lucas, which began with the Star Wars (film), eponymous 1977 film and Cultural impact of Star Wars, quickly became a worldwide popular culture, pop cu ...
'' (1977).
''Star Wars'' creator
George Lucas
George Walton Lucas Jr. (born May 14, 1944) is an American filmmaker and philanthropist. He created the ''Star Wars'' and ''Indiana Jones'' franchises and founded Lucasfilm, LucasArts, Industrial Light & Magic and THX. He served as chairman ...
liked the basic design consisting of two panels connected by a stick with a ball-shaped cockpit, but Cantwell's concept had few details.
Joe Johnston
Joseph Eggleston Johnston II (born May 13, 1950) is an American film director, producer, writer, and visual effects artist. He is best known for directing effects-driven films, including '' Honey, I Shrunk the Kids'' (1989), '' The Rocketeer' ...
created additional details, such as the cockpit window and the attachment points between the solar panels and the hull.
Initially given a blue color scheme, the TIE fighter models for the first film were grey to film better against a
bluescreen; TIE fighters in ''
The Empire Strikes Back
''The Empire Strikes Back'' (also known as ''Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back'') is a 1980 American epic film, epic space opera film directed by Irvin Kershner from a screenplay by Leigh Brackett and Lawrence Kasdan, based o ...
'' (1980) and ''
Return of the Jedi
''Return of the Jedi'' (also known as ''Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi'' is a 1983 American epic space opera film directed by Richard Marquand from a screenplay by Lawrence Kasdan and George Lucas. The sequel to '' The Empire ...
'' (1983) shifted back to being a muted blue. Sound designer
Ben Burtt
Benjamin Burtt Jr. (born July 12, 1948) is an American sound designer, film director, film editor, screenwriter, and voice actor. As a sound designer, his credits include the ''Star Wars'' and ''Indiana Jones'' film series, '' Invasion of the ...
created the distinctive sound of the TIE fighter in flight by combining an elephant call with a car driving on wet pavement. In the book ''The Sounds of Star Wars'', the engine roar is likened to
German Junker Ju 87 "Stuka" bombers, which used sirens to frighten civilians during air raids. This could have been a possible inspiration for the sound. Combat scenes between TIE fighters and the ''
Millennium Falcon
The ''Millennium Falcon'' is a fictional starship in the ''Star Wars'' franchise. Designed by Joe Johnston for the film ''Star Wars'' (1977), it has subsequently appeared in '' The Star Wars Holiday Special'' (1978), ''The Empire Strikes Back' ...
'' and
Rebel Alliance
The Rebel Alliance (known formally Universe of Star Wars, in-universe as the Alliance to Restore the Republic) is an organization that features in the fictional world of the Star Wars, ''Star Wars'' franchise. The Alliance is portrayed as a state ...
X-wing fighters in ''Star Wars'' were meant to be reminiscent of
World War II
World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
dogfight
A dogfight, or dog fight, is an air combat manoeuvring, aerial battle between fighter aircraft that is conducted at close range. Modern terminology for air-to-air combat is air combat manoeuvring (ACM), which refers to tactical situations requir ...
footage; editors used World War II air combat clips as placeholders while Industrial Light & Magic completed the movie's special effects.
Darth Vader
Darth Vader () is a fictional character in the ''Star Wars'' franchise. He was first introduced in the original film trilogy as the primary antagonist and one of the leaders of the Galactic Empire. He has become one of the most iconic villain ...
's distinct TIE Advanced x1 in ''Star Wars'' was designed to make it instantly recognizable,
and the TIE Interceptors featured in ''Return of the Jedi'' were designed to look fast, deadly, sleek and frightening.
The
Jedi starfighter
The following is a list of science-fictional ''Star Wars'' starfighters. Within the ''Star Wars'' setting, a starfighter is defined as a "small, fast, maneuverable, and heavily armed starship used in direct confrontations between opposing force ...
, created for ''
Revenge of the Sith
Revenge is defined as committing a harmful action against a person or group in response to a grievance, be it real or perceived. Vengeful forms of justice, such as primitive justice or retributive justice, are often differentiated from more fo ...
'' (2005)'','' was designed to bridge the appearance of the Jedi starfighter in ''
Attack of the Clones
Attack may refer to:
Warfare and combat
* Attack (fencing)
* Charge (warfare)
* Offensive (military)
* Strike (attack)
Books and publishing
* ''The Attack'' (novel), a book
* '' Attack No. 1'', comic and animation
* Attack! Books, a publis ...
'' (2002) and the TIE fighter design from the original trilogy. The V-wing starfighter, seen at the end of ''Revenge of the Sith,'' also makes the distinctive TIE fighter sound when flying by a
Star Destroyer
Star Destroyers are capital ships in the fictional ''Star Wars'' universe. Star Destroyers were produced by Kuat Drive Yards, later Kuat-Entralla Engineering, and serve as "the signature vessel of the fleet" for the Galactic Empire, the First Ord ...
.
Dark Horse Comics
Dark Horse Comics is an American comic book, graphic novel, manga and Artist's book, art book publisher founded in Milwaukie, Oregon, by Mike Richardson in 1986. The company was created using funds earned from Richardson's chain of Portland, O ...
' Sean Cooke designed the TIE predator for ''
Star Wars: Legacy'' (2006), set 130 years after the events of ''Star Wars'', to appear both reminiscent of and more advanced than the original TIE fighter.
Designers for ''
The Force Awakens
''Star Wars: The Force Awakens'' (also known as ''Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens'') is a 2015 American epic film, epic space opera film co-produced, co-written, and directed by J. J. Abrams. The sequel to ''Return of the Jedi ...
'' (2015) had numerous discussions about how much to "update" the TIE fighter for the first sequel film set 30 years after ''Return of the Jedi''.
They retained the starfighter's design but altered its aesthetic to suggest improvements to the vessel's manufacturing process and materials.
Depiction
''Star Wars'' literature states that
Grand Moff Tarkin
Grand Moff Wilhuff Tarkin is a fictional character in the ''Star Wars'' franchise. He was introduced in the original 1977 ''Star Wars'' film as one of the two main antagonists, alongside Darth Vader, and the commander of the Death Star, a gigan ...
commissioned Sienar Fleet Systems to design and manufacture the Twin Ion Engine line edition (TIE/ln) space superiority starfighter and most TIE variants. Tarkin specified that the TIE had to be fast, maneuverable, energy-efficient, and inexpensive; simply put they are meant to be easily mass-produced and engage in
swarm tactics, with the expectation of being expendable assets that would be lost in combat. To meet these requirements, Sienar incorporated aspects of the
V-wing and
Jedi interceptor into the new starfighter.
TIE fighters have two hexagonal wings fitted with
solar panels
A solar panel is a device that converts sunlight into electricity by using photovoltaic (PV) cells. PV cells are made of materials that produce excited electrons when exposed to light. These electrons flow through a circuit and produce direct ...
which power a twin
ion engine
An ion thruster, ion drive, or ion engine is a form of electric propulsion used for spacecraft propulsion. An ion thruster creates a cloud of positive ions from a neutral gas by ionizing it to extract some electrons from its atoms. The ions ...
(TIE) system that accelerates ionized gases at a substantial fraction of
lightspeed along almost any vector, affording the ships tremendous speed and maneuverability albeit with limited fuel reserves.
[Windham (2019), pp. 15–27] These wings are also structurally sound enough to double as landing gear and feature
repulsorlift
The space-opera blockbuster, ''Star Wars'' franchise has borrowed many real-life scientific and technological concepts in its settings. In turn, ''Star Wars'' has depicted, inspired, and influenced several futuristic technologies, some of which ...
s for take-off and landing, though TIE fighters are designed to be launched and recovered by cycling storage racks used by Imperial starships and garrisons. The TIE fighter's primary weapons are a pair of laser cannons tied to a secondary generator and mated with an advanced targeting computer which assists the pilot in hitting other fast-moving starfighters. The fighter does not possess
deflector shields, and while its light armoring is proof against small arms and glancing
micrometeoroid
A micrometeoroid is a tiny meteoroid: a small particle of rock in space, usually weighing less than a gram. A micrometeorite is such a particle that survives passage through Earth's atmosphere and reaches Earth's surface.
The term "micrometeoro ...
s a direct hit from a laser cannon will destroy it, encouraging pilots to shoot first and make their shots count. The TIE fighter also lacks a
hyperdrive, not only to save on weight and cost but to discourage defection. Although the TIE fighter's cockpit is
pressurized and equipped with
oxygen scrubbers to prevent corrosion, it lacks life-support systems, requiring pilots to wear special flight suits.
[ TIE fighters are equipped with ejection seats, though in older ''Legends'' sources there was disagreement on this issue.]
''Star Wars'' literature also holds that TIE fighter pilots are considered an elite group within the Imperial Navy, relying on their quick reflexes and fearlessness to survive multiple tours of duty. Training involves hundreds of flight hours learning to coordinate as a team and intense psychological conditioning to put the accomplishment of their mission above other considerations.[Windham (2019), p. 120] As such most TIE fighter pilots have a life expectancy of less than a year. TIE fighter pilots wear self-contained flight suits with life-support systems connected to reinforced vacuum-sealed flight helmets. These helmets feature ship-linked communications and displays
A display device is an output device for presentation of information in visual or tactile form (the latter used for example in tactile electronic displays for blind people). When the input information that is supplied has an electrical signal ...
.[
]
TIE variants
In addition to the standard TIE/ln fighter (also available as the TIE Light Duty training craft, as seen in the ''Jump to Lightspeed'' expansion pack to ''Star Wars Galaxies
''Star Wars Galaxies'' (''Galaxies'') is a discontinued '' Star Wars-''themed massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) for Microsoft Windows, developed by Sony Online Entertainment (SOE) and published by LucasArts.
The open worl ...
''), a variety of other TIE craft appear throughout the films.
;In ''Star Wars'' film and television
Imperial variants
*TIE Advanced x1: Darth Vader
Darth Vader () is a fictional character in the ''Star Wars'' franchise. He was first introduced in the original film trilogy as the primary antagonist and one of the leaders of the Galactic Empire. He has become one of the most iconic villain ...
flies a TIE Advanced x1 (or just "TIE/x1") in many media, most notably in the original ''Star Wars'' during the climatic Death Star battle. According to background material, the limited-run TIE Advanced x1 was designed to Vader's personal specifications and was only flown by himself and select Imperial pilots. Compared to the TIE fighter it is faster and more maneuverable with greater structural integrity, equipped with a deflector shield, hyperdrive, reinforced armor-plated hull and improved SFS L-s9.3 laser cannons. The "bent-wing" configuration was intended to improve energy collection while maintaining the same speed and maneuverability.
*TIE/sa bomber: Introduced in ''The Empire Strikes Back'', TIE/sa bombers are seen bombing asteroids in the hunt for the ''Millennium Falcon
The ''Millennium Falcon'' is a fictional starship in the ''Star Wars'' franchise. Designed by Joe Johnston for the film ''Star Wars'' (1977), it has subsequently appeared in '' The Star Wars Holiday Special'' (1978), ''The Empire Strikes Back' ...
''. The design stems from an unused "TIE boarding craft" concept originally developed for ''A New Hope''. The TIE bomber's double-hull design led ILM's modelmakers to dub the ship a "double chili dog
Chili or chilli may refer to:
Food
* Chili pepper, the spicy fruit of plants in the genus ''Capsicum''; sometimes spelled "chilli" in the UK and "chile" in the southwestern US
* Chili powder, the dried, pulverized fruit of one or more varieties ...
" fighter. The TIE/sa, or TIE Surface Assault Bomber, was designed within the Star Wars universe for the Imperial Navy to conduct surgical strikes against targets in space or on planetary surfaces. It features two cylindrical pods: the starboard-side pod housing the pilot in a pressurized cockpit with a pair of L-s1 laser cannons, and a port-side pod carrying two bomb bays that can launch a variety of ordnance including missiles, bombs and orbital mines. Its "bent-wing" configuration increased the energy-collection surface area to match the bomber's power requirements while a reinforced hull allowed the bomber survive back-blast during atmospheric bombing.
*TIE/sh shuttle: Also featured in ''The Empire Strikes Back'', a TIE/sh shuttle is seen ferrying Captain Needa ( Michael Culver) to Darth Vader's Super Star Destroyer. Like the TIE/sa bomber, this shuttle design stems from an unused "TIE boarding craft" concept developed for ''A New Hope''. Known also within the setting as the TIE Command Shuttle, the craft was based on the TIE/sa bomber but replaced the bombardier pod with a luxurious cabin suitable for Imperial dignitaries and naval officers. In the event the vessel is attacked, the TIE shuttle carries a pair of laser cannons and deflector shields.
*TIE/IN interceptor: TIE/IN interceptor – faster TIE fighters with dagger-shaped wings in the forward profile of those of the TIE Advanced and four laser cannons – appear at various points in ''Return of the Jedi''. Two scales of TIE interceptor models were used during filming. Their in-universe origin was to meet the Empire's requirement for a fighter superior to the Rebellion's X-wing
The X-wing starfighter is a name applied to a family of fictional spacecraft manufactured by the Incom Corporation and later the Incom-FreiTek Corporation from the ''Star Wars'' franchise. Named for the distinctive shape made when its s-foils (w ...
and Y-wing fleet when it was determined a full production run of the TIE Advanced x1 would be too expensive. Faster and more maneuverable than a standard TIE fighter, these interceptors are also better armed with wingtip-mounted L-s9.3 laser cannons with the option to carry two more under the cockpit.
*TIE Advanced v1: Meant to appear as the prototype precursor to Vader's TIE Advanced x1, the TIE Advanced v1 featured in ''Star Wars Rebels
''Star Wars Rebels'' is an American 3D animated science fiction television series produced by Lucasfilm Animation and set in the ''Star Wars'' universe. It takes place 14 years after '' Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith'' (2005 ...
'' as craft piloted by the Empire's Inquisitors. The v1's variable-geometry wings, like Darth Maul
Maul (originally Darth Maul) is a character in the ''Star Wars'' franchise created by George Lucas. He first appeared in the prequel film '' Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace'' (1999). Maul returned in the animated television series ' ...
's shuttle ''Scimitar'''s, were inspired by Ralph McQuarrie
Ralph Angus McQuarrie (; June 13, 1929 – March 3, 2012) was an American conceptual designer who worked in film and television. His career included work on the original ''Star Wars'' trilogy, the original ''Battlestar Galactica'' television se ...
's original sketches for the x1. The fighters' fictional origin is inspired by the Jedi interceptor flown during the Clone Wars, as seen by its heavily-armored wings that fold inward. With laser cannons and ion engines more powerful than the TIE fighter, the TIE Advanced v1 also features a projectile launcher with a 20 missile magazine, deflector shields and pressurized cockpit. The TIE/v1 debuted in the ''Rebels'' Season 1 episode "Empire Day", which featured its maiden flight, but a very similar spacecraft (most likely intended to be the same) was described in the 2014 book ''Star Wars: Imperial Handbook: A Commander's Guide'', which has been confirmed to fall into the '' Legends'' continuity, which had by then been decanonized.
*TIE/d Defender: The TIE/d Defender made its television debut in ''Star Wars Rebels'', although it first appeared in the 1994 space flight simulator
Space flight simulation is a Video game genres, genre of flight simulator video games that lets players experience space flight to varying degrees of Reality, realism. Common mechanics include space exploration, space trade and space combat.
Over ...
'' Star Wars: TIE Fighter'' as player-pilotable craft. In the previous Star Wars ''Legends'' continuity, the TIE Defender was originally designed by Admiral Zaarin, who in the 1994 game would betray the Empire and have to be defeated by the player character. Its background was later changed in '' Star Wars: Tales of the Empire'' to being designed by Morgan Elsbeth. Classified as a fighter-bomber
A fighter-bomber is a fighter aircraft that has been modified, or used primarily, as a light bomber or attack aircraft. It differs from bomber and attack aircraft primarily in its origins, as a fighter that has been adapted into other roles, wh ...
, its unique tri-wing design gives it better visibility than a TIE interceptor while making it faster than all previous TIE models. Each wing is equipped with maneuvering jets and a pair of L-s9.3 laser cannons, with another pair and twin projectile launchers fitted on the cockpit pod. The TIE/d Defender also carries deflector shields and a hyperdrive. An upgraded variant, the TIE Defender Elite, was made based on Darth Vader's suggestions from flying the original, among them heavier armaments, increased speed, stronger shielding, and simplified controls.
*TIE/sk x1 Striker: The TIE/sk x1 experimental air superiority fighter, also known as the TIE Striker, made its first appearance in ''Rogue One
''Rogue One: A Star Wars Story'' is a 2016 American epic space opera film directed by Gareth Edwards and written by Chris Weitz and Tony Gilroy. Produced by Lucasfilm and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures, it is the first '' ...
'' defending the Imperial base on Scarif
The fictional universe of the ''Star Wars'' franchise features multiple planets and moons. While only the feature films and selected other works are considered canon to the franchise since the 2012 acquisition of Lucasfilm by The Walt Disne ...
. Background material on the model describes how it was specifically designed for atmospheric patrols of Imperial ground installations because of the standard TIE fighter's disadvantage in atmospheric combat. With its more aerodynamic design and specialized repulsorlift engines, the TIE Striker can fly faster than a TIE fighter or X-wing
The X-wing starfighter is a name applied to a family of fictional spacecraft manufactured by the Incom Corporation and later the Incom-FreiTek Corporation from the ''Star Wars'' franchise. Named for the distinctive shape made when its s-foils (w ...
in an atmosphere and is heavily armed with four L-s9.3 laser cannons, two H-s1 heavy laser cannons, and a bomb bay. Its spacious cockpit can hold a pilot and an optional gunner/bombardier.
*TIE/rp Reaper: The TIE/rp Reaper Attack Lander also made its first appearance in ''Rogue One'' as support craft with a larger, more angular design that replaces the spherical cockpit found on most TIE fighters. Within the Star Wars universe, these craft were based on the TIE/sk x1 Striker with similar wing configuration but much larger to carry elite Imperial troops into battle. The TIE/rp Reaper features armor plating, deflector shields and electronic countermeasures
An electronic countermeasure (ECM) is an electrical or electronic device designed to countermeasure, trick or deceive radar, sonar, or other detection systems, like infrared (IR) or lasers. It may be used both offensively and defensively to deny ...
to ensure it can survive hostile airspace to deliver its cargo. It also carries a hyperdrive for faster-than-light
Faster-than-light (superluminal or supercausal) travel and communication are the conjectural propagation of matter or information faster than the speed of light in vacuum (). The special theory of relativity implies that only particles with zero ...
travel and a pair of L-s9.3 laser cannons.
*TIE Boarding Craft: The TIE Boarding Craft made its theatrical appearance in ''Rogue One''. The design was originally set to appear in the original ''Star Wars'' but was cut from the film and used as inspiration for the TIE bomber and TIE shuttle. Background literature states that the TIE Boarding Craft shared many of the same features as the TIE bomber but with seating for twelve passengers and a boarding hatch equipped with laser cutters. Other equipment included deflector shields, twin L-s1 laser cannons, twin H-s1 heavy laser cannons and missile launcher.
*TIE Brute: The TIE/rb reinforcement battery heavy starfighter, known also as the TIE Brute, first appeared in '' Solo: A Star Wars Story'' chasing the ''Millennium Falcon'' during the Kessel Run scene. Star Wars literature states that the TIE/rb was commissioned to help deal with pirates, smugglers and other outlaws operating in the Outer Rim. Larger than a standard TIE fighter, the TIE/rb features heavier armor plating and carries a pair of H-s9.3 laser cannons – nearly twice as powerful as a TIE fighter's cannons – on a separate artillery pod. Because it was sluggish to fly, the TIE Brute features an integrated droid intelligence to assist the pilot.
*TIE Crawler: Also known as the Century Tank or the TIE Tank, the vehicle was a tank
A tank is an armoured fighting vehicle intended as a primary offensive weapon in front-line ground combat. Tank designs are a balance of heavy firepower, strong armour, and battlefield mobility provided by tracks and a powerful engine; ...
resembling a TIE fighter but equipped with treaded tracks.
*Outland TIE fighter: The Outland TIE fighter made its television appearance in ''The Mandalorian
''The Mandalorian'' is an American space Western television series created by Jon Favreau for the streaming service Disney+. It is the first live-action series in the ''Star Wars'' franchise and begins five years after the events of the fil ...
''. Otherwise congruent to the appearance of a standard TIE fighter, the Outland TIE fighter's wings folded when landing on a levelled surface, dissimilar to that of an X-wing in an open position. In addition, landing gears were concealed inside the bottom of the cockpit to allow for ease of use and stability. The personal starfighter of Moff Gideon
Moff Gideon () is a fictional Character (arts), character in the Star Wars, ''Star Wars'' franchise who first appeared as the main antagonist in the Disney+ television series ''The Mandalorian''. Gideon is the leader of a remnant of the fallen G ...
, flown by the Moff himself, was used by his Imperial remnant during the New Republic Era, though the Mandalorian bounty hunter Din Djarin took down the starfighter.
*TIE/mg Mining Guild starfighter: First appearing in ''Star Wars Rebels'', the Mining Guild TIE fighter is a modified TIE/ln used by the Mining Guild due to their association with the Empire. It differs from the TIE/ln by its yellow color scheme, shielding to protect the pilot, and notches in its wings, giving it reduced performance compared to the standard TIE but increased visibility.
*TIE Avenger: The TIE Avenger made its first appearance in '' Andor'', though like the TIE/d Defender it previously appeared in ''Legends'' continuity in ''Star Wars: TIE Fighter'' as a player-controllable craft. Its in-universe origin was a further evolution of the standard TIE/ln that began with the TIE/x1, but was also not put into mass production due to its exorbitant cost for a TIE fighter variant. It was armed with eight laser cannons, two anti-personnel rotary blaster cannons, missile and torpedo launchers, and a heavy laser cannon capable of incinerating its target and burning through blast doors. Unusually for most TIEs, its cockpit was entered via a rear boarding ramp, and it had a hyperdrive and an advanced targeting computer that tracked hostile starships and life signs as well as automating missile guidance. It also had an unusual control system that could be confusing even to experienced pilots. One prototype was held at Sienar Test Facility 73 on the company-owned planet of 73, which was stolen by Cassian Andor
Cassian Jeron Andor is a fictional character in the ''Star Wars'' franchise, primarily portrayed by actor Diego Luna. Introduced in the feature film '' Rogue One'' (2016) as a co-lead, he is the protagonist of the prequel television series '' ...
with help from Sienar Fleet Systems technician Niya.
First Order variants
*TIE/fo space superiority fighter: ''The Force Awakens'' features the First Order TIE/fo space superiority fighter, which is superficially similar to the Empire's original TIE fighter but with several technological upgrades. Built by Sienar-Jaemus Fleet Systems, it features superior firepower, speed and maneuverability with a pair of SJSF L-s9.6 laser cannons and twin SJFS P-s6 ion engines aided by superior solar cell wings and higher-capacity energy converters. Perhaps the biggest difference is the fact that the TIE/fo features deflector shields – a recognition by the First Order that compared to the Galactic Empire it must take measures to safeguard its more limited supply of pilots.
*TIE/sf space superiority fighter: Also featured in ''The Force Awakens'' is the TIE/sf fighter, one of which is stolen by Poe Dameron
Poe Dameron is a fictional character in the ''Star Wars'' franchise. He was introduced in the 2015 film ''The Force Awakens'', and is portrayed by Oscar Isaac. Poe is an pilot for the Resistance who inadvertently brings the renegade stormtroop ...
(Oscar Isaac
Óscar Isaac Hernández Estrada (born March 9, 1979) is an American actor. Recognized for his versatility, he has been credited with breaking stereotypes about Hispanic and Latino Americans, Latino characters in Cinema of the United States, H ...
) and Finn (John Boyega
John Adedayo Bamidele Adegboyega (born 17 March 1992), known professionally as John Boyega, is a British actor and producer. He first gained recognition in Britain for his role as a teenage gang leader in the comedy horror film ''Attack the B ...
) as they escape the First Order. Piloted by members of the First Order Special Forces, this model is superior to the First Order's TIE/fo. It is equipped with a hyperdrive, superior shielding, twin ion reactors, a pair of forward-facing L-s9.6 laser cannons, an aft Lb-14 dual heavy laser turret with full 360-degree rotation, and a missile/mag-pulse launcher.
*TIE/ba Baron Space Superiority Interceptor: First appearing in ''Star Wars Resistance
''Star Wars Resistance'' is an American 3D animated comic science fiction television series produced by Lucasfilm Animation. It follows Kazuda Xiono, a New Republic pilot who is recruited by the Resistance to spy on the growing threat of ...
'', the TIE/ba Baron Space Superiority Interceptor is a model of TIE interceptor deployed by the First Order. One ship was used by Major Elrik Vonreg during the late-New Republic era in his encounters with the New Republic and the Resistance.
*TIE silencer: First appearing in '' Star Wars: The Last Jedi'', the TIE/vn space superiority fighter is the Interceptor-winged personal starfighter of Kylo Ren. It is described as a prototype starfighter developed by Sienar-Jaemus Fleet Systems for whom Kylo has agreed to provide field testing, continuing the tradition of ace pilots flying experimental fighters like his grandfather. It measures long, wide, and tall. Its weaponry includes two SJFS L-s9.6 laser cannons, two SJFS L-7.5 heavy laser cannons, and two Arakyd S17 concussion and mag-pulse warhead launchers. In addition to deflector shields, the Silencer also carries an experimental stealth field generator.
*TIE whisper: Kylo Ren flies a TIE/wi modified interceptor in ''The Rise of Skywalker
''Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker'' (also known as ''Star Wars: Episode IX – The Rise of Skywalker'') is a 2019 American epic space opera film produced, , and directed by J. J. Abrams. Produced by Lucasfilm and Abrams's production co ...
''.
*TIE whisper starfighter: ''The Rise of Skywalker'' also features the TIE/wi Interceptor, which is similar in design to Kylo Ren's TIE/wi modified interceptor. It is also similar to the TIE/sf space superiority fighter employed by the First Order, although the TIE whisper starfighter is equipped with upgraded stealth systems. Like TIE/sf fighter, the TIE whisper starfighter features a crew of two, a pilot and a gunner.
Sith Eternal variants
*TIE/dg starfighter: Also known as the Sith
The Sith are the main antagonists in the fictional universe of the ''Star Wars'' franchise. They are the antithesis and ancient enemies of the Jedi. The Sith Order is depicted as an ancient cult of warriors who draw strength from the dark sid ...
TIE fighter, the TIE Dagger featured in ''The Rise of Skywalker'' as a red triangular-wing model of TIE fighter forged in secret for forces operating under the resurrected Darth Sidious.
;In ''Star Wars Legends'' continuity
A number of different TIE designs made their appearance in what is now considered Star Wars ''Legends'', a separate continuity that was split off after Disney acquired the ''Star Wars'' franchise. The TIE/sa was the inspiration for the triple-hulled TIE lander, featured in ''Star Wars
''Star Wars'' is an American epic film, epic space opera media franchise created by George Lucas, which began with the Star Wars (film), eponymous 1977 film and Cultural impact of Star Wars, quickly became a worldwide popular culture, pop cu ...
'' No. 60 and in ''Star Wars: Complete Locations''. Red-modified TIE interceptors are also used by the Emperor's Royal Guards, as featured in ''Rage of the Wookiees'', another expansion of ''Star Wars Galaxies''.
Additionally, LucasArts ''Star Wars'' video games introduce several TIE variants, such as the TIE Hunter starfighter in '' Rogue Squadron III'' and the TIE Mauler surface vehicle in '' Empire at War''. The TIE/ad fighter (nicknamed "TIE Advanced" or "Avenger" in-game and derived from Vader's TIE Advanced x1 fighter) and TIE/D Defender — heavily upgraded derivatives of previous craft seen in the ''Star Wars'' universe — first appear in ''TIE Fighter'' as player-pilotable craft. The plot of '' Rebel Assault II'' revolves around destroying the Empire's ability to manufacture the cloaking
Cloaking is a search engine optimization (SEO) technique in which the content presented to the search engine spider is different from that presented to the user's browser. This is done by delivering content based on the IP addresses or the ...
TIE Phantom starfighter, and a campaign in '' X-Wing Alliance'' centers on destroying experimental remote-controlled TIE fighters.
''Star Wars'' literature also introduces TIE varieties. TIE raptors attack Rogue Squadron in ''Solo Command
''Star Wars: X-wing'' is a ten-book series of ''Star Wars
''Star Wars'' is an American epic film, epic space opera media franchise created by George Lucas, which began with the Star Wars (film), eponymous 1977 film and Cultural impact of ...
''. TYE wings – TIE fighter and Y-wing hybrids – appear both in ''I, Jedi'' and '' Rogue Squadron: Masquerade''. Dark Horse's '' Dark Empire'' introduces both the droid-piloted TIE/D and the TIE crawler "century tank". West End Games
West End Games (WEG) was a company that made board, role-playing, and war games. It was founded by Daniel Scott Palter in 1974 in New York City, but later moved to Honesdale, Pennsylvania. Its product lines included ''Star Wars'', ''Paranoia' ...
' roleplaying sourcebooks introduce varieties that include the TIE/fc fire-control support ship, the TIE/gt ground-attack fighter, the TIE/rc reconnaissance vessel, and the TIE scout.
Analysis
In 2018, a number of ''Star Wars'' starfighters had their aerodynamic abilities tested using the Autodesk
Autodesk, Inc. is an American multinational software corporation that provides software products and services for the architecture, engineering, construction, manufacturing, media, education, and entertainment industries. Autodesk is headquarte ...
Flow Design virtual wind tunnel
A wind tunnel is "an apparatus for producing a controlled stream of air for conducting aerodynamic experiments". The experiment is conducted in the test section of the wind tunnel and a complete tunnel configuration includes air ducting to and f ...
program. Of those studied, the TIE Fighter scored the worst with a drag coefficient of .98, which is only slightly better than a brick. Of the other TIE variants tested, the TIE interceptor was slightly better with a coefficient of .78, while the TIE Striker had the best at .48, though this did not compare favorably to the .02 drag coefficient of an F-4E Phantom. These poor results were rationalized with the in-universe explanations that drag coefficient plays no role in space travel, and that ''Star Wars'' fighters can use repulsorlift
The space-opera blockbuster, ''Star Wars'' franchise has borrowed many real-life scientific and technological concepts in its settings. In turn, ''Star Wars'' has depicted, inspired, and influenced several futuristic technologies, some of which ...
s and deflector shields to give themselves better flight profiles.
Kenneth Wong of the online magazine
An online magazine is a magazine published on the Internet, through bulletin board systems and other forms of public computer networks. One of the first magazines to convert from a print magazine format to an online only magazine was the comput ...
''Digital Engineering'' enlisted several computational fluid dynamics
Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) is a branch of fluid mechanics that uses numerical analysis and data structures to analyze and solve problems that involve fluid dynamics, fluid flows. Computers are used to perform the calculations required ...
experts to model the aerodynamics of the TIE Fighter and offer suggestions to redesign it. While their models found the design could fly in an Earth-like atmosphere, excessive drag and lack of lift would require lots of thrust to keep it airborne and to maneuver. Their models also found the exposed mechanical features on the fuselage and solar panels created turbulent flows, which ideally should be covered with a smooth skin. Among their other suggestions to improve it were replacing the cockpit's spherical shape with a teardrop design, making the solar panels' leading edges smoother and more streamline, and incorporating vortex generator
A vortex generator (VG) is an aerodynamic device, consisting of a small wikt:vane, vane usually attached to a lifting surface (or airfoil, such as an aircraft, aircraft wing) or a rotor blade of a wind turbine.[Crystal Lake, Illinois
Crystal Lake is a city in McHenry County, Illinois, United States. Named after a lake southwest of the city's downtown, Crystal Lake is northwest of Chicago. The population was 40,269 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. Crystal L ...]
. A ''Wired
Wired may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Music
* ''Wired'' (Jeff Beck album), 1976
* ''Wired'' (Hugh Cornwell album), 1993
* ''Wired'' (Mallory Knox album), 2017
* "Wired", a song by Prism from their album '' Beat Street''
* "Wired ...
'' editor's creation of a TIE fighter model out of Starbucks
Starbucks Corporation is an American multinational List of coffeehouse chains, chain of coffeehouses and Starbucks Reserve, roastery reserves headquartered in Seattle, Washington. It was founded in 1971 by Jerry Baldwin, Zev Siegl, and Gor ...
cups and stirrers prompted the magazine to create a contest for its readers to submit their own art out of similar Starbucks material. io9
''io9'' is a sub-blog of the technology blog ''Gizmodo'' that focuses on science fiction and fantasy pop culture, with former focuses on science, technology and futurism. It was created as a standalone blog in 2008 by editor Annalee Newitz under ...
mocked the variety of TIE fighters in the franchise, listing four TIE models on its list of the eleven "silliest" ''Star Wars'' ships.
Kenner
Kenner Products, known simply as Kenner, was an American toy brand owned by Hasbro. Kenner Products began as a toy company founded in 1946, going on to produce several highly recognizable toys and merchandise lines including action figures for t ...
released TIE fighter and TIE interceptor toys during the original ''Star Wars'' trilogy's theatrical release, and Kenner's die-cast TIE bomber is a rare collector's item. Hasbro
Hasbro, Inc. (; a syllabic abbreviation of its original name, Hassenfeld Brothers) is an American multinational corporation, multinational toy manufacturing and entertainment holding company founded on December 6, 1923 by Henry, Hillel and Herma ...
also released TIE fighter, TIE bomber, and TIE interceptor toys. Both Kenner and Hasbro also manufactured TIE fighter pilot action figures. Lego
Lego (, ; ; stylised as LEGO) is a line of plastic construction toys manufactured by the Lego Group, a privately held company based in Billund, Denmark. Lego consists of variously coloured interlocking plastic bricks made of acrylonitri ...
manufactured TIE fighter, TIE bomber, TIE interceptor, TIE defender, and TIE advanced models. Decipher
DECIPHER is a web-based resource and database of genomic variation data from analysis of patient DNA. It documents submicroscopic Chromosome abnormality, chromosome abnormalities (Deletion (genetics), microdeletions and Gene duplication, duplic ...
and Wizards of the Coast
Wizards of the Coast LLC (WotC or Wizards) is an American game Publishing, publisher, most of which are based on fantasy and List of science fiction themes, science-fiction themes, and formerly an operator of retail game stores. In 1999, toy ...
published various TIE starfighter and TIE-related cards for the ''Star Wars Customizable Card Game
''Star Wars: Customizable Card Game'' (''SW:CCG'') is an out-of-print customizable card game based on the ''Star Wars'' fictional universe. It was created by Decipher, Inc., which also produced the '' Star Trek Customizable Card Game'' and '' ...
'' and ''Star Wars Trading Card Game
''Star Wars: The Trading Card Game'' is an out-of-print collectible card game produced by Wizards of the Coast (WotC). The original game was created by game designer Richard Garfield, the creator of the first modern trading card game, '' Magi ...
'', respectively. In 2012, Fantasy Flight Games
Fantasy Flight Games (FFG) is a game developer based in Roseville, Minnesota, United States, that creates and publishes role-playing game, role-playing, board game, board, card game, card, and dice game, dice games. As of 2014, it is a division of ...
released '' Star Wars: X-Wing Miniatures Game'', a miniatures game
Miniatures games are a form of tabletop game which prominently features the use of miniature models or figures.
War games
One of the oldest and most popular miniatures game genres is that of war games, where figures are arranged into competin ...
with pre-painted and to scale miniature X-wings and TIE fighters. In 1994, LucasArts released the ''TIE Fighter
The TIE fighter or Twin Ion Engine fighter is a series of fictional Starfighter (science fiction), starfighters featured in the ''Star Wars'' Universe of Star Wars, universe. TIE fighters are depicted as fast, agile, yet fragile starfighters p ...
'' flight simulator, which casts the player as an Imperial pilot flying a variety of TIE starfighters. TIE starfighters and their variants are also playable in third- or first-person perspectives in several ''Star Wars'' titles.
In Sasuke (also known as ''Ninja Warrior''), TIE Fighter (Japanese
Japanese may refer to:
* Something from or related to Japan, an island country in East Asia
* Japanese language, spoken mainly in Japan
* Japanese people, the ethnic group that identifies with Japan through ancestry or culture
** Japanese diaspor ...
: タイファイター) was a obstacle that introduced in the 32nd competition as the second obstacle in the First Stage. Competitors must prop their hands and feet against a set of glass panels that much resemble to the two hexagonal solar energy-collecting wings of TIE Fighter, position themselves and slide down a track to reach the safety platform at the other side. Due to the expiration of the license before the 36th competition, the TIE Fighter was renamed the Wing Slider (Japanese
Japanese may refer to:
* Something from or related to Japan, an island country in East Asia
* Japanese language, spoken mainly in Japan
* Japanese people, the ethnic group that identifies with Japan through ancestry or culture
** Japanese diaspor ...
: ウィングスライダー), and was redesigned to reflect this.
References
External links
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{{Star Wars universe, state=collapsed
Star Wars spacecraft
Fictional elements introduced in 1977