Image Source: http://darksapiens.deviantart.com/art/TIE-Defender-The-Force-Awakens-style-538206700
Affiliation: The First Order
Manufacturer: Sienar-Jaemus Fleet Systems
Model: TIE/D Defender
Modularity: No
Production: Limited to the First Order
Material: Titanium hull with Quadanium steel solar panels
Classification: Space superiority fighter/Interceptor/Light Bomber
Length: 9.2 meters
Height: 9.2 meters
Width: 9.2 meters
Armament: 14
- x4 Ls9.3 Laser Cannons
- x2 NK-3 Ion Cannons
- x2 M-g-2 General-Purpose Warhead Launchers
x3 Proton Torpedoes (or Concussion Missiles) per launcher
(4 x 1 = 4
2 x 1= 2
2 x 2 = 4
Total Armament Exchange = 10)
Defenses: 14
- Titanium plating
- Deflector shields
Special Features:
- Hyperdrive
- Solar panels
Speed Rating: 2
Hyperdrive Class: 2.0
Strengths:
- Light Bomber: The heavy ion cannons and warhead launchers give this fighter the ability to take on larger ships such as cruisers in groups
- Interceptor: The good amount of speed, maneuverability, and laser cannons help the Defender take out other fighter-sized ships.
- Good Defenses: Due to the deflector shields, this fighter doesn't just pack a punch, it can take them too.
- Hyperspace-capable: The TIE Defender also carries a hyperdrive, allowing it to operate independently without need of a carrier ship.
- Expensive to produce: The cost of just one TIE Defender is around 300,000 credits, making it one of the most expensive fighters in the First Order's arsenal.
- Vulnerable without shield: With its shield gone, the TIE Defender is as flimsy as its predecessor the TIE/LN, one hit and it'll explode.
- Power Hungry: Firing the weapons drains a large amount of power, and the reactor plus the solar panels cannot keep up with the power requirements of firing the weapons for extended periods of time without draining power from other systems like engines, shields, and life support.
One of the most expensive fighters of the time reserved for only the elite pilots of the Empire and made distinct by its three two-pronged wings, the TIE Defender was more than an ordinary fighter as it had a deflector shield that could defend against laser fire and its own hyperdrive that gave it the ability to jump into hyperspace without having to dock with a carrier or a star destroyer.
The weapons on the TIE Defender was a mix between what a TIE Interceptor and a TIE Bomber would have, carrying four laser cannons for anti-fighter duty, two heavy ion cannons for use against both starfighters and for getting through the shields of a capital ship, and finally two warhead launchers for delivering a deadly payload of proton torpedoes (or concussion missiles) on any cruiser that stands in their way.
The TIE Defender's speed and maneuverability is unmatched by other heavy-duty starfighters such as this, giving it a nice edge against other starfighters along with its healthy allotment of weaponry.
The drawbacks of the Defender may outweigh the advantages depending on how you look at it. The cost itself prevents the TIE Defender from being mass-produced for widescale deployment among the naval forces. Along with that once the shields are down, the material used to construct it is flimsy enough to be destroyed in one single shot at the cockpit. And finally using the weapons enough will cause a power shortage that the reactor and solar panels couldn't even replenish in the heat of combat.
Intent: To create an advanced hybrid fighter for the First Order and its pilots.
Who Can Use This: The First Order
