R-22 Spearhead starfighter

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For other uses, see A-wing.
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The R-22 Spearhead starfighter, also known as the Tammuz-an R-22 Spearhead fighter and nicknamed the "A-wing", was a state-of-the-art starfighter prototype developed by the Tammuz-an species as an escort fighter for their space navy. Inspired by the Aurek-class tactical strikefighter, its design was copied by Alliance Underground Engineering and Incom Corporation when they were developing the RZ-1 A-wing interceptor, an evolution of the R-22 Spearhead and Delta-7 Aethersprite-class light interceptor.

Characteristics

The R-22 Spearhead starfighter[2] was an agile, state-of-the-art vessel[7] inspired by the Aurek-class tactical strikefighter,[8] a model of starfighter manufactured by Republic Fleet Systems[9] that remained the Galactic Republic's standard "hyperspace snub" for nearly four thousand years.[8] Like the Aurek, the R-22's spaceframe supposedly resembled the letter A of the High Galactic alphabet, leading it to be informally nicknamed the "A-wing".[10] It was favoured by pilots that enjoyed tinkering, who upgraded the R-22's flight systems and stripped it of any and all components that could be jettisoned to further increase the fighter's speed and maneuverability.[8]

History

The R-22 Spearhead was developed by the Tammuz-an,[1] a species of tall humanoids native to the planet of the same name,[11] and was used by their space navy to escort the Tammuz-an shipping fleet.[5]

The R-22 Spearhead became an experimental testbed for the Rebel Alliance, nicknamed the "A-wing," shortly before the Battle of Yavin.[12] During one early operational test, the Rebels sent a lone R-22 to attack an unguarded Imperial repair dock. The fighter performed admirably, destroying the facility before the Nebulon-B frigate Virulence could respond. The mission was later recreated as a simulation used in training new pilots.[13]

The Alliance Fleet started deploying a number of R-22s at that time. Captain Juno Eclipse and PROXY used a two-seater R-22 to travel to Dac to help Admiral Gial Ackbar and Senator Bail Organa liberate the Mon Calamari and recruit them to the Alliance cause.[6] The fleet used them in the Assault on Kamino against the Imperial TIE/sa bombers.[14] Keyan Farlander flew Spearheads in several missions during Operation Skyhook,[13] and at least two R-22s participated in the Battle of Yavin, one piloted by Jake Farrell.[15]

Two R-22 Spearheads in the Massassi Temple hangar, between two disassembled H-60 Tempest bombers

The Spearhead was nicknamed "A-wing" among Rebel pilots. The name "A-wing" persisted when the model was modified by General Jan Dodonna and Walex Blissex after the Battle of Yavin into the Rebel Alliance's fast RZ-1 A-wing interceptor.

Dodonna's decision to create the RZ-1 was largely driven by the Alliance's lack of a starfighter that could match the TIE/LN starfighter's raw speed. Additionally, the RZ-1 was noted for its improved maneuverability over the Spearhead, so the engine design was the most likely difference between the craft.

The weapons complement might have undergone a similar change, as early Spearheads used green laser ammunition rather than the red/orange seen with most Alliance fighters.

Behind the scenes

A two-seat version of the R-22 Spearhead

Though most sources established that the A-wing was introduced by the Rebel Alliance after the Battle of Yavin, some Expanded Universe sources deviate from this and show A-wings in use before Yavin, notably Star Wars: Droids, Star Wars: X-Wing, Star Wars: Rebel Assault, Star Wars: Force Commander, and Star Wars: Empire at War. This inconsistency was eventually reconciled in The New Essential Guide to Characters, which explained that the pre-Yavin appearances of A-wings were R-22 Spearheads instead.[16]

Appearances

Sources

Notes and references

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1  A-wing starfighter in the Databank (content now obsolete; backup link)
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Star Wars: Complete Vehicles
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Star Wars: Droids—"The Pirates of Tarnoonga"
  4. ↑ Star Wars: Droids—"The Revenge of Kybo Ren"
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia, Vol. III, p. 67 ("R-22 spearhead")
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 The Force Unleashed II novel
  7. ↑ C-3PO: Tales of the Golden Droid
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 The Essential Guide to Warfare
  9. ↑ Knights of the Old Republic Campaign Guide
  10. ↑ The Written Word on Hyperspace (article) (content removed from StarWars.com; backup link)
  11. ↑  Tammuz-an in the Databank (content now obsolete; backup link)
  12. ↑ Inside the Worlds of Star Wars Trilogy
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 Star Wars: X-Wing
  14. ↑ Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II
  15. ↑ Star Wars: Rebel Assault
  16. ↑ StarWars.com Welcome some BAC VIPs on StarWars.com Message Boards. Posted by Leland Chee on October 13, 2004 at 10:46 AM. (content now obsolete; backup link)
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