SW-4 ion cannon/Legends
The SW-4 was a dual ion cannon manufactured by ArMek during the early years of the Galactic Empire. It was most commonly used aboard BTL Y-wing starfighters of the Alliance to Restore the Republic.
The SW-4 ion cannon was a notoriously delicate weapon system, and its internal crystal matrices invariably vibrated out of alignment during flight or combat. Rebel mechanics came to dislike the SW-4 due to the time they were forced to put in to maintain the cannons. At the Battle of Yavin, only two of the Alliance's Y-wing fighters had functional ion cannons.
The BTL-S3 Y-wing variant had space for a weapons systems officer, who manually operated the SW-4 turret when necessary. Single-pilot variants had their cannons locked forwards for optimum covering fire, though some pilots chose to lock it facing aft to counter pursuers.
Behind the scenes
In Star Wars: Battlefront II these cannons are replaced with repeating blasters, this is probably for game balancing.
Appearances
- Star Wars: Rogue Squadron (First appearance)
- Star Wars: Rogue Squadron II: Rogue Leader
Sources
- The Stele Chronicles
- Star Wars Screen Entertainment
- Star Wars Technical Journal of the Rebel Forces
- The Essential Guide to Vehicles and Vessels
- Star Wars: Rogue Squadron: The Official Nintendo Player's Guide
- Star Wars: Incredible Cross-Sections
- Starships of the Galaxy
- Star Wars Galaxies: Jump to Lightspeed: Prima Official Game Guide
Star Wars Customizable Card Game – A New Hope Limited (Card: SW-4 Ion Cannon) (backup link)- The Official Star Wars Fact File 37 (YWI1-2, Y-Wing Starfighter)
- Star Wars: Empire at War: Prima Official Game Guide
- Star Wars: Empire at War: Forces of Corruption Expansion: Prima Official Game Guide
- Star Wars Blueprints: Rebel Edition
Y-wing starfighter in the Databank (content now obsolete; backup link)
