Vehicles:A9VigilanceInterceptor

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A-9 Vigilance Interceptor

Length: 7.4 meters (24.3 ft)
Crew: 1
Hull: 24 RU

The Kuat Drive Yards A-9 Vigilance Interceptor is a short-range Imperial fighter that was introduced shortly after the defeat of Grand Admiral Thrawn, five years after the death of Emperor Palpatine at the Battle of Endor. Designed by Kuat Drive Yards, makers of the infamouse Imperial Star Destroyer, the A-9 represented an attemp by KDY to steal some of the lucrative starfighter contracts Sienar Fleet Systems had received for its TIE fighter series. While some Imperial factions purchased A-9s, the ship also fell into New Republic hands. Oppressed workers on a KYD factory world managed to depose their planetary governor and turn a few A-9 prototypes over to the New Republic forces just as the Empire's offensive against Mon Calamari was heating up (a year after Thrawn's death).

The A-9 is typical of many Imperial fighters - it has no shields and no hyperdrive. Instead, it is compact, light, and fast and therefore was perfect for shock attacks against reinforces New Republic bases or slower captital ships and fighters. It is faster than the TIE Interceptor and on a par with the New Republic's A-Wing fighter. The hull is a simple affair, with a central control cockpit pod that contains the Carbanti sensor arrays, weapons, and all computer systems. Two wings connect to the powerful KuatDriveSystems A-9x thrust engines. The engines are as long as the starframe and have self-contained power generators. The laser canons also have their own power generator, and the computer control system can reroute power from any of these generators to any other portion of the ship, allowing the pilot to cut power to the weapons and limp home even if the engine power generators fail (provided that the engines are still functional). The A-9's weapons consist of two (2) forward-firing laser cannons which pack more punch than do an X-Wing's laser cannons. While they are generally fire-linked for simultaneous fire, a modification kit allows the laser cannons to be independently targeted. This kit includes a servo driver system that can depress the guns up to ninety degrees, making the A-9 capable of performing strafing missions against ground targets.

While KDY promised the Empire a superior fighter, combat results have been consistently disappointing. While the ship is indeed faster than the TIE Interceptor, it has been shown to be no more maneuverable, and its a fighter that is as limited in its utility as is the New Republic's A-Wing fighter. It is believed that Kuat designers are developing an improved A-9, which should be far tougher. New Republic technicians have thoroughly examined the A-9, and while not amazed by what they see, they intend to used some of its design elements in the future New Republic fighters.

References

Smith, Bill. Star Wars: The Essential Guide to Vehicles and Vessels. (1996). Del-Ray Books.

http://www.swi.starwarsclub.org/csa/stats/a9.html (2004).

Emporer's Hammer. (2004).