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Aggressive ReConnaissance-170 starfighter

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ARC-170 starfighter
Production information
Manufacturer
Model

ARC-170 Aggressive ReConnaissance starfighter[2]

Class

Starfighter[2]

Cost
Technical specifications
Length

14.5 meters[1]

Width

22.6 meters (wingspan)[1]

Height/depth

4.78 meters[1]

Maximum acceleration

2,600 G[1]

MGLT

100[3]

Maximum speed (atmosphere)

1,000 km/h[4] to 44,000 km/h (with deflector shields on)[1]

Hyperdrive rating

Class 1.5[1]

Hyperdrive range

5,000 LY[1]

Shielding

5 × 1016 W[5]

Countermeasures

Sensor jammers

Armament
Crew
Passengers

None[2]

Cargo capacity

110 kg[2]

Consumables

5 days[1]

Other systems

S-foils

Usage
Role(s)
Year introduced

20 BBY

Era(s)
Affiliation
[Source]

The Aggressive ReConnaissance-170 starfighter, also known as the ARC-170 starfighter and Advanced Recon fighter,[6] was a heavy starfighter/bomber that saw widespread use by the Republic Navy in the later days of the Clone Wars.[7]

It was an ancestor of the T-65 X-wing starfighter, which would be mainly used by the Alliance to Restore the Republic.[7]

Contents

[edit] Characteristics

[edit] Design

ARC-170 cross-section.

The ARC-170 was jointly produced by Incom and Subpro Corporations. Like their other starfighter designs of its time, such as the lighter Z-95, and the heavier PTB-625, and NTB-630, the ARC-170 had a narrow spaceframe flanked by large engines. The ARC-170 also possessed an S-foil system, which helped to radiate heat, something that aided the fighter's shielding. This also provided additional stability during atmospheric flight.[7]

Using its front deflector shield projectors to disperse heat generated from air resistance, the ARC-170 could reach supersonic speeds in atmospheric flight .[7]

The ARC-170 was a departure from other starfighter designs of the Clone Wars era. Fighters such as the Alpha-3 Nimbus and the Eta-2 Actis were built to be small, fast, and maneuverable, at the cost of heavy weapons, shields, and hyperdrives. On the other hand, the ARC-170 was large, rugged, and capable of long independent operations.

[edit] Military role

An Imperial ARC-170 fighter with S-foils retracted.

The ARC-170 was often sent on dangerous scout missions and raids deep in enemy territory.[7] To allow the ARC-170 to perform these missions, the fighter was equipped with a Class 1.5 hyperdrive, and its nose was filled with powerful sensors, scanners, and jammers.

The ARC-170 carried enough consumables for five days of operation. However, the supplies and additional equipment had a price and the ARC-170 was quite slow. Durable armor and shielding, as well as two tail guns, helped the ARC-170 to survive when surrounded by swarms of smaller, faster enemy fighters, although it remained vulnerable to enemy anti-fighter guns.

[edit] Weaponry

The ARC-170 possessed powerful weaponry. It carried six proton torpedoes, and its wingtip-mounted medium laser cannons were unusually large for a starfighter.[7] ARC-170s were often used as the heavy-hitters in strike forces, escorted by V-wings and Eta-2s.

The ARC-170 was crewed by three clones: a pilot, a co-pilot who operated the wingtip-mounted lasers, and a tail gunner who operated the rear-mounted cannons. The fighter also carried an astromech droid to perform onboard repairs and navigation.[7]

A pair of ARC-170s over Coruscant.

[edit] Customization

During the Clone Wars, it was common for elite Troopers to customize their vessels with elaborate designs, such as the elite Razor Squadron.[8]

[edit] History

[edit] Clone Wars

ARC-170s during the Battle of Coruscant.

ARCs were used fairly extensively during the late Clone Wars. Shortly before the Battle of Coruscant, a squadron of ARCs provided cover for Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker on Tythe, but were destroyed.[9]

During the Battle of Coruscant, Clone Flight Squad Seven (populated mostly with ARC-170s) covered for Kenobi and Skywalker as they made their way to the Invisible Hand. Although Squad Seven suffered many casualties, they allowed the two Jedi to successfully board the ship and rescue Supreme Chancellor Palpatine. Large numbers of ARC-170s were destroyed by droid tri-fighters in the battle.[10]

[edit] Galactic Empire

An ARC-170 over Cato Neimoidia.

Later, after Palpatine issued Order 66, ARC-170s flying over the skies of Cato Neimoidia under the command of Clone Captain Jag turned on Jedi Master Plo Koon. The ARC-170 squadron fired upon his Delta-7 starfighter, destroying the fighter's engines. Plo Koon could not regain control of his ship and plunged to his death as he and what remained of the forward part of the fighter crashed into a building on one of Cato Neimoidia's bridge-cities.[10]

During the Galactic Civil War, ARC-170s could be found in both Imperial and Rebel fleets, where they were considered elite craft.[11] As with all craft commissioned by the new Empire, ARC-170s were henceforth given the standard 'Imperial gray' color scheme, doing away with the variety of colorful markings that military vessels bore to identify their squadron affiliations with during the Clone Wars. Incom would go on to produce the T-65 X-wing starfighter, the successor to the ARC-170.

[edit] Behind the scenes

The ARC-170 was named after "ART-170," the title of the artwork form by concept artist Ryan Church that inspired the finalized design. Originally, it was referred to simply as a "clone fighter" in the script for Revenge of the Sith.

ARC-170 concept art.

The HUD seen on Odd Ball's ARC-170 cockpit during the Battle of Coruscant has the same targeting display as Luke Skywalker's X-wing in A New Hope.[10]

The joint development of the ARC-170 by Incom and Subpro Corporations seems to contradict a HoloNet News report that claims the companies severed their partnership shortly before the onset of the Clone Wars. This issue may possibly be retconned by the fact that most of the design for the ship took place before the split. Even so, it was released as an Incom/Subpro design, and it is extremely unusual for design credit to continue to be shared between companies who have broken off relations.

In Star Wars: Battlefront II, the ARC-170 fighter is considered a medium starfighter, and equivalent to a T-65 X-wing starfighter. The game also only allows one individual to board it, rather than three to fill all the positions.[12]

In Labyrinth of Evil, the ARC-170 is stated to be equipped with multiple missile launchers. This, however, may be attributed to General Grievous' limited knowledge of the vehicles at the time, as the ships are described from his viewpoint.[9]

This ship's fuselage shares some resemblance with the real-life wikipedia: JU-87.

[edit] Appearances

Front view of an ARC-170.

[edit] Non-canon appearances

[edit] Sources

[edit] Notes and references

  1. ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 1.14 1.15 1.16 Star Wars: Complete Cross-Sections
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6  Starships and Vehicles of Revenge of the Sith on Wizards.com (article)
  3. ↑ Star Wars Battlefront: Renegade Squadron
  4. ↑ Battlefront II: Prima Official Game Guide
  5. ↑ Hasbro Titanium Series ARC-170 packaging
  6. ↑ Millennium Falcon
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 7.5 7.6 Revenge of the Sith: Incredible Cross-Sections
  8. ↑ Hasbro Star Wars TITANIUM SERIES Die Cast ARC-170 Vehicle #18592 - Product Detail
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 Labyrinth of Evil
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith
  11. ↑ Star Wars Galaxies
  12. ↑ Star Wars: Battlefront II
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