2-9D Droid Interceptor

2-9D Carrion-Fly Drone Starfighter The 2-9D Carrion-Fly Drone Starfighter', or simply the 2-9D Droid Interceptor, was a CIS Starfighter during the Clone Wars.

Characteristics
Unlike most droid starfighers, the 2-9D did not have a "walk" mode. Additionally, it was far smaller than most other starfighters. The droid was relatively cheap and easy to produce, making it abundant near the end of the Clone Wars. However, unlike the larger Vulture droid, it didn't perform very well as a dog-fighting starfighter. Despite having 8 laser cannons, they were not as powerful as the Vultures, and weren't very effective against larger starfighters. The 2-9D also lacked shields, and had weaker armor than it's fellow droid starfighters.

Instead, the 2-9D was better suited as a reconnaissance drone or an escort fighter. Due to it's small size, not only could it operate in atmosphere, but could also handle flying as low as 2 meters off the ground. On top of that, it could navigate through more enclosed spaces than other starfighters, having top-notch computer guidance systems to prevent it from accidently crashing into something. 2-9Ds were often deployed to enemy-controlled worlds to gather intel. After gathering the intel they needed, they then transmitted the information to their superiors and either flew off and returned to base or simply initiated a self-destruct mechanism. In atmosphere, they operated in a similar manner to probe droids, except that they were better armed and were spaceworthy.

Despite not being a prime dog-fighting starfighter, they were still useful in space combat. Because these droids were so cheap, they could be deployed in greater numbers than even the Vulture droids, and while one 2-9D did not pose much of a threat to starfighters, large swarms of them could. In addition to their laser cannons, some variants of 2-9Ds came equipped with a minelayer device, which could either be deployed on planetary surfaces during ground combat or deposited on the underside or wings of larger enemy starfighters; either crippling or successfully destroying them. 2-9Ds were also extremely versatile. Not only could they be used as escort, remote probes, or minelayers, but also came in many variants as well. The 2-9D was very customizable, allowing them to perform whatever task they needed to regardless of their circumstances. Some notable variants included a submersible variant for aquatic planets, a missleboat variant armed with concussion missiles, a denser allow variant for high-pressure worlds, and a walker variant built specifically for planets like Jabiim where repulsorlifts were banned.

Among the best known variants was a larger anti-starfighter variant called the 2-22D. However, this variant was more expensive than the standard model, and only saw limited combat. Decades after the Clone Wars, an even larger variant was created. Dubbed the 2-88D, it was by far the largest variant of the 2-xD line, only a few meters shorter than the CR-90 corvette and the only fully-automated starship to be classified as a corvette.

History
The 2-9D first saw action late into the Clone Wars, initially starting out as a strictly in-atmosphere drone fighter before eventually becoming space-compatible. They were mass-produced in the thousands, seeing use all across the galaxy, and even being used as personal escort ships by high-ranking CIS officials like Durge. As time progressed, more variants were created up until the end of the Clone Wars. However, due to their relatively poor anti-starfighter performance, most Separatist officials preferred using the already tried and true Vulture droids over the cheaper drones, resulting in the 2-9Ds seeing only limited use during the war.

After the war, thousands of 2-9Ds remained stockpiled, slowly collecting dust while the galaxy changed around them. As a result, many pirate organizations, including the Zahn Consortium, raided these stockpiles and used the droids for themselves. Other remaining 2-9Ds remained in service within numerous Separatist holdouts.