The Star Saber XC-01 starfighter was an experimental fighter produced by Republic Fleet Systems, and tested by Jedi pilots during the Great Sith War. Long, sleek craft, the single-seat starfighters nonetheless were equipped with hyperdrives. Although the ships were capable of swift acceleration, their low maneuverability-to-speed ratio and slow control stick reaction gained them a reputation as dangerous and unwieldy craft. Heavy blaster cannons and deflector shields gave the Star Saber more offensive and defensive capabilities than contemporary fighters, however, and the Galactic Republic pressed the craft into service despite their design flaws. From their initial combat mission against the Krath stronghold of Cinnagar until the retirement of their line with the advent of the Aurek-class tactical strikefighter, the Star Saber was largely flown by Jedi, who could compensate by using the Force for the fighter's design flaws, which were never corrected.
Description[]
At 13 meters in length, the Republic Fleet Systems Star Saber XC-01 starfighter was long, low, and sleek. Protruding from the narrow hull were two wings fitted with weapons outriggers; two fins emerged from the tail of the craft, above the two engines. A military snubfighter available to civilians only through regulated sales, the Star Saber was equipped with deflector shields and two heavy blaster cannons—weapons that were significant improvements over those of the fighter's contemporaries. A single-seat craft, with 45 kilograms of cargo capacity,[2][3] the fighter nonetheless was equipped with a Class 2.0 hyperdrive and a week's worth of consumables. While the Star Saber was quite fast at sublight speeds, capable of attaining 1,100 kilometers per hour in atmosphere,[1][4] and accelerating to such speeds in only seconds, the craft was ungainly and not nearly as maneuverable as other fighters of its period—Krath CX-133 Chaos fighters could outmaneuver them with ease. However, due to the needs of the time, the Galactic Republic pressed the fighters into service, despite knowing their flaws.
Role[]
The Star Saber XC-01, from its development during the Krath Holy Crusade, was considered an inefficient but necessary tool to combat the threat posed by the Sith.[1] Considered an experimental vessel during its testing phase on Ossus in 3997 BBY, the Star Saber was nonetheless pressed into service against Krath forces,[5] which it was designed to combat.[1] In an assault on the Krath throneworld of Empress Teta, Jedi Knight Dace Diath used the Star Saber in both aerial dogfighting and surface assaults.[5] Although the production of the fighters was almost halted after initial test runs,[2] and the design of the fighter was never perfected due to its inefficiency against Chaos fighters,[1] the Star Saber was nevertheless brought into full-scale production and authorized for limited sale to civilians in order to recoup losses associated with its design. Pilots willing to utilize the Star Saber during its two-decade production run included Jedi, who were capable of compensating for the craft's shortcomings by using their abilities with the Force. However, once Republic Fleet Systems developed the Aurek-class tactical strikefighter shortly before 3976 BBY, the Star Saber design was abandoned.