RZ - 1 A - wing interceptor The RZ - 1 A - wing interceptor , also known as the RZ - 1 A - wing starfighter , was a wedge - shaped starfighter manufactured by Kuat Systems Engineering , which took design inspiration from the Republic starfighters of the Clone Wars . Based on the original R - 22 prototype , the early rebel movement adopted the fighter against the Galactic Empire , letting these so - called RZ - 1s see action during the Age of the Empire and the Galactic Civil War . The updated RZ - 2 variant would replace the RZ - 1 after the Battle of Endor , and would see use thirty years later during the conflict between the Resistance and the First Order . Characteristics . The RZ - 1 A - wing starfighter was a quick , powerful strike fighter manufactured by Kuat Systems Engineering . Influenced by the designs of the Republic starfighters flown during the Clone Wars , and based off the R - 22 prototype , the RZ - 1 A - wing was wedge - shaped with dual sublight engine s mounted on the stern and came equipped with a hyperdrive . The fighters were armed with two laser cannon s and twelve concussion missile s . It measured a total of 9 . 6 meter s long . The A - wing was ideal for missions that required speed : hit - and - run raids , surgical strikes on capital ships , and intelligence gathering missions . A capable pilot could emerge from hyperspace , engage the fighter ' s powerful suite of imagers and sensors , streak around the objective at top speed , and vanish back into hyperspace all while enemy ground crews scrambled to get fighters airborne . Essentially a cockpit with two engines , the RZ - 1 required precision manipulation of the dorsal and ventral stabilizers without assistance from an astromech . As such , only the best pilots could pilot an A - wing without losing control . A - wings were modified for use by the Alliance to favor raw speed over power or protection . The Alliance ' s modified A - wings , dubbed RZ - 1s , consisted of a stock model stripped of its shields , armor , and heavy weapons . As a result , the ship was faster than the Empire ' s variant , the TIE / IN interceptor . However , while renowned for its speed , the ship was bemoaned for frequent breakdowns . During the early rebellion against the Galactic Empire , a variant A - wing , called the RZ - 1T trainer , was developed and used to train aspiring rebel pilot s . In addition to the pilot seat , the model also featured a seat for an instructor . History . Pre – Galactic Civil War . The RZ - 1 A - wing starfighter was manufactured by Kuat Systems Engineering , of Kuat . The RZ - 1 was based off the original R - 22 prototype developed by Kuat as a replacement for the Republic ' s " Aethersprite " starfighter . Rejected by the Empire , Rebel cells acquired several R - 22s and stripped them down to boost the fighter ' s speed and acceleration to counter the Empire ' s new TIE / IN interceptor . These RZ - 1 ' s would come to play a key role in the Alliance ' s victory at Endor . Some of the earliest uses of the RZ - 1 included use in forces secretly allied with Bail Organa one year after Order 66 . Years later , a group of A - wing fighters were part of Commander Jun Sato ' s Phoenix Cell , which was part of a larger rebellion . During the time of early rebellion approximately two years before the Battle of Yavin an RZ - 1T trainer was used by Jedi Padawan Ezra Bridger and Jedi Knight Kanan Jarrus to save their friends from former Sith Lord Maul , delivering him a Sith holocron at Vizsla Keep 09 . Galactic Civil War . During the Galactic Civil War , RZ - 1 A - wings were used by the Alliance in early battles against Imperial forces and soon proved themselves to be capable fighters . Thanks to this track record , the Alliance obtained a number of A - wings and modified them , removing their heavy weapons and shields , in order to make them fast enough to combat the newer generations of Imperial TIE fighters . The resulting modified A - wings used by the rebels were faster than even the TIE / IN interceptor . These modified A - wings were deployed by the Alliance Fleet at the Battle of Endor . There , under Lando Calrissian ' s command , Green Squadron flew against the Second Death Star . Once Han Solo ' s strike team brought down the Death Star ' s shield generator , two A - wing pilots flew into the Death Star , but broke off to draw TIE fighters away from Calrissian . Green Leader Arvel Crynyd was hit by fire and crashed into the bridge of the Super Star Destroyer " Executor " , resulting in its destruction . A - wings were also employed in the Battle of Jakku . Legacy . After the RZ - 1s decisive role in the Battle of Endor , Kuat ressurected its forgotten prototype to create the RZ - 2 , standardizing years of field modifications and making the chassis slimmer and longer to yield even more speed . These RZ - 2s would come to be used by the Resistance during the cold war against the First Order . Behind the scenes . The A - wing appears in . Designed by Ralph McQuarrie , they were originally colored blue but had to be changed due to the limited bluescreen technology at the time . The original coloration of the A - wings makes its first appearance on the A - wings of Phoenix Group in the second season of " Star Wars Rebels " . The original " Star Wars " Legends backstory for the craft has them being designed and fielded after the Battle of Yavin , but their appearance in " Ahsoka " places them in service eighteen years before the Battle of Yavin . The Legends backstory served partly as an in - universe explanation as to why the A - wing fighters created for " Return of the Jedi " did not participate in the attack on the first Death Star . However , in the new " Star Wars " canon , A - wings are featured in material taking place well before the Battle of Yavin and have been given earlier origins . The production team for the " Star Wars Rebels " television series explained that the intention is to depict different rebel cells using different fighters in different parts of the galaxy . The A - wings appear as the primary star fighters of the Phoenix Squadron in " Rebels " , while the rebel cell led by Jan Dodonna and portrayed in used primarily X - wings and Y - wings . The Battle of Endor , intended to show the first time the entire Rebel Alliance comes together , therefore includes both sets of ships . This allowed the " Rebels " producers to do more with the A - wings , which were not shown in action very much in " Return of the Jedi " .