Eta - 2 Actis - class interceptor The Eta - 2 " Actis " - class interceptor , also known as the Jedi interceptor or Jedi starfighter due to its extensive use by Jedi pilots , was a Republic starfighter used late in the Clone Wars that shared design elements with the Republic ' s Delta - 7 and Delta - 7B starfighters , as well as the TIE fighters of the later Galactic Empire . The Galactic Alliance would later come to utilize a successor , the Eta - 5 interceptor . Characteristics . At 5 . 47 meters in length , the Eta - 2 was significantly shorter than the already diminutive Delta - 7 . The new fighter ' s mass was further reduced by removing much of the forward space - frame , leaving the front of the ship in a forked shape . Like its predecessor , it was also too small to hold an onboard hyperdrive . Because of this , the Eta - 2 had to rely on carrier vessels or Syliure - 45 hyperdrive module s for long - distance travel . However , the " Actis " did have a full astromech droid socket , instead of a truncated unit as was seen in the early models of " Aethersprite " starfighters . Like the simultaneously developed ARC - 170 and Alpha - 3 " Nimbus " - class V - wing starfighters , the Eta - 2 incorporated S - foils to radiate excess engine heat in the thick of combat , reducing the likelihood of damage to the craft . Occasionally , though not always , the lifting panels were opened during normal flight to further reduce stress on the engines . Such a design element carried with it certain flaws , however ; this area of the hull was lightly armored , and extremely vulnerable to laser fire and buzz droid sabotage . This design element would be carried on through the radiator panels of later TIE fighters which , unlike the Eta - 2 ' s foils , were locked in static positions but essentially served the same purpose . Thanks mostly to the fact that its development occurred in the midst of a galactic civil war , the Eta - 2 had more firepower at its disposal than the Delta - 7 and Delta - 7B — two large laser cannons and two ion cannons . While the size of its guns provided it with respectable firepower , the fighter ' s limited power systems restricted its ability to fire continuously . Raith Sienar ' s twin ion engine design allowed the Eta - 2 to achieve a maximum acceleration of 5 , 200 g . Unlike the Delta - 7 and Delta - 7B , the standard Eta - 2 was not equipped with shields , as Sienar reasoned that agility and speed were its best defense . However , a later variant did include shields , as well as slightly heavier armor and a stronger hull . History . Clone Wars . The Eta - 2 " Actis " was designed by Kuat Systems Engineering , following up on its success with the " Aethersprite " . It included and improved upon many design elements of the latter . The only prominent drawback was apparent in the removal of shields , though this trade - off reduced production cost and lightened the craft . A number of Jedi Knights voiced strong opposition to the new craft ' s lack of shielding , causing a shielded and more resilient variant to be developed . More importantly , it was much smaller than its predecessor , allowing far more Eta - 2 ships to fit into hangars that could only hold a handful of Delta - 7 and Delta - 7B craft . The standard fighter complement of a " Venator " - class Star Destroyer included 192 Eta - 2 interceptors . The first prototype of the craft was deployed during the initial skirmishes with the Valahari people , and the craft was used by Anakin Skywalker to combat the advanced Tempest Zero starfighter used by Tofen Vane . The prototype proved itself in the Battle of the Veil Nebula where it managed to shoot down Vane ' s craft and thus aid in a Republic victory against the Separatist forces . This concept led to much wider production and widespread deployment in the Republic Navy than the Delta - 7 and Delta - 7B had seen , since the Delta - 7 and Delta - 7B had been designed exclusively for the Jedi . It would also inspire the design and size rules that made the TIE fighters of the later Empire so cheap , modular , and effective . Eta - 2s that were flown by the Jedi were usually stripped down for even faster performance . Heavy sensors and flight instruments were removed , since they were unnecessary for a pilot with precognitive Force abilities . While most Jedi pilots flew Eta - 2s more in line with the factory standard , such as Obi - Wan Kenobi , whose fighters were red - or blue - hued against a white undercoat , some chose to customize theirs with unorthodox color schemes . Anakin Skywalker ' s first craft was painted a bright yellow color against a metallic undercoat . He maintained that this was a tribute to his childhood podracer , but some believed that the bright hue was designed to draw attention to himself in battle . Unfortunately , Skywalker lost his fighter in the Battle of Coruscant , and he later flew temporarily under a more standard green and white paint scheme , which he used in the Mission to Mustafar . Saesee Tiin ' s interceptor was green , and Mace Windu ' s had purple coloring . Kuat Systems Engineering made sure to provide the Jedi with variants of the Eta - 2 within months of its introduction . After making so many different versions of the Delta - 7 " Aethersprite " - class light interceptor , the manufacturers tested new models even before receiving feedback from Jedi pilots using the Eta - 2 in actual combat . The first of these was a high - maneuver variant based on a similar modification to the Delta - 7 . Later , a heavy - defense variant was also created after renowned pilot Saesee Tiin removed a number of unnecessary offensive systems from his own Eta - 2 . Although unpopular at first , this version of the starfighter gained a more positive reputation after it saw use during the Battle of Coruscant . During the late stages of the Clone Wars , another variant was introduced . It was equipped with a triad of thrusters , and lacked an astromech socket . This version was primarily flown by clone pilots . Imperial era . The Eta - 2 became one of the first starfighter models in use by the Imperial Navy . Squadrons of Eta - 2s flew in formation above Coruscant as part of the security detail after the Galactic Empire had been established . When Anakin Skywalker became Darth Vader , he would receive a new black Eta - 2 . Vader piloted this Eta - 2 during some of his early missions for Emperor Palpatine as the Great Jedi Purge continued , sometimes flanked by V - wing starfighters . Vader was assisted in the new fighter by R4 - K5 . Elements of the Eta - 2 " Actis " design were used in the creation of the Sienar Fleet Systems line of TIE starfighters — most notably the vertical radiator panels and twin ion engines , as well as the spoked viewing port ; this was expanded in the Eta - 2 ' s TIE successor to become the fighter ' s main viewport . However , the greatest legacy of the " Actis " - class was the philosophy behind it — that smaller , more nimble , unshielded , and relatively under - equipped fighters , when mass - produced , could be ultimately more effective than a lesser quantity of costlier , bulkier , well - armed , and better - protected starfighters . This had been demonstrated in the Battle of Coruscant where more heavy fighters suffered significant losses at the hands of lighter , more agile fighters . This opinion principally ushered in the dominance of the TIE series , and inevitably spurred the phasing - out of superior - quality fighters like the ARC - 170 . This decision would come back to haunt the Imperial Navy , however , when the ARC - 170 ' s successor , the T - 65 X - wing starfighter , proved superior to the TIE / LN swarms of the Empire and was pivotal in the defeat of the Empire in the Galactic Civil War . One difference between the Clone Wars and Galactic Civil War was that most Eta - 2 pilots were Jedi and were able to survive due to the Force and good skill ; TIE pilots were well - trained , but few — if any — had an affinity for the Force and so casualty rates were higher than in the Clone Wars . Most Eta - 2 pilots gaining experience were able to hone their skills to veteran levels , but the high casualty rate of TIE pilots prevented them from developing any further . During the Galactic Civil War , some Eta - 2s still remained operational in the Imperial Navy and were reserved for skilled pilots . Others were captured and used by the Rebel Alliance and other various parties , with similar requirements . The " Lonely Five " , owned by Jedi Knight Rachi Sitra , was used by the Rebel Alliance . Design legacy . During the establishment of the Galactic Alliance , a successor series known as the Eta - 5 interceptor was used in the Second Galactic Civil War . Behind the scenes . Designed for " " , the Eta - 2 interceptor is one of many aspects of the film designed to bridge the gap between " RotS " and the original trilogy . Intended to be reminiscent of both TIE Fighters and Vader ' s TIE Advanced x1 from " " , the designers of the fighter included the segmented cockpit window of the original TIE Fighter as well as the bent wing formation and targeting systems seen on Vader ' s personal starfighter in " ANH " . The prototype Eta - 2 model that Anakin Skywalker pilots in the " " arc is based on actual concept art of the Eta - 2 designed for " Episode III : Revenge of the Sith " ; this artwork can be viewed in the 2005 book " " . There is some discrepancy about when the Eta - 2s were introduced . In the 2005 series " " , Anakin is first shown piloting his interceptor , immediately after his knighthood ceremony in Chapter 21 . On the other hand , a later source , " " , shows the first prototype of the Eta - 2 when Anakin is already well into his knighthood and has Ahsoka as his Padawan . In " Labyrinth of Evil " , Anakin ' s and Obi - Wan ' s Eta - 2 interceptors are described as being equipped with missile launchers . This discrepancy with official technical specifications has not yet been explained , but is partially answered with a source listed below . The Hasbro - brand Jedi Starfighter action vehicles feature launching missiles , and in the Star Wars PocketModels Trading Card Game , a game piece depicting Obi - Wan Kenobi ' s Jedi Interceptor is indicated as carrying proton torpedoes . Eta - 2s in " " also include missile launchers ; this is attributable to game mechanics , as the standard vessel is not equipped with them . " Starships of the Galaxy " explains that some few Eta - 2s were equipped with up to four concussion missiles . This was a rare modification that usually required removal of the ion cannons and was only carried out for special missions . Moreover , inconsistencies regarding the actual placement of the laser cannons have arisen in certain sources ; in " " and " Darth Vader and the Lost Command 2 " , the laser cannons are shown to occupy what should be the ion cannon positions . In the former source , missile launchers are shown to be placed between the forward tines , reinforcing " Labyrinth of Evil " ' s statement . However , both cases could be defined as game mechanics and special modifications respectively .