XQ Platform series The XQ Platform series were a group of quick construction space installations produced by multiple companies including Bengel Shipbuilders , Telgorn Corporation , and Xizor Transport Systems . Description . The XQ series was armed with six laser cannons , two at the corners of each docking platform . There were also three twin turbolaser turrets , either mounted on the top of each of the hangars , or on the central hub of the space station if that happened to overshadow the hangars . Newer platforms ( XQ3 to XQ6 ) often mounted an additional three turrets , for a total of six , on the underside of the hub as this is a common blind spot in older designs . The central hub of the Platform contained communication antennae and the conning tower or bridge . Occasionally , high - priority platforms , such as the TIE Defender research facility in the Parmel system , had a concussion missile launcher positioned at the tip of its underside . While it was often used to discourage starfighter attacks , its most important role was to intercept incoming warheads before they could harm the station . Attacking fighters often had to use several concussion missiles of their own to overwhelm this anti - warhead defense . The XQ series hangars could accommodate up to three squadrons of starfighters , plus transports , shuttles , and other auxiliary craft . Usage . Most XQ series platforms served as outposts and supply depots for both sides in the Galactic Civil War , such as DS 5 where defecting Imperial Admiral Harkov took refuge . Outpost D - 34 and NL - 1 served as Imperial customs stations , tasked with guarding major hyperspace lanes and bringing order to the sector . Others were research installations , like Admiral Zaarin ' s TIE Defender facility in the Parmel system , and Pondut and RS - 32 which housed magnetic pulse warhead technology used by the Rebellion . Behind the scenes . The XQ Platforms were first introduced in " " , replacing the combinations of freighters and cargo containers used to represent space stations in the preceding " " . The naming nomenclature has changed through the X - wing series ; for instance in " " , the station were referred to as " Platform Class 1 ( PLT / 1 ) " , while the following " " it was called " XQ1 Platform " . " " added further information on the manufacturers of the Platforms . In " " , the concourse is a large circular atrium with a central column ( perhaps containing the turbolifts ) , which could imply that it is an XQ series platform rather than a Star Destroyer . If so , this is the only depicted interior of an XQ platform . The XQ2 appears to be most popular platform . In " " , platforms very similar to the XQ2 ( and to a lesser extent , the XQ5 ) are seen in several cutscenes , such as the introduction ( representing a Rebel outpost ) , Tour of Duty 3 ( the new NL - 1 in the Pakuuni system ) and Tour of Duty 4 ( the test facility for TIE Avengers ) . The cover art of " " likely depicts an XQ2 as well . There are several differences between the XQ2 and the platforms depicted in cutscenes / artwork , however , most notable is their undersides where the XQ2 ' s is flat while the latter is semi - spherical . In " " Tour of Duty 3 , there is an inconsistency between Missions 5 and 6 , the NL - 1 platform changes from a XQ3 to an XQ1 . ( Similarly in Tour of Duty 1 , there is a blooper as " Fogger " is first represented by a Nebulon - B escort frigate and then a Nebulon - B2 frigate , in missions 3 and 4 , respectively . ) Size . There is some discrepancy in the size of the XQ Platform series . In " TIE Fighter " , an XQ station had a diameter of around one third of a kilometer , with each docking arm being appropriate in size for a YT - 1300 light freighter or several X - wing s / Z - 95 Headhunters . At the end of Tour of Duty 3 , an XQ2 platform is shown as much smaller than an Imperial Star Destroyer standing guard alongside . Graphically updated with textures for " " , the XQ models remained the same size . However , with the release of " " , the XQ stations had been rescaled to three times the size , now having a diameter of around a kilometer . Each docking arm was now able to comfortably accommodate several spacecraft as large as a CR90 corvette . The cover art for " " also gives a similar comparison of the XQ Platform ( perhaps an XQ2 ) to X - wing s , TIEs , and a CR90 corvette .