Delta - 7 Aethersprite - class light interceptor / Legends The Delta - 7 " Aethersprite " - class light interceptor , more commonly known as the Delta - 7 " Aethersprite " light interceptor or Jedi starfighter due to its extensive use by Jedi , was an interceptor commissioned just before the outbreak of the Clone Wars in 22 BBY . The starfighter was considered highly advanced at the time of its creation and carried sophisticated equipment , but it was expensive to produce . The ship was armed with two twin laser cannons ( later models modified by Jedi Master Saesee Tiin would contain four quad - pulse laser cannons hidden behind breakaway panels , in addition to its usual complement of two twin laser cannons ) , and an advanced communication and sensor array kept the pilot of the ship well - prepared in firefights as well as peacetime . The Delta - 7 fighter was fairly prominent in the Clone Wars , mainly due to its use by Jedi . One of the most famous encounters and tests of the Delta - 7 was the tracking of bounty hunter Jango Fett by Jedi Knight Obi - Wan Kenobi through the asteroid fields of Geonosis . Characteristics . Due to their visual similarities , the Delta - 7 appeared to be an evolutionary descendant from the ancient " Aurek " - class starfighter : it was a small , sleek interceptor used by the Jedi Knights for reconnaissance missions . However , the starfighter was fitted with two twin - barrel laser cannons allowing the pilot to fight when necessary . As part of the Republic ' s Judicial Department , the starfighters owned by the Jedi Order were colored in the red and white hues that represented the diplomatic immunity that the Jedi enjoyed , similar to Republic Cruisers . However , some would be painted in other colors as the Clone Wars progressed . It was designed by engineer Walex Blissex , who would later design the Alpha - 3 " Nimbus " - class V - wing starfighter and work on the Rebel Alliance ' s RZ - 1 A - wing interceptor with Jan Dodonna . Due to limitations in technology at the time of its creation , the starfighter ' s size did not allow for a built - in hyperdrive , and instead had to rely on other spacecraft or an external hyperdrive docking ring for faster - than - light travel . ( However , at the time of its creation , there were also some prototype Delta - 7 " Aethersprite " s constructed that had experimental hyperdrive engines built - in . In addition to this , the standard factory - model " Aethersprite " could be modified and / or tweaked to have a built - in hyperdrive engine ) . The " Aethersprite " also had very powerful sublight engines , driving it to a maximum acceleration of 5 , 000 G . The very first models of " Aethersprite " would not allow for a full - size astromech droid navigator , as next - generation starfighters , such as the T - 65 X - wing , would commonly use ( most likely due to the fact that , because of the " Aethersprite " ' s design and its hull ' s thinness , a full - size astromech socket wouldn ' t fit ) . Instead , the astromech droids were integrated directly into the starfighter , with only the truncated droid ' s head visible . At least two models of these droids were used , the R3 - D series , which was used primarily for targeting ( needed because the starfighter was so fast that most pilots would not be able to fire correctly and / or accurately ) , and the R4 - P series , which was used more for navigation than targeting . Later though , a newer model of " Aethersprite " , the Delta - 7B , would allow for a factory - model astromech - droid navigator . History . Pre - Clone Wars . The Delta - series predated the Jedi ' s use of the Delta - 7 , which began testing at around 27 BBY , and came into service shortly before the Clone Wars . The Delta - 6 Sprite - class starfighter was used around the time of the Invasion of Naboo , and the Delta - 12 " Skysprite " was released on the civilian market following the launch of the " Outbound Flight " project ; it would seem that this starfighter was also tested by the Jedi as Obi - Wan Kenobi flew one himself just before the launch . Saesee Tiin , not pleased with the vessel ' s already impressive performance , modified a pair of the starfighters to better suit his needs . He managed to increase the starfighter ' s weaponry by adding four quad - pulse laser cannons to its usual complement of two dual cannons , which were fitted behind breakaway panels until the pilot chose to enter " fight mode " ; this was only done when it was deemed absolutely necessary . In addition to these weapons , Tiin also managed to fit a small Class 3 hyperdrive of his own making , negating the need for a hyperdrive ring unless time was of the essence . He also replaced the regular pilot seat with a more comfortable meditation chair , allowing for a Jedi to enter into their meditations much more easily during long hyperspace journeys . Jedi Master Adi Gallia flight - tested one of these Delta - 7 prototypes when faced with Captain Cavik Toth and his Trihexalon fleet , taking it to the Karthakk system shortly before the Battle of Geonosis . It was here that she also learned to use several Force powers in conjunction with the starfighter , both offensive and defensive . The resounding success of this mission meant that many of the existing Delta - 7s were modified to Tiin ' s specifications . Obi - Wan flew the other of these prototypes on his mission to Albecus , also shortly before the Battle of Geonosis , and was attacked by Jango Fett in his " Slave I " en route . He managed to fight him off thanks to the hidden weaponry and continued on his journey ; it seems that the next time Kenobi faced Fett , he was in a regular Delta - 7 . It is possible that the result would have been very different if he had been in the same prototype . Stationed in the hangar bays of the Jedi Temple on Coruscant and other facilities , " Aethersprite " s were assigned to all field Jedi . General - use starfighters were colored in turquoise , and starfighters coded for use by specific Jedi were colored red . Other hues emerged due to individual customization during the Clone Wars . Anakin Skywalker extensively modified " Azure Angel , " adding large turbine engines , an internal hyperdrive , and a paint scheme reminiscent of that used on his podracer on Tatooine . Some Delta - 7s even included a bomb chute in the rear or a forward seismic charge launcher , although these were rare . The Clone Wars . More extensive deviations from the standard Delta - 7 also existed , and unlike Anakin ' s personal craft they were available in limited numbers from Kuat Systems Engineering . Jedi wishing to avoid clashes with enemy forces sometimes used a high - speed variant . This version of the fighter featured greatly enhanced acceleration as well as an increase in maximum velocity from 1 , 150 kilometers per hour to 1 , 260 kilometers per hour . On the opposite end of the spectrum , Jedi expecting to engage in heavy dog - fights would often employ the Delta - 7s high - maneuver variant . Modified using advice collected from various Jedi pilots ( including Anakin Skywalker and Plo Koon ) , the high - maneuver version of the ship was known to aggravate droid starfighters during combat . As Delta - 7s were lost in battle , they were replaced by Delta - 7Bs . The main modification of the 7B series was that the droid socket was centered . This allowed unmodified , detachable astromechs ( R2 series and higher ) to be used . This move was popular amongst most Jedi , and the trait was carried on to the Eta - 2s . Plo Koon also flew a Delta - 7B . Towards the end of the Clone Wars , manufacturer Kuat Drive Yards developed a more refined starfighter — the Eta - 2 " Actis " - class interceptor — based on experience gained from the Delta - 7 " Aethersprite " . These fighters were used in large numbers during the Clone Wars , including the Battle of Coruscant . A number of Delta - 7 starfighters remained in use by the Jedi after the introduction of the Eta - 2 , including Plo Koon ' s personal starfighter , as he preferred the Delta - 7 to the point that he continued to use it until his death at Cato Neimoidia . Several years after the Clone Wars ended , Kuat sold the entire Delta line to Sienar Fleet Systems . Afterwards , the Delta - 7 would be phased out . Galactic Civil War . Wedge Antilles would later retrieve an abandoned Delta - 7 after his X - Wing crash - landed on Geonosis sometime after the Battle of Hoth in the Second Battle of Geonosis during the Galactic Civil War . As he needed a way to escape the planet after being attacked by a Republic gunship , the exterior was relatively undamaged , and his R5 unit repowered it . Afterwards , he utilized its Void - 7 seismic charge s to destroy two Storm Commando - owned Imperial Escort Carriers , and also eliminating several squadrons of TIE / sa bombers , TIE / IN interceptors , and TIE / LN starfighters before promptly retreating alongside the Rebels via a hyperspace ring . It was later stored in a starfighter hangar . The design of the Delta - 7 later evolved into the R - 22 Spearhead and the RZ - 1 A - wing interceptor of the Galactic Civil War . Behind the scenes . Delta - 7 " Aethersprite " - class light interceptors first appeared in 2002 with the release of and its tie - ins . The starfighter was originally conceived as a " Stormtrooper Fighter " , which would have linked both the Prequel and Original trilogies together . Jedi starfighters appear in the 2002 video game " " . They are the Galactic Republic special units and are produced at Fortresses . In Obi - Wan ' s starfighter ' s in - cockpit display screen displays information using the Star Wars ' 76 script , not Aurebesh .