Nssis - class Clawcraft The " Nssis " - class Clawcraft was a starfighter typically associated with the Chiss , but in fact was a hybrid development of standard Imperial technology . Characteristics . The fuselage was based on the ubiquitous " ball cockpit " of the TIE Series of Imperial starfighters , with a Sienar ion drive pod mounted on the rear , but stemming from the junction of cockpit and drive pod were two pairs of curving wings which thrust out like an X - wing ' s strike - foils , and then extended forward in a claw - like grip around the cockpit . At the tip of each wing was a Sienar L - s7 . 2 laser cannon . With modest deflector shields and thicker hull armor , Clawcraft were slower at sublight speeds than their TIE / LN starfighter progenitors , although the ion engines allowed the ship to achieve an atmospheric speed of 1 , 000 kilometers per hour , and a respectable sublight acceleration of almost forty thousand meters per second squared . Clawcraft made up for their lower sublight speed by greater maneuverability . Each curved wing could make minor position adjustments and was paired with a mounted control jet to allow a Clawcraft ' s pilot to throw the ship into sharp turns and complex maneuvers . A unique hyperspace beacon system allowed a Clawcraft to make lightspeed jumps without an on - board navigation computer , enabling it to function as a long - range craft while significantly reducing the weight , size and complexity of non - combat equipment carried . But the starfighter ' s dependence on navigational data transmitted from a nexus of anchor points also restricted the area in which most Clawcraft could operate . For long - range deployment , ships of this class typically had to travel with specialist beacon ship s , until about 28 ABY , when new variants began to enter service that featured on - board navicomps for the first time , as well as warhead launchers . History . Clawcraft fighters had been produced for some time before the Empire under the reign of Galactic Emperor Palpatine began sharing technology with the Chiss Ascendancy , an action initiated by the Chiss Imperial Thrawn . Models of Clawcraft began incorporating TIE design cues as part of the joint venture . By 19 ABY , pilots from the Household Phalanx were using long - range scout vessel s combining TIE cockpits and drives with alien technology in a manner similar to these Chiss - Imperial Clawcraft . The " Nssis " - class was revealed to the wider galaxy in 26 ABY , when three squadrons of Chiss pilots from the Household Phalanx fought at Garqi and Ithor where they were commanded by Commander Jagged Fel . A part of this force continued to fight alongside Rogue Squadron until at least the battle of Kalarba , and after the fall of Coruscant . The Chiss force returned to their home territory until Commander Jagged Fel convinced Baron Fel to allow him to take a scout force to further determine the danger posed by the Yuuzhan Vong . This led to Commander Fel and Shawnkyr Nuruodo to deploy in a a wing - pair of Household Phalanx Clawcraft where they participated in operations in the Hapes Cluster . Commander Fel ' s group were later joined by several squadrons of combat pilots that formed Vanguard Squadron at the time . The two Clawcraft also fought alongside the Galactic Federation of Free Alliances with Twin Suns Squadron until the end of the war . A few " Nssis " - class ships were seen in Chiss space in 29 ABY , by which time political developments in the Unknown Regions had led to Baron Fel becoming Assistant Syndic of the CEDF ; but it was not until the clashes with the Killik Colony in 36 ABY and 38 ABY that the familiar Clawcraft categorically appeared in large numbers in CEDF forces .