TIE / AG Aggressor starfighter The TIE / AG Aggressor starfighter , full name SANTHE / SIENAR Technologies TIE Aggressor , was a multi - role superiority starfighter - strike fighter . Its specific role was a hybrid fighter / bomber . Characteristics . Like most other TIE Series starfighters , the TIE Aggressor sacrificed shields and armor for firepower and maneuverability . It was strong in multipurpose mission profiles , but was more expensive than specialist fighters , like the TIE / IN interceptor or the TIE / sa bomber , and its pilots required more training . As such , it was noted as being a TIE fighter that was a combination of a fighter and a bomber , the craft saw limited use , and never really left the experimental phase . In addition , the fighters also had similar maneuverability to the Y - wing starfighter , which combined with their lack of a shield generator made them fairly easy to ambush by Rebel fighters . This ship had a laser cannon turret on the top - back of the craft used to defend the craft from pursuers . With a good gunner , the rear turret could be very accurate and hard to evade , which made attacks from the rear or above very difficult even with all shield power channeled forward . Many TIE Aggressor pilots were trained to skirt the outer edges of a combat zone , letting their gunner take shots at any enemy fighters that were currently engaging Imperial craft . If any enemy fighters attempted to pursue the Aggressor , the pilot would fly away from the combat zone , exposing the pursuing craft to the rear turret , while the Aggressor ' s wingmate would fall in behind the Rebel fighter . The ship represented a distinct break in typical Imperial Starfighter design philosophy , placing survivability and performance over cost efficiency and ease of maintenance . Like most Imperial fighters , the Aggressor sported a small profile , making it a difficult target to hit . Its maneuverability suffered however , as what limited space was available was needed to provide additional power for the turret . In addition , as the turret needed extra firing space around the sides of the ship to line up shots , the Aggressor had a distinct shortage of ionization and radiation paneling in comparison to most TIE fighters . Because of this shortage of space , the standard TIE cockpit pod used for the Aggressor was lacking its usual chin - mounted weapon hardpoints , instead utilizing external racks for modular forward - facing laser cannons . History . The TIE Aggressor was developed prior to the destruction of the first Death Star as a direct response to a perceived growth in the amount of heavy shipping aligned with the Alliance to Restore the Republic , with its development , alongside that of the TIE / HU Hunter multi - role starfighter , TIE / D Defender , and the TIE / ph phantom , also being overseen at the Imperial Classified Flight Yards by then - Captain Soontir Fel . It also underwent several test runs by specialists affiliated with Sienar at affiliated space stations . Because of its distinctive properties , it was usually a favorite for Imperials who were free spirited and enjoyed longer missions away from base and apart from the large numbers usually associated with Rebel bombardments . It saw use in the Outer Rim to harass Rebel shipping . The TIE Aggressor saw some use with Onyx Squadron , with at least one being dispatched to a mission on a stormy planet . Behind the scenes . The TIE Aggressor was created as an Imperial counterpart to the turret - oriented Y - wing for the " Jump to Lightspeed " expansion for " Star Wars Galaxies " . They were considered one of the more difficult starfighters to defeat in PvE combat due to the rear turret . Though not one of the most popular PVP ships due to its low maneuverability , the TIE Aggressor was one of the most versatile ships in the game . It could be very successfully flown with a single player or when utilized with a gunner . As the fourth smallest ship in Jump to Lightspeed , it was difficult to hit , even though it was relatively sluggish , and at ~ 125k mass , it was able to utilize a dizzying array of diverse ship parts .