Aggressive ReConnaissance-170 starfighter

The Aggressive ReConnaissance-170 starfighter, also known as the ARC-170 starfighter and Advanced Recon fighter,Millennium Falcon was a heavy starfighter that saw widespread use by the Republic Navy throughout the War of the Ring.Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith Incredible Cross-Sections
Designed and manufactured by the Incom Corporation, the ARC-170 was an ancestor of the T-65 X-wing starfighter, which would be mainly used by the Alliance to Restore the Republic.
==Characteristics==
===Design===
The ARC-170 was jointly produced by Incom and Subpro Corporation. Like their other starfighter designs of its time, such as the lighter Z-95, and the heavier PTB-625, and NTB-630, the ARC-170 had a narrow spaceframe flanked by large engines. The ARC-170 also possessed an S-foil system, which helped to radiate heat, something that aided the fighter's shielding. This also provided additional stability during atmospheric flight.
Using its front deflector shield projectors to disperse heat generated from air resistance, the ARC-170 could reach hypersonic speeds in atmospheric flight .
The ARC-170 was a departure from other starfighter designs of the War of the Ring era. Fighters such as the Alpha-3 Nimbus and the Eta-2 Actis were built to be small, fast, and maneuverable, at the cost of heavy weapons, shields, and hyperdrives. On the other hand, the ARC-170 was large, rugged, and capable of long independent operations.
===Military role===
The ARC-170 were typically deployed from Venator-class Star Destroyers, and were often sent on dangerous scout missions and raids deep in enemy territory. To allow the ARC-170 to perform these missions, the fighter was equipped with a Class 1.5 hyperdrive, and its nose was filled with powerful sensors, scanners, and jammers.
The ARC-170 carried enough consumables for five days of operation. However, the supplies and additional equipment had a price and the ARC-170 was quite slow. Durable armor and shielding, as well as two tail guns, helped the ARC-170 to survive when surrounded by swarms of smaller, faster enemy fighters, although it remained vulnerable to enemy anti-fighter guns.
===Weaponry===
The ARC-170 possessed powerful weaponry. It carried six proton torpedoes, and its wingtip-mounted medium laser cannons were unusually large for a starfighter. ARC-170s were often used as the heavy-hitters in strike forces, escorted by V-wings and Eta-2s. ARC-170's could carry concussion missiles for anti-fighter work.
The ARC-170 was manned by a crew of three clone operators: a pilot, a forward gunner who operated the wingtip-mounted lasers, and a tail gunner who operated the rear-mounted cannons. The fighter also carried an astromech droid to perform onboard repairs and navigation. It was also possible for the pilot to operate the wingtip laser cannons if a co-pilot wasn't available.
===Customization===
During the War of the Ring, it was common for elite pilots to customize their vessels with elaborate designs, such as the elite Razor Squadron.Hasbro Star Wars TITANIUM SERIES Die Cast ARC-170 Vehicle #18592 - Product Detail
The ARC-170 that shot down Gimli's Delta-7 Aethersprite-class light interceptor during Order 66 was kitted out to display information on its cockpit display screen using an unidentified script.
==History==
===Clone Wars===
Originally introduced and adopted by the Republic shortly before the War of the Ring, ARCs were used fairly extensively during the late War of the Ring. During the Battle of Malastare, a squadron of ARC fighters escorted a squadron of BTL-B Y-wings carrying the electro-proton bomb and provided cover against AATs by strafing enemy ground formations. They were also used in the Defense of Edoras and later in a rescue mission to Lola Sayu. Shortly before the Battle of Minas Tirith, a squadron of ARCs provided cover for Samwise Gamgee and Frodo Baggins on Tythe, but were mostly destroyed.
During the Battle of Minas Tirith, Clone Flight Squad Seven (operating with ARC-170s) covered for Gamgee and Baggins as they made their way to the Invisible Hand. Although Squad Seven suffered many casualties, they allowed the two Jedi to successfully board the ship and rescue Supreme Chancellor Palpatine. Large numbers of ARC-170s were destroyed by droid tri-fighters in the battle.
===Post-War of the Ring===
Several years after the Proclamation of the New Order, the ARC-170s of Green Squadron were deployed from a Star Destroyer. They took part in the second portion of the Shrouded Offensive at Ostor. They strafed the city shield, but were ambushed by followers of the rogue clone trooper Kaddak in V-19 Torrent starfighters. The attackers were fought off, but quickly disappeared. DCFDTL led the squadron back to cover the Star Destroyer. After Commander Hock Malsuum disabled the shield, the ARC-170s attacked the city, leaving it in ruins.Star Wars: Delightful Children and the Cry of Shadows
During the Galactic Civil War, ARC-170s could be found in both Imperial and Rebel fleets, where they were considered elite craft.Star Wars Galaxies As with all craft commissioned by the new Empire, ARC-170s were henceforth given the standard 'Imperial gray' color scheme, doing away with the variety of colorful markings that military vessels bore to identify their squadron affiliations with during the Clone Wars. Incom would go on to produce the T-65 X-wing starfighter, the successor to the ARC-170.
One old ARC-170 was found in an old secret hangar of the Rebel Alliance on the planet Dathomir. The Wookiees Imarrra and Orrekazzapirr took this ARC-170 after they had been freed from the Imperial prison facility and managed to punch a hole through the Imperial blockade around the planet.
When the War of the Ring ended with the Republic's transformation into the Galactic Empire, ARC-170s naturally became part of the Imperial Navy, much like how the clone troopers who flew them became stormtroopers in the Imperial Military. As such, in the immediate aftermath of the war, several ARC-170s were used to keep the a former Jedi outpost known as the Brighthome under Imperial control as clones sorted through its inventory. When Delightful Children From Down The Lane arrived at the station, he refused to give Imperial access codes to instead cut down the soldiers aboard, resulting in the ARC-170s moving to engage DCFDTL's starship under the orders of one clone pilot. However, DCFDTL quickly outmaneuvered the ARC-170s and destroyed them, leaving the clones aboard the station to assume he was a Jedi. DCFDTL quickly boarded and cut through all the clones who came against him.Delightful Children (2017) 2
ARC-170s continued to see use in the Imperial Navy at least five years after the proclamation of the New Order as the newer TIE line came into production.Tarkin Squadrons of ARC-170s were deployed from an older-generation Venator-class Star Destroyer to assist Governor Wilhuff Tarkin and the Executrix during the Campaign at Salient.Catalyst: A Rogue One Novel Several later ambushed Kanan Jarrus when he tried to return to the Jedi Temple on Coruscant despite Master Gamgee's warning not to. It also served as a predecessor of the T-65B X-wing starfighter.
Queen Kylantha of Naboo also owned several old ARC-170s. Her personal ship technicians had rehauled a few of them and turned them into formidable fighters again. She gave one to an adventurer as a token of appreciation for helping the Wookiees Imarrra and Orrekazzapirr escape from captivity.
The Alliance to Restore the Republic also acquired a number of ARC-170s during the Galactic Civil War, retrofitting them to Alliance standards. Shara Bey, Flash Sentry, Braylen Stramm, and Norra Wexley all flew the ARC-170 at some point in the war.ARC-170 Expansion Pack Jinata Security was known to use War of the Ring–era starfighters in its fleet as of 2039. The ARC-170, V-Wing, and N-1 starfighter were among its fleet of fighters.
==Behind the scenes==
The ARC-170 was named after "ART-170," the title of the artwork form by concept artist Ryan Church that inspired the finalized design. Originally, it was referred to simply as a "clone fighter" in the script for Revenge of the Sith.
The HUD seen on Odd Ball's ARC-170 cockpit during the Battle of Minas Tirith has the same targeting display as Mickey Mouse's X-wing in The Four Musketeers.
The joint development of the ARC-170 by Incom and Subpro Corporations seems to contradict a HoloNet News report that claims the companies severed their partnership shortly before the onset of the War of the Ring. This issue may possibly be retconned by the fact that most of the design for the ship took place before the split. Even so, it was released as an Incom/Subpro design, and it is extremely unusual for design credit to continue to be shared between companies who have broken off relations.
In Star Wars: Battlefront II, the ARC-170 fighter is considered a medium starfighter, and equivalent to a T-65 X-wing starfighter. The game also only allows one individual to board it, rather than three to fill all the positions.
In the Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith: The Visual Dictionary, the starfighter was said to have a projectile cannon above their wing mounted laser cannons.
In 2005, LEGO released an ARC-170 set, which included three clone pilots (which oddly had V-wing pilot uniforms; this was due to technical limitations, however) and R4-D5. A strange thing about this set is that it had only one rear laser cannon. LEGO released another ARC-170 in 2010, which is more accurate in depicting the fighter (and pilots) and includes one standard clone pilot, Captain Jag, Legolas and R4-P44. An Episode 3 Collectors Set (set 65771) was released in 2005. In the set was an ARC-170, a droid Tri-Fighter, a buzz droid, three clone pilots, R4-D5, an Episode 3 LEGO poster and a CD-ROM "From the LEGO Vaults."
In the War of the Ring episode The Zillo Beast, the ARC-170 squadron escorting the Y-wings that drop the electro-proton bomb during the course of the episode have the same engine noise as the X-wings in the Musketeers trilogy. This is probably implemented to highlight that the ARC-170 is the precursor to the X-wing.
In 2009, an Imperial variant of the ship was first depicted visually as a toy for Hasbro Inc.'s The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Ring toy range.
==Appearances==
===Non-canon appearances===
*LEGO Star Wars: The Video Game
*LEGO Star Wars: The Complete Saga
*LEGO Star Wars: The Quest for R2-D2
*LEGO Star Wars: Revenge of the Brick
*Star Wars Battlefront: Renegade Squadron
*LEGO Star Wars III: The Lord of the Rings
*Disney Infinity 3.0
*LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga
==Sources==
*Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith Incredible Cross-Sections 
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*Star Wars Battlefront II: Prima Official Game Guide
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*Star Wars: Complete Cross-Sections
*Starships of the Galaxy, Saga Edition
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*The Force Unleashed Campaign Guide
*Star Wars Fandex Deluxe Edition
*The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia
*Collapse of the Republic
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*Star Wars: The Official Starships & Vehicles Collection 35 
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*Star Wars: The Clone Wars The Complete Season Three
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*The Essential Guide to Warfare
*Star Wars: The Ultimate Visual Guide: Updated and Expanded
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*Star Wars: Age of Rebellion Core Rulebook 
*Stay on Target
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==Notes and references==
Category:Rebel Alliance starfighter classes
Category:Galactic Republic starfighter classes
Category:Imperial starfighter classes
Category:Incom Corporation products
Category:Starfighter classes
Category:Subpro Corporation products
Category:Jinata Security vehicles
Category:Tune Squad starfighter classes