At the time of the pivotal Battle of Endor, the A-Wing was the fastest starfighter in space. It was designed by General Jan Dodonna and engineer Walex Blissex. They wanted a ship capable of very high speeds in order to outrun the Imperial Navy, and they succeeded.
The wedge-shaped fighter is still considered the New Republic’s main interceptor fighter, and its pilots are highly thought of. This is because A-Pilots have to be very skilled and must have quick reflexes. They push the fighter to its very limits every time they fly, and this means that its engines, weapons, and hull have to be constantly maintained. The ship itself is very small at 9.6 metres long. This means that all its systems are crammed in, with no space wasted. Unfortunately this has the side effect of rendering the A-Wing’s hull and systems non-durable, making even a light hit capable of knocking out vital components, or even killing the pilot who is virtually totally exposed in the cockpit.
The A-Wing’s weapons consist of two blaster cannons mounted on either side. These pivot and can move through sixty degrees up or down. The pivotal cannons are necessary, as the A-Wing will rarely engage enemy craft like an X-Wing would. The cannons are powered by their own generators. If need be, two concussion missile launchers can be placed on the fighter. These missiles have limited range, and are not as powerful as other warheads; they are, however, far more powerful than blaster cannons.
A sensor jamming array is located just in front of the cockpit. This array is quite different from others of its kind. It is really effective only against starfighters, where it jams their communications and readings; this means that they cannot call for help, while the A-Wings cut them apart.
The amazing speed of the little fighter comes from its twin Novaldex J-77 ‘Event Horizon’ engines. These are state-of-the-art engines, and also have their own adjustable thrust-vector controls which give the them an even better output. This speed is matched with great manoeuvrability, which is provided by centred thrust-control jets. At the back on either side of the ship are placed the adjustable stabiliser wings. These are used mainly for atmospheric flight but, because they are connected to the thrust-vector controls on the engines, they can also be adjusted during space flight.
Originally designed for defensive purposes, Rebel technicians realised that its real strength lay in ‘hit-and-fade’ operations. These involved the A-Wings jumping into an enemy system, attack Imperial vessels or platforms, and jump out again before enemy defences could be scrambled. Special moves were planned out for the wedge-shaped ships, the most famous of which was called the ‘A-Wing slash’. The had X-Wings and other slower fighters running interference with TIEs, while the A-Wings swooped in and sliced them up. This was an absolutely devastating tactic, and was very successful.
When the history of the Alliance is written, one A-Wing pilot will surely get a special mention. Arvel Crynyd flew at the Battle of Endor, and when is ship was damaged, flew straight in to the bridge of the Executor. This meant that the Super Star Destroyer lost control, and was pulled in by the second Death Star beneath it. Arvel single-handedly destroyed the Executor, giving up his life in the process.