E-wing type A The E-wing starfighter was the first small space superiority combat craft designed and built entirely under the auspices of the New Republic. The fighter was developed by FreiTek, a company formed by the defecting Incom design team that developed the X-wing starfighter. A rugged, advanced combat vessel, the E-wing was introduced during Grand Admiral Thrawn's campaign to retake the Core, though it was not rushed into front-line action until the clone Emperor's scourge a short time later. It was originally produced to help guard New Republic shipping convoys from pirate or Imperial raids. The E-wing is very similar in appearance to the X-wing starfighter. A narrow, pointed spaceframe rests between two aerodynamic foils that not only stabilize the craft, but extend weapons coverage. The streamlined nosecone contains the craft's primary sensor array. Midway through the body is the cockpit. The sturdy foils are locked into place by support struts. The articulated s-foil mechanism of the X-wing fighter was eliminated in the E-wing to reduce costs and machining complexity. The foils also serve as mounts for the powerful drive engines slung below them. The E-wing is capable of incredible speed, nearly achieving the top sublight speeds of an A-wing starfighter. The fighter is very maneuverable despite its heavy armor. The E-wing's Class Two hyperdrive is complimented by a streamlined astromech interface. Industrial Automaton and Frietek together developed the R7 specifically for this fighter. While speedy, the E-wing's true strength lies in its ability to absorb and deliver firepower. Three laser cannons are fire-linked to form an impressive primary weapon. Two of these cannons are foil-mounted, while the third is directly over the cockpit canopy. The E-wings rival the older B-wing starfighters in their ability to damage capital ships and ground-based installations. Initial battle tests showed a problem with the laser cannon assembly. The cannons used synthetically spin-sealed Tibanna gas as a laser source, which tended to break down rapidly, and reduce weapon range. During the fevered pitch of the Battle of Calamari, Republic technicians did not have the time to properly address the problem. Instead, a stopgap solution was found, correcting the range issue by sending three times the power through the cannons' actuators. This modification, designated an E-wing: Type B, increased the weapons range, but also risked a dangerous internal power overload.