Jedi interceptor
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The Eta-2 Actis Jedi interceptor, is a fictional starfighter from the Star Wars saga. It was created for Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith, based on the Delta-7 Aethersprite Jedi starfighter , from Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones and, in part, the experimental TIE fighter from the classic trilogy.
Following on from the success of the Delta-7 Aethersprite Jedi starfighter, Kuat Drive Yards subsidiary Kuat Systems Engineering designed the Eta-2 Actis Jedi interceptor. Like its predecessor, the Jedi interceptor was forced to either dock with a larger ship or use the external Syluire-45 hyperspace transport ring for faster-than-light travel; however, it had room for a full astromech droid instead of a truncated unit as was fitted into the Delta-7 Aethersprite starfighters. The standard fighter complement of a Venator-class Star Destroyer included 192 Delta-7 or Eta-2 interceptors.
Thanks to its status as a war-time starfighter, the Eta-2 had more firepower at its disposal than the Delta-7—2 twin long-barreled laser cannons and 2 smaller blaster-cannons recessed in the inner-edge of the outer-wing of the starfighter—though the fighter's limited power systems restricted the ability to fire continuously. Raith Sienar's twin ion engine design allowed the Eta-2 to achieve a maximum acceleration of 5,200g. Unlike the Delta-7, the Eta-2 did not have shields.
Some of these interceptors were customized by their pilots. While Obi-Wan Kenobi's red-hued fighter was more in line with the factory standard, Anakin Skywalker's craft was modified by the young Jedi Knight. Both fighters were flown into action during the Battle of Coruscant, though during the conflict, Obi-Wan's astromech—R4-P17—was destroyed by a flight of deadly buzz droids. R4-G9 replaced R4-P17 on Obi-Wan's mission to Utapau. The Eta-2 was also flown into action by Mace Windu and Saesee Tiin during the diversionary surface and aerial battle on Coruscant.
Following the Clone Wars, elements of the Eta-2 Actis design were used in the creation of Sienar Fleet Systems's TIE fighter - most notably the spherical cockpit, vertical radiator panels and twin ion engines (although, the lack of shields, and the only-laser-cannons-as-weapons can also account as part of the features passed on to the TIE Fighters). The Delta line was sold to Sienar some years after the Galactic Republic became the Galactic Empire. During this time, the newly-christened Darth Vader continued to use an all-black Eta-2 while awaiting completion of his custom fighter from Sienar (see TIE Advanced).
The Eta-2 Actis is also a quest reward ship in the MMORPG Star Wars Galaxies, "Jump to Lightspeed" expansion pack, and is rewarded for completing an Imperial-alligned quest.
