Difference between revisions of "Imperial Fighter Pilot"

Revision as of 12:01, 6 February 2011

LT Strong, an Imperial "Ace".

"The Galactic Empire's greatest strength is no doubt its ready supply of talented and ruthless pilots whom serve the Empire with indefatigable loyalty, battling terrorists, warmongers, pirates and others whom threaten Galactic peace and prosperity. Being an Imperial fighter pilot means dedicating your life to that cause, to the Imperial Navy and to your brothers in arms. It is imperative for a fighter pilot to be clear of this, of his principles, his will to serve, and if needs beckon; to die in protecting the Empire and all it stands for. One could go as far to say only when you have truly embraced that into your body and soul are you ready to be an Imperial Fighter Pilot."

— LTJG Feldure

Overview

The Imperial Fighter Pilot is an Imperial Navy aviator specialising in space combat whilst piloting a starfighter; Commonly the TIE/in or TIE/Ln. Fighter pilots undergo specialised training in dogfighting on top of the other standard starfighter procedures. Not all fighter pilots experience combat, but one who attains the mark of five or more aerial "kills" is commonly known as an "ace".

Fighter Pilots are one of the most highly-regarded positions in the Imperial Navy. Comprising of the elite out of all the potential candidates. The pilot will be an individual who possess an exceptional academic record, physical fitness, healthy well-being, a strong mental drive. and exhibit reputable leadership and teamwork abilities since virtually all fighter pilots are also officers.

To an Imperial Fighter Pilot the success of a mission is viewed as something that eclipses personal safety. They are fiercely loyal and willing to die for the Empire. Their primary missions are often to attack Rebel and pirate ships, defend space stations, convoys, and planetary garrisons.

"Fighting those Imp Pilots is like facing hell itself."

— Rebel Pilot

Combat

The role of the Imperial Fighter Pilot is an art, where other pilots leave off the fighter pilot starts. The fighter pilot must have a mind that can be acutely aware, calculate and act with ruthless accuracy within a split second.

"Fighting itself is chaotic. Even with modern technologies such as electronic signals and comlinks, many battles are very hard to orchestrate on the spot. Careful planning, advanced training, and inspired thinking however, can lead to greater, quicker victory. War is an art of patience, crafting, and shrewd thought. To win, to be victorious, you must be able to plan and think ahead of your enemy. Even more so than a game of dejarik, a victorious leader must think differently, and view the galaxy as a myraid of lines and rows, and then see the patterns within them. One must craft one's armies to victory. One must plan one's campaign to victory. But most importantly of all, one must orchestrate one's campaign to play a beautiful melody of victory. When it comes down to the moment, anything is possible. As shown countless times in history, single events and single warriors can change the course of wars. However, viewing this statistically, the chance of this single event is very slim, but that is why we are here, to expand that chance and your belief in it."

— Imperial Navy Starfighter Instructor

Imperial Pilots are trained to know that the easiest way to shoot down an enemy fighter or other type of craft is to manoeuvre their vessel into a position directly behind the rear end of their target, engaging it with their primary weapons, either lasers, ion cannons or disposable ordinance. However, as the enemy starfighter in question will likely be engaging in maneuvering of its own, this is not always possible. Deflection shooting, which is in essence leading fire at an angle into a target as it turns in front of a ship's weapons, presenting one's opponent with a wall of destructive fire through which to fly, is an essential skill within the arsenal of veteran fighter pilots.

An advanced knowledge and well rehearsed ability in a multitude of areas are essential to the Imperial Fighter Pilot. Abilities will include; Situational awareness, Detection and Identification, Formation flying, Combat Space Patrol, Capital ship support, Escort duty, Battle strategy, Tactics and special Manoeuvres. *Further details are Classified*

Wingmen

A vital element to any fighter pilot is his Wingman. The idea behind the wingman is to add the element of mutual support to combat. A wingman makes the flight both offensively and defensively more capable by increasing fire power, situational awareness, attacking an enemy threatening a comrade, and most importantly the ability to employ more dynamic tactics. Starfighters often operate best in paired units; each member of the flight element alternating positions as leader and wingman as the situation dictates. The leader of an element will engage the enemy target while the wingman serves as a backup; this is the base foundation of any fighter unit. Bound together in element pairs within flights and squadrons, starfighter pilots soon learn that it is essential to memorise the habits and to earn the trust of the being assigned to be one's wingmate. Often in starfighter engagements the difference between survival and death at the hands of an opponent is one's wingmate, since they serve as a pilot's backup and extra pair of eyes; the two craft of a flight element constantly rely on each other to ensure that they come out of the fight alive and intact, one warning of impending danger to the other and lending mutual support. Within the Imperial Navy, the supporting pilot is often referred to as one's "panelman"; this is due to the characteristic solar panels on the TIE starfighter.

Standard Imperial Pilot Helmet

Equipment

Standard Imperial Fighter Pilot equipment includes black flight suit, similar to that worn by by most Naval crewmembers, a black helmet, and a life support chest piece with breather tubes to provide necessary gases. The flight mask design is reminiscent of the Stormtrooper armour, with a few notable distinctions. The shell is bulkier, due to reinforced padding and internal pilot-to-ship communications equipment. When coupled with its counterpart suit it provides the wearer with safety from the vacuum of space and enough oxygen, in the TIE which holds no life-support system, for up to 48 hours without resupply. The helmet is fully enclosed, and is full of features such as a comlink, filter, and imaging lenses that give the mask a unique look. Breather tubes extend from the helmet to the front of the chest plate, where controls for the suit's portable life support system are located. The actual supply of oxygen is built into the rectangular back plate of the armour. Due to its intricate design and increased resistance to damage, the mask costs over five times as much to produce as its suit counterpart.

Article Credits

Article compiled by Lasidious von Feldure

See Also

• Starfighter Combat
• TIE Series
• Imperial Navy