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Description

The destruction of the first Death Star was a disaster for the entire Imperial military establishment. Anger from the Throne itself struck fear into the hearts of Moffs, generals and admirals alike. A wave of purges shook the Imperial top brass, creating power vacuums throughout the Imperial military’s officer corps. With this crisis came opportunity, and those who survived the Emperor’s wrath scrambled to find a solution that would prevent another Yavin IV.
A variety of approaches were considered. While most efforts were focused on the construction of more superweapons and increased production of existing equipment, as per the Tarkin Doctrine, some addressed the disparity in quality between Rebel and Imperial snub fighters. It was the Incom T-65 X-wing which destroyed the Death Star, and clearly the Sienar Fleet Systems TIE/ln fighter was not sufficient to stop it. An “answer” to the X-wing was sought, mostly by Sienar itself, which proposed a variety of designs such as the TIE Hunter and TIE Interceptor. However, Kuat Drive Yards, the primary manufacturer of Imperial capital ships, also submitted designs of its own.
Knowing it was at a political disadvantage to Sienar, Kuat opted for a cheap option which answered the call to the letter: it would copy the T-65, with some modifications to fit differences in manufacturing capability and Imperial doctrine. The T-65 itself was originally designed for the Imperial Navy, so there was a chance that the Navy would like the idea of “taking back” the X-wing. The legal hurdles were taken care of with relative ease: the Incom Corporation had already been Imperialized, and the Imperial brass distrusted Incom because of their known Rebel sympathies. Thus, the T-65 was Imperial property, and free for the Empire to grant to any other corporation. Further, the designers of the T-65 all defected to the Rebellion, and Imperial law does not recognize the purported rights of terrorists.
Kuat acquired copies of the T-65 schematics that were originally submitted to the Imperial Navy for approval. Modifications were made to better fit the Imperial Navy post-Yavin IV, and to make the design more palatable to the political considerations of the time. Otherwise, the design was a direct copy of the Incom T-65. This design was designated as the RX-1 starfighter, although it retained the X-wing nickname.
First was the removal of the astromech slot. Although favored by Clone Wars-era designs, the use of astromechs in mass-produced, military spacecraft was not favored in the age of the New Order. Pilots had a tendency to become attached to individual astromechs, and pairing astromechs to pilots when both were expendable would create another layer of logistical difficulty. Further, with the removal of the hyperdrive, astromechs were no longer strictly needed. A droid brain configured for targeting was built into the ship, with much of the space for the astromech used to house the larger reactor.
The second change is heavier cannons. Kuat knew that the Moffs would be more likely to accept the design if it had more firepower with which to destroy Rebel scum. To this end, the Taim and Bak KX9 laser cannon was replaced with a slightly modified MS-1 heavy blaster cannon, originally built for use in Kuat’s own AT-ATs. This allowed Kuat’s X-wing to outgun its Rebel counterpart in any engagement, meaning more Rebel casualties in any equitable engagement.
The third change is the removal of the hyperdrive. Post-Yavin IV and the uptick in Rebel activity at the time, the Imperial military was concerned about pilots defecting with their ships. To prevent this, the hyperdrive were removed, and the RX1 X-wings must be carried into battle. This also developed synergy with Kuat’s carrier designs, which Kuat wanted the Navy to adopt at the time. This is a trade off that partially defeats the purpose of having an X-wing to begin with; part of the advantage of the X-wing is its ability to deploy rapidly without the need for a carrier. However, Imperial doctrine demanded it.
The fourth change is a heavier reactor. Even in the absence of a hyperdrive, the more powerful blaster cannons required a heavier reactor. Although this reactor consumed more fuel than its counterpart on the T-65, the RX-1 was not designed to operate far from Imperial military installations or carrier vessels.
The RX-1 was not adopted. Tarkin may have been killed by an X-wing, but his doctrine killed the RX-1. The construction of heavier, high-quality, and more expensive starships were not favored. Instead, the construction of more superweapons and capital ships would make the galaxy submit. Further, Sienar had the political clout to ensure its own designs were favored. Even discounting politics, Sienar already had the facilities to mass produce its proposed fighter, the TIE/in Interceptor, which shared many parts with the TIE/ln. Lastly, the RX-1 suffered from poor optics. Yavin IV made the X-wing an icon of the Rebellion, and it was not politically wise to adopt a design that is associated with the enemy.

Description

The destruction of the first Death Star was a disaster for the entire Imperial military establishment. Anger from the Throne itself struck fear into the hearts of Moffs, generals and admirals alike. A wave of purges shook the Imperial top brass, creating power vacuums throughout the Imperial military’s officer corps. With this crisis came opportunity, and those who survived the Emperor’s wrath scrambled to find a solution that would prevent another Yavin IV.
A variety of approaches were considered. While most efforts were focused on the construction of more superweapons and increased production of existing equipment, as per the Tarkin Doctrine, some addressed the disparity in quality between Rebel and Imperial snub fighters. It was the Incom T-65 X-wing which destroyed the Death Star, and clearly the Sienar Fleet Systems TIE/ln fighter was not sufficient to stop it. An “answer” to the X-wing was sought, mostly by Sienar itself, which proposed a variety of designs such as the TIE Hunter and TIE Interceptor. However, Kuat Drive Yards, the primary manufacturer of Imperial capital ships, also submitted designs of its own.
Knowing it was at a political disadvantage to Sienar, Kuat opted for a cheap option which answered the call to the letter: it would copy the T-65, with some modifications to fit differences in manufacturing capability and Imperial doctrine. The T-65 itself was originally designed for the Imperial Navy, so there was a chance that the Navy would like the idea of “taking back” the X-wing. The legal hurdles were taken care of with relative ease: the Incom Corporation had already been Imperialized, and the Imperial brass distrusted Incom because of their known Rebel sympathies. Thus, the T-65 was Imperial property, and free for the Empire to grant to any other corporation. Further, the designers of the T-65 all defected to the Rebellion, and Imperial law does not recognize the purported rights of terrorists.
Kuat acquired copies of the T-65 schematics that were originally submitted to the Imperial Navy for approval. Modifications were made to better fit the Imperial Navy post-Yavin IV, and to make the design more palatable to the political considerations of the time. Otherwise, the design was a direct copy of the Incom T-65. This design was designated as the RX-1 starfighter, although it retained the X-wing nickname.
First was the removal of the astromech slot. Although favored by Clone Wars-era designs, the use of astromechs in mass-produced, military spacecraft was not favored in the age of the New Order. Pilots had a tendency to become attached to individual astromechs, and pairing astromechs to pilots when both were expendable would create another layer of logistical difficulty. Further, with the removal of the hyperdrive, astromechs were no longer strictly needed. A droid brain configured for targeting was built into the ship, with much of the space for the astromech used to house the larger reactor.
The second change is heavier cannons. Kuat knew that the Moffs would be more likely to accept the design if it had more firepower with which to destroy Rebel scum. To this end, the Taim and Bak KX9 laser cannon was replaced with a slightly modified MS-1 heavy blaster cannon, originally built for use in Kuat’s own AT-ATs. This allowed Kuat’s X-wing to outgun its Rebel counterpart in any engagement, meaning more Rebel casualties in any equitable engagement.
The third change is the removal of the hyperdrive. Post-Yavin IV and the uptick in Rebel activity at the time, the Imperial military was concerned about pilots defecting with their ships. To prevent this, the hyperdrive were removed, and the RX1 X-wings must be carried into battle. This also developed synergy with Kuat’s carrier designs, which Kuat wanted the Navy to adopt at the time. This is a trade off that partially defeats the purpose of having an X-wing to begin with; part of the advantage of the X-wing is its ability to deploy rapidly without the need for a carrier. However, Imperial doctrine demanded it.
The fourth change is a heavier reactor. Even in the absence of a hyperdrive, the more powerful blaster cannons required a heavier reactor. Although this reactor consumed more fuel than its counterpart on the T-65, the RX-1 was not designed to operate far from Imperial military installations or carrier vessels.
The RX-1 was not adopted. Tarkin may have been killed by an X-wing, but his doctrine killed the RX-1. The construction of heavier, high-quality, and more expensive starships were not favored. Instead, the construction of more superweapons and capital ships would make the galaxy submit. Further, Sienar had the political clout to ensure its own designs were favored. Even discounting politics, Sienar already had the facilities to mass produce its proposed fighter, the TIE/in Interceptor, which shared many parts with the TIE/ln. Lastly, the RX-1 suffered from poor optics. Yavin IV made the X-wing an icon of the Rebellion, and it was not politically wise to adopt a design that is associated with the enemy.