To answer the question right away, Tie stands for "twin ion engines." The large, fan-shaped "wings" on the Empire's light attack craft in the original "Star Wars" were, in fact, the vehicles' engines.
TIE fighters have two hexagonal wings fitted with solar panels which power a twin ion engine (TIE) system that accelerates ionized gases at a substantial fraction of lightspeed along almost any vector, affording the ships tremendous speed and maneuverability albeit with limited fuel reserves.
Though the term "TIE Fighter" was coined because George Lucas thought they looked like bow ties, the ion engine is a real-life type of spacecraft propulsion, and publicity surrounding the launch of the SMART-1 spacecraft, particularly the shuttle Smart-1, likened its ion thruster to the propulsion systems of a TIE ...
For other uses, see TIE fighter. The TIE/ln space superiority starfighter, also known as the TIE/LN starfighter or TIE/ln starfighter and commonly called the TIE fighter or simply the TIE/ln, was the signature starfighter of the Galactic Empire and de facto symbol of its space superiority.
When a TIE Fighter passes by, its engines emit a high-pitched, whining noise that rises and falls as the ship approaches and then moves away. This effect creates a sense of speed and agility, adding to the perception of the TIE Fighter's maneuverability.
What's the difference between a tie fighter and an interceptor?
TIE interceptors were developed to provide the Empire with a faster fighter than the original TIE model, and one that could easily overwhelm enemy craft.
What is the difference between a tie fighter and a bomber?
The bomber was much more heavily built up than the "fighter" series of TIEs; it carried more sophisticated sensors to penetrate capital ship jamming and SFS P-s4 twin ion engines powered by a SFS I-a2b solar ionization reactor to allow a full payload to be carried at a reasonable speed.
Among the pilots, they were known as "vac-heads" and "ground-hogs," in reference to their roles in the Navy and Army, respectively, due to a significant rivalry between the two factions.
As shown in the story mode of Star Wars Squadrons, TIE fighter pilots were expected to be the best so they did not have to rely on shields. In fact, just being a pilot was considered an honor. Potential pilots underwent rigorous training at Imperial flight training academies just to step inside a TIE fighter.
The type of gas used to create the laser dictated the beams' color and qualities. The most common color was red because of its cheaper tibanna gas from Bespin. Green beams were produced from a higher-quality gas, thus costing more.
The TIE fighter was designed as a kind of infantry ship, with priority being placed on a design that was fast and inexpensive. As a result, they only come equipped with Twin Ion Engines (hence, TIE fighter). Ion Engines are only capable of sublight travel and cannot enter hyperspace.
Vil Dance and numerous other pilots considered Barvel to be one of the best, if not the best, TIE pilots in the Imperial Navy. He was able to shoot down over sixty enemy ships in the Clone Wars, earning him the rank of ace twelve times over.
The TIE Advanced x1 featured a greater speed than the TIE/LN. It was armed with heavy twin blaster cannons on fixed mounts, and was also capable of carrying secondary weapons such as cluster missiles.
What is the difference between a tie defender and a TIE Fighter?
The TIE defender is an experimental fighter of the TIE series, armed with heavy cannons and shields, and is equipped with a hyperdrive. A major weapon for the Empire, the TIE defender proves much more difficult to destroy than standard TIE fighters.
The prototype starfighter used by Darth Vader at the Battle of Yavin and the basis for the frighteningly efficient TIE Interceptor, the TIE Advanced X1 is easily recognizable due to its distinctive bent wings.
These wings, like the fins of the TIE fighter, contain plates with ridges oriented in different directions for thrust and maneuvering, while the length of the wings amplifies the torque needed to rapidly turn the ship.
A two-seat strike fighter used by the First Order's elite Special Forces pilots, the TIE/sf boasted weapons far more powerful than a standard TIE, combining laser cannons with a heavy weapons turret and a mag-pulse warhead launcher, giving the fighter a 360-degree field of fire and the ability to deliver special ...
The first Death Star's hangars contain assault shuttles, blastboats, Strike cruisers, land vehicles, support ships, and 7,293 TIE fighters. It is also protected by 10,000 turbolaser batteries, 2,600 ion cannons, and at least 768 tractor beam projectors.
