The TIE/rb heavy starfighter (simply known as the heavy TIE fighter, TIE Brute, or the Infiltrator) is a variant of the TIE line starfighters that appears in the Star Wars franchise.
As the Galactic Empire expanded into the lawless reaches of the Outer Rim, TIE Fighter Pilots began to routinely encounter vessels operated by pirates, smugglers, and criminal organizations. Because such enemy ships typically carried multiple laser cannons, and were equipped with hyperdrives that enabled swift escapes across space, a contingent of Imperial Navy admirals conscripted Sienar Fleet Systems to develop a new TIE Fighter that would be better equipped to deal with Outer Rim malefactors. Before Sienar designers began work, Navy admiralty were already referring the new TIE Fighter as the Infiltrator.
Despite the TIE/rb's obvious advantages in certain combat scenarios, Imperial authorities, including influential fleet admirals, were wary of producing the fighter in large numbers because they believed it undercut the strategic importance of large support ships. But the TIE/rb also had many proponents, especially among pilots who appreciated the fighter's remarkable durability and firepower.
Specifications[]
Reinforced armor: Taller and wider than a standard TIE, the TIE/rb featured heavier armor and greater firepower. Triple-laminate quadranium-reinforced titanium armor covered the command pod's exterior, and micro-corrugated solar panels provided additional protection to the wing arrays. However, the weight of the TIE/rb's armor and weapons made the fighter substantially slower than its TIE/in counterpart when flying through atmospheres.
Laser canons: An additional pod on the port-side wind spar housed an artillery battery of pivoting self-powered SFS H-s9.3 twin laser cannons, which had nearly twice the destructive capacity of the standard TIE Fighter's L-S1 laser cannons. The artillery pod also placed substantial weight on the port-side wing spar. So, Sienar Fleet Systems utilized equilibrium compensators to adjust the craft's center of gravity toward the cockpit.
Cockpit: The TIE/rv had a pressurized cockpit, which allowed the pilot to operate the fighter without wearing cumbersome helmets and pressure suits. Because tje TIE/rb's size made it a larger target than a standard TIE Fighter, and because SFS designers anticipated that enemy starships might concentrate assaults on the TIE/rb, the viewpoint was made pf extra-thick transparisteel. The pilot's seat was linked to an injection system, but the seat differed from those found in standard TIE Fighters in that a network of shock absorbers protected the pilot from bone-jarrring jounces during dogfights and evasive maneuvers.
Droid intelligence system: During test flight simulations, most pilots agreed the fighter could be dangerously sluggish. To help pilots adjust to the TIE/rb, SFS installed an MGK-300 integrated droid intelligence that provided inflight support. Operating in a manner similar to an astromech droid, but without taking up valuable space within or outside the TIE/rb, the disembodied MGK-300 assisted with navigation and weapon systems, ran diagnostics, guided pilots toward targets, and alerted pilots to technical malfunctions, breaches, and other hazards.
Trivia[]
The TIE Brute was designed by James Clyne, and was originally proposed for Star Wars: The Force Awakens. It made its debut in Solo when the crew decided they needed a "leader" TIE fighter.
One of its nicknames was the "Bubba" TIE.
Like the TIE Fighters, scenes of the TIE Brute's interior in Solo show the inaccurate window alignments. Point aligned on the exterior, but edge aligned on the interior.
_59.jpg "Solo (film) 59.jpg (91 KB)")
