ARC-170 Aggressive ReConnaisance Starfighter

The ARC-170 was jointly produced by Incom and Subpro Corporations. Like their other starfighter designs of its time, such as the Z-95, PTB-625, and NTB-630, the ARC-170 had a narrow spaceframe flanked by large engines. The ARC-170 also possessed an S-foil system. These helped to radiate heat, which aided the fighter's shielding. They also provided additional stability during atmospheric flight.

The ARC-170 was a departure from other starfighter designs of the Clone Wars era. Fighters such as the Alpha-3 Nimbus and the Eta-2 Actis were built to be small, fast, and maneuverable, at the cost of heavy weapons, shields, and hyperdrives. On the other hand, the ARC-170 was large, rugged, and capable of long independent operations. It was often sent on dangerous scout missions and raids deep in enemy territory. To allow the ARC-170 to perform these missions, the fighter was equipped with a Class 1.5 hyperdrive, and its nose was filled with powerful sensors, scanners, and jammers.

These ships carried enough consumables for five days of operation. However, all these supplies and additional equipment had a price, and the ARC-170 was quite slow. Durable armor and shielding, as well as two tail guns, helped the ARC-170 to survive when surrounded by swarms of smaller, faster enemy fighters.

The ARC-170 possessed powerful weaponry. It carried 6 proton torpedoes, and its wingtip-mounted medium laser cannons were unusually large for a starfighter. ARC-170s were often used as the heavy-hitters in strike forces, escorted by V-wings and Eta-2s.

The ARC-170 was crewed by three clones: a pilot, a co-pilot who operated the wingtip-mounted lasers, and a tail gunner who operated the rear-mounted cannons. The fighter also carried an astromech droid to perform onboard repairs and navigation.

During the Second Battle of Coruscant, ARC-170 Clone Flight Squad Seven covered for Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker as they made their way to Invisible Hand. Although Squad Seven suffered many casualties, they allowed the two Jedi to successfully board the ship and rescue Supreme Chancellor Palpatine. Large numbers of ARC-170s were destroyed in the battle by the nimbler and deadlier droid tri-fighters.

Later, after Palpatine issued Order 66, ARC-170s flying over the skies of Cato Neimoidia under the command of Clone Captain Jag turned on Jedi Master Plo Koon. They fired upon his Delta-7 starfighter, destroying the fighter's engines. Plo Koon could not regain control of his ship and plunged to his doom as he and what remained of the forward part of the fighter crashed into a building on one of Cato Neimoidia's bridge-cities.

During the Galactic Civil War, ARC-170s could be found in both Imperial and Rebel fleets, where they were considered elite craft.