Designed by the traitorous Admiral Zaarin, former head of Imperial R&D, the TIE Defender is an exceptional starfighter by the fact that not only does it have shields, but is hyperspace capable and has a small load of warheads in addition to the standard boosted laser cannons and ion cannons. The sleek power of the TIE Defender surpasses anything the Empire has to offer, with firepower superior to the TIE Advanced, and more powerful engines than any Rebels starfighter. It is truly a force to be reckoned with. The TIE Defender has a distinctive look, due to the three solar panel configuration, one at 120 degrees from another. The Defender is unlikely to see widespread use, mainly due to the losses during Zaarin's attacks against the Empire and the loss of vital Imperial starfighter production facilities. But few of these ships are still produced and placed in active service for the Imperial Navy.