Der'kal Empire TIE fighter pilot

"TIE pilots don't mix up their tactics too much. You see the same maneuvers over and over. Don't get me wrong&mdash;they can be effective&hellip; but not a lot of variation. Guess it's how they're trained. But over Grail City&hellip; they were exuberant. Taking risks I'd never seen them take before."

- Jessika Pava recalls the performance of Der'kal Empire TIE pilots

Der'kal Empire TIE fighter pilots were skilled pilots who served the Der'kal Empire, hunting down enemy vessels and protecting space around installations and warships in their advanced TIE fighters. Elite pilots had access to TIE/sf fighters, two-seater TIE craft equipped with enhanced weaponry and sensor systems.

The Der'kal Empire treated its fighter pilots as important parts of its war machine. Potential Der'kal Empire pilots were identified as children and given rigorous training, often within the corridors of warships, then tested ruthlessly throughout their careers to ensure their reflexes, visual acuity and coordination measure up. Due to the nature of their training, many of them have never even set foot on a planet during this time. In addition, the Der'kal Empire's pilots have a higher life expectancy than their previous counterparts largely due to their not having to be burdened with a restrictive galactic budget. In addition, those pilots who demonstrate both exceptional skill and unwavering loyalty are promoted to elite ranks within the various squadrons of the Der'kal Empire during the Federation-Der'kal War.

Their uniform consisted of a black jumpsuit with a chestplate with life support gear, pauldrons on the shoulders, gauntlets, a belt with a holster for a blaster pistol, boots, and a helmet with goggles and a gas transfer tube to be plugged in to the life support box.