SS-54 assault ship

The SS-54 light assault gunship, also known as the SS-54 assault ship, was a model of gunship manufactured by Botajef Shipyards. Intended as the company's first foray into the military market, the gunship instead became popular with mercenaries and bounty hunters.

Characteristics

Botajef Shipyards, a small shipbuilding concern based on the Outer Rim world of Botajef,^[4] conceived of the SS-54 assault ship as a gunship^[3] worthy of competing with other starship models on the military market such as the GAT-12 Skipray and the Firespray-31-class patrol craft.^[4] Despite this, it was erroneously classified as a light freighter by the Galactic Empire, an error which, due to the nature of Imperial bureaucracy, was never rectified.^[1]

With a bulbous and well-armored command deck and a hull tapering from the prow, the SS-54 was described as having an insect-like profile. Its high, squared-off stern was comparable to that of the Republic Military LAAT/c heavy vehicle carrier. Two adjustable spars protruded towards the aft of the ship (one on each side), with each spar connecting to the SS-54's powerful Incom HA-980a H/O ion engines.^[4] Given its military role, the craft's standard armament consisted of four fire-linked ZX7 medium laser cannons mounted forward in the prow and a twin light laser turret mounted dorsally, aft of the engine spars.^[1]^[4]

History

The SS-54 was introduced to the military market shortly after Botajef Shipyards gained prominence with their AA-9 Freighter-Liner. Despite its intended market, however, it instead gained a small but loyal following among mercenaries and bounty hunters, who grew to prize the model for its perceived simplicity, reliability, and versatility.^[4]

Among these users was Sugi, a Zabrak bounty hunter active during the Clone Wars. Sugi's SS-54, christened the Halo,^[5] would eventually fall into the hands of her niece Jas Emari during the Galactic Civil War,^[3] where it would take place in events such as the Liberation of Kashyyyk.^[1]