What to know
The Banu Defender is a fast two-seat escort fighter designed to protect Merchantman crews and cargo. For the Defender, speed and direct fire support interception and escort work around a larger ship or formation.
Defender specifications
The targets the Defender is designed to face
With the four Singe cannons and six missiles, the Defender is built to stay close to a convoy and answer incoming fighters quickly. The Defender's dual cockpit lets either crew member control the four main Singe cannons, allowing the pilot and copilot to divide flight and combat duties. Two personal weapon racks keep carried equipment available behind the Defender's cockpit.
The systems behind the attack
Aboard the Defender, speed and direct fire support interception and escort work around a larger ship or formation.
Development note: The Defender is flight ready and entered the live game in Alpha 3.7.0. Because Star Citizen remains in active development, specifications, features, and imagery may change over time.
Defender combat systems
The Defender combines the four Singe cannons and six missiles with the speed to stay close to a convoy or larger ship and intercept threats approaching it.
The Defender's dual cockpit lets either crew member control the four main Singe cannons, allowing the pilot and copilot to divide flight and combat duties.
Two personal weapon racks keep carried equipment available behind the Defender's cockpit.
One pilot controls flight and weapons while monitoring targets and ship condition from the cockpit.
Power and cooling limits decide which systems can run at full strength at the same time.
The Defender's escort loadout
Four Size 3 Singe cannons give the Defender a concentrated forward battery. Six Size 2 missiles add a guided option, and the dual cockpit lets either the pilot or copilot take responsibility for the main armament.
Four Singe cannons and six missiles
The Defender should begin where it can intercept a threat before that threat reaches the convoy or patrol group.
The pilot brings the four Singe cannons and six missiles onto targets that endanger the formation rather than chasing every ship outside the route.
The Defender's value comes from covering the next approach and staying with the mission through the whole route.
Escort Fighter in action
A complete sortie in the Defender connects target choice, movement, the four Singe cannons and six missiles, and an honest check of the ship before the next engagement.
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Stay near the convoy without crowding its flight path
The Defender should begin where it can reach a threat before that threat reaches the convoy or patrol group.
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Watch beyond the convoy before a threat closes in
For the Defender, fuel state, likely approach routes, and targets outside the formation matter before anyone fires.
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Use the four Singe cannons and six missiles
The Defender's pilot controls the four Singe cannons and six missiles while watching shields, ammunition, and threats outside the gunsight.
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Break off the chase and return to the convoy
Aboard the Defender, escort value comes from covering the next approach, not chasing one retreating fighter away from the ships that still need protection.
Defender's combat equipment in detail
The Defender combines its four Singe cannons and six missiles with the handling, protection, and targeting systems needed for its combat role.
Aboard the Defender, responsive handling helps the pilot keep the four Singe cannons and six missiles on target through tight turns.
Inside the Defender, sensors and weapon controls help the pilot identify a suitable target and keep the four Singe cannons and six missiles aimed at it.
The Defender's shields, armor, and profile buy the pilot time to use the main weapons against the chosen target.
Ammunition, missiles, repairs, and component checks prepare the Defender for its next sortie.
The Defender's crew protects a patrol beyond easy support
Formation position, sensors, fuel, and the four Singe cannons and six missiles all serve the ships travelling under the fighter's cover.
The Defender's escort work is measured by what reaches the destination
The Defender must intercept a threat without abandoning the convoy or patrol group. Range and crew support matter because the protection has to last for the whole route.
For the Defender, speed and direct fire support interception and escort work around a larger ship or formation.
The Defender brings the four Singe cannons and six missiles to bear while the pilot watches for missiles and other attackers.
The Defender still has to cover the next approach after the first threat has been dealt with.
See the Defender in action
Watch official footage of the Defender in action and see it from every angle.
Find your Defender
Explore in-stock Defender ships, upgrades, and game packages available from The Impound.