The SIE-TIE twin ion engine was an ion drive produced by Sienar Advanced Systems, headed by Raith Sienar during the latter stages of the Separatist Crisis. It was the precursor to the P-s4 twin ion engine used aboard TIE Series starfighters.
The SIE-TIE engine was the brainchild of Raith Sienar. It utilized microparticle accelerators to agitate ionized gases to relativistic velocities, and featured independently articulated ion stream deflector manifolds for pinpoint maneuvering accuracy. It also supplemented power yields through a set of solar gather panels that would become synonymous with TIE fighter designs for years to come.
Prior to the outbreak of the Clone Wars, the SIE-TIE design was endorsed and adopted by Republic Sienar Systems, in an announcement made to HoloNet News reporters on Lianna. The SIE-TIE was set to go into mass-production, and would be available for purchase by the governing bodies of Republic member worlds. News of the approval gave Santhe/Sienar Technologies stock an immediate 27.58 credit gain, and Raith Sienar himself was believed to have totaled a personal net worth of 640 million credits due to the stock increase.
Despite the success of the SIE-TIE, Republic Sienar Systems reported that power-yield compatibility issues with current hyperdrive, life support, and shielding technologies could prove prohibitive in incorporating the engine into their starship designs. This fault was not rectified with the later P-s4 model.
- The Essential Guide to Warfare