STAP
Single Trooper Aerial Platform
History of STAP
The Single Trooper Aerial Platform, or simply STAP, was a repulsorcraft used by the Trade Federation and later the Confederacy of Independent Systems. It was often piloted by a single B1-series battle droid as a reconnaissance and patrol vehicle. The Trade Federation deployed STAPs alongside its invasion forces during the blockade of Naboo. Numerous STAPs patrolled the swamps surrounding the landing zone, and accompanied Multi-Troop Transports into the city of Theed, where Viceroy Nute Gunray declared victory and occupation. The Jedi Qui-Gon Jinn and Obi-Wan Kenobi were harried by STAPs in the swamps, but Jinn destroyed the vehicles by deflecting their pilots' blaster bolts back into the craft with his lightsaber. STAPs surveyed the Great Grass Plains and transmitted data back to the orbital Droid Control Ship. During the Battle of Naboo, B1s on STAPs flew over the Great Grass Plains after the defeat of the Gungan Grand Army. Shortly afterward, however, the entire droid army was shut down when the Force-sensitive pilot Anakin Skywalker destroyed the Droid Control Ship. STAPs were later used by the Confederacy of Independent Systems during the Clone Wars, a galactic war between the Confederacy and Galactic Republic. During the final stages of the Battle of Christophsis, several STAPs patrolled the landing zone of General Whorm Loathsom's newly arrived droid army, with Jedi Generals Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker stealing two of the vehicles from their B1 pilots to return to the Republic frontline. After the Republic victory on Christophsis, Skywalker and his 501st Legion were rerouted to the Wild Space world of Teth to rescue the son of crime lord Jabba Desilijic Tiure, Rotta. Seeking to protect their captive, a detachment of the Separatist Droid Army was stationed on-world, defending the B'omarr Order Monastery they were using to hold the infant. During the ensuing Battle of Teth, B1s on STAPs made attack runs against the 501st, but Skywalker cut down a number of the B1 pilots before stealing one of the STAPs, using it to reach the top of the mountain. Additionally, at least one STAP was used by a B1 during the Battle of Mimban, flying against Clone Captain CT-7567 "Rex" and Junior Representative Jar Jar Binks when they journeyed to take out a deflector shield generator. Firing one of his DC-17 hand blasters at it, Rex took out the STAP. Later in 21 BBY, while the Separatists worked on a secret effort to recreate the deadly Blue Shadow Virus on Naboo, a squad of B1-mounted STAPs were led by T-series unit TR-350 to contain a small amount of the disease that had leaked out. However, the squad was attacked by Royal Naboo Security Forces, leading to the capture of TR-350 and a raid on the Separatist laboratory. Later, STAPs patrolled the energy bridge into the occupied capital of Ryloth, Lessu, and Jedi General Mace Windu jumped off one of the vehicles in order to get over the gap the bridge had covered. STAPs also served as patrols at the Citadel on Lola Sayu, being flown by BX-series droid commandos and Warden Osi Sobeck in a failed attempt to stop a Republic infiltration. At one point, an Umbaran officer commanded a force of the Separatist Droid Army that included STAPs. General Grievous, Supreme Commander of the Droid Army, utilized a combat speeder that was bulkier than the standard STAP. During the Separatist takeover of Florrum, Grievous led a team of STAPs aboard his combat speeder against a WLO-5 battle tank used by Jedi younglings. On Utapau while trying to reclaim a massive kyber crystal from Skywalker and Kenobi, IG-100 MagnaGuards rode on STAPs to chase them. STAPs rode by B1 droids were also part of the Third Battle of Mygeeto.
STAP is also known as; Single Trooper Aerial Platform
