The BTL-4A Y-Wing is an old but durable design. It remains in service with the Rebels because of the availability of parts for them. The Rebellion has lost more of these fighters than any fighter they have in service. As the Rebellion gets more X-Wings, Y-Wings are being shifted to outlying locations. Also the Y-Wing is more often being used for raids on Imperial convoys. This fighter is more suited for long endurance flights and long range patrols. It has quite a powerful sensor system for long range patrol duty. For many years the Y-Wing had been the mainstay fighter in the Rebel Fleet and participated in all of the early battles of the Galactic Civil War.

    The Y-Wing was the Rebellion's first hyperspace capable fighter. It was in the Y-Wing that Rebel pilots developed their highly successful "fight and fade" tactics, in which they appeared in a system, attacked their targets quickly and escaped into hyperspace before Imperial Forces could respond. These tactics were effective enough with Y-Wings, however they became devastating with the introduction of X-Wings. The Y-Wing has earned its reputation as the workhorse of the Rebel Alliance. These fighters formed the backbone of the Rebel Fleet prior to the introduction of the X-Wing.

    The turreted ion cannons are locked into the position before it goes into any mission, since this model doesn't have a gunner. The ion cannons are fixed directly forward or aft, to discorage close pursuit. The combination of weapons on the Y-Wing can deliver a deadly attack on small and medium craft, especially when the Y-Wings attack in formation. For its bomber roles, the Y-Wing requires a tandem long-range sensor set to provide binocular range-finding. When both sets are operating, the Y-Wing offers better targeting precision than the X-Wing. Its ion cannons are notoriously delicate weapons. Their crystal matrices invariably get vibrated out of alignment in flight and combat (rendering them inoperative), and Rebel mechanics hate them for the time they cost in maintanence. The Y-Wings shields are quite effective and its pilots are adept at focusing shield strength where needed. Once the shields are breached, however, the Y-Wing is easily crippled if hit in the engine spars. Imperial Pilots report that the BTL-A4 has somewhat reduced shields, but the hull is reinforced compared to the BTL-S3.

    The Rebel Alliance has a large number of these ships and were able to obtain most of the Pre-Rebellion Y-Wings. Originally the Y-Wing has entirely covered by a body shell. The fighter requires constant repairs, however and aggravated Rebel technicians tired of removing body hull panels to get to the machinery decided to permanantly keep the panels off. For a fighter of its size, the Y-Wing runs very hot, and thus employs a cooling system which runs throughout the fighter. Parts of this system need maintenance after every flight. Coolant tubes are often jerry-rigged by Rebel mechanics when leaks render inaccessible sections frustratingly inoperative. The Y-Wings of the Rebel Fleet are by now so heavily repaired that no two of them are alike. Another version of the BTL-A4 Y-Wing is the Longprobe BTL-A4, which is equipped with extra provisions and enhanced sensors. It is used by the Rebels to scout unknown systems. The Longprobe BTL-A4 sacrifices weapon loads in favour for extended fuel tanks and improved hyperdrive systems.