[General Jan Dodonna is in a discussion with Luke Skywalker and the Rebel pilots about the Death Star on Yavin IV]
The battle station is heavily shielded, and carries a firepower greater than half the star fleet. Its defenses are designed around a direct large scale assault. A small one-man fighter should be able to penetrate the outer defense.
Pardon me for asking, sir, but what good are snub fighters going to be against that?
Well, the Empire doesn't consider a small one-man fighter to be any threat, or they'd have a tighter defense. An analysis of the plans, provided by Princess Leia, has demonstrated a weakness in the battle station. But the approach will not be easy. You're required to maneuver straight down this trench and skim the surface to this point. [shows the pilots an exhaust port on the computer screen] The target area is only two meters wide. It's a small thermal exhaust port right below the main port. The shaft leads directly to the reactor system. A precise hit will start a chain reaction which should destroy the station. [shows the pilots a demonstration of a torpedo traveling down the shaft and striking the reactor, destroying the station instantly] Only a precise hit will set up a chain reaction. The shaft is ray-shielded, so you'll have to use proton torpedoes.
[in a private discussion with Luke Skywalker]
That's impossible, even for a computer!
It's not impossible; I used to bullseye Womp rats with my T-16 back home. They're not much bigger than two meters.
[ending the discussion with the other pilots]
Then man your ships, and may the Force be with you.
