The HWK-290 was a light freighter manufactured by the Corellian Engineering Corporation during the decades leading up to the Battle of Naboo, in an effort to break into a new market for fast, small cargo ships. Unlike YT-series of ships for tramp captains, the Hawk line was aimed at more upscale clients, like wealthy merchants and noble politicians. The series saw modest success, but never reached the amount of sales of YT-series, and was discontinued during the Clone Wars to make way for military production.