While other stations were continually getting bigger with each redesign, the XQ4 was meant to strip down to the basics and provide an alternative to XQ1 Platforms. Despite being newer, it did not have any armament differences or storage additions from the XQ1. As such, it failed to replace XQ1s completely, but many were constructed to replace broken or abandoned XQ1s. Weapons included six turbolaser batteries and six laser cannons. They could hold three starfighter squadrons.