This nimble, twin-engined fighter was introduced around the opening of hostilities and for two decades remained the fastest combat spacecraft in either the Confederation and Kilrathi navies. Ironically, given its sustained speed, the mass produced Salthi would come to represent the folly of Kilrathi engineering in the eyes of its Terran opponents: a poorly designed engine duct system in early model ships completely prevented Salthi pilots from turning right. James Taggart discovered this flaw when four Salthi fighters attacked him during a mission above the planet Accord in the Alliance System. Like most early war Kilrathi designs, the Salthi also lacks an ejection system.

Though the Salthi served with some distinction in reconaissance and interceptor roles during the wars early campaigns, it was probably the most obvious casualty of the Terran Confederation's full guns innovation. Low level shield generators meant that a single energy burst from a heavy fighter could destroy a Salthi. All the same, noted Kilrathi ace Bhurak nar Caxki ("Starkiller") flew his entire career in Salthi -- scoring a total of sixty-four kills before his death at the hands of Maj. Michael Casey in 2654.