Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
X-Wing CR: ILM/© Lucasfilm LFL 2016
The X-Wings will attack a shield gate over Scarif thus allowing the Rebels to get to the planet’s surface and attempt the daring mission to steal the plans to the Death Star. You see that circular construct just hanging over that blue haze, over that planet, that that X-Wing is screaming towards? That is what is known as a shield gate, and the Empire has that as the only means to penetrate the blue shield that envelopes the entire planet.
This is why the X-Wings are so darn important in Rogue One. If they can’t destroy that shield gate, then the shield won’t drop and the Rebels can’t get to the surface of Scarif, and then they won’t ever have a chance at those pesky plans everyone keeps talking about.