Turbo Aether Plasma Drives are a form of high-speed slower-than-light propulsion in which a starship engine draws raw energy from The Aether and accelerates it in a supercharged plasma form from the ship through a subspace acceleration tunnel array. This type of drive has proven popular with the Star Army of Yamatai in recent years because it requires no fuel and provides very high performance compared to other STL types.

Recent improvements in countermeasures against anti-aether weapons have also contributed to its popularity; aether plasma drives can still function in anti-aether fields (although at reduced efficiency). Turbo Aether Plasma Drives are banned from the civilian market because it is also considered an aether weapon.

Anything that passes through the engine trail at too close a range can take significant damage (Tier 9, Heavy Anti-Mecha to Tier 11, Medium Anti-Starship). This type of engine is not stealthy; it leaves a trail that lasts a week or so and its high energy output is easy to detect on sensors. For this reason, aether plasma drives are not used when a warship is in stealth mode (or when the ship is using its combined field system to move at STL speeds).

Aether plasma drives have a beautiful teal glow (or orange, for Mishhuvurthyar ships).