Even though Anakin leads the army in the Clone Wars, he still has within him the boy who restored and rebuilt junked podracer and piloted it to victory. Dissatisfied with the performance of his Jedi Starfighter, he modifies the vehicle to meet his own personal preferences. He increases the engine power, adds a vectored thruster and makes other mechanical and aerodynamic modifications to enhance the Starfighter's performance. He also adds four laser cannons and a proton torpedo launcher to increase the fighter's firepower. Finally, he has added an ingenious forward-mounted hyperdrive enabling him to travel through hyperspace.

Image courtesy of Rebelscum.com.