An ammo canister served as a compact receptacle for small arms ammunition. Due to its reduced dimensions, a canister typically held only one or two ammunition clips and a small number of grenades. Throughout both the era of the Clone Wars and the time of the Galactic Civil War, engineers and pilots frequently transported these canisters to quickly provide their comrades with ammunition.
Its design frequently incorporated a luminous red stripe encircling its lid, which would flash intermittently, accompanied by the phrase "AMMO SUPPLY" displayed in Aurebesh along its flank.