Wikipedia

Star Destroyer

Star Destroyersarecapital shipsin the fictionalStar Warsuniverse. Star Destroyers were produced by Kuat Drive Yards, later Kuat-Entralla Engineering, and serve as "thesignature vesselof the fleet "for theGalactic Empire,theFirst Order,and theSith Eternalin numerous published works including film, television, novels, comics, and video games.[1][2]

A single Star Destroyer couldproject considerable influenceover a star system in the name of theEmpire:each can be deployed individually as both aforward operating baseand as mobileweapon systemsplatform responsible for safeguarding multiple planets, trade routes, and systems, and carried enough firepower to subdue an entireplanetary systemor annihilate a smallrebel fleet.

Notable examples of Star Destroyers include the precursorVenator-class Star Destroyer (prequel trilogy), the ubiquitousImperial-class Star Destroyer (original trilogy), and the recentResurgent-class andXyston-class Star Destroyer (sequel trilogy). Numerous other classes of "Star Destroyers" share the basic triangular "dagger" hull; the successful v-shaped designs are explained inLegendsas reflecting the Empire's "Tarkin's Doctrine" military philosophy and originating fromSithideological influence, and have been adapted by numerous factions for a wide variety of applications.

Numerous Star Destroyer models and toys have been released. The iconic scene inStar Wars(1977) featuring the Imperial Star Destroyer's first appearance where it pursues a Corellian corvette has been called a milestone in special effects history.

Imperial Star Destroyer

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Imperial-class Star Destroyer
A pair ofImperial II-class Star Destroyers and a group ofTIE fighterspursue theMillennium FalconinThe Empire Strikes Back.
First appearanceStar Wars: A New Hope(1977)
Information
AffiliationGalactic Empire
Made byKuat Drive Yards[3][4]
Combat vehicles
Auxiliary vehicles
General characteristics
ClassBattleship[3]
Armaments
Defenses
Propulsion
Mass40 million tons[6]
Length1,600 m (5,200 ft)[3][4]
Population volume

Concept and design

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In draft scripts for the film that would becomeStar Wars,the term "Stardestroyer" refers to two-man fighters flown by what would become theGalactic Empire.[1]The film's second draft features four Star Destroyers chasing a single Rebel ship,[7]but the tremendous costs incurred byIndustrial Light & Magic(ILM) when production began helped lead Lucas to use a single "terrifyingly large" Star Destroyer instead of four.[8]ILM built a 91-centimeter (36 in) shooting model that was about half the size of the model for theTantive IVthe Star Destroyer was chasing.[1]Lucas asked ILM to build a larger Star Destroyer model to match theTantive IV's scale, but ILM convinced him that theDykstraflexcamera invented for the film made this unnecessary.[9]Nevertheless, they added additional hull details to the Star Destroyer model.[9]The 13-second opening shot was the first special effects piece ILM completed,[9]and its success was an essential test for the Dykstraflex.[9]

ILM built a 259-centimeter (102 in) Star Destroyer, equipped with internal lighting to provide a better sense of scale, forThe Empire Strikes Back(1980).[1]According to chief model maker Lorne Peterson, the new Star Destroyer model was scaled to appear two and a half miles long, though their official length was revised in later sources.[10]

TheImperial I-class Star Destroyers are white, as shown inA New Hope,Rogue One,andSolo.TheImperial II-class Star Destroyers inThe Empire Strikes BackandReturn of the Jediare grey.[11]

Depiction

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The iconicImperial-class Star Destroyer first appears in the opening scene ofStar Wars(1977), where the Imperial Star DestroyerDevastator(carryingDarth Vader) chases the CR90 CorvetteTantive IV(carryingPrincess Leia) aboveTatooineafter the latter had fled fromScarif.[3][4]Background literature describesImperial-class Star Destroyers as the chief warship of the Imperial Navy and symbol of Imperial might. These enormouscapital shipsare used to enforce the Emperor's will, bolster Imperial-backed governments, and act as mobile headquarters for senior Imperial commanders.[3]In addition to their powerful armament, a Star Destroyer carries troops and vehicles for ground operations and a fullwingofTIE fighters(typically 48 fighters, 12 bombers and 12 boarding craft).[3][4]A single Star Destroyer is considered sufficient to overwhelm a rebellious planet, though major industrialized worlds may be assaulted by a fleet of six Star Destroyers with support cruisers and supply craft.[4]Deep-crust survival bunkers are regarded as a last refuge in the event of planetary bombardment by Imperial Star Destroyers.[12]At the Empire's height there were over 25,000 Star Destroyers in existence, requiring roughly 925 million crew.[13]

Darth Vader'sDevastatoris the last of theImperial I-class ships to be built by Kuat Drive Yards before switching to theImperial II-class, a fleet of which take part in the Battle of Hoth as depicted inThe Empire Strikes Back(1980).[4]Designated Death Squadron, this fleet of Star Destroyers is led by Darth Vader aboard theExecutor,first in a new class ofSuper Star Destroyer.[14]Although the battle is won by Imperial forces, Vader orders his Star Destroyers to focus on capturing theMillennium Falconrather than hunt down the escaping Rebel transports, allowing many to escape.[15]TheFalconmanages to evade this pursuit by hiding in the sensor blind spot of the Star DestroyerAvenger.[16]These ships play a major role in the Battle of Endor as depicted inReturn of the Jedi(1983). During the battle, Imperial Star Destroyers prove vulnerable to fleets ofstarfightersflown by skilled Rebel pilots, who exploit the ships' exposed bridges anddeflector shield generatorsto cause damage.[3]A year after their defeat at Endor, the Empire makes alast standatJakku.During the battle, Imperial Star Destroyers use their tractor beams to dragNew Republicships down to the planet's surface, where their wrecks form the Graveyard of Ships as seen inThe Force Awakens(2015).[17]

Analysis

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Examining what it would take to realistically build an Imperial Star Destroyer, it was estimated in 2016 that such a vessel would cost $636 billionUSD.Using then-current technology and naval vessels as a reference, the ship would weigh 4.44 billion kilograms, generate 146.5gigawattsof power, and its engines would produce a combined totalthrustof 3.5 millionnewtons.However getting the parts into space to construct the Star Destroyer would require an additional $44.4 trillion USD in launch costs, suggesting thatasteroid miningand refining technologies would have to be developed first to make it more economical.[18][19]

Joe Pappalardo ofPopular Mechanicsargues that the Imperial Star Destroyer is a poorly-designed spaceship, being asymmetrical with its superstructure jutting out in one direction. Additionally, while its wedge shape would make sense for atmospheric travel, it serves no purpose in space. He argues a more realistic and effective design would be symmetrical and bowl-shaped like asaucer.[20]

Cultural influence

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Legohas released multiple different Star Destroyer kits over the years, from small sets with just 21 pieces to the largest versions with thousands of pieces.[21]These include two Ultimate Collector Series models, the first of which was released in 2002. Measuring 37-inch (940 mm) long and 23-inch (580 mm), it sold for $269.99 until being retired in 2007. The second UCS Star Destroyer was larger, 43-inch (1,100 mm) long and 26-inch (660 mm) wide, and sold for $699.99 between 2019 and 2022.[22][23]

Super Star Destroyer

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Concept and design

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ForThe Empire Strikes Back,George Lucas wanted Darth Vader's new flagship,Executor,to be huge and to play a greater role in the film. According to chief model maker Lorne Peterson, theExecutor's model was 6 feet (1.8 meters) long and constructed with over 150,000 individual lights. The resulting model was so heavy it required additional support to keep from overwhelming theDykstraflex's mechanical structure. The ship was originally scaled to appear 16 miles (26 km) long according to Lorne, though later sources would amend this figure.[10]

Depiction

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Within theStar Warsuniverse, the term "Super Star Destroyer" is acolloquialismused to refer to any ship larger than an Imperial Star Destroyer.[24]The largest and most powerful of these is theExecutor,which first appeared inThe Empire Strikes Back(1980) as the personalflagshipof Darth Vader.[14]The first in a line ofExecutor-class Star Dreadnoughts, the ship is over 19,000 m (62,000 ft) in length, propelled by thirteen colossal engines and a Class 1hyperdrive.Its armament includes over 5,000turbolasers,ion cannonsandtractor beam projectorsand it can carry more than 1,000 vessels.[24]The crew of theExecutornumbers in the hundreds of thousands.[4]Its command tower, rising above the ship's technoscape on a thick stalk, is a standard model found on other Star Destroyers – including a pair of geodesic domes containing communication transceivers, sensors anddeflector shieldprojectors – and allows for an unobstructed view of the battlefield.[25]At least twelve of these vessels were built by the Empire, including theExecutor,Annihilator,RavagerandArbitrator,but the exact number is unknown thanks to Imperial propaganda andblack budgets.[25]

From the bridge of theExecutor,Darth Vader leads Death Squadron during theBattle of Hothand afterwards in pursuit of theMillennium Falcon.It later serves as the Imperial command ship during theBattle of Endor.[14]At Endor, intense bombardment by the Rebel Alliance fleet cause the ship's shields to fail, allowing Rebel starfighters to strafe the command tower. During this attack anA-wingpiloted by Arvel Crynyd crashes into the command bridge, destroying the main navigation complex and causing the vessel to lose control.[25]TheExecutoris lost when thesecond Death Star's gravity well pulls the ship into its surface, destroying the vessel and damaging the Death Star itself.[24]AtJakkuwhere the Empire made itslast stand,the Super Star DestroyerRavageris one of the wrecks which make up the Graveyard of Ships.[17]

Analysis

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Rhett Allain,an associate professor of physics atSoutheastern Louisiana University,examined the death of theExecutorin aStar WarsDay-themed article forWired.According to him, theExecutorimpacted the second Death Star traveling at 3.5 km/s (7,800 mph), which - assuming the collision was strictly a result of gravitational interaction between the two objects - would require a super-dense Death Star to achieve such an impact velocity. Additionally, theExecutorhad a near constantangular velocityof 0.159 radians/second during the scene where it rotates to face the Death Star. For the crew at the front of the ship, this would result in acentripetal accelerationof 39G.[26]

If a model of theExecutorwas built to scale and placed hovering overNew York City,it would cast a shadow over the island ofManhattan.[27][28]

Cultural influence

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Like the Imperial Star Destroyer, the Super Star Destroyer has also been merchandised.Legoreleased a 125-centimetre (49 in) 3,152-piece model of theExecutor.[29]Kennerwanted to use a less ominous name thanExecutorfor the toy playset of Darth Vader's meditation chamber.[30]An advertisement agency's list of 153 alternatives included Starbase Malevolent, Black Coven, Haphaestus VII, and Cosmocurse;[30]ultimately, the toy was labeled "Darth Vader's Star Destroyer".[30]In 2006, Wizards of the Coast created anExecutorminiature as part of itsStar WarsMiniatures Starship Battles game.[31]An electronic Super Star Destroyer toy released byHasbro"is the rarest among Hasbro's Collector Fleet".[32]

Venator Star Destroyer

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Venator-classStar Destroyer
AVenator-class Star Destroyer as depicted inStar Wars: The Clone Wars
First appearanceStar Wars: Clone Wars(2005)
Last appearanceStar Wars: The Bad Batch(2021-2023)
Information
Affiliation
Launched22 BBY[a]
Decommissioned19-14 BBY[a][b][34]
Made byKuat Drive Yards[33]
Combat vehicles
  • 420 starfighters[33]
Auxiliary vehicles
General characteristics
ClassBattleship/Carrier[35]
Armaments
DefensesDeflector shields[33]
Propulsion
Length1,137 m (3,730 ft)[33]
Width548 m (1,798 ft)[33]
Height268 m (879 ft)[33]
Population volume7,400[33]

Concept and design

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The design of theVenator-class Star Destroyers appearing inRevenge of the Sith(2005) are meant to bridge the appearance of theAcclamator-class transports inAttack of the Clones(2002) and theImperial-class in the original trilogy. This included making use of the Imperial Star Destroyer bridge set for interior shots of the Venator as a connecting theme. Additionally, the changing coloration of the Star Destroyers is meant to represent the downfall of theRepublicand rise of the Empire. At the start of the film they are given a red paint scheme first established inThe Phantom Menace(1999) as representing the Republic, but by the end they are colorless.[36]

Depiction

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TheVenator-class Star Destroyer makes its first theatrical appearance inRevenge of the Sithduring the openingBattle of Coruscant.Within theStar Warssetting, these ships are regarded as the most powerful capital ships of theRepublicNavy during theClone Wars,serving double duty as battleships and starfighter carriers.[35]These massive ship require a relatively small crew to operate as a deliberate feature compensating for the fact that theSeparatistscan producebattle droidsfaster than the Republic can growclone troopers.[33]As a true warship, theVenator-class can feed nearly its entire reactor output (which at maximum power consumes 40,000 tons of fuel per second) into its heavy turbolasers to devastating effect.[33]As a carrier, the Star Destroyer can rapidly deploy hundreds of starfighters, includingARC-170s,V-wings,Z-95 HeadhuntersandJedi interceptors,from a.5 km (0.31 mi)-long dorsal flight deck. While strongdeflector shieldingis employed around the armored bow doors, they are slow to open or close, presenting a weakness in the vessel's design.[35][33][37]

During the Clone Wars these Star Destroyers, referred to also as Republic attack cruisers orJedicruisers, play an important role combating Separatist fleets and providing supporting fire for ground forces.[35]Thanks to their superior firepower, theVenator-class has a strong advantage against Separatist warships, and a small flotilla of attack cruisers can easily blast through the deflector shields of aTrade Federation Battleship.[33]At the Battle of Coruscant, over a thousand attack cruisers are deployed to defend the planet,[37]one of which (the Star DestroyerGuarlara) delivers a devastating barrage to theInvisible Handatpoint-blank range.[33]After the end of the Clone Wars and creation of theGalactic Empire,these Star Destroyers will continue to serve for decades in the Imperial Navy until eventually replaced with theImperial-class Star Destroyer.[33]

Cultural influence

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There have been five different Lego sets of the Ventor released since 2009, with the most recent one revealed in 2023.[38]This version of the Venator, part of the Ultimate Collector Series, was released in celebration of the 20th anniversary of theStar Wars: The Clone WarsTV show. Measuring 43-inch (1,100 mm) long, 21-inch (530 mm) wide and 12.5-inch (320 mm) tall, the set consists of 5,374 pieces and comes with a commemorative plaque, at an original retail price of $649.99.[22][39][40]

For the 2016Consumer Electronics Show,noted modder Sander van der Velden created acustom-built PCmade to look like a Venator Star Destroyer. Built around a fully-functional, liquid-cooled PC, the surrounding case was constructed in the shape of a Venator using aluminum and3D printedmaterial. The final product required 400 hours of work to complete.[41][42][43][44]

Resurgent Star Destroyer

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InStar Wars: The Force Awakens(2015), set 30 years after the fall of the Empire, a new class of Star Destroyer is introduced in service to theFirst Order.TheFinalizer,the first of theResurgent-class Star Destroyers built in secret by Kuat-Entralla Engineering, serves as the flagship for bothKylo RenandGeneral Hux.[45][46]

Concept and design

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Various concept art for a new class of Star Destroyers was created in the development ofThe Force Awakens,with a finalized designed — drawn by VFX art director James Clyne — approved in July 2014. Clyne had experimented with using negative spaces in creating the Star Destroyer, similar to his earlier work onStar Trek Into Darkness.He said he had fun fun working on it as directorJ. J. Abramswas heavily involved in the process and offered suggestions.[47]Clyne also drew concept art for theFinalizer's hanger, and when it came time to build the set atPinewood Studios,he relocated there for a month to supervise the construction.[48]

Depiction

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Resurgent-class Star Destroyers are described in background literature as a clear violation of the treaties between theNew Republicand the First Order, measuring at 2,916 m (9,567 ft) in length and with a crew of 19,000 officers and 55,000 enlisted personnel. While evoking the traditionalImperial-class Star Destroyer, theResurgent-class incorporates a number of fixes to the former's design flaws, including a less exposed command bridge and larger fighter complement.[46]The ship is armed with thousands of turbolasers and ion cannons, sufficient firepower to slug it out with capital ships or reduce planetary surfaces to molten slag.[46]Additional point-defense laser turrets and missile launchers are used to attack more nimble opponents.[45][46]Twowingsof TIE fighters can be quickly launched from dorsal flight decks and side hangars, and for planetary assaults, the ship carries a full legion of over 8,000 stormtroopers and over a hundred assault vehicles.[45][46]

TheFinalizerfeatures as the command ship for both Kylo Ren and General Hux during their journeys inThe Force AwakensandStar Wars: The Last Jedi(2017). However, sometime before as the events ofStar Wars: The Rise of Skywalker(2019),ResistanceheroFinnmanaged to sneak aboard and severely damaged the ship. This forced Ren to transfer his command over to a newResurgent-class Star Destroyer, theSteadfast,and reduced Hux to a junior member of the First Order Supreme Council.[49]

Cultural influence

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When theFinalizer's name was first revealed, Brent McKnight of MovieWeb felt like it was both silly and frightening, saying "[i]t sounds like something a little kid would come up with, but it’s also super ominous and intimidating at the same time." He also observed the design was instantly recognizable as a Star Destroyer while having appropriate differences to represent the thirty years that took place between its introduction in the story and the original.[50]B. Alan Orange of MovieWeb also felt the design of theFinalizerwas intimidating and scary while still being instantly recognizable as a Star Destoyer. They also believed it had the "perfectpulpname ", keeping in theme with the movie's new superweapon,Starkiller Base.[51]

YouTubecontent creator "LegoSpencer" was inspired to build a model of the TIE fighter hangar bay on theFinalizer,a process which took six weeks to complete.[52]

Mega Star Destroyer

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TheMega-class Star DreadnoughtSupremacymade its first theatrical appearance inThe Last Jedi(2017). Described as the command ship forSupreme Leader Snoke,it was stated to be 60 kilometers wide, making it significantly larger than any previousSuper Star Destroyer.[53]

Concept and design

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DirectorRian Johnsoncame up for the idea of basing theSupremacyon aflying wing,picking the final exterior look from concept art created by design supervisor Kevin Jenkins. "It's a big flying city," said Jenkins. "Vader'sExecutoris simply a headquarters, but Snoke doesn't have a planet, so he lives on the ship. "[54]TheSupremacy's bridge was also designed by Jenkins, who wanted it to mirror the wideness of the ship itself.[55]

Depiction

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Described as the onlyMega-class Star Destroyer in the galaxy,[56]theSupremacyis 60,543 m (198,632 ft) wide, 13,234 m (43,419 ft) long and 3,975 m (13,041 ft) high.[57]It has a crew of 2,225,000 personnel, a majority of whom are adolescents training to become officers and stormtroopers.[58]TheSupremacyserves as the capital from which Supreme Leader Snoke commands the First Order. Thousands of heavy turbolasers, antiship missile batteries, heavy ion cannons and tractor beam projectors give the ship firepower equivalent to an entire fleet.[57][58]The vessel also possesses an industrial capacity that would rival most planets, with asteroid mining complexes, foundries, production lines, research labs and training centers. Six external and two internal stations allowResurgent-class Star Destroyers to dock with the Mega-Destroyer.[57][58]

Analysis

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Martin Docherty of Space looked at the possible physics behind the scene inThe Last JediwhereVice Admiral Amilyn Holdodestroys theSupremacyby ramming it at lightspeed with theRaddus.Using the estimate that theRaddusmassed 8.88 billion kilograms and was traveling at 99.9% of thespeed of light,it would have aLorentz factorof 22.366 and impact with a finalkinetic energyof 17x1027joules.Such an impact would create shrapnel which, while moving slower than lightspeed, would still cause immense damage, as was seen in the movie.[59]

Cultural influence

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Upon the first reveal of theSupremacy,B. Alan Orange noted that, despite the ship's unique design, it still retained a familiar shape which immediately identified it as belonging to the First Order.[60]Corey Larson of Screen Rant believed that, regardless of the film's wider reputation, the introduction of theSupremacyand it's subsequent destruction duringThe Last Jedirepresented one of the coolest additions to the franchise from theStar Wars sequel trilogy.[61]John Orquiola meanwhile felt the ship represented an ongoing superweapon problem with the franchise. While crediting Rian with not introducing another Death Star-like weapon, it still showed that the First Order, like the Empire before it, was obsessed with equating size with power and creating "unbeatable" superweapons which are eventually destroyed.[62]

Sith Star Destroyer

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InStar Wars: The Rise of Skywalker(2019), a resurrectedDarth Sidiousunveils a new class of Star Destroyer as part of theSith Eternal's fleet, the Final Order. Identified by in-universe sources asXyston-class but referred to informally as Sith Star Destroyers, these ships resemble the olderImperial I-class Star Destroyers but are larger with a length of 2,406 m (7,894 ft) and height of 682 m (2,238 ft). Built onExegolby automated factories and with a total crew of 29,585 personnel, the distinguishing feature of these Sith Star Destroyers is an axialsuperlaserpowerful enough to shatter a planet, made possible by a powerful reactor channeling the energy of a miniature sun throughkyber crystals.Other weaponry includes 40 heavy turbolaser batteries, 40 ion cannons, 40 point-defense laser cannons, 35 warhead launchers, and 10 heavy tractor beam projectors, though the space for a hangar and other storage facilities is taken up by the superlaser.[63][64]

List of other Star Destroyers

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  • Victory Star Destroyer:TheVictory-class Star Destroyer originally featured only inStar Wars Legendsnovellas (see below). It first appeared in the new Star Wars canon in the 2014 novelTarkin,written by James Luceno, and was first depicted inDarth Vader 6: Vader, Part VI,a 2015 comic book written by Kieron Gillen and illustrated by Salvador Larroca. TheVictoryStar Destroyer is the Imperial Navy's starting vessel in the core set ofFantasy Flight Games'sStar Wars: Armada,a table top miniatures game released on March 27, 2015.[65][66]

Star Wars Legends

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In April 2014, most of the licensedStar Warsnovels, games, and comics produced since 1976 (and prior to 2014), were rebranded byLucasfilmasStar Wars Legends;and therefore declared non-canon to the franchise.[67][68]

Star Destroyers feature in numerousLegendspublications, with a considerable amount of additional notable information. According toWest End Games'Star Wars: The Roleplaying Gamesourcebooks and other texts,Imperial-class Star Destroyers are constructed by Kuat Drive Yards and hold a distinguished place in theImperial Navy,symbolizing the Empire's military might with a peak number of more than 25,000 vessels.[69]Like theVenatorandVictory-class ships that precede it, theImperial-class is amulti-role capital shipcombining the roles of abattleship,starfighter carrier,andtroopship.Notable for its massive size and overwhelming firepower compared to its fore-bearers; a singleImperial-class ship is capable of singlehandedly taking on a fleet of enemy vessels or "reducing the surface of a planet to a slag" (known as "Base Delta Zero" ), and its mere presence is often enough to deter rebellion.[69]At 1,600 meters (5,200 ft) long,Imperial-class Star Destroyers are crewed by 9,235 Officers, 27,850 enlisted personnel, and 275 Gunners. TheImperial Iis armed with 60 turbolasers, 60 ion cannons, and 10 tractor beam projectors for space combat.[69]The standard complement is 72TIE fighters(including 12 TIE Bombers and 12-24 TIE Interceptors), and a variety of support craft including shuttles and transports. Unlike other comparable capital ships like the Mon Calamari MC80 Star Cruiser of the Rebel Alliance (later New Republic), anImperial-class Star Destroyer carries a full array of ground forces (including 9700stormtroopers,20AT-ATsand 30AT-STs) with dropships for rapid deployment to planetary surfaces, plus a prefabricated base if a permanent planetary garrison is required.[69]

Though the Imperial Navy also has smaller capital ships like Nebulon-B Escort Frigates and CR90 Corvettes (the films show these vessels being used exclusively by the Rebel Alliance),Imperial-class Star Destroyers are usually the default choice for frontline deployments. At theBattle of EndortheRebel Alliancecaptured twoImperial-class Star Destroyers and added them to the New Republic fleet; they serve alongside Mon Calamari Cruisers in GeneralHan Solo's task force as told in theX-wing series of novelsandDark Empirecomics.[70]Although the New Republic eventually upgrades its starfleet with newer ship types, theImperial-class Star Destroyer remains in service well into theNew Jedi Orderera and fights during theYuuzhan VongWar.[71]

Described inA Guide to the Star Wars Universe(1984) as being 8 kilometers (5.0 mi) long,Executor-class Super Star Destroyers were later described as being 19 kilometers (12 mi) long.[72]In addition to Vader's command shipExecutor,Star Warsnovels introduce the prison shipLusankyaand stealth-armoredKnight Hammeras other in the class.[73][74]Kevin J. Anderson's novelDarksaberdescribes a Super Star Destroyer as being "worth twenty Imperial Star Destroyers".[74]

The description "Star Destroyer" and "Super Star Destroyer" are applied to several another massive dagger/triangle-shaped warships inStar Wars,such as thePellaeon-class Star Destroyer in theLegacycomic series (2006–2010), and the reborn Emperor Palpatine's flagshipsEclipseandEclipse IISuper Star Destroyers in theDark Empireseries (1991–1995). TheEclipse-class was perhaps the ultimate Super Star Destroyer or Star Dreadnought in the Expanded Universe, incorporating a Death Star-type superlaser but miniaturized and more advanced, and gravity well projectors to prevent enemies from jumping to hyperspace, and having strong enough shields/armor to be able to ram enemy vessels. Curtis Saxton, in the unofficialStar Wars Technical Commentaries(he has since been the author of the officialStar Wars: Attack of the Clones Incredible Cross-SectionsandStar Wars: Revenge of the Sith Incredible Cross-Sections), has advocated using the termImperator-class in lieu ofImperial-class. Saxton argues that "Imperial Star Destroyer" is a somewhat generic term, as the vast majority of Star Destroyer types are operated by the Galactic Empire's Imperial Navy which technically means they are all "Imperial Star Destroyers", although theImperator/Imperial-class Star Destroyers are by far the most common type. Similarly, the "Super Star Destroyer" moniker has been used for numerous unrelated vessels of varying sizes and classes, so fans have suggested labeling the class instead of by the lead ship such asExecutor-class andEclipse-class, with some referring to them instead as a "Star Dreadnought" (sometimes spelled "Star Dreadnaught" ) to emphasize their massive size relative to Star Destroyers.[75]AuthorJason Fryintroduced the "Anaxes War College System" which specifically divide warships into different types depending on their size and power, which explain all the differently sized "Super Star Destroyers" appearing in the Expanded Universe (nowStar WarsLegends), supplementing the contradictory classification systems used in Star Wars lore previously, becoming reference material in theStar WarsSourcebooksbyWest End Games.

TheVictory-class Star Destroyer first described in the earlyStar Warsnovella, was initially designed as a direct predecessor to theImperial-class during the development ofA New Hope,which would make it a follow-up to theVenator-class seen inRevenge of the Sith.TheVictoryappears very similar in appearance to theImperial-class which succeeded it; albeit theVictorybeing considerably smaller in scale (900 meters in length versus 1600 meters), adds atmospheric maneuvering "wings" on the port and starboard sides (according toStar Wars: The Roleplaying Gamesourcebooks, theVictory I-class can enter a planetary atmosphere which is a unique attribute not found in theVictory IIandImperial-class Star Destroyers), and a shorter conning tower with different elements on the command bridge. TheVictory-class was developed from a prototype Star Destroyer model created byColin CantwellforA New Hope,with the final design being used for the basis of theImperial-class.[76][77]

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^abYears before theBattle of Yavin
  2. ^In Legends continuity, theVenatorserved the Empire well into theGalactic Civil War,but in a reduced role.

Bibliography

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  • Barr, Patricia; Bray, Adam; Jones, Matt; Horton, Cole; Wallace, Daniel; Windham, Ryder (2019).Ultimate Star Wars New Edition.United States: DK Publishing.ISBN978-1-4654-7900-6.
  • Dougherty, Kerrie; Fry, Jason; Hidalgo, Pablo; Reynolds, David West; Saxton, Curtis; Windham, Ryder (2020).Star Wars Complete Vehicles New Edition.United States: DK Publishing.ISBN978-0-7440-2057-1.
  • Luceno, James; Reynolds, David West; Windham, Ryder; Fry, Jason; Hidalgo, Pablo (2018).Star Wars: The Complete Visual Dictionary.United States: DK Publishing.ISBN978-1-4654-7547-3.
  • Lund, Kristin; Beecroft, Simon; Dougherty, Kerrie; Luceno, James; Fry, Jason (2016).Star Wars: Complete Locations.United States: DK Publishing.ISBN978-1-4654-5272-6.
  • Taylor, Chris(2014).How Star Wars Conquered the Universe: The Past, Present, and Future of a Multibillion Dollar Franchise(eBook).Basic Books.OCLC889674238.
  • Walker, Landry Q. (2018).Star Wars Encyclopedia of Starfighters and Other Vehicles.United States: DK Publishing.ISBN9781465482716.

References

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  1. ^abcd"Star Wars: Databank: Imperial Star Destroyer".Lucasfilm.Retrieved2011-12-22.
  2. ^Battlefront: Twilight Company
  3. ^abcdefghijklmnopqrstuBarr, et al. (2019), p. 314
  4. ^abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwDougherty, et al. (2020), p. 135-137
  5. ^Lund, et al. (2016), p. 143
  6. ^Aaron, J. (2017). Star Wars Vol. 4: Last Flight Of The Harbinger. United States: Marvel Entertainment. Pg. 3
  7. ^Taylor,p. 115
  8. ^Taylor,pp. 121-22
  9. ^abcdTaylor,p. 171-73
  10. ^abWalker, Landry (2019).The Moviemaking Magic of Star Wars: Ships + Battles.United States: Abrams Books. p. 45.ISBN978-1-4197-3633-9.
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