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- "I maintain that the effectiveness of the Star Destroyer stems from not only its massive firepower, but from its size. When citizens look at a Star Destroyer and then compare it to the craft which might be mustered to attack it, they have a tendency to dismiss such a notion as suicidal rather than approach the problem tactically."
- ―Moff Wilhuff Tarkin
The Imperial I-class Star Destroyer,[6] also known as the Imperial I-class Destroyer[7] and originally Imperator-class Star Destroyer,[8] was an iconic class of warships designed by Lira Wessex and built by Kuat Drive Yards[9][10] for the Galactic Republic towards the end of the Clone Wars, but fielded extensively only after the establishment of the Galactic Empire.[11][8]
The Imperial-class Star Destroyers, along with Imperial stormtroopers, represented the might of the Imperial Military throughout the galaxy during the reign of the Galactic Empire.[10]
Characteristics
- "Half the budget is being spent on those Star Destroyers."
- ―Bail Prestor Organa
Cost
The Imperial I-class belonged to the Star Destroyer family of warship, exemplified by its dagger/arrowhead design. A single Imperial-class vessel cost the Empire more than 3.88 billion Imperial credits, which was the equivalent of several star systems' annual economic output.[12]
Dimensions
The Imperial-class was produced in large numbers and was the premier warship class of the Galactic Empire.[9] All known variants were 1,600 meters long (one mile). Compared to most common frigates and downscaled cruisers[8] known from the days of the Old Republic, the Imperial-class was a huge warship,[13][10] but in the Imperial Navy, it was one of the Empire's smaller main capital ships.[14]
Crew requirements
According to officially available statistics, Imperial-class Star Destroyers had at least 37,000 officers and crew. Counting the stormtrooper complement (one division or legion, 9,700 men) would total 46,700. This would include a stormtrooper detachment, starfighter pilots, and support craft pilots.[6]
Offensive and defensive systems
Cross-section showing from left to right: Main gun batteries, an auxiliary reactor, main hypermatter reactor core, docking and hangar bays, storage areas, tractor beam projectors.
The Imperial I-class Star Destroyer possessed a main battery of twelve heavy turbolasers and four heavy ion cannons, arranged in eight dual mounts flanking the ship's tower structure.[13]
Like with several other Star Destroyer classes, the designers did not take advantage of their wedge shape to give the heavy cannons the ability to focus on targets in the forward firing arc that were level with the ship.[8][13] This could have been accomplished either by superelevating the aft turrets, or merely by spacing the turrets apart over a longer distance of the ship's length. In any case, this Star Destroyer class could bring all its heavy guns to bear by dipping its bow downward.[15]
Numerous smaller and medium guns were mounted around the ship to ward off attacks against lesser ships not capable of being targeted by the main battery. They varied in size; some were designed as point-defense cannon to destroy incoming missiles and starfighters while others engaged lesser capital ships.[13] Some ships, such as Emancipator (ex-Accuser), were refitted with proton torpedo launchers. Three triple-gun turrets were mounted on the ridge of the ship, just forward of the lowest, forwardmost terrace of the dorsal superstructure.[13]
A turbolaser battery
Mounted just beyond the forward tip of the attack hangar (see fighter complement), were two large ventral turbolasers, which sat near the corners of the massive hangar.[16]
Complement
Imperial-class Star Destroyers typically carried a standard Imperial wing of 6 TIE squadrons, for a total of 72 starfighters.[9][13]
The standard wing included three TIE Fighter squadrons, one squadron of TIE Interceptors, one squadron of TIE Bombers (lower priority ships had to make do with TIE/gt starfighter-bombers), and one reconnaissance squadron of TIE/rc starfighters. One or two flights in a fighter squadron were TIE/fc starfighters. Sometimes, one of the fighter squadrons was used for training purposes. By the Battle of Endor, one of these fighter squadrons had been phased out in favor of a second squadron of TIE Interceptors.[17]
The attack hangar was located on the underside on the ship and was guarded by a set of armored doors. TIE fighter service and refueling bays, and TIE launch hangars surrounded the main hangar. TIEs were launched from cycling racks and pilots boarded from overhead gantries and were released into space as they disengaged from the front position in the racks.[13]
Imperial-class Star Destroyers over a Naboo city.
Returning fighters landed in separate hangars and then were guided by small tractor beams into receiver-carriers. The receivers carried the TIE to a debarkation station where the pilot would exit. Once moved through the transfer tunnels to a launch hangar, the fighter could be serviced and refueled in a separate bay. In the hangar the TIEs were cycled through a launch rack and ready for the next launch. The small forward hangar was for shuttle craft carrying high-ranking officials. The forward hangar was also used as a back-up to the main hangar.[13]
These ships carried 9,700 troops, as well as massive war vehicles such as AT-AT and AT-ST walkers.[9] AT-AT barges and other landing craft were used to deliver ground assault forces to a planet's surface.[9][13][18][19] Although larger landing craft could only be carried onboard heavier vessels,[14] the Imperial-class could transfer a large number of heavy walkers to other transports via a detachable rail system.[20]
The Star Destroyer could use its guns and TIE starfighters to support any surface action. If a planet required a lasting presence, a Star Destroyer could quickly deploy a prefabricated garrison base.[9] Like most other Star Destroyer models, the Imperial-class was capable of entering atmospheres and supporting ground operations directly.[21][22][23]
Propulsion systems
Ion engines on an Imperial I.
There were entire planets that, throughout their history, did not expend as much power as an Imperial-class ship did in one hyperspace jump.[9] A massive solar ionization reactor bulged from the ventral spine, annihilating hypermatter as fuel to power the ship. Auxiliary reactors flanked the main reactor and the three reactors were connected to the three main engines. In addition, the backup engines were connected to additional reactors as well.[13]
Catastrophic release braces were located underneath the ventral reactor bulge, in case of emergencies where the core of the main reactor had to be ejected from the ship.[24]
For sublight propulsion, the Imperial-class relied on an array of three primary Destroyer-I ion engines produced by KDY specifically for the vessels. For emergency situations requiring additional thrust, the Imperial-class could use its four Gemon-4 ion engines.[17] The engines were capable of accelerating the ship with a force of several thousand g.[25]
Bridge tower
A refitted Imperial I-class Star Destroyer escorting the Executor.
The command bridge tower of the Imperial-class Star Destroyer was massive, and the command bridge followed a design similar to that of many other KDY warship classes, like the Venator-class[26] and Executor-class.[27]
The sensor array on top of the Mk. I's tower had support beams running diagonally across it. These would later be substituted for vertical ones during a minor refit, which made the array look similar to the one on Mk. II vessels.[28]
History
- "I hate the look of these new mass-produced Imperator-class Destroyers. None of the artistry that went into the old Acclamators or Venators—even the Victory Twos. So goes elegance."
- ―Brudi Gayn
An Imperial I-class Star Destroyer as seen from below.
Republic design
As the Clone Wars were being fought in 19 BBY, the production of new Venator-class ships slowed in favor of other production lines, like the heavier Imperator- and Tector-classes, both of which appeared very late in the Clone Wars. These vessels were designed as massive, powerful, medium-sized warships meant to take the place of older Star Destroyers like the Venator-class.[8]
Following the Great Jedi Purge and the establishment of the Galactic Empire, the class was renamed Imperial-class.[8]
Imperial service
Imperial-class Star Destroyers had a distinguished career in the Imperial Starfleet, where they symbolized the Empire's military might (for better or worse). The Imperial-class was known to be in service as early as a month after the first Empire Day, and were still known as Imperator-class, at the time.[29] The second ship of the class was Exactor, the first personal flagship of Darth Vader.[29] Eventually, they would render Clone Wars-era vessels such as the Venator-class obsolete.
Capable of laying waste to entire worlds (provided those worlds did not have planetary shields), the Imperial-class became infamous as the prime enforcer of Imperial rule, serving as peacekeeping battleships.[9][13]
The Exactor orbiting New Plympto in 19 BBY.
According to official records, over 25,000 were eventually produced.[30] Many were destroyed in the fratricidal warfare that consumed the Empire after the death of Emperor Palpatine at Endor, while others defected or were captured.[31]
Within sector-level and many regional-level fleets, the ISD served a central battleship role, being the flagship of the unit known as the "Battle Squadron." It was also observed to operate more or less independently and often far from support ships and facilities. Through many large-scale operations, the ISD functioned as a destroyer, chasing down blockade runners and supporting Imperial Star Cruisers and Star Dreadnoughts in fleet combat.[14] In many cases, like at the Battle of Hoth, the Imperial-class Star Destroyers served as escorts for large and important warships.[32]
When assaulting Hoth, Vader commanded the Executor and brought along a flotilla of Imperial-class vessels from Death Squadron to assault the planet. The Rebellion's heavy ion cannon, powered by the reactor of a Star Battlecruiser, easily overwhelmed individual Star Destroyer shields and rapidly disabled ships.[33]
In the New Republic era, Imperial-class Star Destroyers continued to support larger vessels in operations like Operation Shadow Hand. The Super Star Destroyer Allegiance led a task force of Imperial-class ships and World Devastators during the First Battle of Mon Calamari.[34] This was one of many fleets that struck out from the Core as part of the operation, which was aimed at taking back most of the Galactic Empire's former territories. Operation Shadow Hand saw a relatively heavy use of different types of Super Star Destroyers supported by Star Destroyers.[35]
However, not all imperial factions made use of Super Star Destroyers, mainly due to lack of logistics. For instance, Grand Admiral Thrawn massed a sizable force in 9 ABY, but could not obtain any larger warships. In those instances, Star Destroyers, like the Imperial-class, acted as the main command ships of a navy.[36][37]
Foreign service
An Imperial-class Star Destroyer in formation with a Super Star Destroyer around 10 ABY.
This particular class of vessel saw extensive service in other navies, including that of the successor-state New Republic.[31] Some New Republic Imperial I-class Star Destroyers, like Mon Mothma, would be refitted to include gravity well projectors.[38]
Private service
The Errant Venture.
One Star Destroyer was operated by a private individual—the Errant Venture, formerly the Virulence, which had been captained by the smuggler Booster Terrik. The warship was claimed by Booster in the wake of the decisive Battle of Thyferra that concluded the Bacta War,[39] but was in poor condition for many years owing to the great cost of maintaining such a large vessel. In addition, she was stripped of the vast majority of her armament: only ten turbolasers were permitted, and even those were not always functional.[40]
Years later, the vessel received a comprehensive refit in exchange for Booster permitting its use in a New Republic special-operations raid on an Imperial base. The most notable part of this refit was a deep red paint job instead of the classic Imperial white.[41] While Captain Terrik was not permitted to keep all of his weapons after the operation, they were reinstated when the Yuuzhan Vong War occurred. During the Yuuzhan Vong invasion, she served as a temporary Jedi sanctuary and also as squadron flagship.[42]
Variants
Imperial II-class Star Destroyer
Several variant designs and refits were made using the Imperial-class as a basis. The most famous and widely produced, was the Imperial II-class Star Destroyer, the second iteration of the class. It included improved armor and weaponry, a different sensor tower and other cosmetic differences.[6]
Imperial-class variant
Imperial-class variant design.
Similar to how some Victory-class vessels borrowed design elements from the Imperial-class[43], at least one Imperial variant borrowed elements of the Victory-class. It had an elongated command tower and wing-structures on the side of the superstructure.[44] At least one such vessel escorted the Super Star Destroyer Guardian after its retreat from the Battle of Tantive V.[45]
Interdictor Star Destroyer
Another variant was the Interdictor Star Destroyer, heavily modified Imperial-class ships that were fitted with gravity-well generators and utilized to halt hyperspace travel for enemy ships.[46]
Behind the scenes
There has been some disagreement over the name of the class. Early material by Geoffrey Mandel, now considered unofficial, showed the Star Destroyer model smaller than they later appeared. The class-name Imperator was used for these drawings, and the ships were to be produced at the Gyndine shipyards. Many of the designs were greatly upscaled shortly before production began. Some critics suggest that naming one of the Empire's class of ships Imperial is redundancy in name.
Revenge of the Sith: Incredible Cross-Sections eventually put the debate to rest, by clarifying the issue—while the class was originally named Imperator, it was renamed Imperial at some point after the Great Jedi Purge. Other sources would later on reference Imperator, including the novel Dark Lord: The Rise of Darth Vader and the EU-section on the Venator-class Star Destroyer's 
official profile in the Databank (content now obsolete; backup link).
The word "Imperator" is Latin and was used as a title for "An army commander in the Roman Republic". Later, during the Roman Empire, it became a title worn by the Emperors and signified "The supreme power of the Roman emperor".
Based on an animatic of a Revenge of the Sith TV spot, an Imperator-class Star Destroyer was scheduled to make an appearance during the final scenes of the film, but was apparently cut out and replaced with a Venator-class in post-production.
Imperial-class Star Destroyers have featured prominently in many Star Wars computer games. However, they have generally been "toned-down" to allow the player some chance of defeating them with a starfighter. Some of these game mechanics have included shooting sensor globes and reactor bulbs with your starfighter to bring down the whole ship.
Imperial-class Star Destroyers have sometimes been referred to as cruisers. The book Starships of the Galaxy (2007) referred to most common Star Destroyers as being classified as "star cruisers", with lowercase letters. It also noted that unlike the term "Star Destroyer", "star cruiser" means "a naval cruiser that travels through space".[32] Since the Imperial-class has also been called a "star destroyer", the class can be seen as either a naval destroyer or a cruiser, given similarities in their roles. Imperial-class ships have also been described as battleships (more specifically, "peacekeeping battleships").[1] This is presumably because one Imperial constituted a line on its own. RotS:ICS also mention warships being "downscaled", depicting at least two separate classification systems, one where regular Star Destroyers are destroyers and another where they are battleships.
Numerous Expanded Universe sources state that the Imperial I is armed with 60 identical turbolasers and 60 identical ion cannons. However, analysis of the Star Destroyer models used in the films shows that this is a flawed description. The Star Wars: Incredible Cross-Sections factbook followed the movie model more closely, describing three twin-barreled heavy turbolasers and one ion cannon on each side of the command tower, one quad-laser cannon in each side trench, three cannons in front of the terrace superstructure, and numerous smaller guns lining each trench, as well as several tractor beam projectors located inside the vessel.
Appearances
Non-canon appearances
- Prey Template:Am
- Trooper Template:Am
- Star Wars Infinities: A New Hope
- Tag & Bink Are Dead
- LEGO Star Wars: The Video Game
- LEGO Star Wars II: The Original Trilogy
- LEGO Star Wars: The Complete Saga
Sources
- Star Wars Customizable Card Game: Premiere Limited
- Attack of the Clones: Incredible Cross-Sections
- Revenge of the Sith: Incredible Cross-Sections
- Imperial Sourcebook
- Star Wars Sourcebook
- Galaxy Guide 3: The Empire Strikes Back
- The Illustrated Star Wars Universe
- The Essential Guide to Vehicles and Vessels
- The New Essential Guide to Vehicles and Vessels
- Star Wars: Incredible Cross-Sections
- Star Wars: Complete Cross-Sections
- Strike Force: Shantipole
- Star Wars Miniatures: Starship Battles
Imperial Star Destroyer in the Databank (content now obsolete; backup link)- Republic attack cruiser in the Databank (content now obsolete; backup link) (As both Imperator- and Imperial-class)
- Visual Guide -- Chapter 3: Imperial Boarding Party on StarWars.com (backup link (episode-iv/explore/visualguides/chp03.html) not verified!)
Notes and references
- ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 Star Wars: Complete Cross-Sections
- ↑ West End Games
- ↑ Wizards of the Coast
- ↑ 4.00 4.01 4.02 4.03 4.04 4.05 4.06 4.07 4.08 4.09 4.10 Star Wars: Behind the Magic
- ↑ Star Wars Screen Entertainment
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 Imperial Sourcebook, p. 62 Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; name "Imperial Sourcebook1" defined multiple times with different content - ↑ Imperial Sourcebook, p. 60
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 8.5 Revenge of the Sith: Incredible Cross-Sections, p. 5 Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; name "Revenge of the Sith: Incredible Cross-Sections" defined multiple times with different content Cite error: Invalid<ref>tag; name "Revenge of the Sith: Incredible Cross-Sections" defined multiple times with different content Cite error: Invalid<ref>tag; name "Revenge of the Sith: Incredible Cross-Sections" defined multiple times with different content Cite error: Invalid<ref>tag; name "Revenge of the Sith: Incredible Cross-Sections" defined multiple times with different content - ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 9.4 9.5 9.6 9.7 Imperial Sourcebook, p. 61
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 Imperial Star Destroyer in the Databank
- ↑ Republic attack cruiser in the Databank
- ↑ Strike Force: Shantipole
- ↑ 13.00 13.01 13.02 13.03 13.04 13.05 13.06 13.07 13.08 13.09 13.10 Star Wars: Incredible Cross-Sections, p. 6-7 Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; name "Star Wars: Incredible Cross-Sections" defined multiple times with different content Cite error: Invalid<ref>tag; name "Star Wars: Incredible Cross-Sections" defined multiple times with different content Cite error: Invalid<ref>tag; name "Star Wars: Incredible Cross-Sections" defined multiple times with different content Cite error: Invalid<ref>tag; name "Star Wars: Incredible Cross-Sections" defined multiple times with different content Cite error: Invalid<ref>tag; name "Star Wars: Incredible Cross-Sections" defined multiple times with different content Cite error: Invalid<ref>tag; name "Star Wars: Incredible Cross-Sections" defined multiple times with different content Cite error: Invalid<ref>tag; name "Star Wars: Incredible Cross-Sections" defined multiple times with different content Cite error: Invalid<ref>tag; name "Star Wars: Incredible Cross-Sections" defined multiple times with different content Cite error: Invalid<ref>tag; name "Star Wars: Incredible Cross-Sections" defined multiple times with different content - ↑ 14.0 14.1 14.2 Star Wars: Complete Locations, p. 143 Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; name "Star Wars: Complete Locations1" defined multiple times with different content Cite error: Invalid<ref>tag; name "Star Wars: Complete Locations1" defined multiple times with different content - ↑ Observations of the model
- ↑ Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope
- ↑ 17.0 17.1 The Essential Guide to Vehicles and Vessels
- ↑ Star Wars: Force Commander
- ↑ The New Essential Guide to Vehicles and Vessels
- ↑ X-wing Rogue Squadron: Mandatory Retirement
- ↑ Star Wars: The Force Unleashed
- ↑ Star Wars: Battlefront II
- ↑ Dark Empire II
- ↑ Visual Guide -- Chapter 3: Imperial Boarding Party
- ↑ The New Essential Guide to Vehicles and Vessels
- ↑ Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith
- ↑ Star Wars: Complete Locations, p. 170
- ↑ Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back
- ↑ 29.0 29.1 Dark Lord: The Rise of Darth Vader Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; name "Dark Lord: The Rise of Darth Vader" defined multiple times with different content - ↑ Specter of the Past, p. 7
- ↑ 31.0 31.1 Multiple post-ROTJ books, like the X-wing series.
- ↑ 32.0 32.1 Starships of the Galaxy (2007)
- ↑ Star Wars: Complete Locations, p. 142-143 + fold-out
- ↑ Dark Empire
- ↑ Dark Empire
- ↑ Thrawn Trilogy
- ↑ Darksaber
- ↑ Star by Star
- ↑ X-wing: The Bacta War
- ↑ I, Jedi
- ↑ The Hand of Thrawn Duology
- ↑ The New Jedi Order
- ↑ Death Star II Limited
- ↑ Star Wars Sourcebook
- ↑ Wanted by Cracken
- ↑ Starships of the Galaxy (2001)
See also
External links
- Dr. Curtis Saxton's Star Wars Technical Commentaries
- Michael Wong's extensive Star Wars analysis and forums
Template:Kuat capital ship classes