Imperial-class Star Destroyer

For other uses, see Imperial.

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Star Wars: The Rebel Files, Star Wars: Build the Millennium Falcon 20 Starship Fact File: Imperial Star Destroyer, Star Wars: Build the Millennium Falcon 23 Starship Fact File: Star Destroyer Deployment, Star Wars: Build the Millennium Falcon 24 Starship Fact File: Mon Calamari Star Cruiser

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"Oh, my. I could've sworn the hangar was down this hallway. Oh, why do they build these infernal ships so absurdly large?"

―C-3PO^[16]

The Imperial-class Star Destroyer (ISD) known generally as the Imperial Star Destroyer or as an Impstar, was a product line of massive dagger-shaped capital ships of the Imperial Navy of the Galactic Empire and later the naval branch of the First Order. The successor vessel to the Venator-class and Imperator-class Star Destroyers, it consisted of three designs: the Imperial I-class, the Imperial II-class, and the Interdictor-class.

At its height, the Empire operated 25,000 Star Destroyers, with twenty-four assigned to each of the Empire's 1,024 Sector Groups. The Imperial-class became the backbone of the Imperial Navy, hunting down Rebel Alliance task forces, blockading unruly worlds and serving as launch bases for planetary assaults.

Characteristics

Overview

The Imperial-class Star Destroyer was the successor of both the Venator-class Star Destroyer^[6] and the Imperator-class Star Destroyer, both used during the Clone Wars by the Galactic Republic.^[1] They had a length of 1,600 meters or 5,249 feet.^[3]

Models

Imperial I-class

Main article: Imperial I-class Star Destroyer

An Imperial I-class Star Destroyer — An *Imperial I*-class Star Destroyer

The first iteration of the Imperial-class family, the Imperial I-class Star Destroyer was considered "the face of the Imperial Navy" and one of its most powerful warships. One of the most common vessels in the Empire's naval branch, a single Imperial I-class could subjugate an entire world or waste it through orbital bombardment. One battle group with an Imperial I could lock down an entire sector.^[17]

Imperial II-class

Main article: Imperial II-class Star Destroyer

An Imperial II-class Star Destroyer — An *Imperial II*-class Star Destroyer

The Imperial II-class Star Destroyer was a successor to the original Imperial I-class. Almost indistinguishable to its predecessor, the Imperial II-class had several key differences such as a communications tower between its two deflector shield generator domes instead of a tractor beam targeting array, heavier armament, a reinforced hull, and more advanced deflector shields.^[17]

Interdictor-class

Main article: Interdictor-class Star Destroyer

An Interdictor-class Star Destroyer — An *Interdictor*-class Star Destroyer

The Interdictor-class Star Destroyer^[18] was a derivative of the Imperial-class that served as an Interdictor.^[1] Unlike the Imperial I-class and Imperial II-class, the Interdictor-class Star Destroyer had a distinct command structure^[19] and four spheroidal gravity well projectors.^[20] The gravity well projectors were powerful enough to create an artificial gravity well called an interdiction field. This field could be used to prevent ships from jumping into hyperspace,^[21] as well as taking ships out of it.^[22]

History

"With shipyards turning out Imperial-class Star Destroyers, any revolt will be hard pressed to make so much as a dent in the Emperor's armor."

―Artoz^[23]

Imperial-class Star Destroyer schematics — *Imperial*-class Star Destroyer schematics

The Imperial-Star Destroyer replaced the smaller Venator-class used by the Galactic Republic during the Clone Wars and was generally the Galactic Empire's star cruiser of choice.^[24] It was built upon the design of the Imperator-class Star Destroyer^[7] introduced near the end of the Clone Wars,^[1] which appeared in small numbers^[25] and witnessed limited service before the end of the conflict.^[1]

At the height of its power, the Empire operated over 25,000 Star Destroyers.^[12] The distinctive profile of the Imperial-class instilled fear into the soldiers of rebellious factions, and the name of a Star Destroyer could be preceded by the ship prefix ISD (standing for Imperial Star Destroyer). In a report to an admiral, Senior Commander Alecia Beck referred to the ISD Vehement.^[26]

Roughly thirty years after the Battle of Endor, the new Resurgent-class Star Destroyers were constructed to replace the aging Imperial-class by the Empire's successor state, the First Order, and would borrow design philosophies from the highly respected and coveted ship.^[15]

Behind the scenes

The "sandwich filling," as Lore Advisor Pablo Hidalgo called it, on a Star Destroyer is known behind the scenes as the "gack band."^[27] According to Star Wars: Episode VII The Force Awakens director J.J. Abrams, his original vision, which was storyboarded, involved beginning the film with vessels from the New Republic towing an Imperial-class Star Destroyer into the gravitational pull of Jakku, with the various shots being deliberately modeled after the famous opening sequence for A New Hope. After crashing, the wreckage was going to be scavenged by Rey. Though the sequence was cut and ultimately replaced with the attack on Tuanul, animator Tim Grey recreated the original opening sequence in a YouTube video which was uploaded on February 4, 2018.^[28] While working on the Imperial-class Star Destroyers of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, model maker John Knoll worked from Star Wars: Incredible Cross-Sections to make sure that what the audience saw inside the ship matched what was known about Star Destroyers.^[29]