- "I'm certain, however, that it will do until the battle station is deployed."
- ―Wilhuff Tarkin, on deploying the seemingly obsoleted dreadnought
In 18 BBY, a new dreadnought was introduced to the Imperial Navy after less than a year of construction. By the time of its inaugural launch from the construction and overhaul facility, however, the starship had already been labeled a placeholder. Nonetheless, Admiral Wilhuff Tarkin promised Lieutenant Commander Orson Callan Krennic that the dreadnought would serve in the Imperial Navy until the DS-1 Orbital Battle Station was complete.
Description
- "Completed in less than a standard year."
"And yet already obsolete?"
"A placeholder." - ―Wilhuff Tarkin and Orson Krennic watch the dreadnought's inaugural launch
The dreadnought was a capital ship intended for use in the Imperial Navy. While the starship was newly constructed[1] as of 18 BBY,[2] it had been labeled a placeholder—with Lieutenant Commander Orson Callan Krennic asking if it was obsolete—before its inaugural launch had even been completed.[1]
History
- "Our main weapon will have more firepower than ten vessels that size."
"Should it ever reach completion." - ―Orson Krennic and Wilhuff Tarkin compare the new dreadnought and to the forthcoming Death Star
Wilhuff Tarkin (left) expressed great pride in the dreadnought and its quick construction process.
Around 18 BBY,[2] the Galactic Empire—the new galactic government[1] that had arisen in 19 BBY after the Clone Wars between the Galactic Republic and Confederacy of Independent Systems[3]—commissioned a type of new dreadnought to be built within the construction and overhaul facility, a massive shipyard located over[1] the Mid Rim[4] astronomical object Kartoosh. After less than a standard year of work, the dreadnought was completed despite the heavy damage the construction and overhaul facility had seen. The capital ship thus celebrated its inaugural launch from the facility[1] in 18 BBY.[2] However, by that time, the starship was already considered a mere placeholder for the Imperial fleet,[1] the buildup of which was a major priority for the young regime.[5]
The dreadnought's launch was briefly watched by Admiral Wilhuff Tarkin and Lieutenant Commander Orson Krennic via a viewport on Tarkin's Imperial-class Star Destroyer; Tarkin spoke of the new dreadnought and its quick completion with great pride but confirmed to Krennic the new starship was already considered a placeholder, nonetheless adding that it would serve well until a massive battle station[1]—ultimately known as the DS-1 Orbital Battle Station[5]—could be completed. While Tarkin expressed doubt that the project would be finished, Krennic argued that the station's main weapon would be more powerful than the combined armaments of ten starships of the new dreadnought's size.[1] The DS-1 would ultimately suffer many setbacks and delays before finally seeing its completion[5] in 1 BBY, only to be destroyed shortly thereafter in the Battle of Yavin[3] of 0 BBY.[6]
Behind the scenes
The dreadnought appeared in James Luceno's 2016 novel Catalyst: A Rogue One Novel.[1]
Appearances
- Catalyst: A Rogue One Novel (and audiobook) (First appearance)
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 1.14 Catalyst: A Rogue One Novel
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Star Wars: Timelines dates Orson Callan Krennic and Wilhuff Tarkin's discussion about mining and research in the Western Reaches to 18 BBY. As seen in Catalyst: A Rogue One Novel, the launch of the new dreadnought occurs at that same point, placing its introduction to 18 BBY. The starship is mentioned to have been completed in less than a year, which puts its commissioning to be around 18 BBY as well.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Star Wars: Timelines
- ↑
Star Systems of the Galaxy on StarWars.com (current version) (backup link) (previous version) — Based on corresponding data for the Kartoosh system
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Rogue One: A Star Wars Story novelization
- ↑ Star Wars: Galactic Atlas