Ship classification in the Federal Fleet

Both the Empire and the Rebel Alliance have rather non-standardized ways of referring to ships: for instance, both call the Sienar Fleet Systems-built Guardian-class patrol ship a cruiser, despite the fact that the term is mostly used for referring to large capital ships.

The Federal Fleet introduced a new system, based on the roles that the ships have. For ordinary ships, they either are meant for independent patrol or being a component of a main battle fleet. These roles can overlap from time to time, though, but for the sake of simplicity, it’s capability for independent patrol that counts, since mostly ships that have a capability of operating independently also have a capacity for operating in a fleet.

The class for the smallest capital ships in the fleet is the corvette class. Corvettes typically serve as short-range patrol ships or as fleet pickets, gunships and escorts. Typical ships in the corvette class are the CEC CR90-type corvettes and the Republic Sienar Systems Marauder-class corvette. DP-20-type Gunboats are also classified as corvettes by the Federal Fleet.

It’s worth noting that the corvette class is neither an independent patrol vessel class or a main battle line class. Corvettes in general are used as the smallest warship to carry out any duties at all: they are perhaps the most flexible class.

Destroyers are the smallest main battle line-rated ships, like the Recusant-class light destroyers, that are very focused on their role as an anti-capital ship platform. Bayonet-class light cruisers were also reclassed by the Federal Fleet as destroyers, due to their small size and arms loadout. Lancer-class frigates were also classified as destroyers, due to their tight focus and inability to operate independently.

Frigates are the smallest independent patrol vessels used. Frigates typically have an arms loadout that enables independent operation (like both anti-capital ship and anti-starfighter weaponry). The most typical of the frigate class is the Nebulon-B frigate , which was initially designed as a convoy escort but can be used for many different purposes. Another example is the Munificent-class frigate used by the separatists during the Clone Wars.

Heavy cruisers are the medium-sized ships that are meant to operate in a battle line. Typical ships in this category are Loronar Strike Cruisers, Immobilizer 418-class cruisers and Victory II-class Star Destroyers. To be classified as a heavy cruiser, arms loadout matters more than size. When talking about the larger ships, like the Victory II-class, there is a thin line between cruisers and battleships.

Light cruisers are independent patrol ships of considerable size, like the Carrack-class light cruiser, Acclamator-class assault ship and the Victory I-class Star Destroyer.

The largest ships are divided into two categories, namely battlecruisers and battleships. Current Federal Fleet doctrine makes no difference to tactical use between the two classes, the only difference that is actually present is that battlecruisers are somewhat more flexible and economical to use for independent patrol. The Liberation-class Battlestar is a typical example of a battlecruiser. The Imperial I-class Star Destroyer is called a battleship even if in practice, it can act in the same role as a Battlestar. The difference here is mostly that a Liberation-class Battlestar is more lightly armed and has a smaller crew, which makes it more economical for independent use.

For the sake of completeness, it’s worth to mention two other non-capital ship classes: starfighters and fast attack craft. Starfighters refer to small vessels, which have a limited fuel and consumables capacity. Fast attack craft are ships like the Guardian-class and the Skipray Blastboat. Fast attack craft are more suited for solo patrol operations than starfighters, due to their larger crews and longer endurance.