The forward hangar was also used as a back-up to the main hangar. The small forward hangar was for shuttle craft carrying high-ranking officials. In the hangar, the TIEs were cycled through a launch rack and ready for the next launch. Once moved through the transfer tunnels to a launch hangar, the fighter could be serviced and refueled in a separate bay. The receivers carried the TIE to a debarkation station where the pilot would exit. Returning fighters landed in separate hangars and then were guided by small tractor beams into receiver-carriers. 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. TIE fighter service and refueling bays, and TIE launch hangars surrounded the main hangar. The attack hangar was located on the underside on the ship and was guarded by a set of armored doors. By the Battle of Endor, one of these fighter squadrons had been phased out in favor of a second squadron of TIE Interceptors. Sometimes one of the fighter squadrons was used for training purposes. Often one or two flights in a fighter squadron were TIE/fc starfighters. The standard wing included four TIE Fighter squadrons (one squadron often referred to be a reconnaissance squadron of TIE/rc starfighters), one squadron of TIE Interceptors, one squadron of TIE Bombers (lower priority ships had to make do with TIE/gt starfighter-bombers). Imperial-class Star Destroyers typically carried a standard Imperial wing of 6 TIE squadrons, for a total of 72 starfighters. 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. Three triple-gun turrets were mounted on the ridge of the ship, just forward of the lowest, forward-most terrace of the dorsal superstructure. Some ships, such as Emancipator, were refitted with proton torpedo launchers.
They varied in size some were designed as point-defense cannon to destroy incoming missiles and starfighters while others engaged lesser capital ships. 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. In any case, this Star Destroyer class could bring all its heavy guns to bear by dipping its bow downward. This could have been accomplished either by super-elevating the aft turrets, or merely by spacing the turrets apart over a longer distance of the ship's length. 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. The Imperial I-class Star Destroyer possessed a main battery of six heavy turbolasers and two heavy ion cannons, arranged in four dual mounts flanking the ship's tower structure. Differing from many other Imperial vessels, recreational facilities provided entertainment for off-duty personnel and "guest rooms' could accommodate Imperial VIPs. This would include a stormtrooper detachment, starfighter pilots, and support craft pilots. Counting the stormtrooper complement (one division or legion, 9,700 men) would total 46,700. Compared to most common frigates and downscaled cruisers known from the days of the Old Republic, the Imperial-class was a huge warship, but in the Imperial Navy, it was one of the Empire's mid-sized mainline warships, like its predecessor had been for the Republic.Īccording to officially available statistics, Imperial-class Star Destroyers had at least 37,000 officers and crew.
All known variants were 1,600 meters long (one mile). The Imperial-class was produced in large numbers and was the premier warship class of the Galactic Empire.
A single Imperial-class vessel cost the Empire more than twenty times the cost of a EF76 Nebulon-B escort frigate, which was the equivalent of several star systems' annual economic output. The Imperial I-class belonged to the Star Destroyer family of warship, exemplified by its dagger/arrowhead design.