Star Warswouldn’t be much without its ships. Right from the start, they’ve been crucial in helping the heroes to complete their missions and save the galaxy. The prequel trilogy continued this importance with epic space battles and new ships to fly in them.
Related:The 10 Best Cantina Aliens from Star Wars
Episodes I-III were filled with new ship designs that would go on to become iconic. Some of these new vessels went for a completely original aesthetic, with the polished chrome of the N1 starfighter from the Battle of Naboo, and the elegant lines of Dooku’s sail ship. Others, like the Delta 7Jedistarfighter, went for more straight-edged designs, keeping the look from the original trilogy.
Invisible Hand
In the final days of the Clone Wars, General Grievous launched a risky mission to attack the core world of Coruscant and kidnap the Chancellor. Leading a large Separatist fleet to complete the operation, Grievous commanded the battle from his personal flagship, theInvisible Hand, a providence class dreadnought.
Grievous’s ship was far more capable than a standard Separatist cruiser, with rows of turbolasers, ion cannons, and proton torpedo launchers among its armament. The dreadnought also carried squadrons of Vultures and Tri-fighters, but still wasn’t able to defend itself against Obi Wan and Anakin, ending up being crashed onto Coruscant’s surface by the two Jedi.
Trade Federation Lucrehulk Battleship
Like most of the powerful corporations, the Trade Federation had a large fleet of vessels at its disposal, including the powerful Lucrehulk class battleship. During the Invasion of Naboo in 32BBY, they were used to blockade the planet, with one serving as the battle droid control ship before it was destroyed by Anakin Skywalker.
Related:10 fan Favorite Star Wars Characters Introduced in The Clone Wars
Lucrehulks had a very distinctive design, with the central sphere being detachable from the surrounding ring. They were powerful and heavily armed vessels, and several were used by the Separatists during the Clone Wars, often as flagships and command vessels in blockades.
Eta 2 Jedi Starfighter
Throughout the Clone Wars, new fighters were constantly being developed for the Republic military and the Jedi Order. One of the later designs was the Eta 2 Starfighter, designed for use by Jedi pilots, and flown byObi Wan and Anakinduring the Battle of Coruscant.
The craft’s cockpit and wing design give them a look that’s reminiscent of the TIE fighter, though the Eta 2 features shields and missile launchers. One thing it doesn’t have is a built-in hyperdrive, with its light construction not allowing space for one, as a result, it requires a hyperspace ring for light speed travel.
Dooku’s Sail Ship
While Dooku often uses much larger vessels, such as dreadnoughts, to travel around the galaxy, his personal choice of transport is his sail ship. He escapes from Geonosis in it at the start of the Clone Wars and continues using it throughout the conflict, usually with a pilot droid controlling the craft.
Although it’s based on a Punworcca 116 class sloop, the ship is a unique design. It was built by the Geonosians and given to Dooku by Poggle the Lesser. It’s unclear what kind of power the ship runs on, as the sail is too small to be a conventional solar sail, and uses mysterious Gree technology that Dooku sourced himself. This lack of a normal power source makes it easy for the ship to avoid detection by scanners.
N1 Starfighter
During the Invasion of Naboo, and later the Clone Wars, the Naboo defense force relied on the N1 starfighter to protect their home world. It’s an elegant vessel, with sleek lines and chrome panels, and contrasts with the more angular design common to starfighters.
Despite its limited use in Star Wars, the N1 does have the distinction of being the first ship ever flown by Anakin Skywalker. During the Battle of Naboo, Anakin hid in the fighter at Qui Gon’s insistence and accidentally activated the autopilot, sending him flying to join the battle above the planet, and allowing him to destroy the Trade Federation’s droid control ship.
J-Type Nubian
Padme’s Royal Starship is a regal vessel, with its reflective paneling and streamlined design. Made by the Nubian shipyards who specialize in building luxury starships for important clients, such as royalty and politicians, the craft is designed to allow for the highest levels of comfort when traveling the galaxy.
Related:10 Best Padme Amidala Costumes from Star Wars
Amazingly, the J Type isn’t armed, in a departure from Star Wars norm, where most ships have some form of weapons. As a result, the vessel is usually accompanied by a fighter escort. When the ship is used to run the blockade of Naboo, it suffers from this lack of weapons, having to rely solely on its shields to fend off the attacking Trade Federation ships.
Delta 7 Jedi Starfighter
The Delta 7 Aethersprite interceptor was a ship designed specifically for a Jedi to use. Its controls were optimized for the reflexes of a Force-sensitive pilot, and it was the main starfighter used by the Jedi before the Clone Wars, most notably byObi Wan when he discovered the Clone Army on Kaminoand ended up in a dogfight with the bounty hunter Jango Fett
A light and slimline ship, the Delta 7 was too small for a full astromech to fit in its wings, so only the dome was fitted, with the droid’s internal parts wired into the ship. Its small size also meant it had to use a hyperspace ring. Because of its age and limitations, new ships, such as the Eta 2, were brought in to replace it as the Clone Wars spread further across the galaxy.
