The Citizens' Fleet, also known as the citizens' navy, was an expansive fleet that was comprised of 14,000 volunteer civilian and military ships from throughout the Core Worlds and the galaxy during the war between the First Order and the Resistance. It was assembled by General Lando Calrissian to aid the Resistance in the Battle of Exegol, where they faced the might of the Sith Eternal's forces, including the Final Order, led by the reborn Darth Sidious.
At first, many worlds were hesitant to aid the Resistance at the onset of its war against the First Order due to the recent collapse of the New Republic and the advance of the First Order's conquest of the galaxy. The collapse of the New Republic had seen the destruction of the New Republic Home Fleet, and, although some task forces survived, they were dissolved by Senators to protect their homeworlds.
Following the announcement of Darth Sidious' return and the destruction of Kijimi, Rebel Alliance veterans General Lando Calrissian and Chewbacca were dispatched to the Core Systems on the Millennium Falcon at the request of Resistance Generals Poe Dameron and Finn to send out a call for help to anyone throughout the galaxy who would be willing to aid the Resistance in their upcoming battle.
The citizen's fleet rises to confront the Sith Eternal's armada.
After hastily amassing a combined force of 14,000 civilian and military starships of differing classes and size that were manned by ordinary galactic citizens and Resistance friends, the Citizens' Fleet arrived at Exegol, where the remains of the Resistance were engaged in a battle against the Sith Eternal's fleet of Xyston-class Star Destroyers, the Final Order. This was to reinforce the Resistance in their effort to prevent the massive Sith armada from deploying off of Exegol and attacking the remaining free worlds. There, they helped turn the tide of the battle and achieve victory, and, as a result, a galactic uprising against the First Order by the inhabitants of the galaxy began.
A number of units served at Exegol including the Mon Calamari fleet, Inferno Squad, and Phantom Squadron.
The fleet was composed of many starships of different classes.
The Citizens' Fleet was composed of a plethora of starships of various classes that ultimately culminated in over 14,000 starships. One of those ships was the Anodyne Two.
The gargantuan civilian fleet contained a large number of capital ships, prominently those of the MC-series star cruiser line developed by the Mon Calamari. These Star Cruisers included at least twenty-five MC75 Star Cruisers, as well as many MC75B Star Cruisers, many MC75C Star Cruisers, and many of other similar models with the MC75 style of hull. MC80 Star Cruisers also participated in the battle, as well as at least five MC85 Star Cruisers, along with many other models that shared the MC85 hull. Additionally, there were multiple MC95 Star Cruisers, along with MC95A Star Cruisers, MC95B Star Cruisers, MC95C Star Cruisers, MC95D Star Cruisers, and MC95E Star Cruisers. In addition to the Mon Calamari Star Cruisers, there were large scores of Hynestian Star Cruisers that were present at Exegol as part of the fleet. The large supertanker fuel depot space station known as the Colossus was also part of the fleet, as was at least one restored Cronian battlebird.
Ships of smaller classifications, sub-capital ships, were also a large part of the fleet's composition. Many of these ships were frigates. At Exegol, there were at least seven EF76 Nebulon-B escort frigates, at least fifteen Nebulon-C escort frigates, at least twelve Pelta-class frigates, and at least fourteen Vakbeor-class cargo frigates.
Additionally, there were many corvettes, including CR90 corvettes, Lothalian Corvettes, Braha'tok-class gunships, Sphyrna-class Hammerhead corvettes, and at least twenty-four Free Virgillia-class Bunkerbusters. Transports included GR-75 medium transports and Gozanti Armed Transports.
The Citizens' Fleet at Exegol
Warships were not the only type of vessel in the fleet, however. The fleet also boasted freighters, transports, shuttles, gunships and many other light craft. Specific freighter classes included many Corellian Engineering Corporation starships from the VCX series, YT-series and the YV-series. These, respectively, included at least three VCX-100 light freighters including the Ghost, a YT-1300 light freighter which was the Millennium Falcon and lead vessel of the fleet, as well as YT-2400 light freighters, YT-2400BT freighters, and YV-865 Aurore-class freighters. There were also at least twenty-five Baleen-class heavy freighters that were manufactured from CEC. Other freighter classes included Darius G-class freighters, at least one Drovan Freighter, Mining Guild Freighters, at least one Ralltiiri Light Freighter, at least two Sullustan Cargo Freighters, at least one 720 light freighter, at least one Coruscant Freighter, and at least one ZH-40 Tribune-class light freighter. More so, the fleet also consisted of TUG-b13s.
Further, the fleet also consisted of GX1 short haulers, T-6 shuttles, Star Tours Speeders, alongside at least one H-type Nubian yacht. Light attack craft included at least one Razor Assault Ship at least one Firespray-31-class patrol and attack craft, at least one Pursuer-class enforcer, Guavian Ships, Lancer-class pursuit craft including the Nebular Kelpie, Auzituck anti-slaver gunships, UT-60D U-wing starfighter/support craft, and MG-100 StarFortress SF-17 bombers.
In addition to the capital ships, sub-capital ships, and light craft, the Citizens' Fleet also had a large force of bombers and starfighters. Bombers included BTA-NR2 Y-wing starfighters, while starfighters such as T-70 X-wing starfighters, racing starfighters including the Yellow Ace, Red Ace, Green Ace, the Fireball, Blue Ace, and Yeager's ship, Durosian fighters, Z-95 Headhunters, Fang-class fighters, Kom'rk-class fighter/transports, N-1 starfighters, rebel speeders, Victor-wing Fighters, D-wing fighters, and many other vessels.
Many of the ships were kitbashed by ILM to create variations of the same model, using color to stylize the various models as well as livery and hull plating.
The Citizens' Fleet first appeared in the 2019 film Star Wars: Episode IX The Rise of Skywalker, the third and final installment of the Star Wars sequel trilogy. Not all of the shots that ILM rendered for the movie made it into the final cut, leading to discrepancies between promotional pieces and the final cut of the movie. Lucasfilm Story Group member Pablo Hidalgo stated in a Star Wars Resistance Bucket's List article on StarWars.com that the fleet was made up of 14,000 starships. In an Industrial Light & Magic video showcasing the visual effects of the film, it was stated that the shot when the fleet appeared at Exegol was made up of over 16,000 ships. This article assumes that the statement from Hidalgo is the canon number for the amount of ships in the fleet.
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