The Fifth Fleet was a fleet within the Republic Navy of the Galactic Republic which was established by the early moments of the Clone Wars. As part of the Open Circle Fleet, vessels of the Fifth Fleet were identified by the Open Circle emblem on the hull as well as five red stripes on both sides of the vessels. A number of starships in the Republic Navy that were not part of the Open Circle Armada also utilized five red stripes on both sides of the hull. Several flagships of task forces of the Open Circle Armada were vessels from the Fifth Fleet. Admiral Shoan Kilian commanded forces of the Fifth Fleet, as did Jedi General Mace Windu.
As a fleet in the Open Circle Armada, itself a major naval force in the Republic Navy, the Fifth Fleet was equipped with many Venator-class Star Destroyers including the Endurance, the Guarlara, the Negotiator, Resolute, Triumphant, the Vigilance, and the cruiser of Jedi General Even Piell. Additionally, the Fifth Fleet was composed of a large number of Acclamator-class assault ships, Arquitens-class light cruisers, and Consular-class cruisers. Vessels of the Fifth Fleet were distributed throughout the Open Circle Armada's forces to make up the armada's task forces and smaller fleets.
An invasion fleet that participated in the Battle of Ryloth and consisted of three Acclamator-class assault ships was part of the Fifth Fleet, as was the fleet of Jedi General Obi-Wan Kenobi during the Battle of Utapau that included at least two Venators. The fleet group led by Jedi General Even Piell and Captain Wilhuff Tarkin was also of the Fifth Fleet.
Venators of the Fifth Fleet, namely the Resolute, at the Battle of Christophsis
Following the First Battle of Geonosis and the outbreak of the pan-galactic Clone Wars between the Galactic Republic and the Separatist Alliance, the Republic Navy assembled on the Republic capital world of Coruscant at a staging area to distribute the collected Grand Army of the Republic. During this time, at least four Acclamators of the Fifth Fleet were launched. On Geonosis at some point during the war, the Separatist pilot Chertek attacked a Fifth Fleet Venator-class Star Destroyer from a Nantex-class territorial defense starfighter.
By the Battle of Corvair, the Resolute from Jedi General Anakin Skywalker's task force was from the Fifth Fleet, and by the Battle of Christophsis, three Venators and four Acclamators belonging to the fleet of Admiral Wurtz were from the Fifth Fleet, along with an Acclamator-class assault ship that participated earlier in the battle. The Negotiator from the task force of Jedi General Obi-Wan Kenobi also participated in the Battle of Christophsis, and by that time was also part of the Fifth Fleet.
The Fifth Fleet's Guarlara exchanges fire with the Invisible Hand
With its vanguard arriving to the Coruscant system under Kenobi and Skywalker, the Fifth Fleet was one of the fleets to participate in the Battle of Coruscant along with the Coruscant Home Defense Fleet and other Republic Navy units. Near the end of the battle, the Fifth Fleet Venator Guarlara landed the decisive blow to the Separatist command ship, the Invisible Hand.
The Fifth Fleet was first mentioned in the 2018 Star Wars canon reference book Star Wars: Complete Vehicles. It was previously mentioned in the Star Wars Legends continuity in Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith Incredible Cross-Sections that was released in 2005.
- Star Wars: Complete Vehicles
- Star Wars: X-Wing Second Edition — ARC-170 Starfighter Expansion Pack
- Rise of the Separatists
- Star Wars: X-Wing Second Edition — Nantex-class Starfighter Expansion Pack
- Star Wars: Battles that Changed the Galaxy