Belligerent was an Imperial-class Star Destroyer serving the Imperial Navy during the era of the Galactic Civil War. In the vicinity of 0 ABY, it was positioned with the Star Destroyer Vengeance as part of a defensive line above the planet Tatooine. At this time, it tried to prevent the YT-1300 light freighter Limping Lady from escaping the planet with illegally obtained Imperial weaponry. By 6 ABY, the Belligerent was under the control of the Imperial Advisors, with Admiral Uther Kermen in command. During negotiations with Tirgee Benyalle, the ruler of Kaal, Kermen attempted to take control of the planet and its aquaculture resources. Also vying for the rights to harvest the planet's oceans were a New Republic delegation, Syndic Pandis Hart from Sif-Uwana, and the warlord Moff Utoxx Prentioch. Kermen's attempt to seize the planet by force—an effort ultimately thwarted by the New Republic representatives—saw the Belligerent engage Prentioch's Star Destroyer, the Prentioch, in battle above Kaal.
The Belligerent was an Imperial-class Star Destroyer produced by Kuat Drive Yards. Like other vessels of its class, the Imperial, it had a length of 1,600 meters. Its armament consisted of turbolasers, and it was equipped with a hyperdrive.
The Belligerent carried a complement of TIE/LN starfighters for starfighter operations.
During the Galactic Civil War, the Belligerent was a serving member of the Imperial Navy.
Around the time of 0 ABY, the Belligerent was stationed in orbit above the planet of Tatooine, situated within the Arkanis sector of the Outer Rim Territories, alongside the Star Destroyer Vengeance. These two ships were assigned to picket duty, and they attempted to prevent the YT-1300 light freighter Limping Lady from launching from Docking Bay 35 at the spaceport of Mos Eisley. The reason for this attempt was the belief that the freighter was carrying stolen Imperial heavy blasters. The Star Destroyers transmitted orders for the ship to return to port. Getting no response, TIE fighters were launched to intercept the Limping Lady, but the freighter evaded capture and jumped into hyperspace.
By 6 ABY, Admiral Uther Kermen was in command of the vessel. Despite the Empire's fragmentation into warlord factions after the Battle of Endor two years prior, Kermen remained loyal to the Imperial Advisors who governed the remaining Imperial territories. Kermen took the Belligerent to the planet Kaal, located in the Yushan sector of the Mid Rim. Tirgee Benyalle had been in control of the world since the Imperial withdrawal following the defeat at Endor and was considering bids from various groups for the right to harvest food from Kaal's oceans for their own use. Kermen's mission from the Imperial Advisors was to secure these resources for the Empire. Other parties involved included representatives from the New Republic, Syndic Pandis Hart of the Sif-Uwana Council, and Moff Utoxx Prentioch, a local warlord.
While Kermen was on Kaal, the Belligerent remained in orbit, facing off against Prentioch's Star Destroyer, the Prentioch. The crew was on high alert, prepared to respond to any action taken by Prentioch's ship. On the planet's surface, Kermen made his move during the negotiations, as the Admiral had no intention of peacefully negotiating for the rights to Kaal's aquaculture industry, preferring a violent resolution. Over the course of a month, he had placed his own agents within the crew of Benyalle's sail barge, where the final negotiations were scheduled. He attacked Benyalle and the assembled delegations, but the New Republic representatives rescued Benyalle. Kermen's agents clashed with reinforcements summoned by Prentioch from orbit aboard the sail barge, and eventually, Syndic Pandis Hart—who was actually the smuggler Talon Karrde—rescued Benyalle and the New Republic delegation, destroying the sail barge in the process at the same time.
In orbit, the Belligerent and Prentioch engaged in attack, exchanging turbolaser fire that was visible from the planet's surface. The fighting took a toll on both vessels, and the Belligerent attempted to flee the system while continuing to fire on the Prentioch, which was also attempting to withdraw.
In 6 ABY, Admiral Uther Kermen commanded the Belligerent. As a loyal Imperial officer, he was in charge of the Imperial fleet defending the Core Worlds from New Republic attacks.
The Belligerent made its first appearance in the ambiguously canon RPG adventure "Limping Lady" by Peter M. Schweighofer, published in the magazine Challenge 64 in 1992. The vessel later appeared in The Kaal Connection, published in 1995's Star Wars Adventure Journal 7. Schweighofer also wrote it with assistance from Timothy Zahn.