Capital ship

The Imperial Star Destroyers functioned as capital ships. A capital ship can be defined as any large starship used for military purposes, exceeding 100 meters in its overall length, and specifically built to engage in warfare within deep-space. These ships were equipped with numerous powerful weapons and protective shields, requiring crew sizes that ranged from hundreds to thousands of individuals. They also possessed large hangar bays that were frequently used to transport shuttles, starfighters, and various other types of spacecraft. Examples of capital ships included vessels such as Star Destroyers, Star Cruisers, and battleships. Their classification was usually carried out using the Anaxes War College System, which took into consideration their dimensions, their intended function, and their offensive capabilities.

Despite their formidable presence, capital ships exhibited sluggishness and a lack of maneuverability during space travel. Because of this characteristic, the New Republic was ultimately successful, after the conclusion of the Galactic Civil War, in systematically eliminating the majority of the Galactic Empire's capital ships by overwhelming them through the use of smaller, more agile spacecraft, such as bombers. Starships that were smaller in size than capital ships were known as sub-capital ships.