Darth Vader surveys an Imperial group of starships.
The term fleet, also known as an armada, refers to a collection of warships or other starships. These vessels are brought together as a single, cohesive unit under the direction of a commanding officer. However, the term can be applied more generally to any group of ships. Throughout the vastness of galactic history, many different factions and powers have utilized fleets and, more broadly, navies.
A fleet, alternatively called an armada, represents a structured assembly of warships or other starships. This assembly is meticulously organized into a unified entity that can be composed of smaller, subordinate units and groups. Fleets have been employed for both military operations and civilian endeavors. Certain navies have been designated as fleets, exemplified by the Rebel Alliance Navy, frequently referred to as the Alliance Fleet, or the New Republic Defense Fleet, which functioned as the naval division of the New Republic.
Within military structures, fleets commonly constitute a substantial arrangement of warships or military vehicles, forming a component of a military's naval forces. The size of these fleets can vary significantly, encompassing anything from a few capital ships to hundreds of vessels. This adaptability allows them to fulfill diverse roles and responsibilities, including rescue operations, serving as reserve fleets, launching attacks, overseeing sector fleets, managing supply lines, and various other functions.
The utilization of fleets dates back to the era when the Sith armada was actively engaged in galactic history. During this period, it engaged in conflict with the Ghostfinder fleet, a smaller force that ultimately emerged victorious. During the High Republic Era, the Galactic Republic maintained a rescue fleet. During the Clone Wars, the Republic had a fleet assigned to each of its twenty Sector Armies. The 2nd Fleet was one of these twenty fleets. The Confederacy of Independent Systems deployed fleets within its navy during its conflict with the Republic. Similarly, the Alliance to Restore the Republic operated a fleet in its struggle against the Empire.
Within the Imperial Navy, command of a fleet could be held by an admiral, a [Fleet Admiral](/article/fleet_admiral], or a [Grand Admiral](/article/grand_admiral]. Some Imperial fleets were mobile, moving from one conflict to another, such as the Third Fleet, the Seventh Fleet, and Death Squadron. Conversely, sector fleets were stationed within a particular sector of the galaxy, examples being the Lothal sector fleet and the Anoat sector fleet. Task forces, such as the Ninety-Sixth Task Force, were smaller ship formations than fleets, commanded by an admiral or commodore.
The Sith Eternal dedicated considerable effort over many years to construct the Final Order, a formidable fleet comprising Xyston-class Star Destroyers. This fleet was intended to be launched as the largest in galactic history. However, the Citizens' Fleet ultimately surpassed it in size, seeing action at the Battle of Exegol and triumphing over the Sith fleet, thus becoming the largest fleet ever assembled in the galaxy.