The Khetanna, a lavish sail barge of the LO-KD57 class, was produced by Ubrikkian Industries but underwent modifications to fulfill the specific desires of Jabba, the Hutt crime lord. Following Luke Skywalker's, the Jedi Knight's, killing of Jabba's beloved rancor, Pateesa, the criminal demanded the execution of Skywalker alongside his companions Han Solo and Chewbacca at the Great Pit of Carkoon. Jabba and his retinue journeyed to the site aboard the Khetanna to observe the planned demise; however, the captives successfully seized control of the barge, assassinated Jabba, and destroyed the vessel during their escape.
The Khetanna boasted a pair of expansive sails, strategically implemented to shield its occupants from the intense solar radiation of Tatooine. A substantial double laser cannon was positioned on its upper level, complemented by the potential addition of numerous heavy blasters along its guardrails. The interior featured a spacious banquet hall, utilized by Jabba as a reception area for himself and his guests. Furthermore, the Hutt adorned the barge's interior with a bas relief depicting his own likeness.
At some point in time, Jabba the Hutt acquired the Khetanna from Ubrikkian Industries, with the company's skilled workers constructing the barge to his exact specifications.
Early in the Clone Wars, the Khetanna was in transit, carrying the Hutt's young son, Rotta, back to his palace. It was then ambushed by a Trident-class assault ship under the command of Asajj Ventress, acting on the orders of Separatist leader Count Dooku and his ally, Jabba's uncle Ziro. Ventress seized the Khetanna and abducted Rotta, transporting him to Teth. The sail barge, however, survived the assault.
Throughout the Galactic Civil War between the Rebel Alliance and the Empire, Jabba maintained his use of the Khetanna. Lord Vader visited him aboard it, and its cannons were used to massacre a group of Tusken Raiders.
Shortly before the Battle of Endor, Princess Leia Organa, Jedi Knight Luke Skywalker, Lando Calrissian, Chewbacca, and the droids C-3PO and R2-D2 launched a rescue attempt to free Han Solo, who was encased in carbonite within Jabba's palace. The attempt failed, resulting in Organa becoming Jabba's slave, while Skywalker, Solo, and Chewbacca were condemned to be devoured by the sarlacc in the Great Pit of Carkoon. Jabba, accompanied by Organa and his entourage, traveled to the pit aboard the Khetanna to witness the execution. However, R2-D2, still on board the sail barge, launched Skywalker's lightsaber, enabling the Jedi to retrieve it and engage Jabba's henchmen. Meanwhile, Organa assassinated the Hutt. Skywalker then boarded the Khetanna, neutralized the guards, and instructed Organa to target the vessel's primary blaster cannon at the deck. They swung to a nearby skiff as the cannon fired, initiating a chain reaction that caused the barge to explode. The wreckage partially buried the sarlacc, providing salvage for Jawas.
Following the Khetanna's destruction, Lugubrious Mote, a performer claiming to have witnessed Han Solo's rescue, commissioned a scaled replica of the vessel for her performances. After observing Mote perform with the sail barge, a youth named Teal remarked that the replica was so ostentatious that she found it difficult to believe such a ship had ever existed. The mostly scavenged remains were still somewhat visible when former bounty hunter Boba Fett escaped the sarlacc pit, and later when he and Master Assassin Fennec Shand returned to the pit and killed the sarlacc inside, in a failed attempt to recover the former's armor.
During the development of the Special Edition of the Star Wars original trilogy, the scene from Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope where Jabba encountered Han Solo at Mos Eisley was restored, replacing Declan Mulholland with a CGI Jabba. Claudia Mullaly, an artist, proposed an idea of Jabba mobilizing in a miniature version of the Khetanna with a control column at the bow for steering. However, as incorporating it into the original footage would have been difficult (especially when Solo steps on Jabba), this idea went shelved.