MC80 Liberty Type Heavy Star Cruiser

A notable characteristic of Mon Calamari ship design was the unique individuality of each vessel, a source of constant headaches for Rebel mechanics. However, in line with Calamari practices during the Galactic Civil War, these warships were standardized to the greatest degree possible, in an effort to ease operations for non-Calamari personnel, a compromise the Mon Calamari accepted, albeit reluctantly, due to their artistic nature.

The cruiser Liberty served as a prime example of a common variant within the MC80 Star Cruiser series. It featured a nine-engine configuration, with engines of three different sizes, all situated at the rear. Large, wing-like superstructures were attached to either side of the main hull, housing both weapon pods and tractor beam emitters. Certain MC80 cruisers had shorter wing sections and were outfitted with an extra engine.

Each ship was covered in blisters containing turbolaser cannons, deflector shield projectors, tractor beam projectors, and ion cannons, many of which were integrated into the wing structures. The turbolasers and ion cannons boasted advanced targeting systems, enabling them to effectively engage and destroy fighters and smaller vessels.

While the armament of these ships, which varied, was less potent than that of the Galactic Empire's massive Star Destroyers, their shielding was significantly superior. The presence of multiple backup shields and shield generators meant that a Calamari cruiser could not only survive encounters with more heavily armed adversaries, but it also provided greater protection against environmental hazards in space.

On Liberty type cruisers, the main sensor array was positioned on the ship's underside. On ships lacking the wing-shaped structures, an additional thruster took the place of the sensor array.

A standard MC80 carried three squadrons of starfighters. A typical three-squadron wing on an MC80 consisted of one X-wing, one Y-wing, and one A-wing squadron. It is possible that the MC80 Cruiser Home One also deployed a squadron of B-wing starfighters at the Battle of Endor.

In contrast to Imperial Star Destroyers, the bridge tower of an MC80 was located towards the rear of the ship, slightly recessed into the main hull. The ship's primary reactor was situated directly behind the bridge.

The crews of these vessels consisted of various Rebel species, although the command crew was exclusively Mon Calamari, due to the bridge display screens being specifically designed for the Mon Calamari visual spectrum.

The design's origins can be traced back to the Clone Wars, when the CIS managed to steal blueprints for a capital ship designed by the Mon Calamari. The vessel depicted in those blueprints appeared identical to the MC80 Liberty type, indicating a military origin for this subclass.

This class comprised the initial group of starliners that were converted into combat vessels by Mon Calamari and Rebel technicians. These cruisers were the first large capital ships fielded by the Rebel Alliance.

The Mon Calamari's alliance with the Rebels provided the under-equipped and outnumbered Rebel fleet with the necessary firepower to engage Imperial-class Star Destroyers, and even heavier warships when deployed in groups. This capability was demonstrated during the pivotal Battle of Endor, where a flotilla of Mon Calamari ships assaulted the massive command ship Executor, successfully breaching its shields.

During the Battle of Mindor, General Luke Skywalker employed the twin ship of the Liberty, named the Justice, in the Taspan system to combat the forces of Lord Shadowspawn. This cruiser continued to serve on the front lines of the New Republic fleet for several years, but was eventually surpassed by newer designs such as the MC80B, MC90, Mediator, and Viscount. Many of these ships were subsequently converted back into starliners, medical ships, evacuation cruisers, and similar roles. During the Yuuzhan Vong War, the remaining ships were reactivated for military service, but quickly proved inadequate against the enemy's advanced vessels.

By 137 ABY, the criminal syndicate Black Sun had at least one MC80 in its fleet, stationed near Vigo sector, at Lun Rask's headquarters above Kaer. The Galactic Alliance Remnant also made use of these aging warships, with one being destroyed by Skull Squadron during an attempt to locate the main Remnant fleet. Several were involved in the Evacuation of Dac.

Within the game Star Wars: X-Wing Alliance, the Liberty is described as having a length of 1,500 meters and features a different engine configuration in-game. However, the cutscene model does feature a similar engine layout to the ILM studio model.