The Nova-class battle cruiser represented a significant component of the Hapan naval forces and was categorized as a capital ship. The Hapes Consortium possessed a diverse array of warships. While the signature Battle Dragon served as the core of their fleet, Nova-class battle cruisers were regularly used to augment these powerful ships.
These cruisers were commonly stationed along the border, executing interception missions against pirates and smugglers (such as Han Solo), who attempted to infiltrate the incredibly wealthy inner systems of the Hapes Cluster. Their primary function was to provide large-scale support, responding to immediate threats rather than undertaking prolonged deployments.
Nova-class battle cruisers measured four hundred meters in overall length and were heavily armed. The ship's bridge was connected to an elongated, neck-like structure, featuring an "inverted-V" shaped split-wing configuration at the vessel's stern. The bridge was equipped with a deployable, wall-like shield for use during combat situations.
The hangar bay and the main power core were located towards the rear of the ship's hull. The ion/hyperdrive engines, along with maneuvering jet arrays situated on the rear wings, resulted in a combat cruiser with exceptional speed in both sublight and faster-than-light travel. This was due to its advanced design, which was, in part, a result of technological espionage targeting Imperial corporations like Kuat Drive Yards and SoroSuub Corporation.
The primary offensive capabilities of the cruiser consisted of approximately 25 turbolasers designed for engaging capital ships, 10 laser cannons intended for use against starfighters or light freighters, and 10 ion cannons for the purpose of disabling and capturing enemy vessels.
Each Nova cruiser could accommodate two squadrons of Hapan Miy'til starfighters and six Hetrinar assault bombers within its docking bays. Nova cruisers generally approached combat cautiously, as Hapan turbolaser technology was not as advanced as the Galactic standard. Their turbolasers had a recharge time roughly three times longer than those of their Imperial and New Republic counterparts, occasionally leaving Nova cruisers unable to return fire at critical moments. Consequently, they typically operated in groups of three or more, facilitating the swift and decisive assaults favored by the Hapans.
Subsequent upgrades to Nova-class cruisers mirrored the practices of the Mon Calamari, incorporating redundant shield generators and larger, more dependable power generators. This came at the expense of reducing the number of Miy'til fighters to a single squadron. New Republic Intelligence suspected that the shield designs used were obtained through theft from the Mon Calamari Shipyards.
Prince Isolder once proposed offering a cruiser to [Han Solo](/article/han_solo-legends] if Solo would cease his pursuit of Princess Leia Organa. Solo declined, and instead abducted Leia, taking her to Dathomir.
These cruisers were part of the fleet commanded by Dukat Aleson Gray during the Battle of Qoribu against the Chiss. This engagement stemmed from his misguided attempt to "rescue" the Skywalkers from the Killik Gorog nest.
While Cracken's Threat Dossier and Starships of the Galaxy indicate that the Nova had only a month's supply of consumables, The Essential Guide to Vehicles and Vessels and The Official Star Wars Fact File assert that they could operate independently for a full year. It remains unclear whether this discrepancy is an error or reflects a refit or a different subclass. However, the latter figure is also mentioned by Isolder in The Courtship of Princess Leia.