The Secutor-class Star Destroyer, also referenced as the Secutor-class battlecarrier, the Secutor-class carrier, or simply the Secutor battlecarrier, represented a class of Star Destroyer, carrier, and battlecruiser deployed by the forces of the Galactic Empire. Introduced in the early Imperial Era, this multi-kilometer vessel potentially stood as the largest dedicated starfighter carrier within the Imperial Navy's arsenal. Formidably equipped with turbolasers, ion cannons, and tractor beams, this Star Destroyer also accommodated tens of thousands of individuals, along with two wings of starfighters, walkers, and other armored combat vehicles, enabling it to readily impose a siege upon a planet.
The Secutor-class often functioned as a command ship or flagship overseeing a specific task force, frequently encountered during aggressive campaigns aimed at Rebel Alliance fleets, fortified locations, and rebellious planetary systems. Alternatively, the Star Destroyer could serve as an escort for larger Star Dreadnoughts. One notable Secutor-class Star Destroyer was the Conquest, under the command of Naval Intelligence Agency Vice Admiral Dodd Rancit, who utilized the ship to spearhead a flotilla above Carida in 14 BBY. However, he was later revealed to be a traitor against the Empire and met his death at the hands of his own crew.
Serving as a Star Destroyer, battlecarrier, and [battlecruiser] (/article/battlecruiser) design, the Secutor-class Star Destroyer, alternatively known as the Secutor-class battlecarrier, Secutor-class carrier, and Secutor battlecarrier, was possibly the largest dedicated starfighter carrier in the Imperial Navy, with a length of 2,200 meters, positioning it among the most massive vessels within the Imperial fleet. It shared more design similarities with the Venator-class Star Destroyer than any other Imperial Kuat Drive Yards vessel. The Secutor was characterized by dual bridges located on a vertical command superstructure that rose from its distinct flat, arrowhead-shaped hull and was uniquely situated amidships, instead of being positioned aft above the ion drives. The command bridge itself incorporated an elevated walkway, viewports, and consoles featuring forward-facing chairs with a communications board situated behind them. The control and communication systems were integrated into these twin bridges.
In its capacity as a carrier, the Secutor-class featured a pair of expansive ventral hangar bays, capable of housing two wings consisting of 144 starfighters in total, along with numerous other shuttles, landing craft, utility vehicles, AT-series walkers, and ground assault vehicles. It was equipped with ion drives and possessed a primary hyperdrive rating of Class 2, supplemented by a backup at Class 14. The Secutor-class could accommodate 40,000 officers, pilots, and enlisted personnel, as well as 14,000 troops. Provisions sufficient for two years' consumption were stored for the crew.
The vessel was heavily armed with a diverse array of turbolasers, heavy ion cannons, and tractor beams. Specifically, it included fifteen heavy turbolaser batteries (five on the port side, five on the starboard side, and five dorsally), fifteen light turbolasers (five on the port side, five on the starboard side, and five forward), ten battleship ion cannon turrets (five on the port side and five on the starboard side), five battleship ion cannon batteries (ventral), sixteen medium ion cannons (eight on the port side and eight on the starboard side), and twelve hull-mounted heavy tractor beam emitters. Secutors also featured substantial armor plating, complemented by shields capable of withstanding damage from an entire battle group with minimal effect. These ships further boasted a long-range sensor array, a navigation computer, a life-form scanner, and escape pods.
The Secutor-class Star Destroyer could function as a command ship or flagship with the capacity to direct a specific task force or flotilla, often accompanied by smaller escort vessels. Alternatively, it could be employed to safeguard larger Star Dreadnoughts and battleships, while also carrying sufficient supplies to readily lay siege to a planet.
Secutors were commonly deployed during offensive operations targeting Rebel Alliance fleets, fortified locations, and rebellious planets. In combat scenarios, Secutor commanders instructed their starfighters to engage with a numerical advantage, typically at a ratio of two-to-one or three-to-one, while also prioritizing the protection of the carrier's aft section. As fighters were destroyed, replacements were launched to maintain combat effectiveness.
The Secutor-class was utilized by the Galactic Empire, with its service extending back to the earliest days of the Imperial Era. Constructed by Kuat Drive Yards at a cost of 200 million credits, a Secutor-class Star Destroyer at one point exchanged fire with a Providence-class Dreadnought and another vessel resembling a Quasar Fire-class cruiser-carrier above a pair of tan-colored celestial bodies. During this engagement, all three ships sustained damage to their hulls.
In 14 BBY, the Secutor-class vessel Conquest acted as the command ship for Naval Intelligence Agency's Vice Admiral Dodd Rancit. Rancit, dissatisfied with his position within the Empire, assembled a rebel cell that stole the Carrion Spike, the personal corvette of Moff Wilhuff Tarkin. Subsequently, the cell attacked multiple Imperial operations. However, Rancit intended to betray the rebels, aiming to gain favor with the Emperor by orchestrating their downfall.
While aboard the Conquest, Rancit commanded a task force stationed near Imperial Navy Deepdock Facility Two above the planet Carida, which he had directed the cell to target next. However, having become aware of Rancit's planned treachery, the rebels dispatched the Carrion Spike on autopilot towards Carida to simulate their deaths. As the corvette appeared, and just as Rancit was about to order its destruction from the Conquest's bridge, Darth Vader, the Sith Lord, arrived and instructed the Star Destroyer's commander to scan the Carrion Spike for any life signs.
Following a negative scan result, Vader exposed Rancit as a traitor and the mastermind behind the recent series of attacks. The Sith Lord then directed the Conquest's crew to order the rest of the flotilla to stand down. For Rancit's execution, Vader instructed his stormtroopers to escort the vice admiral to an escape pod, which was launched away from the Conquest. Accepting his fate and following Vader's command, Rancit ordered his crew to destroy the pod while he was still inside.
The Secutor-class Star Destroyer made its initial appearance in the new Star Wars canon within the 2014 novel Tarkin, penned by James Luceno. Its first visual depiction occurred in the 2020 Fantasy Flight Games Star Wars Roleplaying sourcebook titled Starships and Speeders, utilizing an image repurposed from the company's 2014 Star Wars: Age of Rebellion sourcebook, Stay on Target, originating from Star Wars Legends. The booklet "Starships of the Empire and the Rebellion," initially released on October 12, 2021, as part of De Agostini's Star Wars Encyclopedia series, establishes that the Secutor-class carried only fifty-four starfighters, contradicting the information presented in Starships and Speeders.
The Secutor class originated within the Star Wars Legends continuity, appearing as a background ship in Dark Empire 2, a comic book authored by Tom Veitch, illustrated by Cam Kennedy, and published by Dark Horse Comics on February 18, 1992. Although the vessel remained unnamed in the Dark Empire issue, a comprehensive specification based on the ship was designed by fan Ansel Hsiao and featured in the 2012 reference book The Essential Guide to Warfare, written by Jason Fry. While the Secutor class's name wasn't explicitly mentioned in the book, Fry confirmed in his Tumblr endnotes that the name and certain aspects of Hsiao's specifications had received approval from Lucasfilm. In Latin, the term "secūtor" translates to "pursuer."