The Ton-Falk-class escort carrier, alternatively known as the Imperial escort carrier, functioned as a transport vessel specifically engineered to ferry Imperial starfighters.
A standard Imperial deployment system facilitated the rapid launch of TIE Series starfighters, while an integrated hangar bay enabled basic maintenance. This particular escort carrier represented the smallest type of ship capable of accommodating a complete wing of starfighters (encompassing six squadrons, each with up to 72 craft). Furthermore, the vessel could transport six shuttles, with the capacity to carry an additional four shuttles for every fighter squadron removed.
Its offensive capabilities comprised ten Taim & Bak H8 dual laser cannons along with a Krupx VL-6 warhead launcher. Despite being categorized as a capital ship, its armament and defenses were relatively weak for a vessel of its size, leading it to be positioned at the rear during combat for self-preservation, thereby allowing its complement of TIE fighters to engage the opposing forces.
Conceptualized and constructed by Kuat Drive Yards, the Ton-Falk-class escort carrier enabled the Imperial Navy to address the limitations of its primary starfighters concerning hyperdrive capabilities during the initial stages of the Galactic Civil War. The requirement for such vessels became evident following the Battle of Ton-Falk, with the ship's designation derived from that crucial engagement.
Being specifically designed for its role, these escort carriers offered a more cost-effective deployment solution compared to an Imperial Star Destroyer. High-value convoys were frequently accompanied by an escort carrier, in conjunction with an EF76 Nebulon-B escort frigate and CR90 corvettes.
Escort carriers also commonly executed short-range hyperdrive jumps within a given system, deploying a squadron of starfighters upon each exit. This tactic made it challenging for Rebel Alliance or pirate pilots to anticipate the origin of the next attack.
Beyond the Empire's use, a number of these ships were seized by the Rebel Alliance and integrated into their navy.
The name of the escort carrier closely resembles that of the Imperial escort carrier featured in Star Wars: Rogue Squadron III: Rebel Strike. Wedge Antilles's unfamiliarity with the designation employed by General Crix Madine for the starship in the aforementioned game implies that neither the Storm Commando vessel observed in Rebel Strike nor the standard Imperial Navy starfighter transport depicted in TIE Fighter and its sequels were widely deployed (at least in operations Antilles would have been familiar with) prior to the raid at Bakura.
It was stated that the Corporate Sector Authority's Picket Fleet utilized an Imperial-acquired escort carrier design, which most likely alludes to this class, given that the Ton-Falk designation was not yet established.
Its designation as the Ton-Falk-class occurred in the 2014 roleplaying game sourcebook titled Stay on Target.