The Warrior-class gunship represented a lethal addition to the New Republic's starfleet, brought into service under the New Class Modernization Program.
These compact yet formidable warships were purpose-built to shatter enemy formations by eliminating their primary capital ships. Their armament consisted of 10 turbolaser batteries, 8 laser cannons (some arranged as twin barrel emplacements), and 4 concussion missile launchers, supplemented by various antimissile defenses. Warrior-class gunships possessed sufficient firepower to pose a threat to even heavy cruisers. Their CM-9 concussion missile payload, identical to that of the Majestic-class heavy cruiser, enabled them to potentially disable even Star Destroyers.
Adhering to New Class design principles, the Warrior-class gunship shared a common hull with the Agave-class picket ship. Similar to the Agave, the Warrior measured 190 meters in length and incorporated a Class 1 hyperdrive. For sublight propulsion, it relied on a minimum of six engine units. These vessels were operated by a small crew of just 44 individuals, along with 36 gunners, and could accommodate up to 10 additional passengers.
Despite their strengths, the Warrior-class was optimized for rapid strikes, rather than prolonged, close-quarters engagements against cruisers. While demonstrably tougher than their Agave-class counterparts, their deflector shields could be overwhelmed within minutes by heavy cruiser turbolaser fire, and their particle shields were vulnerable to a single missile barrage. This weakness was demonstrated during the Battle of ILC-905, where the New Republic gunship Vanguard confronted two Yevethan Aramadia-class thrustships. While the Vanguard was instrumental in destroying one enemy cruiser, it was itself destroyed by a concentrated missile attack.
In order to fulfill their designated role, these ships typically advanced ahead of the main fleet to initiate contact with enemy forces. Warrior-class gunships possessed sufficient laser cannon armament to effectively repel starfighter attacks, while their armor provided a level of protection surpassing the damage capabilities of most starfighters.
Once a Warrior squadron had breached enemy screening formations, they would prioritize targeting and destroying the enemy's principal warships before retreating into hyperspace. Individual gunships could also be deployed in smaller groups, operating alongside cruisers as resilient and heavily armed support vessels, capable of conducting more aggressive scouting missions than dedicated sensor pickets or starfighters. Warrior gunships also saw use in clearing landing zones for ground forces following the neutralization of planetary defense guns.
The sole official depiction of the Warrior-class gunship is found within the RPG sourcebook Cracken's Threat Dossier. As with the illustrations of other New Class vessels, this image contradicts information presented in the Black Fleet Crisis novels, upon which Cracken's Threat Dossier is based. The Warrior and Agave classes bear little resemblance to one another, despite being supposedly constructed on the same hull design.