Star Wars wouldn’t be much without its ships. From the very beginning, they have been instrumental in helping the heroes complete their missions and save the galaxy. The prequel trilogy continued this prominence with epic space battles and new ships to fly within.
Episodes I-III were filled with new ship designs that would later become iconic. Some of these new ships opted for a totally original aesthetic, with the polished chrome of the N1 starfighter from the Battle of Naboo and the sleek lines of Dooku’s sailing ship. Others, like the Delta 7 Jedi Starfighter, opted for more streamlined designs while retaining the look of the original trilogy.
invisible hand
In the final days of the Clone Wars, General Grievous launched a risky mission to attack the core world of Coruscant and kidnap the Chancellor. Grievous led a large Separatist fleet to complete the operation, commanding the battle from his personal flagship, the invisible handa Providence-class dreadnought.
Grievous’ ship was far more capable than a standard Separatist cruiser, with arrays of turbolasers, ion cannons, and proton torpedo launchers among its armament. The dreadnought also carried squadrons of Vultures and Tri-Fighters but still failed to defend itself against Obi Wan and Anakin and was eventually hurled onto the surface of Coruscant by the two Jedi.
Trade Federation Lucrehulk battleship
Like most powerful corporations, the Trade Federation had a large fleet of ships, including the mighty Lucrehulk-class battleship. During the invasion of Naboo in 32BBY, they were used to blockade the planet, with one serving as a battle droid control ship before being destroyed by Anakin Skywalker.
Lucrehulks were of a very distinctive design, with the central sphere being detachable from the surrounding ring. They were powerful and heavily armed ships, and several were used by the Separatists during the Clone Wars, often as flagships and command ships in blockades.
Eta 2 Jedi Starfighter
During the Clone Wars, new fighters were constantly being developed for the Republic military and the Jedi Order. One of the later designs was the Eta 2 Starfighter, developed for Jedi pilots and flown by Obi Wan and Anakin during the Battle of Coruscant.
The aircraft’s cockpit and wing design give it a look reminiscent of the TIE fighter, although the Eta 2 has shields and missile launchers. One thing it doesn’t have is a built-in hyperdrive, as its lightweight construction doesn’t leave room for one, so it needs a hyperspace ring for lightspeed travel.
Dooku’s sailing ship
While Dooku often uses much larger ships like dreadnoughts to travel the galaxy, his personal mode of transportation is his sailing ship. He escapes from Geonosis at the start of the Clone Wars and continues to use it throughout the conflict, usually with a pilot droid controlling the vehicle.
Although based on a Punworcca 116 class sloop, the ship is a unique design. It was built by the Geonosians and given to Dooku by Poggle the Lesser. It is unclear what type of power the ship is powered by, as the sail is too small to be a conventional solar sail and uses the mysterious Gree technology sourced by Dooku himself. This lack of a normal power source makes it easy for the ship to evade detection by scanners.
N1 Starfighter
During the invasion of Naboo and later the Clone Wars, the Naboo Defense Force relied on the N1 starfighter to protect their homeworld. It’s an elegant ship with sleek lines and chromed panels, contrasting with the more angular design common to starfighters.
Despite its limited use in Star Wars, the N1 has the distinction of being the first ship ever flown by Anakin Skywalker. During the Battle of Naboo, at Qui Gon’s urging, Anakin hid in the fighter and accidentally activated the autopilot, sending it into battle above the planet and allowing it to destroy the Trade Federation’s droid control ship.
Type J Nubian
Padme’s Royal Starship is a royal ship with its reflective fairing and streamlined design. Manufactured by the Nubian shipyards that specialize in building luxury starships for important clients such as kings and politicians, the ship is designed to offer the ultimate in comfort while traveling the galaxy.
Amazingly, the Type J is unarmed, a departure from the Star Wars norm where most ships carry some form of weaponry. As a result, the ship is usually accompanied by a hunter’s escort. When used to survive the Naboo blockade, the ship suffers from this lack of weaponry, having to rely solely on its shields to repel the attacking Trade Federation ships.
Delta 7 Jedi Starfighter
The Delta 7 Aethersprite Interceptor was a ship designed specifically for use by a Jedi. Its controls were optimized for the reflexes of a Force-sensitive pilot, and it was the main starfighter used by the Jedi before the Clone Wars, most notably Obi Wan when he spotted the clone army on Kamino and got into a dogfight with the Jedi bounty hunter Jango Fett
A light and sleek ship, the Delta 7 was too small for a full astromech to fit in its wings, so only the dome was attached while the droid’s internal parts were wired to the ship. Its small size also meant it had to use a hyperspace ring. Due to its age and limitations, new ships such as the Eta 2 were introduced to replace it as the Clone Wars continued to spread across the galaxy.
