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An evil empire is only as formidable as its collection of ships, and the Galactic Empire at the center of the Star Wars franchise is no exception. From the very first shots of A New Hope in 1977, audiences have been awed by the intricate construction and awesome power of the Empire’s armadas. The Imperial fleet has provided some of the greatest thrills and chills of the entire film series, exemplifying the evil and technological prowess of the galaxy’s most villainous faction.
Iconic designs by artists like Ralph McQuarrie, Colin Cantwell and more have helped elevate Star Wars from a typical sci-fi blockbuster to an entrancing cinematic world that continues to grow to this day. From the animated to live-action shows, new ships continue to crop up next to the old stalwarts. From the nimble TIE Fighters to the staggeringly powerful Star Destroyers, the Star Wars universe boasts a multitude of vessels that continue to captivate viewers.
Updated on June 27, 2025, by Guillermo Kurten: With such deep lore, it’s no wonder Star Wars creators have given such attention to detail to the galaxy far, far away’s ships. Even the Imperial era of the Star Wars timeline has a deep roster of vessels that each serve vital purposes. This was updated to include five more noteworthy ships from the Empire’s arsenal.
20 The Imperial Transport Is a Brutal Tool
It's an Overlooked But Crucial Cog in the Empire's Machine
One of the more commonplace vessels in the Empire’s fleet, the Imperial Troop Transport, nonetheless sheds light on an aspect of the Empire rarely examined in the long-running Star Wars canon. The Empire is a complex structure built on the labor of countless stormtroopers. As such, Star Wars ships like the Imperial Transport are a necessary component of its day-to-day workings. Functioning in a variety of capacities, they also carried prisoners.
Beginning the list at number 15 due to its limited capabilities, the IT is still worth looking at because of its casual brutality. The boxy exterior is heavily armored, with as few windows as possible and a massive gun mounted on the roof. It’s the Empire’s answer to the armored helicopter, able to drop from larger ships in the Navy and set troops at a hot spot. Spotting the IT is a sign that a given planet is at risk, and it perfectly captures the ruthless grip on the galaxy the Empire holds.
19 The Gozanti-Class Cruiser Is Also Logistically Important
Multiple Star Wars Factions Made Use of This Model Ship
Similar to the Imperial Transport, the Gozanti-class Cruiser was also a vital piece of logistics in the Empire’s tyranny, even if it didn’t have the looks to stand out. The Imperials used this starship as a freighter as well as a cruiser for transporting Stormtroopers and vital supplies. However, it didn’t have to go into battle without armaments or defenses. The Gozanti-class Cruiser was fairly dependable for following these protocols and could be fitted with laser cannons and turrets for offense.
Moreover, it could haul up to four TIE Fighter starships among the types of cargo assigned to it. Perhaps the strongest testament to the Gozanti-class Cruiser’s usefulness is how versatile this vessel has been in and outside of the Empire. Multiple factions used variations of this cruiser across the Star Wars galaxy, including the Black Sun — a crime syndicate coerced into joining the Shadow Collective by former Sith Lord Maul — the Confederacy during the Clone Wars, and the First Order and its sympathizers during the Star Wars sequel trilogy. Where the Gozanti-class Cruiser lacked in style, it compensated as a valuable workhorse.
18 The Arrestor Cruiser Makes an Appearance in Andor
This Unique Star Wars Cruiser Was Versatile
Eagle-eyed fans first saw the Cantwell Class-Arrestor Cruiser near the beginning of Solo: A Star Wars Story. When trying to evade Stormtroopers, Han sees an advertisement for the Imperial Navy that features an Arrestor between two Star Destroyers. But fans had to wait until episode 11 of the first season of Andor to see the cruiser in action when it attempts (and fails) to capture Luthen in his Fondor Haulcraft.
Despite the impression given by that scene, the Arrestor Cruiser is a formidable ship. Its design sports a long nose section so that the ship looks like an inverted arrowhead. The Arrestor sports an array of ion and laser cannons, two docking bays that carry boarding craft, and two squadrons of TIE Fighters. But its most striking design elements are the three large repulsor-tractor beam emitters. These dish-shaped weapons enable the Arrestor to pull ships in and repel them if the captain wants to hold them at a distance to pummel them with cannon fire.
17 The TIE Heavy Starfighter Packed an Extra Punch
This Variant of Star Wars' TIE Leaned Harder on Firepower
The classic TIE Fighter — as well as Darth Vader’s signature ship — will catch the eye of Star Wars fans the most. However, the Empire made use of several variants, with the TIE Heavy Starfighter bringing more offense to dogfighting tactics. This vessel, also known as the «TIE/rb» and fittingly nicknamed the «TIE Brute,» was equipped with a life support system, a reinforced viewport for added defense and more powerful laser cannons than standard versions.
This TIE variant made its Star Wars debut in Solo: A Star Wars Story, with Han himself seen piloting one as a cadet in the Carida Academy and being chased by one on the Millennium Falcon years later. The TIE Heavy Starfighter’s key attributes in action are undoubtedly its bolstered durability and hard-hitting firepower. Still, that comes with the natural tradeoff of not being as fast or agile as its counterparts, like the regular TIE Fighter or other variants like the Striker.
16 The Outland TIE Was Meant To Bolster a Struggling Empire
The Outland Is the Non-Navy Model of the TIE Fighter
The concept for this TIE fighter was originally developed by Doug Chiang for The Force Awakens but was scrapped for the film. Thankfully, the design later caught the eye of Jon Favreau for The Mandalorian. As a result, fans first saw the Outland TIE as Moff Gideon’s personal TIE Fighter. Later, in season two, Outland TIEs attack Cara Dune and Greef Karga as they flee the Remnant Outpost on Nevarro.
While not much is known about this fighter, the Outland TIE appears to have been developed when the Empire started losing territory. One can make some assumptions about why this design was attractive to the Empire. With foldable wings and retractable landing gear, the Outland TIE doesn’t need Imperial ships or a large land installation to launch and land from. It can operate out of smaller bases and be scrambled quickly, where the Empire was struggling to maintain control.
15 The Delta-Class T-3c Shuttle Was Sleek & Stealthy
This Star Wars Imperial Shuttle Caught a Rogue One Villain's Eye
One of the Star Wars franchise’s most compelling recent villains, Director Orson Krennic, made the Delta-Class T-3c Shuttle his vessel of choice. Also known as the Delta-class Shuttle, this ship adopted a more stylish and angular design. What immediately stuck out about this starship compared to other Imperial shuttles was its exaggerated set of bat-like wings and all black design.
The Delta-Class T-3c Shuttle wasn’t initially intended for manufacturing until the concept caught Director Krennic’s eye, and the ship would make its on-screen debut in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. The bottom of the shuttle and each of its wings came equipped with laser cannons, but the ship’s main draw was its stealth capabilities. The sleek, dark coloring and foldable wings made it much easier to travel and land discreetly. It’s not one for brute force or loud presentation, but that works perfectly fine for its low-key purpose.
14 The TIE Striker Was Situational but Vital
TIE Strikers Were Built for Atmospheric Warfare
The TIE Striker variant was able to fulfill a worthwhile niche in the Empire’s arsenal. This ship’s most defining physical features were its sharp, forward-facing, pointed wing designs. These catered to the ship’s capabilities as an atmospheric, air superiority fighter rather than a more conventional starfighter. TIE Strikers excelled at reaching high speeds and maneuvering with impressive agility.
They also had the offensive arsenal to match, boasting four lasers and the capability to release proton bombs that could sweep broad areas below. The TIE Striker was created for Gareth Edwards’ Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, with the ensuing Battle of Scarif as the vessel’s most notable on-screen appearance. They could also be used as starfighters if necessary, albeit not as effectively as a ship built for the job. Admittedly, that meant the TIE Striker’s mostly situational utility didn’t make the model as widely useful as its contemporaries.
13 Rebels Utterly Feared the TIE Defender
Stubborn Defenses & Fearsome Weapons Made TIE Defenders a Threat
The TIE Defender was a staunch vessel within Star Wars’ Imperial ranks. The Dathomirian Nightsister, Morgan Elsbeth, first drafted this shit and Grand Admiral Thrawn greenlit it for production as one of his projects. Perhaps its most impressive show of force was on the animated series Star Wars Rebels when a TIE Defender prototype hunted down Mon Mothma. Pilot Vult Skerris made quick work of three of Gold Squadron’s Y-wing pilots when racing through the Archeon Nebula in an attempt to get to Mothma.
Plus, the TIE Defender was able to shake off the intense heat from a forming star in the same chase. The TIE Defender immediately stands out with its three-wing design, and the ship’s added deflector shields, cannons, and a hyperdrive make it just as impressive on the offensive as on defense. As shown in Rebels, these attributes made it more capable of withstanding longer, grueling dogfights against starfighters. Darth Vader’s compliments to the ship, along with the use of an updated prototype, spoke to its build quality. However, the resources required to mass produce them limited their use cases.
12 The Imperial Light Cruiser Bears Resemblance To Its Predecessor
The Last Vestiges of the Star Wars Republic Lie Here
The Republic version of the Arquitens-class Light Cruiser is probably familiar to fans of Star Wars: The Clone Wars. Also called the Jedi Light Cruiser, it was one of the hardest-working ships during the war with the Separatists. Its Imperial counterpart is primarily different in terms of appearance, not design. The Jedi Light Cruiser is known for its striking red highlight colors, whereas, fittingly, the Imperial Light Cruiser is an oppressive grey.
Retaining the arrowhead shape that would dominate Imperial designs, this cruiser has a small, single bridge structure near the stern, unlike the large structure on Star Destroyers and the double bridge structures on the Republic Venator-class Star Destroyers. These Light Cruisers saw plenty of service as Imperial Star Wars ships. Notably, Admiral Thrawn made effective use of this class of ship during his time with the Empire.
11 The Imperial Interdictor Was a Legends Ship That Became Canon
Fans First Saw Its Canon Appearance In Star Wars Rebels
The Interdictor-Class Heavy Cruiser is an important weapon for the Imperial Navy. It features four dome-like structures that are gravity-well projectors. This means that the Imperial Interdictor can create its own fields of gravity that can prevent ships from jumping to hyperspace. When used strategically, it can even use gravity to pull ships out of hyperspace. Naturally, the rebels, who rely on hit-and-run tactics, consider the Interdictor a dangerous weapon in the Imperial Navy’s arsenal.
Except for the gravity-well projectors and the squat and long tower structure for the bridge, the Interdictor’s design resembles the prevalent theme of the Empire’s large ships. The Interdictor only carried two squadrons of TIE Fighters and a small complement of troops, along with some substantial armament. As a support ship, though, its role was to work in conjunction with other ships in a battle group.
