Defender-class light corvette

Defender-class light corvette

The Defender-class light corvette was a Corellian corvette built by Rendili Vehicle Corporation on Corellia for use by the Jedi Order during the Great Galactic War.

Characteristics
The corvette class had a smooth hull, and was propelled by two circular twin thrusters. The cockpit rested in a hammerhead-style outcropping, similar to those of Republic Thranta-class warships, although oriented horizontally instead of vertically. The interior of the vessel boasted a state-of-the-art holocommunications terminal and lush furnishings, as well as backlit controls in the cockpit, allowing for dimmer lighting.

History
The first of these vessels produced was to be piloted by a member of the Jedi Order during a test flight. Before the Jedi arrived however, the ship was infiltrated by Hylo Visz, a Mirialan smuggler who had been betrayed by the Rendili Corporation. Visz attempted to steal the ship, but was interrupted when the Jedi client arrived for the test flight and boarded the prototype. The smuggler was determined to pilfer the experimental project however, and so assaulted and incapacitated the Jedi. After dumping him on landing pad A-23 of the Rendili Corporate facility, Visz departed Corellia and used the ship as her own personal smuggling vessel. Though the prototype had been stolen, the theft did not hinder the Rendili Corporation from production of the ship for the Jedi Order.

In the years following the Dark Wars, when the remnants of the Sith Empire lead by Darth Revan had been destroyed, the Republic kept a presence in the space around the ancient Sith world of Korriban to prevent any Sith from resettling there. When the resurgent Sith Empire, destroyed at the conclusion of the Great Hyperspace War, returned to Republic space, at least one of these Defender-class corvette was patrolling the planet. It was destroyed by the Imperial fleet as the Empire retook its sacred training and burial world.

Behind the scenes
The Defender-class starship made it's first appearance in the Timeline 6: Onslaught of the Sith Empire, the sixth entry into the Galactic Timeline series of videos. In this appearance, a duo of Defender-class ships were seen in orbit over Korriban before being destroyed by the forces of the Sith Empire.

This ship was originally announced as a "Vanguard-class" starship in official videos and in the title of the Smuggler's Vanguard short story, but was later revealed as a "Defender"-class starship when it was given an entry in The Holonet.

Appearances

 * The Old Republic: Smuggler's Vanguard
 * Star Wars: The Old Republic
 * Timeline 6: Onslaught of the Sith Empire

Notes and references
Defender-Klasse Korvette Vanguard (nave espacial)