Tector-class Star Destroyer/Legends

The Tector-class Star Destroyer was a hangarless Star Destroyer design that was first produced in the final days of the Old Republic, and would go on to serve the Galactic Empire for decades. It could be a mile long, similar to the Imperator-class Star Destroyer. These two classes replaced the less robust Venator-class Star Destroyer.

The Tector-class was especially well-armored, using space that would otherwise have been taken up by the hangar. This has several probable consequences for its use. It would have been especially effective at combat with other capital ships. However, it would have been incapable of the versatile range of operations which an Imperator-class Star Destroyer could undertake, such as boarding actions or planetary deployments. It would also require other ships to provide starfighter support during larger engagements.

Behind the Scenes
There is no canonical image of a Tector-class ship, but many fans believe that the inspiration for the designation was a scene in Return of the Jedi, which author Curtis Saxton had earlier interpeted on his fansite as showing a hangarless Star Destroyer. In this shot, the Millennium Falcon flew over what appeared to be an upside-down Imperial Star Destroyer lacking hangar bays and reactor bulb.



Another class of Star Destroyer that could have been the Tector-class was seen in the forces of the reincarnated Emperor 6 years after the Battle of Endor. These ships were approximately 2.2 km. long, large enough to be referred to as Super Star Destroyers. The most notable ship of this class was the Allegiance, which served as the Imperial flagship at the Battle of Mon Calamari.

Trivia
The word Tector suggests, in Latin, "coverer" or (note the root) "protector." This is fitting for a ship with extra-heavy armor. In the Roman army, a Tector was a type of cavalryman carrying an exceptionally large shield. In the most common usage, however, the word referred to the Roman equivalent of a housepainter.