Providence-class carrier/destroyer

Providence-class carrier/destroyer The Providence-class carrier/destroyer, also known as the Trade Federation cruiser, was a capital starship used during the Clone Wars that was originally produced and used by the Trade Federation, hence the nickname.

Dimensions


Designed by the Quarren Free Dac Volunteers Engineering Corps, the rounded, pseudo-organic aesthetic, influenced by the planet Mon Calamari, would be echoed in the design of the later Mon Calamari Star Cruisers. The ships were operated by 600 droids although commanded by sentient officers.

Providence-class ships were massive, cylindrical 1,088-meter-long warships with a pointed nose that tapered towards the superstructure. Rising from the stern portion of the vessel, was an elongated main communications and sensor pod.

Offensive and defensive systems
The surface of Providence-class ships were covered with heavy weapons emplacements including fourteen turret-mounted quad turbolasers, thirty-four dual laser cannons, two capital-scale ion cannons, twelve point-defense ion cannons, and 102 proton torpedo tubes. The reactors onboard each vessel produced so much power, even their point-defense ion cannons were each capable of delivering enough heat per shot to rival a 4.8 megaton bomb. This weaponry and armor made them capable of taking on Star Destroyers.

Propulsion systems


Along with thick and extensive hullplating unusual for most small- and medium-sized CIS warships, and a network of heavy combat shield generators, the ships relied on four Creveld-4 radial ion drive units for sublight propulsion and featured an advanced Class 1.5 hyperdrive. Standard vessels had their sterns filled with reactors and thrusters, while some ships were modified to allow for bigger hangar space.

The thrusters could be arranged to provide different emergency settings, the main one using blast shields to redirect the ion particles exiting the thusters, and provide a breaking thrust which slowed the ship's movement during an atmospheric descent. A similar setting utilized emergency booster engines to slow the ship. In addition to thrusters, a Providence-class ship could utilize airbrake panels that lined the ship, to slow descent in an atmosphere.

Main bridge
The Providence-class command center was located at the front of the vessel, similar to the Recusant-class light destroyer. The ship commander was seated in the middle of the bridge, surrounded by control stations on all sides, manned by OOM pilot battle droids or living crew members. In case of a breach in the bridge windows, shield doors could be activated to seal off the affected area.

History
When the Quarren allied with the Confederacy, Providence-class ships became the heart of the Separatist starfleet, using their firepower to combat Republic cruisers and acting as point ships for planetary blockades, bombardments, and invasions. They proved problematic to other Republic capital ships, such as the Venator and Victory-class Star Destroyers.

Providences would be used extensively in Confederate offensives in the late Clone Wars, and would be present at several Separatist conquests. During this time, the most famous vessel of the Providence-class was a modified specimen named Invisible Hand, which served as flagship for General Grievous.

At least one heavily modified Providence-class vessel, Rebel One, later operated in the Rebel Alliance Fleet.

Behind the scenes

 * In Star Wars: Clone Wars and Star Wars: Battlefront II, it appears that the Separatist's Coruscant invasion fleet included more than one Providence-class ship. Indeed, the only CIS capital ships shown in Clone Wars are of the Providence-class. However, the movie only showed one Providence-class destroyer clearly&mdash;the Invisible Hand.


 * This would indicate that most or all of the other Providence-class vessels were destroyed or had retreated earlier on in the battle, leaving the Invisible Hand with an escort of lesser ships towards the end. However, this is disputed, as there is no other source that shows that there were hundreds of other Providence-class cruisers at the battle in addition to the Invisible Hand.


 * On the commentary track for Revenge of the Sith, Lucas refers to Grievous's ship as a "Star Destroyer". This might be an indication that the distinction between destroyers in the Galactic Republic/Empire and similar ships in other fleets is simply a case of semantics.

Appearances



 * Star Wars: Obsession
 * Star Wars: Clone Wars
 * "Chapter 22"
 * "Chapter 23"
 * "Chapter 25"
 * Evasive Action: Reversal of Fortune
 * Labyrinth of Evil
 * Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith
 * Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith comic
 * Star Wars: The Rise and Fall of Darth Vader
 * LEGO Star Wars: The Video Game
 * LEGO Star Wars: The Complete Saga
 * Star Wars: Battlefront II
 * Star Wars Dark Times: Parallels
 * Star Wars Rebellion: My Brother, My Enemy

Notes and references
Providence