Imperial Naval Academy

The Prefsbelt IV Fleet Camp, sometimes known as the Imperial Naval Academy on Prefsbelt IV, was a member of the Imperial Academy system on Prefsbelt IV.

History
Prefsbelt Academy had trained generations of Navy cadets for the Galactic Republic and it became the most prestigious main service academy in the new imperial academy system (except for Raithal, which was devoted to the Army).

The best cadets from sector academies that pursued a career in the Navy were usually sent to Prefsbelt or a flight school. In Prefsbelt they did academic study, simulations, leadership courses and active service rotations. Most cadets began service after three years, but others would continue their training in a flight school or a specialized military school (Carida, Corulag or Anaxes).

Before the Battle of Yavin, Soontir Fel worked as an instructor at the Imperial Navy Academy on Prefsbelt IV, where he trained cadets including Biggs Darklighter, Tycho Celchu, and Derek Klivian, all of whom defected to become heroes of the Rebel Alliance.

Nevertheless, Prefsbelt IV produced many notable Imperial officers such as T. Alvak. Ciutric Hegemony usurper Delak Krennel was an unarmed combat champion there, while his classmate Wynt Kepporra was an engineering student.

During the Galactic Civil War, the Imperial Naval Academy was infiltrated by Rogue Squadron to retrieve the Lambda-class T-4a shuttle Tydirium after it somehow ended up back in Imperial hands.

Layout
The academy's layout was massive. It composed of several pyramidal-like structures similar to that of the Imperial Palace on Coruscant. There was also a building that hoisted up various flags. There was also another portion of the academy that contained a central tower, at least two hangars, four barred hangars, searchlights, and a landing pad that was guarded by four turrets, with several TIEs often landing on the ground at night. At least three communication arrays and five landing pads were also in close proximity to the building, and the building was also guarded by eight sensor arrays.

Behind the scenes
Although it is described as "the Imperial Naval Academy on Prefsbelt IV" in its first appearance in the The Star Wars Sourcebook, the central Imperial Naval Academy referred to in the Imperial Sourcebook is unnamed. The future Flight Captain Alvak did not qualify for immediate training as a TIE pilot, even though he finished within the top third of his class, which would have rendered him eligible to do so at the central Academy. Moreover, the location is listed openly, whereas that of the central Academy was said to be classified, and has never been clearly established in canon.

Jason Fry depicted a more flexible Naval Academy system in The Essential Guide to Warfare in order to retcon many past contradictions. The functions of the main Imperial Naval Academy (as described in the Imperial Sourcebook) were distributed among a few institutions. Prefsbelt becomes the main Naval Academy, but specialized training takes place elsewhere.

The location around the Academy serves as a location for a Versus Mode matche in Star Wars: Rogue Squadron III: Rebel Strike.

Appearances

 * Star Wars: Empire 8: Darklighter, Part 1
 * Star Wars: Rogue Squadron II: Rogue Leader
 * Star Wars: Rogue Squadron III: Rebel Strike
 * A New Hope: The Life of Luke Skywalker
 * Star Wars: X-Wing Rogue Squadron: In the Empire's Service
 * Star Wars: X-Wing Rogue Squadron 25: The Making of Baron Fel
 * X-Wing: Rogue Squadron
 * X-Wing: Wedge's Gamble
 * X-Wing: The Bacta War
 * X-Wing: Isard's Revenge