Braha'tok-class gunship

"A gem among the smaller capital ships."

- U.O. Statura

The Braha'tok-class gunship, known frequently as the Dornean gunship, was a model of gunship built by the Dornean Braha'ket Fleetworks Conglomerate. Well-armed with turbolasers and concussion missile launchers, it could carry two starfighters in its underbelly. Braha'tok-class gunships were initially built to protect Dornea from the Empire, but many of them eventually saw service with the Alliance to Restore the Republic, especially during the Galactic Civil War. They were notably seen in battles such as the Battle of Atollon, the Battle of Scarif, and the Battle of Endor.

Characteristics
The Braha'tok-class gunship also called the Dornean gunship for its use at Dornea. It was a type of gunship built at 90 meters long with a silver-plated hull to deflect solar radiation. Hazram Namir described it as a mean, compact, dagger of a ship. The Dornean gunship could reach speeds of 800 kilometers per hour and had a class 1 hyperdrive located in the rear of the vessel, between its two sublight engines. Its command bridge was situated in the ship's bow. The Dornean gunship was not equipped for interstellar encryption, but had a navigation computer and a long sensor array.

Dornean gunships were powerful for their size, bearing an armament of eight concussion missile launchers and eight double turbolaser cannons. Two double turbolaser cannons were seen above and below the ships bow, with a dorsal and a ventral turret also found towards the center of the ship. Two side turrets were seen at the middle of the ship as well. As well as weaponry, the Dornean gunship could bear a complement of two starfighters, that were attached to the gunships undercarriage. A Dornean gunship could carry a crew of 75 personnel and 15 passengers with them. The gunships cargo capacity stood at 300 and had enough consumables for its average crew to last eight standard months.

Role
The Braha'tok-class gunship was originally designed for fast attack, bombardment, and anti-starfighter roles. They were initially built for the protection of Dornea from the Galactic Empire, but many became a part of the Alliance to Restore the Republic. In the Alliance Fleet, Braha'tok-class gunships were still used for anti-starfighter roles, but some, like the Apailana's Promise, became escorts to larger capital ships like CR90 corvettes. The Apailana's Promise also took up the role of carrying the two X-wings owned by Twilight Company.

Early rebellion against the Empire
"Commander, They've destroyed the Orion."

- A rebel, reporting the Orion's destruction to Commander Jun Sato

Dornean gunships were originally manufactured by Dornean Braha'ket Fleetworks Conglomerate to protect the Dornean homeworld, Dornea, from the Galactic Empire. Eventually some Dornean gunships saw service in the Rebel Alliance where at least three, including the Orion, were part of General Jan Dodonna's Massassi Group, one of the largest rebel cells that fought against the Empire.

Following the formation of the Alliance to Restore the Republic in the year 2 BBY, the Orion and two other Dornean gunships travelled with Dodonna's fleet to Phoenix Cell's base on Atollon. The two forces amassed in preparation for an attack on Lothal's TIE defender factory. However, both rebel cells were ambushed by the forces of Grand Admiral Thrawn. A battle ensued, and although many starships were destroyed in the battle, the Dornean gunships remained undamaged. As his tactic became too costly, Commander Jun Sato of Phoenix Cell ordered the fleet to charge the blockade and the three gunships advanced. However, the Imperial-class star destroyers thwarted the assault and the Orion was destroyed by TIE fighters.

Soon after, Commander Sato rammed his flagship, the Phoenix Nest, into an Interdictor-class Star Destroyer to allow one of his ships to briefly escape were lost. With their formation broken the rebel starships were forces to flee to Atollon. The ships housed themselves under the shield of Phoenix Cell's base, awaiting Thrawn's incoming ground forces. Thrawn's forces soon overran the base and in the midst of the chaos, several rebel ships escaped from the base. A Dornean gunship followed the other rebel ships as they flew back towards Thrawn's blockade. As the ships ran the blockade, the Dornean gunship was lost.

Following the blockade of Ibaar, which took place by 0 BBY, the Mon Calamari Admiral Raddus sent a document written by his aides, Caitken and Shollan, to the Alliance's Commander-in-Chief Mon Mothma about their Fleet's current status. It had details of the fleet's major composition, including Dornean gunships as well as Pelta-class frigates, CR90 corvettes, CR70 corvettes, Hammerhead corvettes, and GR-75 medium transports.

Galactic Civil War
"Your company, your show. The Promise will back you either way."

- First officer Sharn pledges the support of the Apailana's Promise to the Sixty First

In 0 BBY, at least three Dornean gunships traveled with the Alliance fleet, led by Raddus, to assist a rebel attack on Scarif. While a few starfighters were able to pass through the Scarif Shield Gate to assist the main objective, the rest of the fleet had to deal with the Star Destroyers and TIE fighters above and the Dornean gunships held of TIEs weaving between the rebel starships. Once the main objective had been completed, Raddus ordered the fleet to jump to hyperspace. Although many ships were able to escape, the Star Destroyer Devastator arrived and cut off the rest. One Dornean gunship barely avoided collision with the Star Destroyer as it arrived and managed to escape soon after.

The Battle of Scarif was a success for the Alliance and kick-started the Galactic Civil War. After another decisive victory at Yavin, Dornea decided to join the rebel cause, supplying more gunships for the rebel war effort.

During the Galactic Civil War, one Dornean gunship, named the Apailana's Promise, served as the escort to the CR90 corvette Thunderstrike, the carrier of the Sixty-Eighth Infantry. The gunship saw action in many battles, sometimes helping the Thunderstrikes escape in desperate situations. On one occasion when it covered the Thunderstrike's escape from an Imperial Destroyer. After the deaths of Captain Micha Evon and the Thunderstrike's main officers, Commander Tohna was transferred to the corvette from the Apailana's Promise. During the Siege of Inyusu Tor, the Thunderstrike was shot down and the Sixty-First were left stranded on Sullust. The Apailana's Promise initially retreated off-planet, but returned soon after and kept the Star Destroyer Herald distracted whilst the Sixty-First defended the Inyusu Tor mineral processing facility from the ground forces. The gunship survived the fight with its gun batteries drained and its shielding overheated but it's hull still intact.

Following the Battle of Hoth, a few Dornean gunships were stationed at the rebel base on 5251977 when the crew of the Mighty Oak Apocalypse joined the Alliance. In 4 ABY, at least four of these ships rendezvoused with the Alliance Fleet near Sullust and one was seen flying in concert with the MC80 star cruiser Home One. The fleet went on to attack the second Death Star where they were quickly cut off by several dozen Star Destroyers. During the battle, a Dornean gunship was seen fending off TIE fighters and TIE interceptors when the Millennium Falcon passed it. When General Lando Calrissian ordered the fleet to engage the Star Destroyers, at least four Dornean gunships were at the vanguard of the fleet as it closed in on the blockade.

New Republic Era
"Who still uses these?''" "''Dornea, my dear Statura. Dornea uses them."

- U.O. Statura and Admiral Gial Ackbar

In 34 ABY, Dornean gunships were still utilized by Dornea. After U.O. Statura questioned Admiral Gial Ackbar about who still used the Dornean gunship, Ackbar replied that Dornea still used them.

Behind the scenes
"And again it's this cast away ship [&hellip;]."

- Pablo Hidalgo describes the Braha'tok-class gunship

The Braha'tok-class gunship first appeared as a background ship in the 1983 film Star Wars: Episode VI Return of the Jedi. It appeared as the Dornean gunship in the 2015 novel Lost Stars by Claudia Gray, although it had no confirmation that Dornean gunship was the same ship. However, after the gunship reappeared in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story in 2016, the visual guide for the movie confirmed that it was called the Dornean gunship. It was later identified as the Braha'tok-class gunship in the reference book Star Wars: The Rebel Files, released in 2017. In concept art for Solo: A Star Wars Story, one was included in a depiction of a Corellian spaceport flying above a large landing area.

Creation
"&hellip;Bill George, the ILM model maker built it right. And he's, he's told me the story. He built it for like a background ship and Joe Johnston just didn't like it&mdash;he was like nah whatever it looks terrible&mdash;so it's barely in Return of the Jedi."

- Pablo Hidalgo, explaining the Braha'tok-class gunship's small appearance in Return of the Jedi

The Braha'tok-class gunship was designed by Bill George for Richard Marquand's film Star Wars: Episode VI Return of the Jedi in 1983. At the time the kit-bashed model was called the "ROJ BG ship", standing for either ' Return of the Jedi background ship' or ' Return of the Jedi Bill George ship'. The ship ultimately had a very small role in the final film, because, according to Hidalgo, art director Joe Johnston disliked the model.

However, fans latched onto the obscure background ship and, according to Pablo Hidalgo, it became celebrated. At some point Hidalgo found photos of the gunships original model and posted them on StarWars.com. A new model of the Braha'tok-class gunship was eventually made for the Star Wars Rebels episode Zero Hour, which aired March 25 2017. The model was then translated into a photo-real version for Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.

Star Wars Legends
In 2006, the Braha'tok-class gunship was identified and elaborated on in the StarWars.com Databank by StarWars.com member "Ello137" through the Hyperspace feature "What's The Story?". Ello137 saw the competition as an opportunity to link obscure elements of the Expanded Universe with obscure things in the movies.

Appearances

 * Lost Stars
 * Rogue One: A Star Wars Story
 * Rogue One: A Star Wars Story novelization
 * Battlefront: Twilight Company
 * Star Wars: Episode VI Return of the Jedi
 * Star Wars: Return of the Jedi junior novelization
 * Star Wars: Return of the Jedi junior novelization