Interdictor vessel

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Interdictor vessels, also known as Interdictor cruisers, were general terms for a type of starship employed by the Galactic Empire with the technology to generate a gravity well, which had the capability to pull vessels out of hyperspace as well as preventing them from entering it. Interdictor vessels could be from various starship classes, ranging from frigates to Star Destroyers.

ModelsEdit

CC-7700 frigateEdit

Main article: CC-7700 frigate

A frigate that was an updated version of the Detainer CC-2200.^[1]

Detainer CC-2200Edit

Main article: Detainer CC-2200

These cruisers had stubby wing like projections, each of which housing four gravity well projectors. They were thickly armored and had downsloping bows.^[1]

Immobilizer 418 cruiserEdit

Main article: Immobilizer 418 cruiser

The Immobilizer 418 cruiser was a 600-meter long cruiser armed with 20 laser cannons^[2] and a complement of 24 TIE fighters^[3] and was equipped with four spherical gravity well projectors on its hull.^[1] By 14 BBY^[4], it was considered a state-of-the-art design and was developed as a part of the Deep Core Security Zone, and would soon see use in the Obroa-skai system, although there were many technical issues with it,^[1] leading to the discontinuation of the production of the Immobilizer 418^[3] in 0 ABY,^[4] shortly after the Battle of Yavin. However, they continued to be used throughout the galaxy due to their large numbers,^[3] with one being the Glaciate.^[2]

Interdictor-class Star DestroyerEdit

Main article: Interdictor-class Star Destroyer

The Interdictor-class Star Destroyer^[5] possessed four spherical gravity well projectors on its sharp-bowed hull.^[6] These projectors were vulnerable, however, as they could explode when exposed to enough firepower. This in turn could compromise the entire ship.^[7]

HistoryEdit

Interdictor vessels were in use with the Imperial Navy^[1] as early as 14 BBY.^[4] During the Berch Teller campaign, Vice Admiral Dodd Rancit suggested that Interdictors be used to pull Moff Wilhuff Tarkin's ship, the Carrion Spike, out of hyperspace after it had been hijacked by an insurgent group. A CC-7700 frigate, a Detainer CC-2200 interdictor cruiser and an untested Immobilizer 418 cruiser became part of a flotilla commanded by the moff to capture the corvette in the Obroa-skai system. However, they failed and the Immobilizer was sent back to Corellian Engineering Corporation after there were many operational issues with it.^[1]

A prototype Interdictor-class under Admiral Brom Titus underwent testing in the Del Zennis system^[6] in 4 BBY.^[4] It pulled a rebel CR90 corvette out of hyperspace, which had been responding to a distress call in the system, capturing its crew, which included Commander Jun Sato and Ezra Bridger. This Star Destroyer was later destroyed by Captain Rex and Kanan Jarrus.^[6]

Two other Interdictors were also part of the fleet of Grand Admiral Thrawn at the Battle of Atollon in 2 BBY, where they were used to great effect against the combined forces of the Alliance to Restore the Republic, preventing the Rebel fleet from leaving the system. The first, under the command of Admiral Kassius Konstantine, was destroyed when Commander Sato rammed it with the Phoenix Nest carrier, while the second was incapacitated through the efforts of Bridger as well as the warriors of Clan Wren, who repeatedly blasted the ship's Gravity well projectors to cause its destruction.^[7]

Years prior to the Battle of Yavin in 0 BBY, Lando Calrissian and L3-37 were ambushed in the Halthor sector by an Imperial interdictor as they delivered a shipment of All Terrain Defense Turret walkers. The ambush resulted in Calrissian and L3 losing the entirety of the cargo.^[8]

In 0 ABY, production of the Immobilizer 418 cruiser was discontinued due to its vulnerabilities, though they continued to be used throughout the galaxy due to their large numbers. One managed to pull Luke Skywalker out of hyperspace into the Daalang system after he managed to free a high-priority asset from the Imperial cause. However due to the ships frequent use against Alliance raiding groups, Luke Skywalker was able to form an attack strategy against the ship, ultimately destroying the vessel by splitting it in half with a Utheel Rockcrusher Compact Seismic Charge.^[3]

The Immobilizer Glaciate participated in the Battle of Jakku, during which it was infiltrated and captured by the New Republic operatives acting on General Carlist Rieekan's orders.^[2]

Behind the scenesEdit

The concept of the Galactic Empire disabling vessels' hyperspace capabilities using Interdictor vessels first appeared in the Star Wars: The Roleplaying Game 1989 supplement Imperial Sourcebook and later used in Heir to the Empire, a 1991 novel by Timothy Zahn that was the first in a trilogy featuring events set several years after the conclusion of the final film of the original trilogy.^[9] While this trilogy is now considered part of the franchise known as Star Wars Legends and no longer canon,^[10] Interdictor vessels were featured in novels such as Tarkin and Heir to the Jedi, which are considered part of a new continuity of canon.^[11]

AppearancesEdit

• Tarkin (First appearance)
• Star Wars Rebels – "Stealth Strike" (First pictured)
• Star Wars Rebels: Steps Into Shadow (Indirect mention only)
• Star Wars Rebels – "Zero Hour"
• Thrawn: Alliances (Mentioned only)
• Heir to the Jedi
• Smuggler's Run: A Han Solo & Chewbacca Adventure (Mentioned only)
• Star Wars: Commander (Mentioned only)
• "The Levers of Power"—The Rise of the Empire (Appears in hologram)
• "The Ghost Ship"—Star Wars Adventures: Destroyer Down
• The Legends of Luke Skywalker (Wreckage only)
• "Destroyer Down"—Star Wars Adventures: Destroyer Down (Wreckage only)

SourcesEdit

•  Stealth Strike Episode Guide on StarWars.com
• Star Wars Rebels Season Two NYCC 2015 Trailer (Official) on the official Star Wars YouTube Channel (First pictured)
• Star Wars: On the Front Lines
• Star Wars: Absolutely Everything You Need to Know, Updated and Expanded
• Star Wars: The Rebel Files
•  Imperial Interdictor in the Databank (backup link)

Notes and referencesEdit