The Venator-class Star Destroyer, or Venator-class cruiser, also known as the Jedi cruiser, Republic cruiser, Republic attack cruiser, or Republic Star Destroyer, was a line of wedge-shaped cruiser-classed Star Destroyer in the navies of the Galactic Republic and its successor Galactic Empire. Designed by Lira Wessex and manufactured by Kuat Drive Yards, the Venator was a versatile capital ship capable of serving as both a combatant in ship-to-ship naval warfare and a starfighter carrier, while also being employed as a troop transport, cargo ship, and supply and replenishment vessel. As a warship, Venators were protected by powerful deflector shields and boasted a range of weaponry. For its carrier role, a large flight deck, along with hangars to accommodate a complement of starfighters, gunships, shuttles, armored vehicles and other craft, was contained in the forward section, while three more docking bays were located around the ship. At least two variants existed, the Venator I-class and the Venator II-class.

As the backbone of the Galactic Republic’s naval forces during the Clone Wars, the Venator was commonly employed by the Jedi Generals of the Grand Army of the Republic as their flagships, thus earning the «Jedi cruiser» moniker. Deployed across the galaxy against the Confederacy of Independent Systems, Venators saw action in many major engagements, such as the Battle of Christophsis, the Malevolence Campaign, the Battle of Ryloth, and the Second Battle of Geonosis. In the climactic Battle of Coruscant in the waning days of the war, some 1,000 Venators defended the galactic capital Coruscant against a massive Separatist fleet.

After the age of the Republic soon ended, when Darth Sidious issued Order 66 to purge the Jedi Order and created the new Galactic Empire with himself as Emperor, some of the Venator-class Star Destroyers were transferred to the nascent Imperial Navy. During the early Imperial Era, Venators were utilised to consolidate Palpatine’s authority, and later they fought against the fledgling rebel cause. Others were scrapped on planets like Bracca, where they were dismantled and salvaged by the Scrapper Guild. Although Venators were still active at the time of the Galactic Civil War, they had mostly been replaced by the Imperial-class Star Destroyer, a larger warship modeled on its Republic predecessor.