The Venator-class Star Destroyer was a class of more than 1,000 meter-long attack cruiser of the Star Destroyer design family that was operated by the navies of the Galactic Republic and its successor Galactic Empire. Designed by Lira Wessex to feature a double-wedge design and perform a wide range of missions, the Venator was the first class of Star Destroyer to be manufactured by Kuat Drive Yards. Alternatively known as the Republic cruiser, Republic attack cruiser, or Republic Star Destroyer, it 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 moniker of Jedi cruiser. 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, over 1,000 Venators defended the galactic capital Coruscant against a massive Separatist fleet. Eventually, these starships emerged on the victors’ side as icons of the conflict.
After the age of the Republic soon ended, due to Darth Sidious‘s purge against the Jedi Order and his establishment of the new Galactic Empire, some of the Venator-class Star Destroyers were transferred to the nascent Imperial Navy. During the early Imperial Era, Venators were utilized to consolidate Palpatine’s authority, and later they fought against the fledgling rebel cause. They were also assigned to the private fleets of Imperial Moffs, and to flight schools. 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.