Republic Cruiser

• Appeared in:
  
  I
  II
  III
  IV
  V
  VI
  CW

• Homeworld:
  Coruscant

• Size:
  115 meters long

• Weapon:
  None

• Affiliation:
  Jedi, Galactic Republic

• Type:
  Cruiser

• Manufacturer:
  Corellian Engineering Corporation

• 

From the Movies

The distinctive shape and hue of a Republic Cruiser is instantly recognizable throughout the galaxy, indicating a vessel on a mission for the Galactic Senate, the Supreme Chancellor, or the Jedi order.

Chancellor Valorum dispatched a Republic Cruiser carrying two important Jedi ambassadors to negotiate an end to the Trade Federation Blockade of Naboo. Though the cruiser was a capital ship -- a vessel of impressive size -- it was nonetheless dwarfed by the immense Trade Federation battleships encircling the peaceful planet. The cruiser docked within a battleship's cavernous landing bay.

On the orders of the shadowy Darth Sidious, the Trade Federation ambushed the Jedi ambassadors. The crew of the cruiser was caught by surprise. With its shields down, the cruiser was no match for the destructive power unleashed by a concealed turbolaser turret inside the hangar bay.

From the Expanded Universe

Built in the great orbital shipyards of the Corellian Engineering Corporation, the 115-meter long Consular-class Republic Cruiser is a direct predecessor to the Corellian corvette found in the Alliance Fleet.

The striking scarlet color scheme of the Republic Cruiser declares the ship's diplomatic immunity and serves as a warning against attack. Red was the color of neutrality for spacecraft of the Galactic Republic before the dark times. In its role as a consular ship, the Republic Cruiser is typically unarmed, but does feature three powerful Dyne 577 radial atomizer engines, a Longe Voltrans tri-arc CD-3.2 hyperdrive, and sturdy deflector shields as protection.

Mounted on the ship's dorsal spine is a wide range of dish and antennae-communications systems, which are manned by two communications officers who specialize in deciphering strange languages and decoding complex alien signal pulses.

An interchangeable diplomatic salon pod rests in the forward section of the ship, just below the bridge. In this insulated safe haven, critical negotiations take place and crises are averted. In the event of attack or other emergency situations, the entire salon pod can break away from the cruiser and rocket the diplomatic party to safety.

The vessel that transported Qui-Gon Jinn and Obi-Wan Kenobi to Naboo was the Radiant VII, which had served the diplomatic corps of Coruscant for 34 standard years prior to its destruction.

Behind the Scenes

The early designs of the Radiant VII had a smooth, Coruscant look to it. After several iterations, George Lucas and Doug Chiang decided that the cruiser should have a strong visual link to the original Star Wars trilogy. With that direction, Chiang and the Art Department devised a ship with a more rectilinear profile that echoed the design of A New Hope's blockade runner. One of the last additions to the cruiser was the small antenna array that rests above the cockpit. Lucas felt that the ship needed a "little extra something" to guide the audience's eyes to that section of the ship.