Raider - class corvette / Legends The " Raider " - class corvette was a starship manufactured by Kuat Drive Yards in 6 BBY . The 150 meter - long corvette was used by the Galactic Empire to support the TIE fighters used to engage the fleet of the Alliance to Restore the Republic during the Galactic Civil War . Lira Wessex , chief designer of both the " Venator " - class and " Imperial " - class Star Destroyers , designed the " Raider " - class corvette to fill a tactical void the Empire had against the Rebel Alliance ' s starfighter - oriented strategies . The hardy corvette was armed with dual heavy laser cannons , turbolasers , and ion cannons , with some variants carrying concussion missiles . The corvette was equipped with a hyperdrive to complement its use in the Outer Rim Territories as a patrol ship . There were two sub - classes for this line of vessel , the " Raider I " - class and the " Raider II " - class corvette . Characteristics . The " Raider " - class corvette was produced by starship construction company Kuat Drive Yards for the Galactic Empire ' s naval forces ; its design was reminiscent of the dagger - shaped hulls of larger ships used by the Galactic Empire , such as the " Imperial " - class Star Destroyer . The ship ' s hull , 150 meters in length , was largely colored gray , with black blade - like protrusions jutting out from the corvette ' s sides and bottom . The " Raider " - class was outfitted with multiple weapon hardpoints , including single turbolasers , ion cannon batteries , and dual heavy laser cannons — the latter weaponry proving more accurate against smaller fighters than turbolasers . Centralized command in the ship contributed to its success , and the " Raider " - class corvette was built to be durable . Acting in an anti - starfighter role found to be lacking in the Imperial fleet , the ship was designed to counter the Rebel Alliance ' s hit - and - run single - pilot fighter tactics and operated much like the Alliance ' s own CR90 corvette . A hyperdrive allowed the " Raider " - class to conduct hit - and - run missions against Alliance forces . Like the " Imperial " - class Star Destroyers , the " Raider " - class also came in two sub - types : the " Raider I " - class and the " Raider II " - class corvettes . History . Lira Wessex , daughter of famed engineer Walex Blissex and designer of the " Venator " and " Imperial " Star Destroyers , noted a lack of a vessel to complement the Imperial TIE fighters in the interception of single - pilot starfighters — a tactic the Alliance to Restore the Republic later used to great effect during the Galactic Civil War . Lira Wessex designed and presented the " Raider " - class corvette to fill the tactical breach , and in 6 BBY production of the corvette by Kuat Drive Yards began . Considered useful in the Outer Rim Territories by the Empire due to its hyperdrive , the ship offered Imperial officers an opportunity to counter the Alliance ' s preferred tactics during the Galactic Civil War and saw success in its role . Some time after its construction , a " Raider " - class corvette was used to test a prototype TIE Advanced x1 starfighter in the Outer Rim Territories . Though the TIE Advanced would prove to be too costly for mass production , the starfighter ' s hyperdrive allowed it to operate well with the " Raider " - class corvette . Behind the scenes . The " Raider " - class corvette was created by Fantasy Flight Games as a additional component of their " " . The ship was first announced on the company ' s website on December 19 , 2014 , in a news piece detailing to the . Intending to create a similar starship to the Rebellion ' s Corellian corvette , which acts in - game in an anti - starfighter role , the game ' s development team , including Andrew Navaro , Frank Brooks , and Steve Kimball , first looked to existing material in the Star Wars Legends continuity . The Imperial " Lancer " - class frigate was considered for the role , but the ship ' s 250 meter length was considered too unwieldy for game play . Failing to find a suitable candidate , the development team worked with Lucasfilm Ltd . to create a new ship , which would eventually become the " Raider " - class corvette . The design of the " Raider " - class corvette was created by artist Ben Zweifel .