Carrier / Legends A carrier was a type of military starship specifically designed to focus on the transportation of small starships . They were generally considered separate from the warship , any vessel honed to be a weapons platform on its own . Characteristics . The term " carrier " can be divided into two main types : dedicated carriers , generally with few weapons and weak shielding , and warships , which also had a substantial capacity for carrying starfighters . History . In the Clone Wars era , the " Venator " - class Star Destroyer was used as a dual destroyer / carrier . By contrast , the " Victory " - class Star Destroyer was assigned to strictly a destroyer role , as it had a small complement of fighters relative to its size . This tradition of using similar hull design , but with a separate carrier and destroyer version , was carried on in the New Republic ' s New Class Modernization Program , with the " Endurance " - class fleet carrier sharing the same hull as the " Nebula " - class Star Destroyer . Due to the communication and coordination capabilities of carriers , they were often used as command ships . The New Republic ' s Fifth Fleet flagship during the Black Fleet Crisis was an " Endurance " - class carrier . In contrast , the Galactic Empire used different Super Star Destroyers for command and carrier purposes , respectively . EF76 Nebulon - B escort frigates and " Strike " - class medium cruisers regularly had a small complement of fighters . Additionally , some other ships , such as Corellian corvettes , could be modified to carry a handful of fighters . " Carrack " - class light cruisers did not have an internal hangar , so an exterior rack was added for up to five TIEs on reconnaissance or courier duties . The carrier concept was not limited to the Republic , Empire , and New Republic , as at least the Ssi - ruu k and the Yuuzhan Vong had their own carrier analogs . Known dedicated carrier designs . A - vek Iiluunu . A Yuuzhan Vong carrier type , 800 meters long on average . " Acclamator " - class assault ship . A type of troop carrier used during the Clone Wars . " Defender " - class assault carrier . The 700 - meter " Defender " class was originally developed for the Defender program in the early New Republic , but was taken up by the New Class Modernization Program and improved upon . The design also became an inspiration for the " Majestic " - class heavy cruiser , using its hull as basis . " Endurance " - class fleet carrier . Based on the " Nebula " - class Star Destroyer hull , the 1 , 040 - meter " Endurance " class carried a large complement of fighters . " Ton - Falk " - class escort carrier . A 500 - meter Imperial support carrier design , it could carry up to 72 starfighters , like the " Imperial " - class Star Destroyer . " Galactic " - class battle carrier . The 1 , 600 - meter " Galactic " class was based on earlier Star Destroyer designs , but with a larger mass , and extensive carrier facilities . It held several squadrons of fighters . Imperial escort carrier . This escort carrier design was used exclusively by the storm commando s during the Galactic Civil War . In addition to a large , central hangar , the craft had several heavy cannons lining its hull . " Kalla ' s Stanchion " . This vessel resembled an oversized EF76 Nebulon - B escort frigate and had several hangars lining its hull . Mon Calamari heavy carrier . This was a heavy warship class built by the Mon Calamari in the lead - up to the Second Galactic Civil War . " Quasar Fire " - class bulk cruiser . This bulk cruiser design was retrofitted to serve as a dedicated fighter carrier . " Sh ' ner " - class planetary assault carrier . This 750 - meter carrier was used by the Ssi - ruuvi Imperium and could store landing craft in its 12 launching bays . Starfighter carrier . The Galactic Empire employed some Super Star Destroyers as dedicated fighter carriers . Dual - role carrier designs . " Providence " - class carrier / destroyer . The 1 , 088 - meter " Providence " class had an extensive hangar system lining its sides . On modified ships like the " Invisible Hand " , this was enlarged even further . " Venator " - class Star Destroyer . The 1 , 137 - meter " Venator " - class Star Destroyer served the dual purpose of a fighting ship and a carrier , being capable of holding 420 small Republic starfighters inside the dorsal hangar bays that ran along much of the ship ' s length . " Secutor " - class Star Destroyer . The 2 , 200 - meter " Secutor " - class Star Destroyer served the dual purpose of a fighting ship and a carrier . Its size would have normally qualified it as a Battlecruiser under the Anaxes War College System , but its relative lack of firepower as well as the aforementioned carrier capabilities placed it in the Star Destroyer designation .