Arquitens-class destroyer

The Arquitens-class destroyer is a light warship that saw service with both the Galactic Republic and Galactic Empire. The ship was designed and manufactured by Kuat Drive Yards.
== Characteristics ==
The Arquitens-class is built on a broad, kite-shaped hull structure, in line with the KDY triangular design motif shared its contemporaries, the Venator and Acclamator-classes. The ship's uniquely pronged bow structure is remeniscent of the Harrower-class dreadnought of the Sith Empire.
The class' armament consists of four (2x dorsal, 2x ventral) YA3 quad heavy turbolaser batteries, eight KV-5 concussion missile launchers and thirty BD-15 point-defence laser cannons.
== History ==
=== Clone Wars ===
Arquitens-class destroyers were rushed into service with the Republic Navy upon the outbreak of the Clone Wars in 978 ARR. One of these ships was part of Jedi General Obi-Wan Kenobi's flotilla during the Battle of Saleucami; it was used as bait for General Grievous, distracting him from the Jedi boarding party on his own flagship that was attempting to rescue the captured Eeth Koth. In the course of the battle, the ship was targeted at point-blank range by Grievous' flagship and was destroyed.
Several Arquitens-class destroyers formed part of the fleet that protected Kamino when it was attacked by Grievous and Asajj Ventress. Arquitens-class ships were also part of the fleet that later engaged Ventress's fleet in the Sullust system.
Following a distress call from the Togruta colonists of the planet Kiros, Jedi Master Yoda deployed a group containing Arquitens-class destroyers and a Venator-class battlecruiser to investigate. several Arquitens-class ships fought in the Battle of Ringo Vinda.
By 980 ARR, the Arquitens, while reliable and effective in its niche, was beginning to show numerous flaws, due in part to the rushed nature of its design and initial testing, as well as its exorbitant maintenance cost, leading to the class being largely phased out by the cheaper, and much more tactically flexible Victory-class frigate.
=== Age of the Empire ===
Despite their effective replacement in frontline roles by the Victory-class during the later half of the Clone Wars, Arquitens-class ships continued to serve in the Imperial Navy in second-line roles after the Republic's transition into the Galactic Empire. One Imperial destroyer, the Thunder Wasp (under the command of Commander Alfren Cheno), served as part of the task force lead by Admiral Carlou Gendling during the pacification of Umbara. The Chiss Captain Thrawn and Ensign Eli Vanto served aboard the Thunder Wasp, helping to knock out a vulture droid transmission station and effectively winning the day for the Empire.
==== Refit program ====
Several years prior to 996 ARR, the Imperial Navy recalled those Arquitens-class destroyers still in service. At Kuat Drive Yards, they would undergo a mass refit as part of a service life extension program. The interiors of these ships were almost completely gutted and rebuilt, ageing components replaced with new technology to maximize speed, agility, combat ability and power output while reducing overall crew requirement. However, by the time of the Battle of Yavin even these refit destroyers were being phased out in favor of the newer Vindicator-class destroyer.
Category:Daisy-023
Category:Spacecraft