Imperial Navy

The Imperial Navy, also known as the Imperial Starfleet, Imperial Fleet, Imperial Battlefleet, Imperial Space Navy, or Imperial Space Service, and informally referred to as "the Empire's long arm," was the space warfare branch of the Imperial Military of the Galactic Empire. At its peak, it fielded millions of warships, logistics vessels and fighters, becoming one of the largest navies in galactic history and maintaining Imperial control throughout the galaxy.

The Imperial Navy was formed from the Republic Navy of the Galactic Republic in 19 BBY, as part of the newly-proclaimed Emperor Palpatine's Imperialization campaign during the rise of the Empire. A reorganized command structure, eventually consisting of twelve Grand Admirals, supervised the rapid expansion of the fleet that had begun during the Clone Wars. Growing discontent with the New Order eventually coalesced into the Alliance to Restore the Republic, which began a military campaign against Imperial forces, that became known as the Galactic Civil War. Supreme Commander Darth Vader was charged by Emperor Palpatine with overseeing the Imperial Navy's efforts in stomping the insurrection and hunting the Rebel fleet.

After the loss of both Emperor Palpatine and Lord Vader in the Battle of Endor in 4 ABY, the Empire began to devolve into warlordism and infighting, splintering the Imperial Navy. Though the Navy would fight on under a succession of leaders, including Ysanne Isard, Warlord Zsinj, Grand Admiral Thrawn, the reborn Emperor, and Admiral Daala, it would not again become a cohesive unit until the establishment of the Imperial Remnant under Grand Admiral Gilad Pellaeon, becoming a veritable fighting force once again under his command during the Yuuzhan Vong War. The Imperial Navy would regain much of its former strength by the time of the Fel Empire, under which it fought the Galactic Alliance in the Sith–Imperial War. The Navy would be split into those loyal to Roan Fel and those who served Darth Krayt's Galactic Empire in the subsequent civil war.

The Imperial Navy was one of the most formidable militaries ever assembled, consisting of millions of warships, fighters and transports, manned by trillions of fleet crew. The mainstays of its fleets—the Star Destroyer and Super Star Destroyer capital ships and the TIE fighter series of starfighters—became some of the most visible symbols of Imperial rule to the galaxy's civilian populace.

Text and facts from the “Imperial Navy/Legends” article on Wookieepedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0. Modified for this site.