EF76 Nebulon-B escort frigate

Characteristics

The standard Nebulon-B frigate was armed with twelve turbolaser batteries, twelve laser cannons, and two tractor beam projectors. It was designed to carry twenty-four TIE series starfighters.

While generally well-armed for a vessel of that size, its midsection connecting spar was a vulnerability. It could be split open by concentrated heavy weapons fire, venting the frigate's atmosphere and killing most of the crew.

History

The EF76 was introduced some months after the Clone Wars, long before the formal establishment of the Alliance to Restore the Republic. It largely phased out the Class-C frigate. The Nebulon-B was originally designed to defend Imperial convoys against raids by Rebel starfighters. The Imperial Navy was loath to relegate its expensive Imperial Star Destroyer to escort duty, while the Corellian Corvettes were too weak and carried few if any TIE Fighters.

The EF76 was used extensively by both sides in the Galactic Civil War. The frigate was known and respected for its efficiency against fighters and bombers, and its anti-fighter assignment in Imperial convoys had an immediate impact, causing the Rebels to reconsider their hyperspace raids after suffering irreplaceable losses in fighters and pilots. They were also often used to support larger capital ships, such as Imperial-class Star Destroyers and Rebel Mon Calamari Star Cruisers.

In their starfleets, Imperial Admirals Thrawn and Zaarin often used Nebulon-B frigates as command ships in lieu of the standard Star Destroyer.