Vansen Tyree
Jan 1st, 2016, 03:26:59 AM
This cropped up in the regular TFA discussion group... figured I'd spin off into a separate thread rather than clog things up over there.
To make sure everyone is on the same page, I'm gonna info-dump a little about the current state of affairs for the Alliance of Free Planets, circa 10 ABY (aka "now"). Some of it differs from the EU - mostly because the New Republic doesn't exist yet, and so we've jiggled around some of the manufacturers a bit.
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Alliance Starships
Because of the Treaty with the Empire, and our status as a legitimate law-abiding government, the Alliance is no longer able to illegally manufacture knock-off starships - we either need permission from the designers, or to buy from them directly. A lot of manufacturers will not sell to us (or are not able to) because they are on the Imperial side of the boarder. This means that any Kuat, Corellian, Loronar, Sienar, etc ships in the Alliance Navy are either captured, salvaged, or built illegally by us prior to the Treaty being signed.
The main starship manufacturer in Alliance space is the Mon Calamari Shipyards. While previously their Star Cruisers were all converted luxury liners, the new MC80B (http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/MC80B_Star_Cruiser) is 100% built from scratch to be a warship. The MC30 (http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/MC30c_frigate) is still in production, but the MC40 (http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/MC40a_light_cruiser) is starting to get a little long in the teeth. The Quarren government has acquired Hoersch-Kessel Drive, and is currently working with the Mon Calamari to develop the Republic-class Star Destroyer (http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Republic-class_Star_Destroyer), to replace the MC40. The Quarren have also reactivated the old Separatist shipyards on their worlds, and are producing Providence-class ([url="http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Providence-class_carrier/destroyer") and Recusant-class (http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Recusant-class_light_destroyer) ships to quickly and cheaply pad out the Alliance Navy - we have a lot of new territory to protect, and not enough starships to do it.
The combo of Hoersch-Kessel and the Mon Calamari Shipyards (and Slayn & Korpil - see below) has a lot of politicians worried that their worlds are going to miss out on military contracts - especially those "down south", and those whose shipyards are equipped for the Imperial designs we aren't allowed to build any more. To combat this, Admiral Tyree has created Project Defender, which brings together the SoroSuub Corporation and Gallofree Yards (owned by the Bothan government) with Sluis Van, Elrood, Mustafar, Vandalhelm, and other worlds. Stage One is to convert Imperial facilities over to constructing SoroSuub and Gallofree designs, like the Gozanti Cruiser (http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Gozanti_Cruiser), Liberator Cruiser (http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Liberator_Cruiser), Quasar Fire (http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Quasar_Fire-class_bulk_cruiser), and Dauntless-class (http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Dauntless-class_heavy_cruiser)[/b]. Stage Two is to develop new classes of starship, to replace the Imperial designs that we have lost. Bothawui and Gallofree Yards will develop the Corona-class Frigate (http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Corona-class_frigate), which is a direct replacement for Nebulon-B. SoroSuub and Sluis Van meanwhile will develop the Defender-class (http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Nebula-class_Star_Destroyer) (aka. Nebula-class) and the Endurance-class (http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Endurance-class_fleet_carrier), a "pocket Star Destroyer" and a "command carrier" built on the same Imperial-style triangular hull.
In response to Project Defender, the Mon Calamari Shipyards will begin development on the MC90 Star Cruiser (http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/MC90_Star_Cruiser), and there will be some rivalry over how many of each design the Senate decides to buy.
In addition, the [b]Royal Hapan Navy is working (uncomfortably) with designers from outside the Cluster to develop the Majestic-class (http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Majestic-class_heavy_cruiser), which blends Hapan technology and design ideas with those from elsewhere in the galaxy.
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Alliance Starfighters
Because Mon Calamari has been the hub/home of the Alliance Navy for years, a lot of starfighter industry has found it's way to Mon Cala by default. The B-Wing (http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/A/SF-01_B-wing_starfighter/Legends) design team from Slayn & Korpil was relocated to the Mon Calamari Shipyards, and they took charge of making the standardised / mass production version of the A-Wing (http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/RZ-1_A-wing_interceptor/Legends). They've also began producing a modernised version of the V-19 Torrent (http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/V-19_Torrent_starfighter/Legends) as a cheap fighter to sell to planetary militias and police forces. Hoersch-Kessel Drive meanwhile produces the T-Wing (http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/R60_T-wing_interceptor), which used as a "Stage Two" trainer to convert existing pilots onto the A-Wing.
As with starships, there are concerns that the Mon Calamari sector will get all the military contracts. Slayn & Korpil's main competitor is Incom-Koensayr-Meorrrei, a conglomerate created when Taataani Meorrrei - who had already acquired Koensayr Manufacturing to help the Alliance with it's supply issues - also "acquired" the ex-Incom design team responsible for the X-Wing. IKM produces the standard (http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/T-65B_X-wing_starfighter/Legends) and recon (http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/T-65BR_X-wing_reconnaissance_starfighter) models of X-Wing. They produce the Z-95XT (http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Z-95XT_Trainer), used as a two-seater basic ("Stage One") trainer for the Alliance; and the ZX-95 (http://vignette1.wikia.nocookie.net/starwars/images/5/53/Z-95X.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20150618053518), an s-foil equipped Headhunter used as a Stage Two trainer to convert pilots onto the X-Wing. Incom also developed the "RZ-2" model of A-Wing, which is a beefed up version reserved for elite pilots.
Incom-Koensayr-Meorrrei is mostly focused on new craft however, and has several designs in various stages of development. The T-65C (http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/T-65AC4_X-wing_starfighter) is an updated version of the X-Wing being developed in limited numbers for elite pilots; while the T-65D (http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/T-65D-A1_X-wing_starfighter) is an experimental version that does not have a hard-to-obtain astromech unit - the main downside to an X-Wing versus it's counterparts. The E-Wing (http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/E-wing_escort_starfighter) is being developed as a hopeful competitor to the A-Wing, to steal contracts away from Slayn & Korpil. IKM has two designs intended to replace the Y-Wing: the V-Wing (http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/V-wing_airspeeder) is a combat airspeeder to replace the Y-Wing as a ground-attack bomber; whereas the K-Wing (http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/BTL-S8_K-wing_assault_starfighter) is a gunship that IKM hopes will compete with the B-Wing as the Alliance's go-to assault fighter. The IKM design team is also revisiting the old/abandoned Incom R-28 (http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/R-28_starfighter), possibly as a successor to the ARC-170.
While Incom-Koensayr-Meorrrei and Slayn & Korpil are locked in a Boeing versus Lockheed Martin style competition, there are other minor manufacturers producing fighters within Alliance space. Rather than aiming their products at the Alliance military, these manufacturers cater to law enforcement and planetary militias. SoroSuub's Preybird (http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Preybird-class_starfighter) and Cutlass-9 (http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Cutlass-9_patrol_fighter) starfighters are widely regarded as the "budget" equivalent of the X-Wing and A-Wing. Naboo and Utapau are among the worlds who produce their own fighter designs and sell them to their neighbours.
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Once the New Republic comes into being, Project Defender likely becomes the basis for the Republic Engineering Corporation. The rest of the New Class ships would come into service, like the Agave (http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Agave-class_picket_ship), the Warrior (http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Warrior-class_gunship), and the Sacheen (http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Sacheen-class_light_escort). We're also finally able to get things like the Belarus-class (http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Belarus-class_medium_cruiser) and Proficient-class (http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Proficient-class_cruiser), because the Loronar Corporation and Corellian Engineering Corporation are no longer across the border / off-limits.
By the time we get to The Force Awakens, those New Class ships are probably starting to feel a little old, like the Victory-class during the Galactic Civil War. They are probably starting to get replaced with ships from the Black Fleet era. The Warrior-class has probably been phased out in favour of the Ranger-class (http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Ranger-class_gunship), but by-and-large the fleet probably consists of a smaller number of much larger ships, like the Mediator-class (http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Mediator-class_battle_cruiser), and the two classes of "Star Defender" - the Corellian Strident-class (http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Strident-class_Star_Defender), and the Mon Calamari Viscount-class (http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Viscount-class_Star_Defender).
Also, there are probably some vague name-and-function style ships kicking around, a la the Bothan Assault Cruiser (http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Bothan_Assault_Cruiser). The go-to consular ship for diplomatic missions is probably a "Corellian Corvette", while the Ranger-class might be known as a "Corellian Gunship". Even if the Belarus-class is old, there might still be a new iteration of "Loronar Cruiser" running patrols. Smugglers may find themselves running across a "Rendili Cruiser" that looks a little like a Hammerhead (http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Hammerhead-class_cruiser) or a Dreadnaught (http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Dreadnaught-class_heavy_cruiser). etc.
To make sure everyone is on the same page, I'm gonna info-dump a little about the current state of affairs for the Alliance of Free Planets, circa 10 ABY (aka "now"). Some of it differs from the EU - mostly because the New Republic doesn't exist yet, and so we've jiggled around some of the manufacturers a bit.
-----
Alliance Starships
Because of the Treaty with the Empire, and our status as a legitimate law-abiding government, the Alliance is no longer able to illegally manufacture knock-off starships - we either need permission from the designers, or to buy from them directly. A lot of manufacturers will not sell to us (or are not able to) because they are on the Imperial side of the boarder. This means that any Kuat, Corellian, Loronar, Sienar, etc ships in the Alliance Navy are either captured, salvaged, or built illegally by us prior to the Treaty being signed.
The main starship manufacturer in Alliance space is the Mon Calamari Shipyards. While previously their Star Cruisers were all converted luxury liners, the new MC80B (http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/MC80B_Star_Cruiser) is 100% built from scratch to be a warship. The MC30 (http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/MC30c_frigate) is still in production, but the MC40 (http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/MC40a_light_cruiser) is starting to get a little long in the teeth. The Quarren government has acquired Hoersch-Kessel Drive, and is currently working with the Mon Calamari to develop the Republic-class Star Destroyer (http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Republic-class_Star_Destroyer), to replace the MC40. The Quarren have also reactivated the old Separatist shipyards on their worlds, and are producing Providence-class ([url="http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Providence-class_carrier/destroyer") and Recusant-class (http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Recusant-class_light_destroyer) ships to quickly and cheaply pad out the Alliance Navy - we have a lot of new territory to protect, and not enough starships to do it.
The combo of Hoersch-Kessel and the Mon Calamari Shipyards (and Slayn & Korpil - see below) has a lot of politicians worried that their worlds are going to miss out on military contracts - especially those "down south", and those whose shipyards are equipped for the Imperial designs we aren't allowed to build any more. To combat this, Admiral Tyree has created Project Defender, which brings together the SoroSuub Corporation and Gallofree Yards (owned by the Bothan government) with Sluis Van, Elrood, Mustafar, Vandalhelm, and other worlds. Stage One is to convert Imperial facilities over to constructing SoroSuub and Gallofree designs, like the Gozanti Cruiser (http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Gozanti_Cruiser), Liberator Cruiser (http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Liberator_Cruiser), Quasar Fire (http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Quasar_Fire-class_bulk_cruiser), and Dauntless-class (http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Dauntless-class_heavy_cruiser)[/b]. Stage Two is to develop new classes of starship, to replace the Imperial designs that we have lost. Bothawui and Gallofree Yards will develop the Corona-class Frigate (http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Corona-class_frigate), which is a direct replacement for Nebulon-B. SoroSuub and Sluis Van meanwhile will develop the Defender-class (http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Nebula-class_Star_Destroyer) (aka. Nebula-class) and the Endurance-class (http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Endurance-class_fleet_carrier), a "pocket Star Destroyer" and a "command carrier" built on the same Imperial-style triangular hull.
In response to Project Defender, the Mon Calamari Shipyards will begin development on the MC90 Star Cruiser (http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/MC90_Star_Cruiser), and there will be some rivalry over how many of each design the Senate decides to buy.
In addition, the [b]Royal Hapan Navy is working (uncomfortably) with designers from outside the Cluster to develop the Majestic-class (http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Majestic-class_heavy_cruiser), which blends Hapan technology and design ideas with those from elsewhere in the galaxy.
-----
Alliance Starfighters
Because Mon Calamari has been the hub/home of the Alliance Navy for years, a lot of starfighter industry has found it's way to Mon Cala by default. The B-Wing (http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/A/SF-01_B-wing_starfighter/Legends) design team from Slayn & Korpil was relocated to the Mon Calamari Shipyards, and they took charge of making the standardised / mass production version of the A-Wing (http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/RZ-1_A-wing_interceptor/Legends). They've also began producing a modernised version of the V-19 Torrent (http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/V-19_Torrent_starfighter/Legends) as a cheap fighter to sell to planetary militias and police forces. Hoersch-Kessel Drive meanwhile produces the T-Wing (http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/R60_T-wing_interceptor), which used as a "Stage Two" trainer to convert existing pilots onto the A-Wing.
As with starships, there are concerns that the Mon Calamari sector will get all the military contracts. Slayn & Korpil's main competitor is Incom-Koensayr-Meorrrei, a conglomerate created when Taataani Meorrrei - who had already acquired Koensayr Manufacturing to help the Alliance with it's supply issues - also "acquired" the ex-Incom design team responsible for the X-Wing. IKM produces the standard (http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/T-65B_X-wing_starfighter/Legends) and recon (http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/T-65BR_X-wing_reconnaissance_starfighter) models of X-Wing. They produce the Z-95XT (http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Z-95XT_Trainer), used as a two-seater basic ("Stage One") trainer for the Alliance; and the ZX-95 (http://vignette1.wikia.nocookie.net/starwars/images/5/53/Z-95X.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20150618053518), an s-foil equipped Headhunter used as a Stage Two trainer to convert pilots onto the X-Wing. Incom also developed the "RZ-2" model of A-Wing, which is a beefed up version reserved for elite pilots.
Incom-Koensayr-Meorrrei is mostly focused on new craft however, and has several designs in various stages of development. The T-65C (http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/T-65AC4_X-wing_starfighter) is an updated version of the X-Wing being developed in limited numbers for elite pilots; while the T-65D (http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/T-65D-A1_X-wing_starfighter) is an experimental version that does not have a hard-to-obtain astromech unit - the main downside to an X-Wing versus it's counterparts. The E-Wing (http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/E-wing_escort_starfighter) is being developed as a hopeful competitor to the A-Wing, to steal contracts away from Slayn & Korpil. IKM has two designs intended to replace the Y-Wing: the V-Wing (http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/V-wing_airspeeder) is a combat airspeeder to replace the Y-Wing as a ground-attack bomber; whereas the K-Wing (http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/BTL-S8_K-wing_assault_starfighter) is a gunship that IKM hopes will compete with the B-Wing as the Alliance's go-to assault fighter. The IKM design team is also revisiting the old/abandoned Incom R-28 (http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/R-28_starfighter), possibly as a successor to the ARC-170.
While Incom-Koensayr-Meorrrei and Slayn & Korpil are locked in a Boeing versus Lockheed Martin style competition, there are other minor manufacturers producing fighters within Alliance space. Rather than aiming their products at the Alliance military, these manufacturers cater to law enforcement and planetary militias. SoroSuub's Preybird (http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Preybird-class_starfighter) and Cutlass-9 (http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Cutlass-9_patrol_fighter) starfighters are widely regarded as the "budget" equivalent of the X-Wing and A-Wing. Naboo and Utapau are among the worlds who produce their own fighter designs and sell them to their neighbours.
-----
Once the New Republic comes into being, Project Defender likely becomes the basis for the Republic Engineering Corporation. The rest of the New Class ships would come into service, like the Agave (http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Agave-class_picket_ship), the Warrior (http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Warrior-class_gunship), and the Sacheen (http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Sacheen-class_light_escort). We're also finally able to get things like the Belarus-class (http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Belarus-class_medium_cruiser) and Proficient-class (http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Proficient-class_cruiser), because the Loronar Corporation and Corellian Engineering Corporation are no longer across the border / off-limits.
By the time we get to The Force Awakens, those New Class ships are probably starting to feel a little old, like the Victory-class during the Galactic Civil War. They are probably starting to get replaced with ships from the Black Fleet era. The Warrior-class has probably been phased out in favour of the Ranger-class (http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Ranger-class_gunship), but by-and-large the fleet probably consists of a smaller number of much larger ships, like the Mediator-class (http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Mediator-class_battle_cruiser), and the two classes of "Star Defender" - the Corellian Strident-class (http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Strident-class_Star_Defender), and the Mon Calamari Viscount-class (http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Viscount-class_Star_Defender).
Also, there are probably some vague name-and-function style ships kicking around, a la the Bothan Assault Cruiser (http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Bothan_Assault_Cruiser). The go-to consular ship for diplomatic missions is probably a "Corellian Corvette", while the Ranger-class might be known as a "Corellian Gunship". Even if the Belarus-class is old, there might still be a new iteration of "Loronar Cruiser" running patrols. Smugglers may find themselves running across a "Rendili Cruiser" that looks a little like a Hammerhead (http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Hammerhead-class_cruiser) or a Dreadnaught (http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Dreadnaught-class_heavy_cruiser). etc.