Kuat Drive Yards

Help me,Obi-Wan Kenobi. You're my only hope. This article is in need of referencing per Wookieepedia'ssourcing guidelines. This article needs appropriate citations. Help usimprove this article by referencing valid resource material. Remove this notice when finished.

Kuat Drive Yards

Kuat Drive Yards,KDY, orKuat Engineering^[6] was the largest militaryshipbuilding corporation inthe galaxy at thetime of theGalactic Civil War. It was based on theplanetKuat.

Kuat Drive Yards mainly sold its products to theGalactic Empire, and theGalactic Republic previously. Many Kuat products could be found inTIE Fighters,^[7] armored fighting vehicles such asAT-STs andAT-ATs,Star Destroyers, and other military vehicles. Kuat Drive Yards did not sell only to the Imperials, however; many planetary governments purchased its weapons for the purposes of defending their planet from the war.These circumstances helped to make Kuat Drive Yards one of the most famous corporations inthe galaxy.

History[]

Founding and early history[]

Kuat Drive Yards was founded in the early days of theGalactic Republic by a group ofHuman aristocrats known asthe Ten. These merchants, led by theKuat family, joined together with the intent to create the largest, most efficientshipyard in the galaxy. They hiredterraformers to change theplanetKuat in theCore Worlds into a paradise world while engineers designed and built the first six of many orbital shipyard complexes.

That project faced opposition from fledgling trade consortia as well as internal dissent within the merchant families. Despite their use of sabotage, espionage, and hiredpirate groups, the trade groups failed to stop the Kuat families, who settled their internal differences by signing theInheritance Exemption which gave the Kuat family perpetual control over Kuat Drive Yards.

After these early difficulties, the shipyard grew rapidly in both size and prestige, and by5000 BBY it was known as a first-class galactic ship builder. In the millennia that followed, the shipyards became noted for building warships that served in theRepublic Navy throughout both theOld Sith Wars and theNew Sith Wars.^[9]

KDY was not a top tier shipyard, however; that title was held by the triumvirate made up ofCore Galaxy Systems,Corellia StarDrive, andHoersch-Kessel Drive, Inc.. Kuat set its sights on becoming a member of this group, and engaged in a vicious competition with Core Galaxy Systems. Between price wars, industrial espionage, and more underhanded tactics, Core Galaxy suffered severe losses and was forced to sell its assets. In500 BBY KDY bought the company and retired the Core Galaxy Systems name. With this purchase, Kuat took its place as the top ship builder in theOld Republic. It was soon joined by theCorellian Engineering Corporation (CEC) which had bought out Corellia StarDrive when the older company lost its entire senior design team in ashuttle accident.

Expansion and investment[]

KDY quickly earned a reputation as a predatory company. Besides Core Galaxy, Kuat rapidly bought up a number of other small ship builders, and built factories on a number of worlds outside the Kuat Sector.Belderone,Rothana, andXa Fel were among many worlds to contribute to the KDY construction effort, either directly or through subsidiary corporations such asRothana Heavy Engineering andUbrikkian Industries.KDY also had a tendency to create subsidiaries to focus on specific markets:

• Kuat Leisure focused on civilian vessels.
• Kuat Vehicles builtairspeeders,landspeeders, andspeeder bikes.
• Kuat Systems Engineering was responsible forstarfighter design and light patrol craft.
• Chempat Engineered Defenses, owned jointly with CEC, designed and built starship shield generators and sensor arrays.

KDY was also a significant member in several commercial and trade groups and had two members on theTrade Federation Directorate. The company was also part of theTechno Union, but at some point prior to theClone Wars decided to cut their ties.^[1] Kuat Drive Yards was also a founding member of theCorporate Sector Authority. In exchange for an investment of 50 quadrillioncredits, half in direct gifts of credits and equipment, the other half in the purchase of CSA stock and bonds, KDY received a position as a signatory sponsor, allowing it complete access to advertise and sell its products in theCorporate Sector, as well as extremely discounted prices for bulk goods and raw materials which were necessary for the large-scale construction KDY often undertook.

In the centuries prior to theClone Wars, Kuat Drive Yards entered into a pronounced rivalry withRendili StarDrive, challenging Rendili's dominance in the supply of smallcruisers toPlanetary Security Forces by constructing a number of even larger warship designs. These included several massiveStar Destroyers,Battlecruisers, andStar Dreadnoughts, which first came into service as part of theKuat sectordefense fleet. KDY's first battlecruiser, the two thousand, five hundred-meterProcurator-class, was launched in200 BBY, and became the template for a series of ever-larger and more-powerfulbattleship designs aimed at attracting contracts from wealthy Core planets, sectors, and powerful mercantile interests. TheProcurator-class was refined several times before being supplanted by the four-thousand-meterPraetor-class battlecruiser. KDY's first Star Dreadnought design, the eight-kilometerMandator-class, was launched twenty years before the Clone Wars and triggered a slew of orders by wealthy sectors for similar battleships.^[10]

Rendili StarDrive was skeptical of the utility of such large ships, which fell well outside the warship restrictions of theRuusan Reformations and consequently could be equipped only with short-ranged, localhyperdrives. Nevertheless, KDY's advertising won the ear of senators from wealthyCore Worlds sectors, who soon began buying Star Destroyers, Battlecruisers and Star Dreadnoughts for their defense fleets.^[10] Some of KDY's experimentation with large designs came about due to their membership in the Techno Union. After the split, KDY decided to create new starships only for the Galactic Republic.^[1]

Clone Wars through the Battle of Yavin[]

Just prior to theInvasion of Naboo, KDY's advertising had won over many Core Worlds senators: seven of its Star Dreadnoughts were in service - three defended Kuat itself, while theAzure,Ixtlar,Alsaka andHumbarine sectors had bought one each. Meanwhile, dozens of its battlecruisers defended Core andColonies sectors.^[10] It was expected that KDY would support the Trade Federation in its opposition to theGalactic Senate's proposed re-taxation of trade routes in the Outer Rim. However, relations between the two entities soured considerably whenNute Gunray orchestrated the assassination of the rest of the Trade Federation Directorate, including the two Kuati delegates, at the disastrousEriadu Trade Summit.^[11]

With KDY and the Trade Federation driven apart, shortly afterwards, KDY's subsidiaryRothana Heavy Engineering was subcontracted by thecloners ofKamino to build a full range of assault starships and combat vehicles for a secretClone Army.^[11]

Shortly before the Clone Wars, KDY also developed modifications, on behalf of theJedi Order, to theDelta-7 interceptor design in itsresearch shipyards aboveGyndine.^[11]

Despite its earlier Republic commitment, at the beginning of the conflict, Kuat was secretly contacted by theSeparatists to build afleet ofheavily armed combat vessels that visually resembledbulk freighters. Some senators later claimed that the Storm Fleet contract was an act oftreason, butChancellor Palpatine called it a simple incident of mistaken corporate connections, and KDY escaped punishment.^[12]

The Clone Army and RHE-built vessels soon saw their first action at theBattle of Geonosis, a skirmish which kicked off the Clone Wars. With a number of major shipyards under the control of theTechno Union and other members of theCIS, Kuat was suddenly besieged with orders for capital ships. Within days of the Battle of Geonosis, an order for an additional 1,000Acclamator transports was sent.^[13] More orders followed for a wide variety of warships, support vessels and ground armor, everything frommedical ships^[14] toheavy assault walkers.^[15]

Kuat also engaged in espionage againstNeimoidia, leading to an increased arms race between the two industrial complexes. Kuat took measures to protect their facilities by increasing the numbers of security personnel, upgrading their sector forces, scattering massive minefields around their respective sectors and cutting off a section of theHydian Way to traffic. The Republic also placed warships along the outer border of the Kuat system. At this point, Kuat's importance to the Republic was so great that even Trade Federation officials remarked on the need to silence Kuat before any eventual campaign against Coruscant itself.^[16] News involving the company was published on digital billboards on Coruscant during the conflict.^[17]

Despite being the single largest and most powerful shipyard in the galaxy, the scale of the Clone Wars was beyond even KDY's ability. In order to keep up with the demand for vessels and match Separatist shipyards, KDY joined forces with other loyal companies such asCEC andRendili StarDrive. CEC focused on small troop transports, corvettes, and gunships, while Rendili and KDY formed theVictor Initiative Project to share development experience for heavy multi-role warships.^[18]

Two key figures would emerge during this program:Walex Blissex and his daughterLira Blissex. Walex was assigned to head the Rendili effort, which resulted in theVictory I-class Star Destroyer. TheVictory-class was rushed into full production six months early when aTechno Union fleetbroke the blockade ofFoerost. TheVictory Fleet managed to defeat the Bulwark Fleet atAnaxes and won significant support for the concept of heavy capital warships.^[18]

The KDY team led by Lira produced two designs. The first, theVenator-class Star Destroyer was designed to be a multi-role warship and an escort for larger battleships. TheVenator was larger than theVictory, and carried a far larger fighter complement. The second design, theImperator-class Star Destroyer was produced in far fewer numbers during the Wars, but gained an increase in production once the conflict was over. TheTector-class Star Destroyer also began its production line, but had a similar service-record to theImperator, only heading a few Republic task forces.^[19]

Meanwhile, theVenator suffered from an inauspicious start. Several of the first ships were involved in a Senate scandal which resulted in theloss of Duro. Despite this, theVenator proved itself and led the Republic to issue orders for many thousands of the ships. Over a thousand ships alone would take part in theBattle of Coruscant.Venators and the other KDY warships produced during the war, were promoted as the cause of most Republic victories by the company. By war's end, even heavier designs, like theMandator II-class Star Dreadnaught, helped fill out theRepublic Navy's roster.^[15][20]The company also began producing the militaryCardan-class space station, but this design was not fielded until after the war.^[21] The Clone War-designedGladiator-class Star Destroyer was also handed over from Rendili StarDrive and made into a warship that enforced the fringes of galactic society after the end of the war.^[22]

As the war drew to a close, theVenator-class production line slowed down in favor of moreImperators andTectors. These classes went on to have a more illustrious career under the Galactic Empire,^[15] while older ships like theAcclamator andVictory served as support ships. TheVenator-class gradually disappeared from regular military forces, seeing service only with private defense forces of variousMoffs and underworld factions.^[22]

At the Empire's founding, security was increased and the orbital facilities and space stations were militarized and augmented to ensure continued production of warships. Kuat was issued its own Moff to oversee the sector.^[22] In addition, because of Palpatine's desire toexpand Imperial rule throughout the civilized galaxy, Kuat kept producing multiple warships and ground vehicles in spite of theClone Wars being over.^[10]Because of their support forEmperorPalpatine, KDY received a majority of the contracts for building up theImperial Navy. In order to focus on capital ships, Kuat Systems Engineering was folded back into the main KDY line, and several of the starfighter designs were sold toSienar Fleet Systems.For several decades, KDY maintained a rich catalog of destroyers, cruisers, battlecruisers^[23] and battleships for the Empire.^[24]

The pinnacle of the KDY line was to be another Lira Wessex contribution. About3 BBY, KDY drew up plans for a titanic warship, one even more powerful than theMandator IIs of the Clone Wars. The newStar Dreadnought design was vehemently opposed by a number of Imperial Admirals, but Darth Vader and Emperor Palpatine took a personal interest in the program.As theDeath Star project neared completion, the Imperial Navy changed its mind and most Admirals began to support the concept of "terror styling" that the new design represented. It was also hoped that the new ship could provide the Navy their ownsuperweapon to compete with the Death Star.

Four ships were ordered, though the first ship,Executor, began construction atFondor, rather than Kuat. There were several possible reasons for this move, including the need for secrecy, Darth Vader's plan to use the construction of theExecutor to draw out treasonous officers and Rebel spies, a simple demonstration of superiority by Palpatine over KDY, which had made attempts to remain independent of the Empire, or retaliation for KDY's refusal to participate in any part of the Death Star project.Irritated, KDY began construction of the second ship of the class at the same time, also naming itExecutor. Meanwhile, the company continued to take contracts from other parties, including an order for custom exploration ships forAlderaan just prior to itsdestruction.

Several more special projects were begun as well, notably theEclipse, asuperlaser-armed Star Dreadnought.^[25] Despite these new projects, KDY was still able to produceImperial-class ships at a high rate, allowing the Imperial Navy to reach a strength of at least 25,000 of these ships.^[26]

The Galactic Civil War[]

The schedule for the fourExecutor-class Star Dreadnoughts would be radically altered as a result of thedestruction of the Death Star by theRebel Alliance atYavin. TheExecutor at Fondor was finished only six months later, with the second ship, renamedLusankya, completed shortly after.Lusankya was promptly buried under the surface ofCoruscant at the behest ofYsanne Isard. The other two ships were given to admirals personally chosen by Palpatine.

WithExecutor devastating a number ofLaakteen Depot Rebel outposts, the Empire ordered an increase in production of these massive ships. Fondor continued to serve as an alternative construction site, but KDY built a majority of the ships in their own facilities, often rushing them out of dock mostly completed and sending them to smaller facilities for finishing work. This allowed a higher rate of production than otherwise possible, as there were a limited number of slipways capable of holding a ship the size of anExecutor-class.

Besides Star Destroyers,Star Cruisers,battlecruisers, and Star Dreadnoughts, Kuat continued to receive huge orders for smaller capital vessels from the Empire. The Imperial Navy was augmenting its forces, and Kuat was the prime provider for their capital ships. New designs were created during this time to counter the actions of the Rebels, such as theEF76 Nebulon-B escort frigate, theVT-49 Decimator, andStar Galleon, all designed as a reaction to Rebel convoy raids.

The company was known to cut costs, by building individual modules for use on multiple ship-designs. The command tower on theAcclamator-class was an element commonly used on their small warship designs,^[11] and the iconic T-shaped towers used on theImperial andExecutor-classes were also highly modular and used on many warship classes during the company's career.^[27] When Alderaan was destroyed by the Empire, Kuat recouped their losses by reusing systems meant for Alderaanian perimeter scout ships and orbital customs stations in their newbattlecruiser production lines.^[28]

Kuat of Kuat[]

During the Galactic Civil War, Kuat Drive Yards was led byKuat of Kuat. A technically minded aristocrat, Kuat of Kuat made every effort to keep KDY independent of the Empire. One of his greatest fears wasnationalization, to the point where he believed that the Rebel Alliance was the better choice. Only pragmatism kept him loyal to the Empire, as Palpatine would quickly crush any attempt by Kuat to join the Alliance.

Pragmatism also guided many of the decisions made by Kuat of Kuat during his tenure as head of the company. Shortly after the Battle of Yavin, KDY was under siege from a number of directions. Emperor Palpatine was suspicious of Kuat's motives in refusing to bid on the Death Star project (the reason was that the Death Star could potentially replace a large number of capital warships, which would result in a severe decrease in profits for KDY),PrinceXizor ofBlack Sun was making a play for control of KDY itself, and the Rebel Alliance had recently made a surprise assault on the shipyard facilities to draw Imperial ships away fromFresia.

Kuat of Kuat managed to respond to all of the threats—he placated Palpatine by having KDY absorb an unplanned cost overrun in a series of battlecruisers, and he set into motion a plan that would implicate Xizor in the death ofOwen andBeru Lars, hopefully setting the Rebels and Black Sun against each other. This plan failed, however, when the evidence fell into the hands ofBoba Fett, along with the Kuati nobleKateel of Kuhlvult. Kuat attempted to kill Boba Fett to destroy the evidence, which was useless after the death of Xizor, and could lead back to Kuat.

Kuat of Kuat also had to react to a political play by the other major families on Kuat, led by theKnylenn family. The families bribedFenald, the Chief of Security for KDY, into aiding their attempt to overturn the Inheritance Exemption. The attempt failed, and Fenald was exposed as a spy. He was replaced byKodir of Kuhlvult. Kuat did not entirely trust his new chief of security, and became increasingly paranoid, to the point where he ordered the shipyards to be wired with explosives.

His suspicion was merited; Kodir had been the one to hire Fenald. The entire incident had merely been a ploy for her to become chief of KDY security. In the lead-up to theBattle of Endor, many of these plots came to a head. The Rebel Alliance stationed asquadron ofY-wings in the shipyards to watch over the system and ensure that the Empire did not receive the latest batch of heavy warships. Kodir managed to retrieve the evidence against Xizor from Boba Fett as well as Kateel, promptly returning to Kuat and meeting with the Rebel squadron. Kodir offered a deal with the Rebels—if they would help her take control of Kuat Drive Yards, she would provide support for the Alliance.

Kuat of Kuat managed to hear the conversation, and decided not to allow anyone to have the shipyards. He began theself-destruction of the shipyard facilities. The Rebel squadron took the opportunity to move in and attempt to steal a number of warships, mainlyLancer-class frigates andEF76 Nebulon-B escort frigates. At the same time, Boba Fett arrived to question Kuat as to why the Technician had been attempting to kill him, and after a brief conversation, Fett took control of the large warship Kuat had chosen as his tomb. While Kuat of Kuat committed suicide, Fett piloted the ship out of the dock, cutting the link for the self-destruct sequence. The explosions ended, with 80% of the docks remaining intact.

Post-Endor[]

After the Battle of Endor, the Empire took more direct control of Kuat Drive Yards. Construction continued on both newExecutor-class vessels, as well as theEclipse-class, concerning larger vessels, and they also completed theA-9 Vigilance starfighter, which was released six years after theBattle of Endor. But KDY was no longer the independent companyKuat of Kuat had maintained. Security increased, to the point where the system was guarded approximately as well asCoruscant.^[7]

This didn't stop various raiders from attempting to steal ships or attack the shipyards. One of the most famous incidents took place in4 ABY, with theBattle for theEclipse, where theZann Consortium gained access to secret information inside the vaults ofEclipse. Preceding their goal was a huge fleet battle against both a Rebel and an Imperial task force, which led to the destruction of threeCardan-class space stations and theStar DreadnoughtAnnihilator.^[25]

The other was theBattle of Kuat in7.5 ABY. In the buildup to this battle,WarlordZsinj discovered through his network of spies that Kuat was nearing completion of a newExecutor-class vessel. He arranged assistance for a member of the ship's complement to set up a black market ring in exchange for access to the new ship when necessary. Zsinj also hired a collection of privateers, mercenaries, and pirates to create an "expendable fleet." What he did not know, was that theNew RepublicWraith Squadron had joined his rag-tag armada, posing as a pirate gang, theHawk-bats.Wraith Squadron memberShalla Nelprin was selected to join Zsinj's infiltration group.

The mission went flawlessly, with the infiltrators seizing the bridge of the ship, theRazor's Kiss, and blasting the vessel out of its berth. The defense ships in the system responded quickly, but Zsinj arrived with his fleet, led by another Star Dreadnought, theIron Fist. After a short battle in which the Wraiths took the opportunity to plant a locator beacon on theRazor's Kiss, Zsinj retreated with his new acquisition. While theRazor's Kiss would be destroyed shortly thereafter byGeneral Solo's task force, Kuat Drive Yards suffered heavily in the three way battle. Besides the theft of the massive warship, several Star Destroyers were lost, and the shipyards suffered severe damage from the violent escape.

Changing ownership[]

Only a year later, theNew Republic would return to Kuat. After the death of Zsinj at theBattle of Dathomir, the New Republic Fleet underAdmiral Ackbar fought a vicious campaign againstAdmiral Rogriss andWarlordTreuten Teradoc to capture Zsinj's territory. In response to heavy losses, the Imperial fleet pulled back to regroup. The New Republic took the opportunity to strike at Kuat.The battle was short but intense. The Empire suffered a major blow, with the New Republic claiming their most valuable shipyard.

It was not a complete victory, however. The entire senior design team fled toByss aboard the partially completedEclipse, while the shipyards themselves were heavily damaged and rife with Imperial partisans. It would be years before production could resume at anything approaching previous levels—a painful fact for the New Republic, which found itself in dire need of warships during theThrawn campaign.

With the return of Palpatine, the Empire managed to retake the Core, including Kuat, though with the shipyards still under repair, Byss remained the primary shipyard for the Empire. A number of KDY projects were begun at Byss, including a secondEclipse-class vessel and the smallerSovereign-class. This re-occupation was short-lived, as by11 ABY Palpatine was finally vanquished atOnderon and Byss was destroyed.The new management of Kuat Drive Yards threw its support behind the New Republic, and participated in theNew Class Modernization Program.

During thewar with theYuuzhan Vong, the shipyards continued to produce warships, especially Star Destroyers, for the New Republic and later theGalactic Federation of Free Alliances. The shipyards were captured by the Vong near the end of the war, despite the extreme emphasis on defending it and other major shipyards, though Kuat was returned to the GFFA at the conclusion of the war relatively unharmed.

As of40 ABY, KDY's most recent development was theGalactic-class battle carrier, an enlarged Star Destroyer that formed the backbone of several Galactic Alliance fleets.Over 100 years after the Battle of Endor, theFel Empire boughtPellaeon-class Star Destroyers andArdent-class fast frigates from Kuat.^[29]

Facilities and construction[]

The actual Kuat Drive Yards were a collection of various facilities throughout the Kuat System. The primary shipyards made up a nearly solid ring, called theOrbital Array, that surrounded the planet Kuat itself. These stations were split into smaller units, designated as slipways, offices, machine shops, factories, drydocks, or apartments for workers. Most Kuati citizens lived within this ring, never setting foot on the surface of the planet below. The orbital array was lightly armed, sufficient to deal with pirates or small warships, though anything above a frigate was beyond the capabilities of the array's defenses.

Kuat's twomoons,Bador andRonay, were used for weapons and drive testing, to prevent damage to the main facilities or planet in case of any accidents. Further out were a number of secondary facilities. While the orbital array contained the most important shipyards, they were far from the only ones. A massive belt of stations, docks, and repair facilities orbited at the fringe of theKuat system itself, making up the bulk of KDY's construction capabilities.^[30]

In addition to the Kuat system, KDY had facilities in a number of other systems:

• Rothana was home toRothana Heavy Engineering, with facilities for the construction of capital ships, combat vehicles, and gunships.
• Belderone was the location of a major AT-AT production facility.
• Xa Fel was the location of a number ofhyperdrive manufacturing facilities, which made up 20% of KDY's hyperdrive production capability. The planet was heavily polluted as a result.
• TheKaravis system contained a KDY assembly line.
• N'zoth was the location ofBlack Fifteen shipyards, used by the Imperial Navy to supportBlack Sword Command as well as undertake finishing work for vessels begun at other KDY facilities.
• Gyndine was the location of orbitalKDY research shipyards, where modifications to theDelta-7 interceptor were made.
• Jaemus subcontracted work from KDY andSienar Fleet Systems, notably theEnforcer-class picket cruiser.
• Balmorra was the primary builder for theAT-ST and other KDY combat vehicle designs.
• Allanteen Six had shipyards that produced and serviced KDYVenator-class Star Destroyers during the Clone Wars^[31] andImperial-class Star Destroyers during theImperial Period.^[10]

Besides starships and vehicles, KDY produced a line of planetary defense weaponry, includingion cannons,turbolasers, andmagnapulse weaponry. These products were advertised as "The first, last, and only line of defense your planet will ever need!"

Kuat slipways utilized a unique method to build large capital ships quickly. To maximize productivity, the hulls of ships under construction were wrapped in an airtight shroud, allowing workers to avoid wearing bulky space suits. This shroud was also part of the launching ceremony for a new ship. The work crew was evacuated, and the atmosphere ignited, burning the material away. The ash would settle on the ship until it moved, when it would be shaken off and the new vessel emerged, clean and tempered.

Security[]

Kuat Drive Yards security had a long and convoluted history of being both independent and defenders of both the Republic and the Galactic Empire. In the centuries up until the Clone Wars, the Kuat Sector was protected by a large defense fleet, made up of KDY vessels up to the mightyMandator-class.

During the Clone Wars, these defense forces were built up and upgraded, and huge minefields scattered around the sector to dissuade attack. After anincident involving the near defection of theRendili Home Defense Fleet to the Separatists, Chancellor Palpatine managed to convince theGalactic Senate to nationalize all sector and system defense fleets into theRepublic Navy. Kuat's fleet was made up of a disproportionate number of modern and heavy warships, and became a major addition to the Republic Fleet.

Despite this, Kuat began to rebuild its defense force. Under Kuat of Kuat, Kuat Drive Yards made an arrangement with the Empire to provide its own security. Again, ships bearing the emblem of KDY patrolled the system. These ships were later used in a bombing raid on theDune Sea in an attempt to kill Boba Fett, as well as other operations to track down thebounty hunter in4 ABY.

Despite the security deal made with Kuat, the Imperial fleet became nervous about increasing Rebel raids, and stationed several ships near Kuat to provide a rapid response. The Star DestroyerTyranny was one such ship. Though it was stationed to defend Fresia, it was sent to repel a Rebelraid on the Kuat shipyards at some point before the Battle of Yavin. Other ships includedInterdictor cruisers atVenir andRenegg. Commanding the Imperial forces on Kuat wasCaptainAnton Kale, an unconventional officer who volunteered for the assignment.

After the Battle of Endor, the Empire took full control of Kuat's defense. Fifteen Star Destroyers were stationed in the system at all times. These defenders were equivalent to the forces defending Coruscant at the time, though Zsinj's raid quickly defeated them, crippling the Star DestroyerMauler and destroying theGilded Claw. Later, the defense of the Kuat System fell to the New Republic, who managed to hold the system, even in the face of the Yuuzhan Vong invasion, until the very end of the war, when it was briefly captured.

Besides physical defenses, Kuat Drive Yards undertook other measures to protect themselves or prevent capture. Every ship built or upgraded at a KDY facility had secret backdoor codes installed, allowing KDY security forces to access and gain control of that ship, or simply shut it down. The KDY facilities and some ships were fitted with secret self-destruct mechanisms to prevent capture. Kuat of Kuat attempted to use these to destroy the orbital array above Kuat, but was thwarted by the actions of Boba Fett, who saved 80% of the yards.

Kuat Traffic Control[]

Kuat Traffic Control was a highly organized system run by KDY that both reduced the number of ships traveling in the Kuat System and increased security by a vast degree. The system was based on a concept of staging areas. Three stations, each dozens of kilometers in size, were positioned on the fringes of the Kuat system, far away from the valuable shipyards and orbital facilities.

Each of the three ports was assigned a role.Kuat Passenger Port handled all civilian travel to and from Kuat.Kuat Freight Port managed the flow of goods and material into and out of the system. Finally, theImperial Transfer Post was a staging area for all military operations in the system, as well as for deliveries of warships. Each port was only accessible by four systems, two inbound and two out. Passengers entered from theRedrish and theUlion systems and departed to theDrurish and theKidir systems. Freight was imported from theMonadin and theHorthav systems, and exported to Venir and Renegg. All information on the staging systems for the Imperial port was classified.

Once in the system, all traffic to and from the four ports was controlled byKuat Central Authority, though during combat situations, warships defending the system can take command of traffic control. Ships inside the system were sent to a number of nav points, and then routed to their final destination within the system.

Behind the scenes[]

The actual location of the Kuat Drive Yards facilities differs depending on the source.Coruscant and the Core Worlds,Empire at War andThe Essential Atlas show the yards as being in an orbital ring around the planet Kuat, whilePlatt's Starport Guide andThe Essential Guide to Planets and Moons claim that the shipyards are in a massive ring around the Kuat system itself. Nothing precludes the existence of both rings, however.

Appearances[]

Sources[]

Explore all of Wookieepedia'simages for this article subject. The Star Wars Sourcebook Imperial Sourcebook Galaxy Guide 3: The Empire Strikes Back Galaxy Guide 6: Tramp Freighters The Rebel Alliance Sourcebook Cracken's Rebel Field Guide Heir to the Empire Sourcebook Star Wars: The Roleplaying Game, Second Edition Star Wars Gamemaster Screen Galaxy Guide 8: Scouts Dark Force Rising Sourcebook Dark Empire Sourcebook Wanted by Cracken Han Solo and the Corporate Sector Sourcebook The Last Command Sourcebook Galaxy Guide 6: Tramp Freighters, Second Edition The Rebel Alliance Sourcebook, Second Edition "Rebel Privateers!" —Star Wars Adventure Journal 2(reprinted inThe Best of the Star Wars Adventure Journal, Issues 1-4) "Recon & Report: The Journey to Coruscant" —Star Wars Adventure Journal 2(reprinted inThe Best of the Star Wars Adventure Journal, Issues 1-4) Cracken's Rebel Operatives The Star Wars Sourcebook, Second Edition Star Wars Screen Entertainment Imperial Sourcebook, Second Edition "The Pentastar Alignment" —Star Wars Adventure Journal 3(reprinted inClassic Adventures: Volume Four — The Best of the Journal) Star Wars Technical Journal of the Rebel Forces Platt's Starport Guide Flashpoint! Brak Sector Alliance Intelligence Reports Galladinium's Fantastic Technology Galaxy Guide 12: Aliens — Enemies and Allies Star Wars Gamemaster Screen, Revised Heroes & Rogues Galaxy Guide 5: Return of the Jedi, Second Edition The Essential Guide to Vehicles and Vessels The Thrawn Trilogy Sourcebook The Galactic Empire—Ships of the Fleet The Jedi Academy Sourcebook "Wanted by Cracken" —Star Wars Adventure Journal 10 Shadows of the Empire Sourcebook Star Wars: The Roleplaying Game, Second Edition, Revised and Expanded Shadows of the Empire Planets Guide  Star Wars Customizable Card Game —Hoth LimitedCard:Planet Defender Ion Cannon(backup link) Galaxy Guide 3: The Empire Strikes Back, Second Edition Pirates & Privateers The Black Sands of Socorro Stock Ships Lords of the Expanse Secrets of the Sisar Run Cracken's Threat Dossier Star Wars Trilogy Sourcebook, Special Edition The Essential Guide to Weapons and Technology Platt's Smugglers Guide Rules of Engagement: The Rebel SpecForce Handbook Star Wars: Rebellion: Prima's Official Strategy Guide(as KDY) The Far Orbit Project Alien Encounters Star Wars Handbook 1:X-Wing Rogue Squadron The Essential Guide to Planets and Moons  Star Wars Customizable Card Game —Special Edition LimitedCard:Kuat Drive Yards(backup link) Hideouts & Strongholds  Star Wars Customizable Card Game —Endor LimitedCard:Lieutenant Watts(backup link) The Essential Chronology "Ships of the Smuggler's Alliance" —Star Wars Gamer 4 Starships of the Galaxy The Official Star Wars Fact File 3ATA 1-2: All-Terrain Armoured Transport The Official Star Wars Fact File 7PLA 1-6: Planets of the Core Worlds The Official Star Wars Fact File 11STA 3-4: Imperial Star Destroyer The Official Star Wars Fact File 13 The Official Star Wars Fact File 13HOT 5-6: Hoth – Echo Base The Official Star Wars Fact File 13KUA 1-4: Kuat Drive Yards Star Wars: Attack of the Clones: The Illustrated Companion Star Wars: Attack of the Clones Incredible Cross-Sections Arms & Equipment Guide Extras! onWizards.com(original site is defunct) Star Wars: The Clone Wars - AT-XT Assault Walker onLucasArts'sofficial website(original site is defunct) Coruscant and the Core Worlds Hero's Guide The New Essential Guide to Vehicles and Vessels Star Wars Trading Card Game —The Empire Strikes Back Star Wars Trading Card Game —The Empire Strikes BackCard:KuatLancer-Class Frigate (backup link) Star Wars Trading Card Game —The Empire Strikes BackCard:Kuat Nebulon-B Frigate (backup link) "Ord Vaxal: Prison Planet of the Empire" —Polyhedron 165 Inside the Worlds of Star Wars Trilogy The New Essential Guide to Weapons and Technology Star Wars Galaxies: Jump to Lightspeed: Prima Official Game Guide Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith Incredible Cross-Sections Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith: The Visual Dictionary Star Wars Galaxies: The Total Experience: Prima Official Game Guide "Guide to the Grand Army of the Republic" —Star Wars Insider 84 Star Wars: Complete Locations The New Essential Chronology Star Wars Galaxies: The Complete Guide: Prima Official Game Guide Star Wars: Empire at War: Prima Official Game Guide Star Wars: Legacy (2006) 0 Star Wars: Empire at War: Forces of Corruption Expansion: Prima Official Game Guide Star Wars: Complete Cross-Sections Star Wars: Legacy (2006) 0½ Message to Spacers 2 onWizards.com(original site is defunct) Star Wars: The Clone Wars: The Visual Guide The Force Unleashed Campaign Guide Star Wars Fandex Deluxe Edition The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia The Clone Wars Campaign Guide Legacy Era Campaign Guide Rebellion Era Campaign Guide The Essential Atlas Scavenger's Guide to Droids Galaxy of Intrigue The Unknown Regions Star Wars: The Clone Wars Official Episode Guide Series 1 & 2 Star Wars: The Clone Wars: Incredible Vehicles Danu, Giddean in theDatabank(original site is defunct) Imperial Star Destroyer in theDatabank(original site is defunct) Kuat, Onara in theDatabank(original site is defunct) Republic assault ship in theDatabank(original site is defunct) Republic attack cruiser in theDatabank(original site is defunct) shuttle, Chancellor Valorum's in theDatabank(original site is defunct) Super Star Destroyer in theDatabank(original site is defunct) Millennium Falcon Owner's Workshop Manual The Essential Guide to Warfare The Essential Reader's Companion Star Wars: The Card Game —Core SetCard:Kuati Security Team (backup link) Star Wars: Edge of the Empire Core Rulebook Galactic Starfighter onThe Old Republic'sofficial website(backup link) Enter the Unknown RE: Kuat Drive Yards onThe Old Republic'sofficial website(backup link)(Mentioned only) Suns of Fortune Dangerous Covenants Star Wars: Age of Rebellion Core Rulebook The Official Star Wars Fact File Part 29KUA 1-4: Kuat Drive Yards Far Horizons Star Wars: The Essential Guide to Warfare Author's Cut,Part 12: Tales of the New Republic onStarWars.com(backup link) Star Wars: Imperial Handbook: A Commander's Guide Stay on Target Lords of Nal Hutta Fly Casual Star Wars: Force and Destiny Core Rulebook Strongholds of Resistance(as KDY)

Notes and references[]