Providence-class Carrier/Destroyer

History

 * "Look. A Separatist dreadnought. The the king's murderer must have fled there."
 * ―Jedi General Anakin Skywalker on Toydaria

The Providence-class carrier/destroyer, additionally designated as the Dreadnaught-class command ship and also known as the Trade Federation cruiser, the Separatist Star Destroyer, or the Separatist dreadnought, was a series of capital ship models fielded by the Confederate Navy during the Clone Wars. It was originally produced and used by the Trade Federation, hence the nickname.

Characteristics
Designed by the Quarren Free Dac Volunteers Engineering Corps, the rounded, pseudo-organic aesthetic capital ships, influenced by the planet Dac, would be echoed in the design of the later Mon Calamari Star Cruisers. The ships were operated by 600 droids, but commanded by sentient officers.

Providence-class ships were massive, cylindrical 1,088-meter-long warships with a pointed nose that tapered towards the superstructure. Some Providence-class vessels were longer, measuring 2,177.35 meters. These ships were said to be some of the biggest in the Separatist fleet and were capable of holding a planetary blockade almost by themselves. This enlarged model was billed as the "Separatist Dreadnought". Rising from the stern portion of the vessel, was an elongated main communications and sensor pod. The ships, like all Mon Calamari and Quarren designs, were designed to be capable of landing on water in case of emergencies.

Modular compartments
Providence-class ships featured modular compartments which made the vessels very easy to modify. This made it possible to easily upgrade the propulsion systems or weaponry of a given ship, as well as making it possible to convert the ships into starfighter carriers, or other variations. The Invisible Hand was one example of a heavily modified Providence-class ship.

Offensive and defensive systems
The surface of Providence-class ships were covered with numerous heavy weapons emplacements. Modified vessels such as the Invisible Hand included a number of turret-mounted quad turbolasers, thirty-four dual laser cannons, two capital-scale ion cannons, twelve point-defense ion cannons, and 102 proton torpedo batteries.

The reactors on-board each vessel produced so much power that even their point-defense ion cannons were each capable of delivering enough heat per shot to rival a 4.8 megaton bomb. This weaponry and armor made them capable of taking on Victory and Venator-class Star Destroyers.

Propulsion systems
Along with thick and extensive hull plating unusual for most small-and medium-sized CIS warships, and a network of heavy combat shield generators, the ships relied on three Creveld-4 radial ion drive units for sublight propulsion and featured an advanced Class 1.5 hyperdrive. Standard vessels had their sterns filled with reactors and thrusters, while some ships were modified to allow for bigger hangar space.