Category:Imperial Defense Reserve Fleet

Mothballed Imperator-I destroyers docked at Ols Point Yards, Coveway, 10 ABY

The Imperial Defense Reserve Fleet (IDRF) consists of "mothballed" ships, mostly merchant vessels, that can be activated within 20 to 120 days to provide shipping and escort craft for the Galactic Empire during galactic emergencies, either military or non-military, such as commercial shipping crises.

The IDRF is managed jointly by the Imperial Navy and the Imperial Maritime & Stellar Trade Administration (IMSTA).

IDRF vessels in Vast Empire space are at the fleet sites at Nusiuu Docks near Absit; Santigani Quay near Marzoon; and Ols Point orbiting Coveway. Additional Imperial fleets exist throughout the galaxy managed by a variety of Imperial governmental entities.

Since the assassination of the Emperor and the dissolution of the greater Empire, many reserve fleets have been scrapped and scuttled in cost saving moves. The advent of the Plague Wars proved the strategy of keeping ships in reserve as many of the craft were pressed into service as transports for displaced populations, often as semi-permanent orbiting homes as planets raced to provide haven for the trillions of citizens needing a new home.

History[edit]

The IDRF was established under Section 811.k of the Merchant Ship Sales Act passed after the end of the Clone Wars to serve as a reserve of ships for imperial defense and imperial emergencies. As that conflict ended there was a surplus of supply ships and captured and near obsolete military vessels that were deemed in good repair but redundant for regular service.

IDRF vessels were used in a variety of regional conflicts, supplementing Imperial world's local forces against pirates, cartels, or non-Imperial aggressors.

During various trade embargoes and economic disturbances, the fleet has been activated to add shipping routes during mining disasters and famines, moving materiel from sectors of plenty to those in need.

A significant - and controversial - use of the IDRF was in the construction of the two Death Stars. As a fleet given very little scrutiny, many transport and freighter craft were mobilized to move equipment, personnel, and supplies to both battle stations, masking the efforts underway to bring both installations online. Without need for senatorial oversight or need to submit mission plans, large convoys were run with little or no paper travel to prove anything had ever happened.

Crewers for these craft come from naval reservists fulfilling their obligations by maintaining the fleet and giving each craft an annual "dry run". Often, reserve units are assigned to a particular craft, often a ship many had previously served aboard.

Operations[edit]

Vessels with military utility or logistic value are held in retention status and are in a preservation program that is designed to keep them in the same condition as when they enter the fleet. The internal spaces are dehumidified to slow the corrosion of metal and the growth of mold and mildew. DC power is distributed through anodes to the exterior underwater portions of the hull, creating an electric field that suppresses corrosion and preserves the surface of the hull. External painting and other cosmetic work is generally deferred since it does not affect the ability to activate and operate the vessel.

The Imperial Maritime & Stellar Trade Administration is authorized as the government’s disposal agent through the IDRF program for merchant type vessels. An Imperial planet can file an application to request title to a vessel "as-is where-is" from the IDRF for the purpose of creating a defensive barrier. These can be stationary objects which are either manned or unmanned with defensive weaponry installed.

The IDRF program can give and lend historic artifacts to maritime-heritage organizations and transfer entire ships to memorial associations through special legislation.

Ships transferred to the IDRF may be retained in Navy Mobilization Plans and maintained by IMSTA under priorities set by the Imperial Navy. If the Navy decides it no longer needs the ship, the ship is striken from the Naval Vessel Register and transfers the title to IMSTA. When possible, IMSTA gets first disposition rights, which allows it to convert merchant ships to the Ready Reserve Force (RRF) or to sell the ship for scrapping.

Fleet reduction[edit]

Prior to the Plague Wars, many ships were scrapped for a variety of reasons. Primarily this was done as a cost saving move as many nascent Imperial factions were unable to maintain the reverse fleets in their sectors. This led to much theft by illegal salvage crews and outright hijacking by pirate outfits. Often the ships would return to Imperial space, refitted, armed, and dangerous.

Another concern is environmental. Many of the older ships from the Clone War era and before were built and maintained using a wide variety of dangerous solvents and caustic fluids and lubricants. The leaking vessels would often create safety hazards and damaged berthing facilities. A couple of well-publicized explosions at reserve fleet sites let to a general culling of many classes of vessels.

Reserve Fleet Locations in Vast Empire Space[edit]

Nusiuu Docks[edit]

The Nusiuu Docks near the planet Absit consists of about many warships and support vessels. The deepest IDRF site in Vast Empire space, it has a well-maintained collection of vessels and is supported by a local merchant marine institute which provides training and repair opportunities for budding spacers.

Santigani Quay[edit]

Located near Marzoon, the Santigani Quay Reserve Fleet consists of escort craft, troop transports, supply and auxiliary vessels. Also present are a variety of craft of pre-Clone Wars vintage, including many warships from the time of the Stark Hyperspace War, still in their Judicial Department red hull plating.

Ols Point[edit]

The Ols Point Reserve Fleet near Coveway consists of many heavy warships from the beginning of the Imperial era. Many Venator, Victory, and Imperator-I destroyer classes can be found here, as well as a host of other warships from the era. Early on, these ships bore the brunt of holding actions that kept the Vast Empire intact after the fall of the Empire following Palpatine's death.

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