From X-Wings to the Millennium Falcon, the Star Wars franchise has some of the coolest ships of any major science fiction series. From the very first film, George Lucas wowed fans with the realistic-looking ship designs. The incredible aerial maneuvers of pitched dog fights and the simple fact that the Millennium Falcon could breakdown and would need to be repaired were truly groundbreaking.
In the years since Disney bought out the franchise, the company has done a lot right and they have done a lot wrong, resulting in some very polarizing opinions about their recent Star Wars properties. But one thing that the creators working for Disney did exceptionally well was creating some breathtaking new ships.
10 Razor Crest Is Mando’s Bounty Hunting Gunship
The Mandalorian was a breakout hit. Its success seems to have stunned many, especially after the backlash against the Disney trilogy of Star Wars films. One of the coolest new things the series included was Mando's ship, the Razor Crest.
With two massive gun turrets in front and huge thrusters jutting from either side like wings, this gunship just looks downright awesome. It also has storage space for Mando to put criminals on ice, making it ideal for any bounty hunter.
9 The TIE Striker Was An Experimental New TIE
The TIE Striker (or TIE/sk x1 experimental air superiority fighter, as it is properly known) is probably best known for appearing in the climactic Battle of Scarif at the end of Rogue One. However, it actually made its debut in the video game Star Wars: Commander.
The ship's sleek pointed wings give it a distinct sharp look, separating it from ordinary TIE Fighters. It was designed specifically for aerial combat and was also faster than the average Imperial ships.
8 The TIE Reaper Was An Imperial Dropship
Normally, people think of TIEs as tiny single-pilot starfighters that attack in large groups. Like the TIE Striker, the Reaper is a new version of the TIE, albeit one specifically designed to be a troop transport and dropship, ferrying infantry into war zones. That said, its twin ion cannons and targeting computer made it formidable in a fight.
The Reaper debuted in Rogue One and has since appeared in a number of Star Wars video games. Everything from its name to its sleek dagger-like appearance makes the Reaper a cool, villainous ship perfectly suited for the Galactic Empire.
7 Ark Angel Is A Fast Ship With A Fun Gimmick
In the Marvel Star Wars comics, the rogue archaeologist and outlaw weapons roboticist Doctor Chelli Aphra flew a ship called the Ark Angel. The original Ark Angel was a Bellicose-class heavy lifter, designed during the Clone Wars to transport droids. Interestingly, since Doctor Aphra was partially inspired by Indiana Jones, the Ark Angel was a reference to Indie finding the Ark of the Covenant.
Aphra's original ship was destroyed during the "Vader Down" story, so she had to replace it with another one, named Ark Angel II. This ship also was lost. The next one was predictably named Ark Angel III. This too was blasted to smithereens. The next ship Aphra flew did not even last long enough for her to name it.
6 The Millennium Falcon’s Escape Pod Adds To The Lore
Part of the unique look of the Millennium Falcon is the pair of mandibles that jut from the front of the ship. In Solo: A Star Wars Story, the gap between these mandibles is actually filled in, giving it a solid nose. This is because Lando Calrissian added an escape pod that was contained within the mandibles.
The tiny ship is formally known as a YT Dart and was built as a tugship. While it was not originally equipped for hyperspace travel, Lando modified this YT Dart to give it a hyperdrive. The escape pod was ejected during the infamous Kessel Run to distract the giant summa-verminoth pursuing them, a trick that worked when the summa-verminoth ate the Dart and then fell into the gravity well of a black hole.
5 The Ghost Is The Perfect Rebel Fighter
The TV series Star Wars: Rebels follows one of the cells of the Rebel Alliance during the years of the Empire's dominance over the Galaxy. The cell operates out of a single ship: the Ghost.
This is technically just a light freighter (specifically a VCX-100 light freighter). However, the Ghost was heavily modified and had multiple laser cannons, gun turrets, and even some proton torpedo launchers. Despite its size, it packed a huge punch. More than that, as the Ghost was the home of the series's characters, fans came to know and love it.
4 Phantom Was A Small Ship That Docked On The Ghost
One of the reasons that the Ghost from Star Wars: Rebels was so cool was that it had a smaller shuttle that could dock and break away from it, known as the Phantom. The tiny ship had room for one pilot and four additional crew members. It also was equipped for battle, having two front-facing laser cannons and a rotating dorsal gun turret.
The crew of the Ghost used the Phantom to go on various missions when they needed to split up to do two things at once. Of course, they modified the ship rather heavily to help in their fight against the Empire. It was also equipped with a secondary backup hyperdrive engine. The Phantom survived over a dozen battles before it was eventually destroyed when the Rebels attacked the Empire's secret salvage yard, Reklam Station.
3 The Stinger Mantis Is Used By Cal Kestis And His Allies
The Stinger Mantis is quite different from any other ship on this list, as it was designed specifically to be a luxury yacht. The ship was introduced in Jedi: Fallen Order, and it served as the home for the Jedi Cal Kestis and his allies, Greez Dritus and Cere Junda.
While the ship had guns and other defensive measures, the spacious comfort of its interior gives it a homely feeling unlike the cramped cockpits and corridors of most other ships previously seen in the Star Wars Galaxy. There is a public space with nice seats for lounging about and even an area for Greez to grow his own personal garden.
2 The Wookie Gunship Was Made To Fight Slavers
This gunship is commonly referred to as the "Wookiee Gunship" but its proper full name is the Auzituck anti-slaver gunship, and really, that name says it all. This ship was specifically made to fight slavers. If that wasn't cool enough, "Auzituck" means "liberated one" in the Wookie language of Shyriiwook.
The Wookiees of Kashyyyk were horribly subjugated by the Empire. To strike back at these slavers, the Wookies wanted a ship that could strike fear into their enemies. The Wookiee Gunship was equipped with heavy armor plating and twin laser cannons, but it still was capable of achieving incredible speeds thanks to its slim shape and massive engines. On top of this, it was capable of hyperspace travel.
1 The U-Wing Was A Rebel Gunship & Transport
The U-Wing was adopted by the Rebels during their fight against the Empire. It is a distinct-looking gunship that also doubles as a troop transport, and it saw use during the Battle of Scarif, where it delivered ground troops as reinforcements while providing air support to keep the Imperial walkers at bay.
The Incom Corporation designed the U-Wing and actually built a large number of these for the Empire. Many of these ships were then stolen by the Rebels. Not long after this, Incom Corporation was seized by the Empire, making the U-Wing one of the last ships ever designed by the company.