The Mk IX Orbital Maintenance Depot was manufactured by Core Worlds Engineering and were one of the largest and most well-equipped maintenance depots that were in use. Mk IXs were enormous cylindrical space stations that were decorated with docking arms, facilities, and boarding airlocks full of countless sensors and communications arrays. The Mk IX was capable of servicing almost any ship in service, including the Galactic Empire's Executor-class Star Dreadnoughts and Praetor II-class ships.
Most of the Mk IXs production and fabrication installations were automated in order to have improved speed and efficiency, but despite this, Mk IXs had a large crew of 20,000 officers, enlisted crew, and technicians. The crews of Mk IXs were technically trained personnel and other personnel who maintained the station and serviced starships. Guest facilities were comfortable but not luxurious and resembled military barracks, so crews did not usually stay too long, although the stations had a capacity of 22,000 passengers. The guest stations were well armored and shielded, and were equipped with a decent weapons load out to defend against enemy starships.
Mk IX Orbital Maintenance Depots also had hangar facilities and were regularly assigned a squadron of gunboats for patrol and anti-starfighter security, although they were rarely attacked since they were often surrounded by powerful warships that were waiting to dock or had just completed a refit. These surrounding vessels all provided the defensive firepower a Mk IX crew could hope for. Mk IXs were often anchored near heavily trafficked hyperspace routes, or were in sectors that maintained fleets or battle groups.
Mk IXs were armed with eight port and eight starboard turret-mounted light turbolasers, four port and four starboard turret-mounted twin medium laser cannons, four port and four starboard turret-mounted twin light ion cannons, and ten hull-mounted heavy tractor beam projectors.
The Mk IX Orbital Maintenance Depot was an important part of the logistical supply chain, and served as a shipyard. Mk IXs acted as far-flung homes away from home for the ships and their crews in their respective spheres of influence.
Mk IX Orbital Maintenance Depots were active during the Imperial Era, and during the Galactic Civil War, both the Imperial Navy of the Galactic Empire and the Alliance Fleet of the Alliance to Restore the Republic had a handful of them. As such, they were all priority targets for destruction.
The Mk IX Orbital Maintenance Depot was first mentioned in the 2018 canon Fantasy Flight Games roleplaying book, Fully Operational.
- Fully Operational