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Identifying Ships on the Radar

Below is a list of the ships that you may encounter while flying in the persistent universe of Star Citizen. Take notice of the ships that fire torpedos. Torpedos are large missiles that can kill you with a single hit. Currently the Gladiator and Retaliator (Tali) are the so called "torp" ships. The purpose of this page is not only to help you identify ships, but also understand what that ship's purpose is. If it's a fighter, you know that its purpose is generally to destroy other ships. So, if you're hauling cargo or running missions, you'll probably want to keep your eye on a fighter and avoid it at all cost. Hopefully this helps!

Ships	Main Class	Information
300i 315p 325a 350r	Personal Transport	These ships are speedy, but lightly armored. The only problem facing this ship in a dogfight is that it is very fast and small, and therefore difficult to hit if flown correctly. But, they pack a light punch, so don't expect them to destroy fighters. The 325a packs a decent punch for a small ship with a size 3 weapon on the nose.
Aurora CL Aurora ES Aurora LN Aurora LX Aurora MR	Personal Transport	The Aurora MR is perhaps the most popular starter ship. Although not difficult in a dogfight, a good pilot can still frustrate an attacker in an Aurora. The weapons on every model, excluding the LN, are terrible.
Avenger Stalker Avenger Titan Avenger Titan Renegade Avenger Warlock	Fighter	These ships are speedy, but lightly armored. The only problem facing this ship in a dogfight is that it is very fast and small, and therefore difficult to hit if flown correctly. They do have a size 3 weapon on the nose to pack a decent punch for a tiny ship. The Avenger Warlock has an EMP weapon, which will take out your shields, weapons, and engines temporarily if landed.
Buccaneer	Fighter	These ships are speedy, but moderately armored. The Buccanner is difficult to hit because of its flat shape. While the Buck cannot take a ton of damage, it packs a major punch. If you see one of these in a fighter, you won't be able to outrun it. But, it won't be able to face you head to head either. A good pilot will hit you, then fly away after his or her shields go down.
Caterpillar Caterpillar Pirate Edition	Cargo Hauling	Caterpillars are mainly for hauling cargo. They are not very maneuverable nor do they fly fast. It does have large shields and plenty of armor to quantum out of a fight, but it is not meant for fighting.
Constellation Andromeda Constellation Aquila Constellation Phoenix Constellation Taurus	Versatile	The Connies can hold a lot of smaller missles and have large shields and good armor. If the turrets are in use, be careful! These can take you down if flown properly. It takes a fighter some time to take down one of these. Its purposes range from personal (luxury) transport to exploration.
Cutlass Black Cutlass Blue Cutlass Red	Fighter	These ships are versatile. They have a number of uses, including light cargo hauling. The Cutlass is not very maneuverable, but is a definite tank in a dogfight. Do not stay in front of this tank because it does hit like a fighter. But, a good pilot in a different fighter - say a Hornet, Sabre, or Buccaneer - should be able maneuver around the Cutlass while staying away from its weapons to destroy it.
F7C Hornet F7C Hornet Wildfire F7C-R Hornet Tracker F7C-S Hornet Ghost	Fighter	Civilian Hornets are one of the most popular fighters in Star Citizen. This is because they pack a punch, carry plenty of missiles and countermeasures, and are tanks. The Hornet armor is able to absorb a ton of ballistic damage. The fastest way to destroy a hornet is to use energy repeaters. But, remember, they are tanks. If you see a hornet and you're only flying a cargo ship, your best bet is to avoid a fight. The easiest way to tell the difference between the Hornet and Super Hornet is that the Super will have shields at the top and bottom.
F7C-M Super Hornet	Space Superiority	This is one of the best fighters in the game. It has great shields and armor, making it a total tank. Like the other Hornets, it packs a punch and has plenty of defense. It's just a tad slower than the other F7C Hornets, but the shield is much stronger. Don't go up against a Super Hornet if you are not versed dogfighting or are not in a large ship. It can fly around its targets wreaking havoc. Energy repeaters are the best weapon against the Super Hornet, but they can take a ton of damage. The easiest way to tell the difference between the Hornet and Super Hornet is that the Super will have shields at the top and bottom.
Freelancer Freelancer DUR Freelancer Max Freelancer MIS	Cargo	The Freelancers are mainly for cargo hauling, but the MIS is a fighter variant. The Lancers actually have size 3 weapon hardpoints, so don't underestimate them. The shields and armor are not to be made fun of either. A good pilot can kill fighters in one of these. Its shape makes it somewhat difficult to hit as well, but it is not very maneuverable and it cannot outrun many of the best fighters.
Gladiator	Bomber	The Gladiator is a bomber that can carry torpedos. Torpedos are heavy missiles that are difficult to avoid. They reacquire target lock after you think you have successfully evaded them. Gladiators have plenty of armor and good shields for a fight, but they are slow and not very maneuverable. Your best bet is to get behind the Gladiator and stay there.
Gladius Gladius Valiant	Fighter	The Gladius is speedy and agile, but lightly armored. The only problem facing this ship in a dogfight is that it is very fast and small, and therefore difficult to hit if flown correctly. But, they are fighters and can wear you down, so don't just forget they are there.
Glaive	Fighter	Fast, agile, and having size 5 energy weapons make the Glaive a formidable opponent. The weapons hit very hard and can take out a Super Hornet quickly if flown correctly. The Glaive is very difficult to hit because of its shape, but it cannot take a ton of damage. Don't try to fight a Glaive if you can help it. The easiest way to tell the difference between the Glaive and Scythe is that the Glaive's wings are symmetrical while the Scythe has one wing larger than the other.
Herald	Personal Transport	The Herald is speedy, but lightly armored. This ship is not meant for fighting, but for avoiding fighting. I wouldn't worry about coming across a Herald, all they can do is zoom around.
Khartu-Al	Fighter	The Khartu-Al is fun to fly, but right now they aren't great fighters. A good pilot can make them very difficult to hit, but even a good pilot will be destroyed by a good pilot in most other fighters. If it is going up against a Gladius or Avenger series, it should be a tough opponent, however. While it has 2 size 3 weapons, it does not come equipped with missiles, so try to stifle your arrogance in one of these.
Mustang Alpha Mustang Beta Mustang Delta Mustang Gamma Mustang Omega	Personal Transport	Mustangs generally have good shields, but they are starter ships and are under firepowered for most fights. A good pilot can be annoying in one of these, but not much else.
P-52 Merlin	Snub Vehicle	These ships are speedy, but lightly armored. The only problem facing this ship in a dogfight is that it is very fast and small, and therefore difficult to hit if flown correctly. But, they pack a light punch, so don't expect them to destroy fighters.
Reliant Kore Reliant Mako Reliant Sen Reliant Tana	Versatile	The Reliant series is not to be feared. While they are difficult to hit, they do not pack much of a punch in terms of firepower. Unless your ship is already heavily damaged, I would not worry about seeing one of these ships on the radar.
Retaliator Retaliator Bomber	Bomber	The Tali has torpedos. Torpedos are heavy missiles that are extremely difficult to avoid and will usually kill you with one hit - even with full shields. While it is slow and not very maneuverable, you should be nervous about being target locked by a Tali. Your best bet when a torpedo is locked on from a Tali is to quantum travel away from it. If you must engage a Tali, attack it from the rear - and don't let it lock on!
Sabre Sabre Comet	Fighter	Sabres are fast, agile, and moderately armored. Their weakness is ballistic weaponry. They are stealth ships that are difficult to hit because of their flat shape. They also pack four size 3 weapons with plenty of missiles and countermeasures. A good pilot will be very difficult to destroy in most instances.
Scythe	Fighter	The Scythe is the sister ship of the Glaive and is often confused with it. While the Scythe is not as good as the Glaive, it is even more difficult to hit. It is small, fast, and agile, but not heavily armored. When its shields go down, the pilot needs to get out of the fight to let them recharge. The easiest way to tell the difference between the Glaive and Scythe is that the Glaive's wings are symmetrical while the Scythe has one wing larger than the other.
Starfarer Starfarer Gemini	Cargo	The Starfarer is large, slow, and not maneuverable. It has huge shields, but not a ton of firepower at the present. I wouldn't be worried about fighting a Starfarer, but it absorbs a ton of damage. Just don't fight from directly in front of it and you should be okay.
Vanguard Harbinger Vanguard Hoplite Vanguard Sentinel Vanguard Warden	Bomber / Fighter	The Vanguard is a large fighter that is not particularly fast or maneuverable, but it does hit hard if equipped correctly. The Vanguard also has great shields and armor. It can carry a lot of smaller missiles, which can be very annoying if accompanied by smaller fighters like a Sabre or Hornet. Although its look is similar to that of a Sabre, it is not as difficult to hit because of its size and lack of agility. It is always nice to have a Vanguard on your side in the Verse.