The need for an Escort TIE Carrier became apparent after the Battle of Tin-Falk. In that battle, two Imperial Frigates and a Dreadnaught were lost due to, as Naval Command reported, "inadequate TIE support." So the Navy commissioned Kuat Drive Yards to construct a vessel that would serve the specific function of carrying TIE fighters into battle.
The main duties of Escort Carriers are to augment the starfighter strength of the fleet they are attached to, and to transport non-hyperspace support shuttles from system to system. Box-like and inelegant in appearance, KDY's Escort Carrier performs these missions admirably.
Each Carrier bases an entire TIE wing in its cavernous bays. Imperial policy mandates that at least one squadron of TIE Interceptors be included in the mix. Additional bays can carry up to six shuttles.
While Carriers are equipped with protective weaponry, they are not considered combat vessels. They do not engage enemy targets and try to stay as far from the actual battle as possible.
Other missions that Carriers regularly perform include augmenting the power of Imperial garrison bases. While the garrison quells planetary problems, the Carrier assumes a stationary position in orbit over the planet. From this position, the Carrier's TIE can blanket the world to provide support from above. | 
