Imperial Courier

The Imperial Courier is the quintessential Imperial ship. It epitomises elegance of form while packing a good punch. Officially the class is used to provide transport for officials that don't warrant the use of a Cutter or Interdictor. However it's [sic] flexibility means that it fills many roles within the Imperial Navy and prominent citizens.

— In-game description

The Imperial Courier is a fast multipurpose ship confirmed for début in patch 1.3, the "Powerplay" update.^[1] Just barely larger than the Sidewinder, it is the second-lightest-hulled playable ship thus far (its upgrades are heavier, pushing its fully-loaded mass beyond that of the Eagle and close to the range of the Viper). The Courier is not as fast or long-ranged as its name might suggest, but is armed, shielded and armored well beyond what would be expected for its size in compensation, acting like a medium-heavy fighter in combat. In terms of agility it ranks somewhere between the much more powerful Fer-de-Lance and the longer-ranged Diamondback, falling well short of the Vulture, Sidewinder or Eagle. Priced between the Diamondback and the Vulture, this ship is an important step up to early pilots who prefer combat over other occupations.