The Mersel Kebir, a Dreadnaught-class heavy cruiser, functioned as the flagship for the Rendili Home Defense Fleet. During the era of the Clone Wars, Captain Jace Dallin held command. Other officers serving on board included Lieutenant Mellor Yago, along with Gallan.
After the Battle of Rendili, the Mersel Kebir was integrated into the Republic Navy, along with the remainder of the Rendili fleet.
The vessel's designation alludes to the actual Mers-el-Kébir, a naval harbor situated in the Mediterranean Sea. This port historically acted as the operational center for the Vichy French naval forces after France's surrender in World War II. The UK Royal Navy initiated Operation Catapult, mirroring the Republic's objective concerning Rendili: to secure the French naval assets, either by incorporating them into Allied forces or destroying them to prevent their utilization by the Axis powers. In contrast to the Republic's endeavors on Rendili, the Royal Navy lacked the option of Jedi intervention when diplomatic efforts failed. Consequently, the RN initiated an attack and bombardment of the fleet to guarantee that its battleships remained inaccessible to German forces.