The Meridian-class Frigate's origins are surrounded in mystery. Records from the same company responsible for the creation of the EF76 Nebulon-B Frigate show many failed designs that did not meet their requirements, but the Meridian is not among them. While trying to find a good ship to repel rebels and pirates, Imperial forces commissioned several worlds for new ship designs that would be cheap yet efficient in stopping enemy fighters and gunboats from destroying their cargo ships. Rumors have it that the Meridian was one of these early models that never made it back to the Empire, for whatever reason. Only a few are known to have been manufactured and fewer still to exist today.
While the Meridian itself is slow and unwieldy, as are most vessels of this size, the fighters in its bay can handle anything that is too small or too fast for the frigate. Heavy laser placements and a few turbolasers keep enemy ships second guessing themselves when they try to launch an assault. Although tied to the Nebulon-B in history the ship seems to lack any design connections with its sister ships. Perhaps a result of its uncertain origins.