<b>Caldari Frigate bonuses (per skill level):</b><br>5% bonus to Light Missile and Rocket damage<br>10% bonus to Light Missile and Rocket max velocity<br>
330 GJ
160 m³
Frigate
180
Caldari State
Standard Frigates
4
Kestrel Class
3.27
The Kestrel is a heavy missile boat with one of the most sophisticated sensor arrays around. Interestingly enough, it has been used by both the Caldari Navy and several wealthy trade corporations as a cargo-hauling vessel. It is one of few trading vessels with good punching power, making it ideal for solo trade-runs in dangerous areas. The Kestrel was designed so that it could take up to four missile launchers but as a result it can not be equipped with turret weapons nor with mining lasers.
As expected of the Caldari, the Kestrel is the premier Tech 1 missile frigate. It lacks the speed of the Condor or the strong shield tank of the Merlin, but its four mid slots let it mount a good balance of tank, propulsion and tackle, and its significant missile range bonus makes it a powerful kiting ship against foes its own size.
The Kestrel makes an excellent frigate for Level 1 missions, using the superior range of missiles to avoid damage. It is also popular for solo PvP, where the versatility granted by its mid slots is highly valued.
Skills
The Kestrel is a cheap Tech 1 frigate and is therefore forgiving and not skill-intensive. This doesn't mean that its performance can't be enhanced by skill training, though, and pilots who want to make long-term PvP use of the Kestrel (rather than moving on to other Caldari hulls) can consider their training. Caldari Frigate is the simplest way to improve the Kestrel's performance. Note that the bonus is not purely on damage but also adds to missile velocity, boosting the Kestrel's range. This gives extra room to kite further out against similar rocket ships like the Condor or Breacher. Strong missile support skills help the Kestrel kite, and mobility support skills are important for helping the Kestrel, not New Eden's fastest frigate, control range.
Tactics
In lowsec solo PvP, the most common fit for the Kestrel is an armor tank with dual webs, a scram, and an afterburner. When flying this kind of fit but also more generally, the Kestrel's rocket range allows it to outrange autocannons , blasters, and even pulse lasers with good support skills. When fighting an opponent with long-range weapons, such as artillery, the Kestrel can often get under the guns of the opponent by orbiting close, as the dual webs help make up for the Kestrel's slow speed. The dual webs also can slow down most opponents enough that T2 Rage rockets will apply their full damage.
In nullsec solo PvP, the Kestrel is sometimes found fitted with a shield tank, single web, and a microwarpdrive. The MWD helps deal with bubbles. With a free lowslot, the ship's DPS can be enhanced with a ballistic control system.
Notes
The kestrels are a subgroup of falcons. The common Eurasian kestrel is a small bird of prey which often hovers to hunt by flying into the wind.
