1. Regular Pirates: These can be seen in many places on the map and have a range of combat strength, from very low to mid level. They are the most common source of pirates for attacking, and can provide good rewards when destroyed.

2. Elite Pirates: Elite fleets can sometimes be found moving through systems. They tend to have very high combat strength, but they often drop special rewards when destroyed.

3. Radar Pirates: These fleets will only appear if you use your Radar to search for them, they always carry abundant rewards.