TEXT:  
  1
  II SMALL WARP-DRIVE VESSELS ............................................................................................................................ 7 
  CORVETTES, COURIERS, ESCORTS, PERIMETER SHIPS AND LIGHT SCOUTS ............................................................................ 7 
  Kahs'khiori ................................................................................................................................................................... 10 
  Corvette ....................................................................................................................................................................................... 10 
  1924-2196 ................................................................................................................................................................................... 10 
  Tal’Kyr ......................................................................................................................................................................... 12 
  Scout ........................................................................................................................................................................................... 12 
  1934-2198 ................................................................................................................................................................................... 12 
  Pirithous / Hippolyta .................................................................................................................................................... 15 
  Corvette (later clipper) ................................................................................................................................................................ 15 
  2130-2158 (Pirithous) ................................................................................................................................................................. 15 
  2155-2208 (Hippolyta) ................................................................................................................................................................ 15 
  Athens .......................................................................................................................................................................... 18 
  Courier / scout ............................................................................................................................................................................. 18 
  2148-2179 ................................................................................................................................................................................... 18 
  Strider .......................................................................................................................................................................... 21 
  Courier / scout ............................................................................................................................................................................. 21 
  2159-2197 ................................................................................................................................................................................... 21 
  Ariadne......................................................................................................................................................................... 23 
  Clipper ........................................................................................................................................................................................ 23 
  2170-2328 ................................................................................................................................................................................... 23 
  Pointer ......................................................................................................................................................................... 26 
  Corvette ....................................................................................................................................................................................... 26 
  2182-2208 ................................................................................................................................................................................... 26 
  Podish .......................................................................................................................................................................... 29 
  Scout ........................................................................................................................................................................................... 29 
  2213-2247 (Podish) ..................................................................................................................................................................... 29 
  2246-2258 (Tuverlind) ................................................................................................................................................................ 29 
  Lowell .......................................................................................................................................................................... 33 
  Scout ........................................................................................................................................................................................... 33 
  2215-2239 ................................................................................................................................................................................... 33 
  Hunter .......................................................................................................................................................................... 36 
  Corvette ....................................................................................................................................................................................... 36 
  2219-2243 ................................................................................................................................................................................... 36 
  Guardian / Majestic ..................................................................................................................................................... 39 
  Heavy escort ............................................................................................................................................................................... 39 
  2229-2258 (Guardian) ................................................................................................................................................................. 39 
  2243-2263 (Majestic) .................................................................................................................................................................. 39 
  Thunderbolt / Mandalay .............................................................................................................................................. 42 
  Corvette / courier ........................................................................................................................................................................ 42 
  2234-2269 ................................................................................................................................................................................... 42 
  Sawyer .......................................................................................................................................................................... 45 
  Light scout .................................................................................................................................................................................. 45 
  2238-2255 ................................................................................................................................................................................... 45 
  Procyon ........................................................................................................................................................................ 47 
  Corvette ....................................................................................................................................................................................... 47 
  2244-2283 ................................................................................................................................................................................... 47 
  Centaurus ..................................................................................................................................................................... 51 
  Courier / scout ............................................................................................................................................................................. 51 
  2244-2288 ................................................................................................................................................................................... 51 
  Chasseur ...................................................................................................................................................................... 53 
  Clipper ........................................................................................................................................................................................ 53 
  2245-2267 ................................................................................................................................................................................... 53 
  Portsmith / Bedford ...................................................................................................................................................... 54 
  Escort .......................................................................................................................................................................................... 54 
  2246-2263 ................................................................................................................................................................................... 54 
  Kiaga / Agilis ............................................................................................................................................................... 58 
  Perimeter action ship ................................................................................................................................................................... 58 
  2248-2294 ................................................................................................................................................................................... 58 
  Mustang ....................................................................................................................................................................... 62 
  Corvette ....................................................................................................................................................................................... 62 
  2252-2279 ................................................................................................................................................................................... 62 
  Remora ......................................................................................................................................................................... 65 
  Escort .......................................................................................................................................................................................... 65 
  
   
  2
  2257-74 ....................................................................................................................................................................................... 65 
  Hellespont .................................................................................................................................................................... 67 
  Escort .......................................................................................................................................................................................... 67 
  2260-2277 ................................................................................................................................................................................... 67 
  Graynet ........................................................................................................................................................................ 70 
  Support corvette .......................................................................................................................................................................... 70 
  2261-2284 ................................................................................................................................................................................... 70 
  Lenthal ......................................................................................................................................................................... 72 
  Escort .......................................................................................................................................................................................... 72 
  2264-2295 ................................................................................................................................................................................... 72 
  Griffon .......................................................................................................................................................................... 75 
  Escort .......................................................................................................................................................................................... 75 
  2267-2312 ................................................................................................................................................................................... 75 
  Richtofen ...................................................................................................................................................................... 78 
  Clipper ........................................................................................................................................................................................ 78 
  2268-2293 ................................................................................................................................................................................... 78 
  Remora refit ................................................................................................................................................................. 80 
  Escort .......................................................................................................................................................................................... 80 
  2268-2287 (Remora (II)) ............................................................................................................................................................. 80 
  2272-2299 (Charger) .................................................................................................................................................................. 80 
  Genser / Babcock ......................................................................................................................................................... 84 
  Escort .......................................................................................................................................................................................... 84 
  2274-2312 ................................................................................................................................................................................... 84 
  Daring / Renner ........................................................................................................................................................... 88 
  Heavy corvette ............................................................................................................................................................................ 88 
  2275-2319 ................................................................................................................................................................................... 88 
  Centaurus refit ............................................................................................................................................................. 92 
  Corvette / courier / light scout ..................................................................................................................................................... 92 
  2278-2369 ................................................................................................................................................................................... 92 
  Firestone ...................................................................................................................................................................... 96 
  Courier / corsair .......................................................................................................................................................................... 96 
  2284-2328 ................................................................................................................................................................................... 96 
  Akyazi / Arbiter / Akula ................................................................................................................................................ 99 
  Perimeter action ship ................................................................................................................................................................... 99 
  2285-2349 ................................................................................................................................................................................... 99 
  Frobisher ................................................................................................................................................................... 105 
  Clipper ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 105 
  2285-2333 ................................................................................................................................................................................. 105 
  Engage ....................................................................................................................................................................... 108 
  Perimeter action ship ................................................................................................................................................................. 108 
  2285-2356 ................................................................................................................................................................................. 108 
  2374-2377 ................................................................................................................................................................................. 108 
  Juliet / Lautaro / Riga ................................................................................................................................................ 111 
  Heavy corvette .......................................................................................................................................................................... 111 
  2286-2333 ................................................................................................................................................................................. 111 
  Kirsanov ..................................................................................................................................................................... 113 
  Large perimeter action ship ....................................................................................................................................................... 113 
  2288-2351 ................................................................................................................................................................................. 113 
  Asmodeus ................................................................................................................................................................... 116 
  Light corvette ............................................................................................................................................................................ 116 
  2292-2315 ................................................................................................................................................................................. 116 
  Merced ....................................................................................................................................................................... 118 
  Corvette/escort .......................................................................................................................................................................... 118 
  2312- ......................................................................................................................................................................................... 118 
  Condor ....................................................................................................................................................................... 121 
  Courier ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 121 
  2320-2364 ................................................................................................................................................................................. 121 
  Moscow ...................................................................................................................................................................... 125 
  Scout ......................................................................................................................................................................................... 125 
  2342- ......................................................................................................................................................................................... 125 
  Chimera ..................................................................................................................................................................... 130 
  Escort ........................................................................................................................................................................................ 130 
  2347- ......................................................................................................................................................................................... 130 
  Saber .......................................................................................................................................................................... 134 
  Corvette ..................................................................................................................................................................................... 134 
  
   
  3
  2350- ......................................................................................................................................................................................... 134 
  Bradbury .................................................................................................................................................................... 138 
  Heavy corvette .......................................................................................................................................................................... 138 
  2362- ......................................................................................................................................................................................... 138 
  Paladin ....................................................................................................................................................................... 143 
  Scout ......................................................................................................................................................................................... 143 
  2366- ......................................................................................................................................................................................... 143 
  Defiant ....................................................................................................................................................................... 145 
  Escort/anti-Borg platform ......................................................................................................................................................... 145 
  2371- ......................................................................................................................................................................................... 145 
  Ukora ......................................................................................................................................................................... 149 
  Corvette ..................................................................................................................................................................................... 149 
  2372- ......................................................................................................................................................................................... 149 
  Loki ............................................................................................................................................................................ 151 
  Courier ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 151 
  2372- ......................................................................................................................................................................................... 151 
  Dervish ....................................................................................................................................................................... 153 
  Heavy escort ............................................................................................................................................................................. 153 
  2386- ......................................................................................................................................................................................... 153 
  SMALL CRAFT .................................................................................................................................................................. 155 
  Toj Lol ........................................................................................................................................................................ 157 
  Survey craft ............................................................................................................................................................................... 157 
  1834-2198 ................................................................................................................................................................................. 157 
  Tshin .......................................................................................................................................................................... 160 
  Sublight gunboat ....................................................................................................................................................................... 160 
  1907-2202 ................................................................................................................................................................................. 160 
  Franklin ..................................................................................................................................................................... 163 
  Scoutcraft .................................................................................................................................................................................. 163 
  2075-2102 ................................................................................................................................................................................. 163 
  Arrow / Galliant / Dagger .......................................................................................................................................... 165 
  Escort fightercraft ..................................................................................................................................................................... 165 
  2147-2169 ................................................................................................................................................................................. 165 
  Clark .......................................................................................................................................................................... 168 
  Space tank ................................................................................................................................................................................. 168 
  2150-2178 ................................................................................................................................................................................. 168 
  Bradley ....................................................................................................................................................................... 170 
  Space tank ................................................................................................................................................................................. 170 
  2160-2181 ................................................................................................................................................................................. 170 
  Normandy/Port Stanley .............................................................................................................................................. 172 
  Escort fightercraft ..................................................................................................................................................................... 172 
  2162-2187 ................................................................................................................................................................................. 172 
  Powers ....................................................................................................................................................................... 174 
  Scoutcraft .................................................................................................................................................................................. 174 
  2165-2185 ................................................................................................................................................................................. 174 
  Montcalm / Meridio ................................................................................................................................................... 176 
  Liaison craft .............................................................................................................................................................................. 176 
  2169-2273 ................................................................................................................................................................................. 176 
  Big Cat series ............................................................................................................................................................. 178 
  Sublight fightercraft .................................................................................................................................................................. 178 
  2182-2266 ................................................................................................................................................................................. 178 
  Hubble ........................................................................................................................................................................ 182 
  Runabout ................................................................................................................................................................................... 182 
  2219-2262 ................................................................................................................................................................................. 182 
  Flamsteed / Fraunhofer / Flagstaff ............................................................................................................................ 184 
  Scout drone ............................................................................................................................................................................... 184 
  2232-2298 ................................................................................................................................................................................. 184 
  Talion ......................................................................................................................................................................... 187 
  Sublight fightercraft .................................................................................................................................................................. 187 
  2242-2276 ................................................................................................................................................................................. 187 
  Chameleon ................................................................................................................................................................. 189 
  Light courier / scoutcraft ........................................................................................................................................................... 189 
  2242-2294 ................................................................................................................................................................................. 189 
  Mission ....................................................................................................................................................................... 192 
  Runabout / scoutcraft ................................................................................................................................................................ 192 
  2248-2285 ................................................................................................................................................................................. 192 
  
   
  4
  Solar ........................................................................................................................................................................... 194 
  Cutter ........................................................................................................................................................................................ 194 
  2250-2280 ................................................................................................................................................................................. 194 
  Sulek / Velikovski ....................................................................................................................................................... 196 
  Prospector ................................................................................................................................................................................. 196 
  2253-2286 ................................................................................................................................................................................. 196 
  Aden ........................................................................................................................................................................... 199 
  Light scoutcraft / support cutter ................................................................................................................................................ 199 
  2253-2279 ................................................................................................................................................................................. 199 
  Benares ...................................................................................................................................................................... 201 
  Hopper ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 201 
  2257-2269 ................................................................................................................................................................................. 201 
  Questor ...................................................................................................................................................................... 204 
  Runabout ................................................................................................................................................................................... 204 
  2259-2286 ................................................................................................................................................................................. 204 
  Archer ........................................................................................................................................................................ 206 
  Light scout ................................................................................................................................................................................ 206 
  2261-2289 ................................................................................................................................................................................. 206 
  Karekh ........................................................................................................................................................................ 210 
  Prospector ................................................................................................................................................................................. 210 
  2261-2339 ................................................................................................................................................................................. 210 
  Tycho .......................................................................................................................................................................... 213 
  Light sublight fightercraft ......................................................................................................................................................... 213 
  2262-2289 ................................................................................................................................................................................. 213 
  Epsilon ....................................................................................................................................................................... 214 
  Cutter ........................................................................................................................................................................................ 214 
  2263-2290 ................................................................................................................................................................................. 214 
  Ranger ........................................................................................................................................................................ 216 
  Scout / courier ........................................................................................................................................................................... 216 
  2264-2324 ................................................................................................................................................................................. 216 
  Tai / Sait ..................................................................................................................................................................... 220 
  Light courier ............................................................................................................................................................................. 220 
  2265-2357 ................................................................................................................................................................................. 220 
  Leonardo / Rogge / Carbonare .................................................................................................................................. 223 
  Corsair....................................................................................................................................................................................... 223 
  2268-2307 ................................................................................................................................................................................. 223 
  Wasp / Dragonfly ....................................................................................................................................................... 226 
  Light interceptor........................................................................................................................................................................ 226 
  2274-2318 ................................................................................................................................................................................. 226 
  Scorpio ....................................................................................................................................................................... 228 
  Heavy interceptor ...................................................................................................................................................................... 228 
  2274-2317 ................................................................................................................................................................................. 228 
  Meiji ........................................................................................................................................................................... 231 
  Light fightercraft ....................................................................................................................................................................... 231 
  2279-2319 ................................................................................................................................................................................. 231 
  Messina / Juneau / Annapolis .................................................................................................................................... 233 
  Scoutcraft/runabout ................................................................................................................................................................... 233 
  2277-2371 ................................................................................................................................................................................. 233 
  Killer Bee / Gadfly ..................................................................................................................................................... 236 
  Light sublight attack craft / drone ............................................................................................................................................. 236 
  2279-2314 ................................................................................................................................................................................. 236 
  Falcon / Raptor .......................................................................................................................................................... 238 
  Scoutcraft / heavy interceptor ................................................................................................................................................... 238 
  2286-2337 ................................................................................................................................................................................. 238 
  Storn ........................................................................................................................................................................... 241 
  Assault craft .............................................................................................................................................................................. 241 
  2289-2325 ................................................................................................................................................................................. 241 
  Mockingbird ............................................................................................................................................................... 243 
  Scout ......................................................................................................................................................................................... 243 
  2290-2338 ................................................................................................................................................................................. 243 
  Peregrine ................................................................................................................................................................... 246 
  Light courier / fightercraft ......................................................................................................................................................... 246 
  2330-2367 ................................................................................................................................................................................. 246 
  Kilauea ....................................................................................................................................................................... 248 
  Runabout ................................................................................................................................................................................... 248 
  
   
  5
  2339- ......................................................................................................................................................................................... 248 
  Aerie ........................................................................................................................................................................... 251 
  Prospector ................................................................................................................................................................................. 251 
  2348- ......................................................................................................................................................................................... 251 
  Kestrel ........................................................................................................................................................................ 253 
  Fightercraft................................................................................................................................................................................ 253 
  2362- ......................................................................................................................................................................................... 253 
  Tempest ...................................................................................................................................................................... 257 
  Fightercraft................................................................................................................................................................................ 257 
  2365- ......................................................................................................................................................................................... 257 
  Danube ....................................................................................................................................................................... 260 
  Runabout ................................................................................................................................................................................... 260 
  2366- ......................................................................................................................................................................................... 260 
  Talon .......................................................................................................................................................................... 263 
  Scoutcraft .................................................................................................................................................................................. 263 
  2373- ......................................................................................................................................................................................... 263 
  Orca / Valkyrie / Valor .............................................................................................................................................. 264 
  Fightercraft................................................................................................................................................................................ 264 
  2374- ......................................................................................................................................................................................... 264 
  III SHUTTLECRAFT, SHUTTLEPODS AND OTHER AUXILIARY CRAFT ................................................... 271 
  SHUTTLECRAFT ............................................................................................................................................................... 271 
  Class D1 Light Atmospheric/Spatial Shuttle .............................................................................................................. 272 
  2136-2179 ................................................................................................................................................................................. 272 
  Class A3 Light Atmospheric Shuttle ........................................................................................................................... 274 
  2176-2207 ................................................................................................................................................................................. 274 
  Class A6 Light Atmospheric Shuttle ........................................................................................................................... 276 
  2196-2249 ................................................................................................................................................................................. 276 
  Class B5 Heavy Atmospheric/Spatial Shuttle............................................................................................................. 278 
  2197-2259 ................................................................................................................................................................................. 278 
  Class G1 Heavy Warp Shuttle .................................................................................................................................... 280 
  2210-2274 ................................................................................................................................................................................. 280 
  Class G2 Heavy Warp Shuttle .................................................................................................................................... 283 
  2215-2278 ................................................................................................................................................................................. 283 
  Class F1 Medium Shuttle ........................................................................................................................................... 284 
  2224-2285 ................................................................................................................................................................................. 284 
  Class F2 Light Shuttle ................................................................................................................................................ 287 
  2231-2268 ................................................................................................................................................................................. 287 
  Class B8 Heavy Atmospheric/Spatial Shuttle............................................................................................................. 288 
  2237-2279 ................................................................................................................................................................................. 288 
  Class G3 Heavy Shuttle ............................................................................................................................................. 290 
  2251-2277 ................................................................................................................................................................................. 290 
  Class G4 Heavy Shuttle ............................................................................................................................................. 293 
  2257-2279 ................................................................................................................................................................................. 293 
  Class F3 Light Shuttle ................................................................................................................................................ 294 
  2260-2272 ................................................................................................................................................................................. 294 
  Class F4 Medium Shuttle ........................................................................................................................................... 296 
  2264-2276 ................................................................................................................................................................................. 296 
  Class C2A/C2B and Type 30 Aquashuttle .................................................................................................................. 298 
  2265-2318 ................................................................................................................................................................................. 298 
  Type 1 Medium Shuttle ............................................................................................................................................... 301 
  2271-2358 ................................................................................................................................................................................. 301 
  Type 20/27 Atmospheric Shuttle ................................................................................................................................ 303 
  2273- ......................................................................................................................................................................................... 303 
  Type 31 Aquashuttle ................................................................................................................................................... 305 
  2274-2348 ................................................................................................................................................................................. 305 
  Type 2 Light Shuttle ................................................................................................................................................... 306 
  2283- ......................................................................................................................................................................................... 306 
  Type 3 Heavy Shuttle ................................................................................................................................................. 308 
  2288-2363 ................................................................................................................................................................................. 308 
  Type 4 Medium Shuttle ............................................................................................................................................... 310 
  2329- ......................................................................................................................................................................................... 310 
  Type 5/6 Medium/Light shuttle .................................................................................................................................. 312 
  2353- ......................................................................................................................................................................................... 312 
  
   
  6
  Type 7A1/A2 Medium Shuttle ..................................................................................................................................... 314 
  2357- ......................................................................................................................................................................................... 314 
  Type 9/9A/9B Heavy Shuttle ...................................................................................................................................... 316 
  2359- ......................................................................................................................................................................................... 316 
  Type 8 Light Shuttle ................................................................................................................................................... 318 
  2365- ......................................................................................................................................................................................... 318 
  Type 10 Light Shuttle ................................................................................................................................................. 319 
  2374- ......................................................................................................................................................................................... 319 
  Type 12 Light Shuttle ................................................................................................................................................. 320 
  2370- ......................................................................................................................................................................................... 320 
  Type 11 Medium Shuttle ............................................................................................................................................. 321 
  2374- ......................................................................................................................................................................................... 321 
  Type 14 Heavy Shuttle ............................................................................................................................................... 323 
  2375- ......................................................................................................................................................................................... 323 
  SHUTTLEPODS ................................................................................................................................................................. 324 
  Type 10/11 Shuttlepod ................................................................................................................................................ 325 
  2291- ......................................................................................................................................................................................... 325 
  Type 12/13 Shuttlepod ................................................................................................................................................ 325 
  2328- ......................................................................................................................................................................................... 325 
  Type 15/16 Shuttlepod ................................................................................................................................................ 326 
  2359- ......................................................................................................................................................................................... 326 
  Type 17 Shuttlepod ..................................................................................................................................................... 326 
  2362- ......................................................................................................................................................................................... 326 
  Type 18 Shuttlepod ..................................................................................................................................................... 328 
  2369- ......................................................................................................................................................................................... 328 
  STARBASE AUXILIARY CRAFT .......................................................................................................................................... 329 
  Class B Work Pod ...................................................................................................................................................... 329 
  2079-2098 ................................................................................................................................................................................. 329 
  Class B1 Work Pod .................................................................................................................................................... 330 
  2129-2168 ................................................................................................................................................................................. 330 
  Class B4 Inspection Pod ............................................................................................................................................ 331 
  2210-2282 ................................................................................................................................................................................. 331 
  Class D6 Work Pod .................................................................................................................................................... 333 
  2229-2278 ................................................................................................................................................................................. 333 
  Class B6 Work Pod .................................................................................................................................................... 334 
  2232-2268 ................................................................................................................................................................................. 334 
  Class B7 Work Pod .................................................................................................................................................... 335 
  2245-2279 ................................................................................................................................................................................. 335 
  Class C8 Inspection Pod ............................................................................................................................................ 336 
  2230-2282 ................................................................................................................................................................................. 336 
  Type 9 Work Pod ........................................................................................................................................................ 337 
  2249-2278 ................................................................................................................................................................................. 337 
  Type 10 Work Pod ...................................................................................................................................................... 337 
  2259- ......................................................................................................................................................................................... 337 
  Type 401 Harbor Tug ................................................................................................................................................. 339 
  2266- ......................................................................................................................................................................................... 339 
  INSYSTEM AUXILIARIES ................................................................................................................................................... 340 
  Voltara ....................................................................................................................................................................... 341 
  Cargo drone............................................................................................................................................................................... 341 
  2229-2288 ................................................................................................................................................................................. 341 
  APPENDIX A: OF SHIP STATISTICS ..................................................................................................................... 343 
  APPENDIX B: GLOSSARY ........................................................................................................................................ 348 
  APPENDIX C: STARFLEET ORGANIZATION – GENERAL OUTLINE .......................................................... 376 
  APPENDIX D: ABBREVIATIONS FROM OUTSIDE ............................................................................................ 376 
  A WORD OR TWO FROM THE AUTHOR ............................................................................................................. 377 
  
   
  7
  II Small warp-drive vessels 
   
  In addition to the high profile interstellar starships, The UFP Starfleet and its predecessors have 
  employed a variety of short range or ‘coastal’ types. Even though lacking true interstellar legs, these 
  ships are still normally equipped with warp drive and lighter versions of the traditional starship 
  systems like torpedoes, phasers or shields. A motley collection of naming practices is in use for 
  these small vessels, deriving mostly from old Earth naval traditions. Strict categorizing of small 
  warpships and -craft is perhaps a bit artificial in face of this staggering multitude of overlapping 
  designations. Still, the traditional division to corvettes, couriers, escorts, perimeter ships and 
  scoutships on the upper tier, plus various small craft, runabouts and interceptors on the lower tier, is 
  maintained in this work.  
  Corvettes, couriers, escorts, perimeter ships and light scouts 
   
  Although a minor footnote in the story of glorious starships, the various small patrol ships that 
  operate inside star systems or other limited patrol areas still deserve more than a passing mention 
  here. This mission class consists of a wide variety of vessels distributed for Starfleet planetary 
  defense operations at all major centers of interstellar commerce, as well as for local patrol and 
  police operations. Especially police cutters are often of local civilian manufacture, and further 
  emphasize the separation of police and Starfleet forces. Local military forces may also operate 
  converted civilian vessels in patrol duty. Such ‘auxiliaries’ are generally of limited use in the wider 
  Starfleet operations. 
   
  Purpose-built patrol ships do exist, however: the traditional naval designation for these ships is 
  corvette. Some corvette classes like Thunderbolt or Procyon have enforced intergalactic law for 
  decades throughout the Federation. In local defense missions, corvettes usually serve in more 
  limited space and time windows: these small starships seldom receive upgrades that could keep 
  them apace with the advances of weapons technology and changes in threat environment. Registry 
  numbers for corvettes originally included the letter L for ‘local defense’ or ‘law enforcement’, but 
  the practice of letter codes was abandoned before the fielding of the Daring class in 2275. 
   
  The numerous corvette or equal classes from the eras preceding the Romulan War will not be 
  covered in detail here, as they in their civilian-derived, low performance, low utility value multitude 
  represent the ‘auxiliary’ category of spacecraft. Instead, the major corvette classes that have served 
  in UFP Starfleet will be introduced. Common factors for the classes include small crews, low to 
  medium warp performance, light to medium laser/phaser armament, good planetary landing and 
  atmospheric maneuvering capacity, and generally also the lack of auxiliary craft. Hull form is 
  usually simplified, lacking the traditional saucer of starships and instead incorporating either 
  aerodynamic shapes or semi-exposed structures. Typical missions include insystem patrols, local 
  SAR duty, oversight of system beacons, buoys and sensor arrays, and augmentation of planetary 
  defenses. Deep space assignments are extremely rare occurrences. Save for deployment runs, these 
  vessels are seldom seen outside the Oort clouds of their assigned star systems. 
   
  The heavy corvettes of the late 23rd century form an interesting exception in almost every respect, 
  being more comparable to frigates in equipment, performance and operational profile. The political 
  reasons for their misleading designation should be recognized by the reader, and are analyzed to 
  some depth in this chapter. 
   
  * * * 
  
   
  8
   
  Fast courier services for discreet messages, diplomatic packages and important personnel form a 
  classic part of Starfleet operations. While the large starships are sometimes sent to these errands due 
  to their superior speed and range, lesser but more specialized vessels are also available for this duty. 
  These courier ships are still optimized for speed and range, sacrificing the overall versatility of 
  similarly sized corvettes or research vessels in order to compete more evenly with large starships. 
  Often a courier indeed is directly developed from a suitable combat or research spaceframe, by 
  narrowing down the mission profile and stripping down the onboard equipment. The registry prefix 
  letter D used to accompany the courier mission in the mid-23rd century. 
   
  An ever-present risk of courier operations is the possibility of hostile boarding. Foreign military and 
  intelligence-gathering organizations have a considerable interest in capturing couriers and their 
  cargo intact. Lacking heavy armament, couriers rely on their speed and sometimes also on stealth to 
  avoid capture. Nevertheless, the crews are typically trained on swift and efficient destruction of 
  delicate onboard items and data. In times of conflict, it was also once customary to equip couriers 
  with powerful scuttling charges to deny the enemy his victory. 
   
  * * * 
   
  Although interstellar space is an unarguably hostile environment, it seldom makes sense for any 
  organization to equip all its starfaring vessels with defensive weaponry. Such systems, even if 
  compact by themselves, tend to require major computing and sensor resources, not to mention 
  extremely challenging power arrangements – all of which may be needed perhaps once or twice 
  during ship lifetime, if ever. 
   
  The sensible way to counter the occasional threat is to have the vulnerable vessels accompanied by 
  a dedicated combatant. Yet it is equally senseless to amass military fleets large enough to protect 
  each and every civilian vessel individually. Even the assigning of a full starship in protection of a 
  convoy of merchant vessels can stretch the resources of a space navy intolerably. Two classic 
  solutions exist to the quandary: modification of a small number of civilian ships into temporary 
  combatants (‘auxiliary cruisers’) in times of crisis, or construction of low-cost combat starships 
  scaled to exactly fit the escort mission. 
   
  The escort vessel is an intermittent phenomenon in Starfleet history. The first designs emerged for 
  the Romulan War, but repeat performance had to wait until the peaking of UFP-Klingon hostilities 
  in the 23rd century. The initial stages of this conflict took place under the aegis of primary combat 
  fleets, without a need for dedicated commerce escorts. Frantic frigate and escort construction 
  programs were only begun after the nature of the threat changed with the Axanar showdown. The 
  registry prefix letter E was also introduced for the mission. 
   
  By the 2280s, capital ship forces adequately covered the main space lanes, when the threat of small, 
  cloaked commerce raiders suddenly emerged. Existing escorts were found insufficient in quantity 
  and quality, but only the former could be corrected: massive auxiliary cruiser conversions and light 
  cruiser refits were initiated. Khitomer peace cut short such efforts, however. A surplus of patrol 
  combatants from this era made escort construction unnecessary for the next half a century. The 
  Cardassian and Dominion conflicts saw a resurgence of compact escort starships, and several types 
  warrant mention here. 
   
  The typical escort is of good cruising performance and potent phaser armament, but often of poor 
  spacekeeping and habitation. Major savings are attained by neglecting the latter aspect, as the 
  
   
  9
  greater volume needed for adequate accommodation leads to a vicious circle that soon spirals out to 
  full frigate size. Recent times have seen an increase in the torpedo firepower of escort vessels; the 
  volume of associated expendables, such as torpedo casings and launcher coolants, serves to further 
  reduce the quality of berthing aboard these tough little ships. Escort crews reflect the special nature 
  of their vessels, being a hardy breed of temporary warriors whose main assignments often lie with 
  completely different aspects of Starfleet operations. 
   
  * * * 
   
  Classic patrol craft operations often hinge on the immediate availability of bases or tender vessels. 
  In turn, deep space border patrol is the province of very large ships of high endurance and high 
  degree of independence. Yet mounting a border blockade in deep space is a logistically untenable 
  effort if it ties down major starship resources for months or years at an end. In the 22nd century, 
  Starfleet had solved the problem of blockading Romulan space by creating a chain of fixed 
  outposts, a massive engineering effort that could not be repeated on a larger scale.  
   
  In the 23rd century, when there again were borders to be closed, a rather desperate alternate solution 
  was found. Instead of fixed installations, Starfleet would deploy small yet independent ships to 
  provide warning and delaying action. These perimeter action ships would surely perish quickly in 
  battle, yet be built so that they could afford to. Multiple torpedo launchers would empty their 
  magazines in a few volleys, rapid-fire phasers would spit out pulses that would eat through the 
  emitter crystals in a matter of minutes, and hopefully the enemy would suffer losses before the time 
  came for the crew to abandon ship and pray for Klingon or Tholian disinterest in hunting down the 
  survivors. 
   
  The perimeter ship concept got its baptism of fire in the post-Axanar border raids of the 2240s-50s. 
  The introduction of linear coil warp engines gave the vessels a much-needed boost in performance 
  in the 2280s, just in time for the peaking of the Klingon conflict. A further boost came from the 
  adoption of engine saturation techniques, delivering high top speeds at the already accepted cost of 
  rapid and violent equipment degradation. The prefix letter P was used in perimeter ship registries 
  from the 2240s to the 2290s. 
   
  * * * 
   
  In addition to large starships dedicated to interstellar scouting missions, Starfleet has always 
  employed small spacecraft for the reconnaissance role as well. In practice, this mission class has 
  been one of the least defined, encompassing designs of all sizes and origins. As gathering of 
  information is a primary mission for Starfleet, it could be argued that all the vessels and craft in its 
  employ are in fact scouts. On the other hand, the ill repute of espionage missions often encourages 
  Starfleet to designate its scouting forces in a more circumspect fashion. 
   
  This chapter mainly discusses scouting units in what could be termed the ‘traditional’ size range: 
  the light scout, vessel comparable to corvette in both absolute and relative size. Indeed, corvettes, 
  couriers and reconnaissance vessels of a given era often share elements of engineering and mission 
  profile, and sometimes may even be flip sides of a single design. Starfleet designations reflect this 
  fact, and many classes in this chapter are listed as combined corvette/scout or courier/scout designs, 
  with the prefix letter L or D overriding the less often seen I applicable to intelligence gathering 
  designs. 
   
  
   
  10
  Nevertheless, the classic light scout is distinct in terms of engineering. Abandoning even the modest 
  armament of corvettes, the type normally features only a small number of energy weapon 
  emplacements, although in some cases also a small torpedo launcher system, primarily intended for 
  deploying of reconnaissance drones. Endurance in cruise or combat is sacrificed for high speed and 
  maneuverability. Atmospheric capabilities are in many cases a luxury, and missions requiring 
  extreme agility are often best left to even smaller types in the scoutcraft category, to be described 
  more fully in the third part of this work. 
  Kahs'khiori 
  Corvette 
  1924-2196 
   
  Completed: 
  169 
   
  Length: 
  110.0 m  
   
  Beam: 
  50.3 m 
   
  Height: 
  35.9 m 
   
  Mass: 
  12,210 tons  
   
  Officers: 
  3 
   
  Crew: 
  26 
   
  Max. speed: 
  w 3.1 
   
  Endurance: 
  2 years 
   
  Weapons: 
  2 phased particle cannon (50 GJ / 900 GW) on bow 
   
  Shields: 
  Hull armor 
   
  Navigational deflector on lower bow 
   
  Transporters: 
  2 GP (3-pad) (select vessels) 
   
  SOURCES: 
  D ENT “Kir’Shara” 
   
  (N own) 
   
  (H own) 
   
   
  
   
  11
  Since the days when interstellar pirates preyed on Surak’s first disciples, civilian spacecraft 
  converted for military tasks have played a role in the defense of the Vulcan home system. In those 
  early days, this had been out of practical necessity: like the planet itself, the Vulcan system was 
  poor in resources, and what little was available in the form of random asteroids had never excited 
  the fighting factions sufficiently to create a spaceborne element to their aggression. Outside threats 
  thus were met at first by vessels designed for profitable trade rather than triumph in combat. 
   
  In the late 21st century, when the first Earth representatives arrived in the Vulcan system, the 
  strength of the space combat forces under Vulcan High Command was undeniable, yet home 
  defenses still utilized converted civilian designs. Now, it was by choice: the large cruisers had been 
  thoroughly optimized for the power projection task that maintained Vulcanian dominance in the 
  interstellar neighborhood, and the local defense mission was seen as an unnecessary evil, even an 
  embarrassment to the general policy of superior-strength pacifism. Apart from aging orbital 
  fortresses and minuscule sublight fightercraft, the Vulcan system was mainly patrolled by corvettes 
  deriving their ancestry from commercial vessels several centuries old. 
   
  The most prominent warp corvette type in frontline service at the time was the Kahs'khiori 
  (‘shooting star’) - the last such type to defend Vulcan before the founding of the joint Federation 
  Starfleet. The Kahs'khiori featured a classic two-element ring drive for warp 3.1 propulsion. The 
  port and starboard ring elements both extended forward until tapering to points on both sides of the 
  bow. Certain key engineering spaces were situated just inboard of the ring elements, but the main 
  powerplant rode above the central hull, protected by an armored spine cowling. The centerline of 
  the hull had originally been left free for loading of cargo through a series of bow doors into 
  amidships holds. The holds were now largely gone, replaced by military machinery, but the central 
  entry bay still served up to six small fightercraft of e.g. Tshin type.  
   
   
   
  Main armament for the type consisted of twin heavy particle cannon at the bow. Two additional 
  point defense cannon commanded aft arcs from extreme stern. The command deck, a horseshoe 
  protrusion atop the bulk of the hull, cradled behind it the bulging cowling of the main reactor. The 
  
   
  12
  next three decks were of increasing width, spacious enough as the result of the transport heritage of 
  the vessel, and ideal for crew accommodation as well as the internal elements of the military C3I 
  systems. There were also six large and four smaller dorsal lifeboats for rapid evacuation. Decks 5 
  through 7 gradually narrowed to a series of ventral hold doors on Deck 8, and mainly featured 
  assorted support systems plus an additional four large and four small lifeboats. The entire lower aft 
  end was dedicated to the impulse propulsion system with its two large field-vectoring nozzles. The 
  forward ends of Deck 5 and 6 held the powerful navigational deflector array, upgraded to military 
  standards, although still flanked by the prongs of the original cargo cranes. Lateral docking ports on 
  Deck 5 allowed for crew transfer or for boarding operations, although the latter were on some select 
  vessels conducted by transporters instead. 
   
  Up to six hundred of the old freighters had been built. Just 169 of them had seen conversion to 
  corvette specifications. Most did not engage in interstellar missions after their original deployment 
  runs, as the Vulcanian star empire still had many colonial holdings to defend. A contingent of four 
  six-vessel flotillas was held in readiness at Vulcan during the 2154 altercation with Earth 
  representatives; less than a tenth of the force was sufficient for evicting the UESF heavy cruiser. On 
  the other hand, the 2157 exchange of fire with the Romulan suicide mission resulted in loss of five 
  corvettes, as their armoring was woefully inadequate against modern threats and their targeting 
  systems too slow against the enemies of the day. 
   
  After the formation of the United Federation of Planets, its defensive Starfleet obtained a token 
  contingent of Kahs'khiori vessels. In practice, these continued service in protection of Vulcan assets 
  exclusively. The last four were withdrawn from Hephaistos in 2196, replaced by half their number 
  of Pointer class corvettes. Yet the durability of the design is excellent, and isolated examples are 
  known to remain in service as freetraders or mercenary vessels – a fate that can befall ships of the 
  highest-repute origin. 
  Tal’Kyr 
  Scout 
  1934-2198 
   
  Completed: 
  109 
   
  Length: 
  180.0 m 
   
  Beam: 
  59.5 m 
   
  Height: 
  62.8 m 
   
  Mass: 
  23,000 tons  
   
  Crew: 
  25  
   
  Troops: 
  50-200 
   
  Max. speed: 
  w 4 
   
  Endurance: 
  12 months 
   
  Weapons: 
  1 phased particle cannon (50 GJ / 200 GW) on main hull ventral bow 
  2 phased particle cannon (50 GJ / 90 GW) on secondary hull ventral stern  
   
  Shields: 
  Hull armor 
   
  Transporters: 
  2 GP (9-pad), 4 personnel (2-pad) 
   
  SOURCES: 
  D ENT 
   
  (N STO) 
   
  (H STO) 
   
  
   
  13
   
  The Vulcan term for the Tal’Kyr class does not lend itself to an easy translation. “Scouting” is an adequate approximation 
  for the concept perhaps more accurately described as “securing in order to study”, although Vulcans themselves offered 
  the translation “surveyor” and initially also emphasized the rescue role of the class. 
   
  The scouting forces of the Vulcanian star empire were an excellent example of Surakian thinking 
  applied as a military doctrine. Rather than probe bravely into the unknown at warp speed, they 
  mainly operated sublight vessels deployed by warp-capable motherships in star systems where 
  Vulcan space superiority was undisputed. Such vessels were excellent tools for scouting relatively 
  passive targets: local cultures of suitably low technology levels, local resources, and possible 
  outside agents attempting to exert their influence over the first two. 
   
  Scouting out the positions of more mobile things such as enemy starfleets called for warp drive, but 
  also for survivability that was best provided by cruiser size and armament. The niche for a warp-
  powered reconnaissance craft thus was narrow indeed, and Vulcans were not ones for idle 
  engineering experimentation. It took a very specific tactical need to create a medium warp 
  scoutship, then, and even when one did emerge, the Vulcans were loathe to confess to it. What they 
  created in the 1930s was formally a “rescue vessel” – in practice, a means of extraction for agents 
  operating in environments where larger warships dare not dwell or better not be witnessed. The 
  reverse mode of operations was naturally also included, allowing Vulcans to quickly intervene with 
  small but decisive force in disputes where an orbiting voidship would have undermined the 
  Vulcanian position. 
   
  The extraction craft was thus designed for maximum stealth affordable at warp four; for the 
  carrying of two platoons of special forces; and for the ability to defend herself against peer-level 
  civilizations in cases of exposure, at least long enough to reach the safety of a T’Khut mothership. 
  This combat voidship was specifically designed to carry large auxiliaries within her pivotable warp 
  ring. The cruiser offered superb protection and significant range boost for her chattel, and was an 
  ideal host for the new Tal’Kyr class in every respect. 
   
  
   
  14
   
   
  A Tal’Kyr takes her place in the middle of the warp ring of a T’Khut. 
   
  Although the rescue vessel was but one of the potential loads for the cruiser, T’Khut dimensions 
  nevertheless dictated those of the Tal’Kyr, limiting overall length and prompting the installation of 
  warp power systems in a separate ventral hull, opposite the somewhat longer mission hull atop the 
  warp ring. A pylon ran vertically through the ring, connecting the two hulls and also housing the 
  stealthy impulse propulsion system. Both the hulls were exceptionally featureless, lacking portholes 
  or protrusions other than the dorsal bridge dome and the surrounding sensor empennage. Their 
  surfaces could be supercooled for spatial stealth and polarized for reflection scattering. Sensors 
  were carried at main hull lower bows; active scanners were only operated in exceptional situations. 
   
  The 180 m vessel was somewhat large to be nudged into an atmosphere and was not provided with 
  landing gear, but could hover low over ground targets if necessary; the ventral hull featured 
  openings, ramps and other systems for physically deploying or extracting personnel or vehicles. 
  More typically, agents were inserted and extracted using one of the six transporters available 
  onboard. Assaults in force would involve the two nine-pad units, and some fifty commandoes 
  would typically be deployed. Onboard accommodation could be arranged for up to 200 troops or 
  evacuees, however. No auxiliary craft were carried, but docking systems at lower bows could 
  interface with alien craft as well as with the mothership.  
   
  Various small caliber beam weapons and fine manipulation tools accompanied the docking system 
  for breaching purposes (or, in theory, for more peaceful assist and repair work).Three plasma or 
  phase cannon were available for heftier defense. The main gun was among the systems hidden at 
  upper hull ventral bows, while rear guard was provided by lighter weapons at engineering hull 
  stern. Relatively few Tal’Kyrs ever saw combat, though, as advanced mission planning systems and 
  seasoned tacticians aboard the scouts made sure there were no close encounters of any kind with 
  local defenses.  
   
  Of the fifty T’Khut vessels in existence, some thirty regularly shipped Tal’Kyrs on their missions of 
  peace enforcement. A total of 109 scouts had been constructed, and some operated independently, 
  while others were deployed aboard the smaller Vokal vessels. The warp assets replaced the 
  combined use of Tshin sublight boats and high-warp motherships for the 21st and early 22nd 
  centuries, and were effectively used against advanced starfaring civilizations such as Andorians 
  and, according to some sources, Romulans. They were themselves conceptually outdated by the 
  Romulan War and the retirement of the T’Khut force.  
   
  Beyond that conflict, Vulcan operated very few Tal’Kyrs, yet the manufacturing license was 
  acquired by Starfleet Division. The warp four engine system represented quite a leap from the 
  humbler drives obtained earlier on for the Pirithous and Hippolyte programs, and it took SFD 
  
   
  15
  almost two decades to get production going. The Otrera class lacked most of the stealth features of 
  the original design but adopted a light photon torpedo system while reverting to plasma gun 
  armament; the sixty units produced were all utilized as priority couriers until the 2220s. 
   
   
  Another possible warload for a T’Khut was this high performance Sn’Dahl scoutship, with less emphasis on stealth and 
  more on impulse agility, firepower and warp speed. Only six of the curiously asymmetric Sn’Dahl units were ever built. 
  Pirithous / Hippolyta 
  Corvette (later clipper) 
  2130-2158 (Pirithous) 
  2155-2208 (Hippolyta) 
   
  Completed: 
  101 total: 
   
   
  1 Pirithous 
   
  100 Hippolyta 
   
   
  Length: 
  38.8 m (Pirithous) 
   
  44.0 m (Hippolyta) 
   
  Beam: 
  55.5 m (Pirithous) 
   
  56.2 m (Hippolyta) 
   
  Height: 
  43.8 m (Pirithous) 
   
  58.5 m (Hippolyta) 
   
  Mass: 
  24,200 tons (Pirithous) 
   
  24,200 tons (Hippolyta) 
   
  Officers: 
  2 (Pirithous) 
  3 (Hippolyta) 
   
  Crew: 
  12 (Pirithous)  
  20 (Hippolyta) 
   
  Cruise speed: 
  w 2.0 
   
  Max. speed: 
  w 2.8 
   
  Endurance: 
  1 month (Pirithous) 
   
  2 months (Hippolyta) 
   
  Weapons: 
  Pirithous: 
  2 laser emitters (200 nm / 150 MW) on warp ring 
  2 missile tubes w/ 20 light missiles on ventral main hull 
   
  Hippolyta, original: 
  2 laser emitters (200 nm / 750 MW) on warp ring 
   
   
  Hippolyta, 2182-2208: 
  2 laser emitters (200 nm / 750 MW) on main hull  
  
   
  16
  2 laser emitters (290 nm / 1.0 GW) on warp ring 
   
  Shields: 
  1-layer globular shield 
   
  Laboratories: 
  None 
   
  Transporters: 
  None 
   
  Auxiliaries: 
  None 
   
  Ships of historical interest: 
   
  USS Penthesilea  (KLV-58 / NCC-L58) 
   
  SOURCES: 
  (D aridas sofia) 
   
  (N aridas sofia) 
   
  (H aridas sofia, own) 
   
   
   
  When Earth entered into its first defensive alliance with Vulcan, some in the UEDP held hopes of 
  obtaining Vulcan military technology to bolster Earth’s primitive systems defense arrangements. 
  Such hopes were quickly dashed. Vulcan was no stranger to alliances like this, having burned its 
  fingers with some early experiments and thereafter having successfully nurtured long and slowly (if 
  at all) progressing relationships with various client worlds. Earth’s ambition may have been high, 
  but it was by no means exceptional. Vulcan promised to keep between one and five cruiser-sized 
  voidships close enough to Earth for early interception of military threats, and in practice had a 
  vessel stationed within the Sol system at most times – but no Vulcan weaponry was distributed to 
  the defenders of the worlds of Sol, and no Vulcan served onboard the ships or installations except in 
  abstract liaison duties. 
   
  With the formation of the UE Starfleet, the articles of the defense pact were rewritten – now with 
  much more experienced signatories on the Earth side. A warming of relations, if the expression can 
  ever be credibly attributed to Vulcan diplomacy, finally allowed for some limited technology 
  exchange. While deep space military programs met with political resistance at the highest levels, 
  UESF set out to acquire local defense technologies at the earliest opportunity. This turned out to be 
  
   
  17
  2130, when Vulcan agreed to releasing a single smallish military ring drive vessel for testing and 
  acclimatization purposes. 
   
  The lithe USS Pirithous was an almost off-the-shelf example of Vulcan courier construction, with 
  an ah’Hrak Soyn warp ring of 55.5 m diameter and a microfusion powerplant that provided a 
  downright embarrassing warp 2 cruise speed – embarrassing for the double reasons of 
  outperforming Earth’s best capital ships, and being an almost complete mystery to UESF propulsion 
  engineers. Evaluation of the small armed courier had to concentrate on assessing its export-cleared 
  armament of fairly traditional laser cannon and missile tubes, its downgraded sensor systems, and 
  the suitability of its egg-shaped hull for human accommodation and operations. The pennants 
  painted on the warp ring did little to establish UESF ownership of the vessel, which officially 
  remained on lease until her 2158 retirement. 
   
  Yet Sol desperately needed interceptors capable of high insystem warp, and the courier met and 
  exceeded the propulsive requirements. Fifteen further ring drives were purchased at a king’s ransom 
  of mining and intellectual rights, and somewhat enlarged hulls were built for human operating 
  crews and bulky Earth sensor and communications gear. The Hippolyta class vessels were dubbed 
  corvettes and given pennant numbers 30-44 in the distressingly short series of warp interceptor units 
  available for the defense of Sol. With mounting experience on interstellar adversaries, missile tubes 
  were omitted as ineffective, and the laser cannon at the ends of the 260 degree warp ring were 
  upgraded to 750 MW performance. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  In search of survivors from the battle of Prantares, USS Penthesilea of the second procurement batch engages her warp 
  drive within the Celadon Nebula, producing the characteristic compression rings in the medium. Hull lasers have been 
  added to the vessel in the hasty refit of 2155. 
   
  Although quite capable of interstellar deployment, the Hippolytas were initially concentrated to 
  defend Earth in the Romulan conflict. As the threat of an outright invasion was deflected by the 
  costly counterattacks of 2155-56, UESF was able to deploy the vessels on assignments better fitting 
  their performance specifics. Having been optimized for the dispatch needs of the compact 
  Vulcanian star empire, they were not Earth’s first choice for battlefield couriers across the vast 
  theater of operations, and were only sparsely used to augment the Athens and Strider forces in the 
  conflict. Instead, they performed independent patrol runs at the fringes of the battle areas, hoping to 
  secure the perimeter and the smaller outposts against flanking maneuvers – a vain hope in view of 
  their primitive sensor technology. Vulcan improvements to the sensing systems made a world of 
  difference towards the end of the conflict, allowing Hippolyta units to provide early warning against 
  some of the lesser Romulan strikes against frontier colonies. Mainly, the upgrades helped the 
  corvettes in self-defense, however; the entire force survived the war without losses, although there 
  were some close calls. 
   
  After the war, the thirty units continued service in the UFP Starfleet. Fifty more had been added 
  during the conflict, and twenty completed at its conclusion. Their propulsion technology remained 
  
   
  18
  unmatched for the size category, even if larger Starfleet types now inched towards interstellar parity 
  on Cochrane-type warp drives. Yet Starfleet could no longer settle for the size category of the 
  Hippolytas when patrolling the increasingly imposing volume of space under its mandate. Further 
  vessels were purchased with larger and more powerful warp drives, with larger hulls, and with 
  greater potential for upgunning. These also came to be equipped with auxiliary Cochrane drives for 
  combat dashes. The combination of superb propulsive attributes resulted in the vessels at first 
  popularly and then officially being dubbed “clippers” – a redesignation embraced by the Hippolyta 
  fleet as well, until its 2208 retirement. 
  Athens 
  Courier / scout 
  2148-2179 
   
  Completed: 
  22  
   
  Length: 
  68.0 m 
   
  Beam: 
  62.8 m 
   
  Height: 
  19.4 m 
   
  Mass: 
  13,500 tons (original) 
   
  13,250 tons (refit) 
   
  Officers: 
  2 (courier mission) 
   
  6 (scout mission) 
   
  Crew: 
  12 (courier mission) 
   
  16 (scout mission) 
   
  Passengers: 
  10-20 
   
  Max. speed: 
  w 2.0 
   
  Endurance: 
  3 months 
   
  Weapons: 
  Original: 
  1 plasma cannon (1.0 GW) fwd of bridge  
   
  2 plasma cannon (0.8 GW) flanking ventral sensor array 
   
  Refit 2153: 
   
  1 Type C phased particle cannon (80 GJ / 100 GW) fwd of bridge 
   
  Shields: 
  Polarizable armor 
   
  Transporters: 
  None (original) 
   
  1 GP (1-pad); Mk I (refit 2153) 
   
  Ships of historical interest: 
   
  USS Sapporo (NO-21) 
   
  SOURCES: 
  D ENT / John Eaves 
   
  (N own) 
   
  (H own) 
  
   
  19
   
  With the advent of Earth’s independent interstellar defensive capability, UESF found itself needing 
  a whole range of support vessels it had not thought of before. Most of the defenses were tied in 
  place, consisting of virtually immobile systems such as planetary interceptor bases, orbital 
  battlestations or, later on, space tanks. Such forces could be deployed at Earth’s offsystem holdings 
  only via the introduction of new kinds of military transport. Even within the Sol system, they 
  needed more mobile support assets for replenishment, scouting and liaison.  
   
  Issues of prestige and cost prevented Starfleet from completely relying on conversions of foreign 
  designs. On the other hand, as UESF expertise on combat systems and tactics remained modest, it 
  was not completely clear what sort of support vessel program should receive Earth’s limited funds 
  and resources. Playing it safe, the first indigenous construction programs concentrated on generic 
  missions such as the all-important insystem/nearsystem liaison. Among the very first support 
  vessels to accompany the Djartanna, Iceland and Triton forces were fast couriers and scouts of 
  Athens class, first introduced in 2148. 
   
  The two-deck, aerodynamic hull of the Athens (NO-12) was a typical Earth engineering solution, 
  courtesy of Empress SD&B of Luna. Less traditional were choices of propulsive system 
  positioning. Making use of the novel gravitically polarizable armor, the Athens sought maximum 
  protection of onboard systems via complete physical encasement. Thus, the warp engines were 
  shielded by armored lateral cowlings, and only had smallish, aft-facing field windows. Similarly 
  covered were the three plasma cannon, hiding behind armored gunports until deployed for firing. 
  Such engineering solutions naturally limited the performance of the systems thus encased. Yet with 
  a powerful compression fusion powerplant combined with careful internal shielding, the Athens 
  could reach warp 2.0, and thus was cleared for the all-important mission of crossing interstellar 
  distances. 
   
  Outsystem errands in support of cruiser missions demanded more than mere speed, of course. 
  Range was provided by sizeable fuel tanks within the engine sponsons, leaving only select areas of 
  the midhull for habitation. Main habitat functions were in the three-deck dorsal ‘sail’ structure, 
  whose two upper levels featured large panoramic viewports. The uppermost served a navigational 
  function, forming the forward and side walls of the control bridge. The lower windows provided 
  
   
  20
  passenger comfort, surrounding a lounge/mess area ahead of main passenger cabins. In times of 
  crisis, the area would be transformed into a command center from which other forces could be 
  directed via powerful communications systems installed on the deck below. Some further passenger 
  cabins could also be found on this level, these in turn convertible to cargo holds for priority 
  shipments, or to auxiliary analysis facilities for sigint missions. Berthing for the 12 crew was within 
  the main body of the vessel, and tiny round portholes on the ceilings or floors had to suffice for 
  exterior view. More meaningful situational awareness was obtained with a ventrally mounted sensor 
  dome, a versatile installation measuring up to Iceland standards. 
   
   
  The Sarajevo (NO-27) rendezvouses with the Enterprise (NX-01) on yet another mission crucial to Earth security – 
  possibly a transfer of fresh fruit and other perishables, on short supply in deep space. Significantly faster than the majority 
  of UESF support fleet, the Athens couriers were often tasked with capital ship replenishment and personnel rotation in the 
  early 2150s. In scouting duty, they tried to pry the secrets of alien fleets through primitive sigint measures, with limited 
  success. The late 2150s principally saw the ships serving as command and coordination vessels in the Romulan War. 
   
  Taking an Athens down to a planetary surface was rather tricky, due to the considerable mass of the 
  interstellar-grade warp engines. The awkwardly positioned impulse engines, high up on the aft end 
  of the lower sail deck, did not help any, and the RCS systems on lower hull perimeter were hard 
  pressed to stabilize the vessel in side wind conditions. Still, transatmospheric operations were an 
  essential part of UESF requirements. Although practical passenger capacity was limited to 10-20 
  people, depending on mission duration, the courier could be pressed to perform rapid personnel 
  rotation in systems ill equipped with lesser surface-to-orbit transports. Eight ships of the production 
  run of 22 had their home ports on such colony systems, while the rest wore Sol colors but spent 
  most of their time in deep space, up to a dozen lightyears away from Earth.  
   
  The mid-2150s saw a partial refitting of the class with transporter systems and a phased particle 
  cannon. The former significantly lessened the strain of courier operations, as it negated the need for 
  transatmospheric flight. The latter hardly meant reassignment as first line combatants – but half a 
  dozen Athens vessels still saw battle during the Romulan War, typically in system defense 
  situations. Four were lost in that conflict, although only three of them to a space duel; the Sapporo 
  was blown to pieces in 2159 while powered down and docked to Spaceport Vega. A gradual 
  
   
  21
  withdrawing from service began during the war already, but colonial forces only gave up the last of 
  their units in 2179. The succeeding Strider courier-scouts brought about few performance 
  enhancements, even though they were more affordable overall, and constructed in somewhat higher 
  numbers. Only the next century would give courier vessels the interstellar speed they needed in 
  order to be viable on a Federation-wide theater of operations. 
  Strider 
  Courier / scout 
  2159-2197 
   
  Completed: 
  30  
   
  Length: 
  73.0 m 
   
  Beam: 
  42.1 m 
   
  Height: 
  17.6 m 
   
  Mass: 
  12,800 tons  
   
  Officers: 
  2 (courier mission) 
   
  6 (scout mission) 
   
  Crew: 
  18 (courier mission) 
   
  23 (scout mission) 
   
  Passengers: 
  10-20 
   
  Max. speed: 
  w 3.0 
   
  Endurance: 
  3 months 
   
  Weapons: 
  1 Type C phased particle cannon (80 GJ / 100 GW) fwd of bridge 
  1 Type C phased particle cannon (80 GJ / 100 GW) fwd of deflector dish (optional) 
  2 plasma cannon (0.8 GW) in twin mount fwd of deflector dish (optional) 
   
  4 plasma cannon (0.8 GW) in 2 twin mounts flanking stern shuttle target 
   
  2 fwd torpedo tubes at bow cutout 
   
  Shields: 
  Polarizable armor 
   
  Navigational deflector beam on lower fwd hull 
   
  Transporters: 
  1 GP (1-pad); Mk I  
   
  Ships of historical interest: 
   
  USS Conti (NO-69), USS Franklin (NO-46), USS Jackson (NO-70), USS Revere (NO-50) 
   
  SOURCES: 
  (D ST:Legacy computer game) 
   
  (N ST:Legacy computer game) 
   
  (H ST:Legacy computer game, own) 
   
   
  The developments in advanced warp propulsion in the 2140s and 50s concerned the entire range of 
  starfaring vessels. By technological necessity, though, smaller vessels could only hope to receive 
  relatively modest upgrades. The multistage plasma recharging systems that gave cruisers their warp 
  
   
  22
  5 plus performance were bulky pieces of machinery, and the massive protective chambers for 
  dilithium foci did not easily fit aboard ships smaller than destroyer in size, either. Yet the UESF 
  need for fast liaison and reconnaissance vessels in the first years of the Romulan War was acute, 
  even desperate. Propulsive modifications on the Athens couriers were thus given a priority. The 
  resulting Strider class courier/scout met the requirements, giving the Fleet its first warp three 
  messenger. 
   
  The move from cowled to outriggered warp engines was a predictable one, facilitating the greater 
  field strength that was provided by the Kingdom GX total conversion powerplant. This was housed 
  in the boatlike lower hull in a heavily armored amidship compartment. Reactor swaps were 
  facilitated by a ventral stern pullout port, a necessity for a vessel that was supposed to run her 
  engines at maximum power for extended periods of time. Directly atop the reactor was a plasma 
  manifold feeding twin impulse engines and topped by the field manipulation crystal. The plasma 
  leads then branched to the upcanted pylons of the warp nacelles. 
   
  A high performance navigational deflector array forward of the reactor made possible on its part the 
  great speeds that the engines would provide. Atop it lay the payload to be moved at warp three: a 
  spade of a hull, not markedly different from that of the Athens in shape, but featuring a number of 
  novel systems. For starters, there were twin torpedo launchers at the bow, each carrying ten casings 
  in revolver loaders that injected antimatter from the main fuel tanks to the warheads just before 
  firing. This was by far the lightest application of the antimatter torpedo technology yet, and 
  promised parity with the Klingon Raptor class torpedo boats from which much of the technology 
  had been copied in the first place. 
   
   
  A Strider out of time? Numerous old scout hulls were carefully mothballed at retirement in the 2180s, as it appeared that 
  Starfleet would remain short of battlefield couriers and light recce units in any conflict that would emerge in the next 
  twenty or thirty years. Emergency activation did not take place within the lifetime of the drive systems of these veteran 
  vessels. However, six were in 2256 re-engined with the system Starfleet would soon adopt as WD-1. The test fitting was a 
  splendid success and allowed the old Striders to be employed as combat scouts for more than a decade, armed with 
  modern twin phaser IV turrets. 
   
  There were also two through-hull loading bays to increase the speed and flexibility of bringing the 
  courier packages onboard. Anything from key personnel to crucial spares could be loaded, yet 
  personnel ingress was also possible via a portside gangway; a pair of utility airlocks with an 
  adjoining shuttlecraft target pad aft of the reactor area; or a single transporter platform, which was 
  considered standard gear for the modern courier. Heavy projected energy weaponry was also fitted, 
  in the form of a phase cannon on dorsal main hull, an optional (in practice never fitted) second bank 
  on the corresponding ventral location, and plasma cannon positions flanking the fantail docking 
  target and thus covering aft angles. 
  
   
  23
   
  In contrast, command and communications facilities were kept to a minimum. There was no 
  dedicated combat control room apart from the navigation bridge, and the modest communications 
  facilities did not form a complex of planning and analysis rooms like in the Athens. Out in the 
  battlefield, the Striders were doers and movers rather than commanders or analysts. Their role in 
  fleet action was limited to bringing in spares, personnel and key intelligence, and even the latter was 
  typically gathered by other types of vessel, such as the Mercury and Doppler frontline scoutships of 
  proper muscle and instrumentation. 
   
  During the course of the war, thirty of the couriers were manufactured, and 26 fielded in time to see 
  action. Losses were light, as the odds of intercepting a warp three courier were significantly lower 
  than catching a warp two vessel. The ships were in great postwar demand, though, and several 
  already suffered from fatigued engines in the Tarn conflict of the 2160s. Spare reactors were out of 
  stock by the 2170s, and the final Striders had to be withdrawn from use in 2197. A remarkably 
  different design would take their place as the principal glue that tied together the thinly spread 
  Starfleet. 
  Ariadne 
  Clipper 
  2170-2328 
   
  Completed: 
  104 total: 
   
   
  25 Ariadne patrollers 
   
  15 Abarta patrollers 
   
  2 Anansi couriers 
   
  1 Altjira scout 
   
  1 Abuk scout 
   
  2 Abassi scouts 
   
  3 Anbis patrollers 
   
  2 Alpan patrollers 
  1 Abaangui courier 
  3 Agni patrollers 
   
  4 Aholi scouts 
   
  4 + 4 + 8 Allowat Sakima patrollers 
   
  1 + 1 + 4 Ahaw Kin scouts 
   
  23 Amymone patrollers 
   
  Length: 
  35.4 m (Ariadne) 
   
  Beam: 
  92.5 m (Ariadne) 
   
  Height: 
  106.8 m (Ariadne) 
   
  Mass: 
  24,200 tons (Ariadne) 
   
  Officers: 
  6 (Ariadne, Abarta, Alpan) 
  3 (Anansi, other couriers) 
  5 (scouts) 
  8 (Agni) 
  7 (Aholi) 
   
  Crew: 
  28 (Ariadne)  
  25 (Abarta) 
  31 (Alpan) 
  11 (Anansi) 
  18 (scouts) 
  45 (Agni) 
  15 (Aholi) 
   
  Cruise speed: 
  w 3 
   
  Max. speed: 
  w 4.0 (Clipper drive) 
   
  w 3.2 (Cochrane drive) 
   
  
   
  24
  Endurance: 
  4 months (Ariadne, Abarta, Anansi) 
   
  3 months (Altjira, Abuk, Abassi) 
   
  6 months (Agni, Aholi) 
   
  Weapons: 
  Ariadne, original: 
  2 laser emitters (200 nm / 750 MW) on main hull  
   
   
  Standard fit, 2198-2208: 
  2 laser emitters (200 nm / 750 MW) on main hull  
  2 laser emitters (290 nm / 2.0 GW) on warp ring 
   
  Standard fit, 2208-2245: 
  2 laser emitters (200 nm / 1.3 GW) on main hull  
  2 phaser IV emitters on warp ring 
   
   
  Standard fit, 2245-2283: 
  2 phaser III emitters on main hull 
  2 phaser IV emitters on warp ring 
   
  1 light fwd torpedo tube on ventral main hull 
   
  Standard fit, 2283-2328: 
  2 phaser IV emitters on main hull 
  2 phaser IV emitters on warp ring 
   
  Shields: 
  1-layer globular shield 
   
  Laboratories: 
  None 
   
  Transporters: 
  1 GP (1-, 2- or 3-pad); Mk I 
   
  Select vessels brought to Mk III standard in 2268-70 
   
  Auxiliaries: 
  2 work pods 
   
  Ships of historical interest: 
   
  USS Anann (NCC-L238) 
   
  SOURCES: 
  (D FSRC/aridas sofia & Willy Whitten) 
   
  (N FSRC/aridas sofia) 
   
  (H FSRC/aridas sofia, own) 
   
  When Vulcan High Command in 2161 began pulling back its deep space patrol fleet, Starfleet was 
  largely unconcerned. It was assumed that war surplus or continuation of wartime shipbuilding 
  programs would quickly fill the ranks. After all, had not the Vulcan fleet at its Potemkine height 
  consisted of just fifty primary combatants, easily replaced by Terran equivalents, plus no more than 
  a couple of hundred smaller units? 
   
  However, there had been more to the Vulcan control of their half a dozen sectors than simple 
  numerical strength. Each of the capital ships had been capable of warp six peak speed, many of 
  warp seven. While the smaller patrol types had been no faster than their human equivalents, they 
  had possessed superior cruise economy and endurance. In practice, substituting Earth designs for 
  the patrol fleet would reduce its on-station time and thus potency by at least 50 %. Earth in the 
  2160s struggled with the unexpected industrial slump effected by the war, and was in no position to 
  compensate by introducing a greater number of hulls. Instead, Starfleet representatives entered 
  direct negotiations with ah’Hrak Soyn Voidsystems for acquisition of further Vulcan ring drive 
  systems.  
   
  Ah’Hrak Soyn agreed to provide the highly efficient drives of Solak sentry vessels for an initial 
  batch of 25 new patrol corvettes. Their hulls would be built on Earth in the slab-sided shapes of the 
  pathfinding Hippolytas, to dangle at the lower end of the central spoke of the drive ring. The 
  company also sold the engine license to Whitten, which would continue production for fifteen 
  further vessels. The affordable patrollers were designed to be modular in their armament and sensor 
  outfit, not so much in anticipation of widely varying missions but rather to allow just a minimum 
  number of systems to be installed initially. A crew of 34 was to tend to the vessel in the barebones 
  
   
  25
  configuration, which featured a spartan sensor array, a laser armament of two 750 MW cannon, and 
  a dual warp drive system. The ring drive would mainly be employed for cruising, especially in 
  regions of high matter density such as the nebulae that pirates frequently exploited for their 
  ambushes. An internal coil system of traditional Earth type was provided for combat dashes and 
  acute maneuvering, however. Common to both was the fusion powerplant with 1:40 antimatter 
  spicing. Flexible power management allowed the drives to be operated in any combination, or 
  excess power to be channeled to the laser cannon pods at the ends of the open propulsion ring. 
   
  A typical Ariadne patrol corvette (albeit formally of the wholly Earth-built Abarta subclass) displays to good effect the 
  refinements introduced in the 2190s. In addition to the ring-end laser cannon, this ‘clipper’ mounts two phase cannon pods 
  on upper hull flanks, just aft of the large flight control deck windows. Passive subspace sensors and a trailing gravimetric 
  array are added to the lower hull, and a white surface finish is applied on the ring and parts of the hull. Return to more 
  subdued colors and sensor-absorbing coatings in the 2220s would graphically display a change in status from hunter to 
  prey. Yet in the 2190s, the Ariadnes could still hold their own against adversaries their size, such as this Zaranite 
  warseeker prowling near Canopus. 
   
  The 25-strong first batch was dubbed Ariadne at the 2170 launch of the inaugural vessel. An 
  alliterative theme of Terran mythology was followed through the second batch, known as Abarta, 
  and extended to later batches as well. These would follow the Ariadne lead in the choice of 
  propulsion systems, but would feature modified primary hulls and systems, for a variety of roles. By 
  far the heaviest was the Agni batch of three, with 2,600 ton hulls of inverted T shape and with dual 
  internal coil sets plus torpedo armament; the lightest was the lone Abuk, a scout from the late 2180s 
  with a slim crescent hull of 750 tons. In all, no less than fourteen variants could be discerned in the 
  production run of 104! The differences were often minimal in practice, though, resulting from 
  slightly dissimilar manufacturing practices on the six worlds involved in the production. 
   
  The dual-drive corvettes might not have been the most impressive warships ever designed. Yet their 
  elegance and economy achieved what brute force could not: the assorted pirates, briefly 
  emboldened at the end of the war, were driven from UFP core space for the time being. An efficient 
  vigil at outer borders would warn of their return. Holes in the dragnet of still rather primitive 
  sensors would be sewn shut by the significant cruise speed and sailing radius of the patrollers. Often 
  reaching trouble spots well before heavier starship forces, the vessels of Ariadne descent became 
  commonly known as ‘clippers’, a name apparently derived in part from the Ariadne mission class 
  pennant code CP, or ‘corvette, patrol’. The parallel designations ‘corvette, reconnaissance’ and 
  ‘corvette, dispatch’ would soon be superseded by ‘light scout’ and ‘courier’, respectively, and their 
  
   
  26
  pennant codes CR and CD appropriated for other use – but ‘clippers’ would persist in Starfleet 
  records well into the 24th century. 
   
  This is not to say that the Ariadnes would have enjoyed particular longevity. There were still half a 
  dozen of the initial vessels in nominal Starfleet service by the time of Khitomer peace, but these tall 
  ships were respected elders, preserved for reasons of prestige rather than practicability. The same 
  already applied to most of the succeeding subvariants, introduced throughout the 23rd century to 
  provide patrol combatant presence for border space, and especially for the vast nebulae of the 
  rimward patrol sectors. The last of these let go of active commission in 2328, making way for 
  vessels of brute strength and superior overall performance. Yet dozens still persist as training 
  vessels or pleasure yachts across the operational theater of Starfleet, meticulously maintained and 
  lovingly operated. 
  Pointer 
  Corvette 
  2182-2208 
   
  Completed: 
  162 
   
  Length: 
  79.0 m 
   
  Beam: 
  72.8 m 
   
  Height: 
  14.4 m 
   
  Mass: 
  29,200 tons (original) 
   
  29,900 tons (refit 2198) 
   
  Officers: 
  3  
   
  Crew: 
  22 
   
  Max. speed: 
  w 3.5 
   
  Endurance: 
  6 months 
   
  Weapons: 
  2 twin laser emitters (290 nm / 2.0 GW) on port/stbd bow fairings 
   
  2 plasma cannon (0.9 GW) on dorsal hull 
   
  2 plasma cannon (0.9 GW) on ventral hull 
   
  2 rocket tubes w/ 240 KE rockets on lateral wings 
   
  2 Type G phase cannon (20 GJ / 100 GW) (MAWS modules, optional)  
  2 mine racks w/ 120 fusion mines (MAWS modules, optional) 
  150 KE rockets (MAWS modules, optional) 
   
  Shields: 
  1-layer graviton/subspace globular forcefield 
   
  Navigational deflector at bow 
   
  Auxiliaries: 
  1 shuttlepod, 1 or 2 work pods 
  Special tactical maneuvering units sometimes carried 
   
  Ships of historical interest: 
   
  USS McKenna (NCC-L53) 
   
  SOURCES: 
  (D SFC/Rick Sternbach, Irishman) 
   
  (N SFC/Rick Sternbach) 
   
  (H SFC) 
  
   
  27
   
  After the unconventional Ariadne class had solved Starfleet’s deep space patrol combatant problem, 
  funds and resources could be allocated for a more ‘traditional’ – that is, more Terran – nearspace 
  patroller. The Pointer class was introduced in 2182 to provide assistance to Federation local defense 
  forces as well as customs and police units. In this role, the class replaced the bewildering collection 
  of small craft and civilian conversions in service in the UFP member worlds, retiring for example 
  the Zoenamy class of UESF corvettes, Kuhulkka class of Tellarite gunboats and Husav class of 
  Andorian patrol craft. Larger than her forebears, the Pointer would be capable of operating 
  efficiently outside the Sol system, even if she could not practically deploy across interstellar 
  distances. Her role would be to guard the systems of UFP member worlds, as well as to protect 
  shipments and maintain order within contested, only partially UFP-held systems like Rigel or 
  Altair. 
   
  In the Pointer class, some key Tellarite engineering concepts were applied, for the first time in a 
  foreign vessel. Andorian shielding technology was also an integral part of the design, as were 
  Vulcan computers and tractor beam machinery. Yet the most prominent influences on the design 
  were the traditional Earth cargo tug and the modern UESF scout. While not directly derived from an 
  existing hull design, the Pointer in many ways resembled the forward compartment of an ECS 
  freighter. Such tugs had proven quite maneuverable and durable against both pirates and Romulan 
  forces when discarding their cargo sections. Starfleet was eager to make use of one of the proven 
  strengths of Earth technology – not to mention the skills of ECS veterans who now formed the core 
  of Starfleet local defense forces. 
   
  The close-mounted configuration of warp nacelles often found on tugs offered structural durability 
  and well understood flight dynamics, and the two sets of 13,000 ton GP-13 warp coils were readily 
  
   
  28
  adaptable for such a mounting. The compression fusion powerplant was located in a flattened-
  cylinder engineering module that also directly mounted the flat-nozzled impulse engine, the only 
  part of the propulsion system that subscribed purely to military standard.  
   
  The primary pressurized part of the hull was only lightly armored and exceptionally lightweight so 
  that the total hull mass of the vessel (reactors, fuel, crew and equipment included) was mere 3,000 
  tons. In comparison with the prewar tugs, it was of much flatter shape, compacting the classic 
  command sail into a single-deck spine. This narrow structure held a small flight control center 
  forward and a swiveling, telescoping airlock and boarding tube system aft. The crew of twenty-five 
  inhabited the upper deck of the wide pressurized structure beneath, sharing the spaces with fire 
  control and communications rooms, navigation computers and life support systems. The lower deck 
  featured ventral doors for twin auxiliary craft bays amidship and a forward array for short range 
  survey sensors.  
   
  Aft of the pressurized area, non-shirtsleeves structures surrounded the reactor module. The two 
  winglike extensions had no aerodynamic role to play, even in case of as such plausible emergency 
  landings. Instead, they held magazines for hundreds of heavy KE rockets, to be fired from wingtip 
  launchers. On the dorsal surfaces were hardpoints for modular auxiliary weapons systems, including 
  additional rocket pods, mine racks, or even self-contained phase cannon. The principal energy 
  armament of the type consisted of twin bow-mounted lasers, though, adapted from the podded units 
  used on the Ariadnes but carried and fired in pairs. This was backed up by mundane plasma 
  weaponry: two plus two guns, on dorsal and ventral shafts in the pressure hull. 
   
   
   
  USS McKenna on debris-sweeping duty, in gleaming white and silver finish with the red double stripes of Defense 
  Command. A bulky MAWS-mounted phase cannon is visible above the portside wing, ready to augment the deflectors and 
  the tractor beam in this often thankless job of keeping system approach corridors clear of navigation hazards. The tucked-
  in arrangement of the GP-13 engines is far from the ideal warp-dynamic solution, but was chosen for structural integrity 
  reasons.   
   
  
   
  29
  Intended mostly for debris clearing and police operations, these weapons were woefully 
  underpowered against the shields of most known starship adversaries. Then again, the corvettes 
  were never intended to be used for frontline combat. In second-line operations, and equipped with 
  suitable combinations of MAWS modules, the small ships could partake in the defense of starbases 
  and outposts. Offensive operations weren’t limited merely by lack of punch and protection, but also 
  by the modest propulsive endurance. 
   
  For long range deployments, the corvettes could be carried in place of cargo containers on many 
  large freighter types. A versatile tender design called Alexandria class was also derived from the 
  Class W freighter, capable of carrying two Pointers in place of aft cargo containers. The next pair 
  of containers featured refueling and rearming systems with booms that could serve a total of four 
  corvettes at a time. The containers forward of these held deuterium and tritium fuel, while the 
  foremost containers were furbished for crew accommodation and medical care, and also held an 
  operations control center with briefing and communications rooms. Six such vessels were 
  completed to support Pointer operations. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  The two Pointers milking from a corvette tender of Alexandria class seem scant protection for the Watt class tanker and 
  two McCormick factory ships that comprise Hanolin Asteroid Reclamation Project 2-7. Yet small vessels like this were 
  very practical in the unstable Hanoli space, where large military vessels were at constant risk, and where even small and 
  nimble pirate craft often dared not tread. 
   
  With minor modifications, such as a 2198-99 fitting of new impulse nozzles for improved 
  maneuverability, fuel efficiency and stealth, the Pointer corvette was used as the primary insystem 
  patrol ship of the UFP for some 26 years, until again giving way to an increasing number of local 
  designs. No common UFP patrol vessel was introduced for the turn-of-the-century decades, as 
  Starfleet kept hoping for breakthroughs in lightweight warp propulsion systems as a means to 
  extend corvette reach. USS McKenna of Pointer class briefly became a celebrity in the 2199 rescue 
  of the civilian transport Bleg-Ra, distressed in a free asteroid cloud near Delta IV. Other ships of 
  this humble class have not been immortalized on the pages of history. 
  Podish 
  Scout 
  2213-2247 (Podish) 
  2246-2258 (Tuverlind) 
   
  Completed: 
  40 total: 
   
  31 Podish built in 2213-17 
  2 Tuverlind refitted from Podish and 9 built in 2246-48 
   
  Length: 
  128.3 m (Podish) 
   
  90.1 m (Tuverlind) 
   
  
   
  30
  Beam: 
  35.0 m (Podish) 
   
  44.2 m (Tuverlind) 
   
  Height: 
  36.8 m 
   
  Mass: 
  126,700 tons (Podish) 
   
  215,200 tons (Tuverlind) 
   
  Officers: 
  12  
   
  Crew: 
  89 
   
  Cruise speed: 
  w 4 
   
  Max. speed: 
  w 6.0 (Podish) 
   
  w 7.3 (Tuverlind) 
   
  Endurance: 
  2 years 
   
  Weapons: 
  2 laser emitters (180 nm / 600 MW) on port/stbd ventral hull 
   
  Shields: 
  1-layer graviton/subspace globular forcefield 
   
  Navigational deflector emitter on ventral fin 
   
  2 auxiliary navigational deflector emitters on bow 
   
  Laboratories: 
  1 GP, 1 planetary sciences, 1 life sciences or astrophysics 
   
  Transporters: 
  1 GP (3-pad), 1 emergency evacuation (22-pad); Mk I 
   
  Auxiliaries: 
  2 work pods 
   
  Ships of historical interest: 
   
  USS Podish (NCC-310), USS Tuverlind (NCC-341) 
   
  SOURCES: 
  D TOS-R (own) 
   
  (N Detroyat Blueprints/Star Fleet Enginery Sheet) 
   
  (H Detroyat Blueprints/Star Fleet Enginery Sheet, own) 
   
  Speed is one of the most alluring attributes of any vehicle, and of great practical significance to one 
  that plies the distances between stars. For half a century, the vessels of Starfleet had been capable of 
  reaching warp five, some of dashes at warp seven. In comparison, the modest top speed of the Mann 
  class was singularly unexciting to the general public. However, every Starfleet engineer and 
  commanding officer was thrilled by the prospect of maintaining warp four virtually indefinitely, a 
  feat far beyond the capabilities of the best Vulcan designs of the past century. Now was the time to 
  take the technology one step forward, to combine high flank speed with the ‘supercruise’ ability. 
   
  The vessels in need of a performance boost could be divided in three categories. The existing large 
  cruisers might be able to accommodate the new technology with affordable modifications. A motley 
  fleet of destroyers would need all-new successors, though. Smaller military vessels would have to 
  wait for their turn, and for advances in miniaturization. Scientific and logistics interests generally 
  fell in the category of lowest priority, with one notable exception: filling of the ‘scout gap’ that had 
  opened with the retirement of the last Romulan War era vessels could wait no longer, for military as 
  well as scientific reasons. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
   
  31
   
   
  Dorsal bow quarter view of USS Manticore (NCC-322) reveals best the aberrations from simple lollipop shape in a Podish 
  scout. Hidden is the small dorsal stern hangarette for work pods only. The viewpoint also obscures the dorsal sensor 
  dome, identical to its prominently visible ventral counterpart and crucial to the mission of the vessel. 
   
  Haste was mother to many shortcuts. The Starfleet order automatically went to Chiokis, and 
  specified a scaled-down sister design to the light cruiser, made even more affordable through the 
  use of a single engine. The utilizability of a single ovoid hull was re-evaluated, as the warp drive 
  would not scale down in neat synchronicity with mission systems, and mounting it semi-internally 
  might present problems. The powerplant and the semi-recessed nacelle were therefore banished to a 
  stern extension of the primary spaceframe. 
   
  An almost spherical hull 35 meters across and roughly one-third the Mann volume was quickly 
  sketched out, and subcontractors began to add mission gear and support systems. Design of the 
  main propulsion system would dictate the internal arrangement and structural specifications of the 
  stern extension, however, and this design work was only initiated in 2208. It is thus no wonder that 
  the scout companion to the Mann class was launched for her performance trials no sooner than late 
  2213. 
   
  The heart of USS Podish (NCC-310) was the PB-25 engine, a Pleshun CWS counterpart to the 
  pahtfinding Cochrane Warp Dynamics PB-20. The forward two-thirds of its length were buried 
  within the stern hull, forming an integral whole with a total conversion powerplant and its fusion 
  auxiliary. Coupled to the primary plasma loop were six protruding impulse assemblies, laid out in a 
  ring around the warp engine. Machinery also seeped out from within the confines of the hull at 
  lower bow, where separate indentations presented the ramscoop window and the deflector array 
  with a forward view, and along the dorsal surface of the engineering section, where plasma 
  expanders and their venting systems glowed brightly to keep the high-strung powerplant content. 
  Intercooler drums at nacelle aft end had small expander fins of their own. 
   
  Although eleven full-height decks were available within the primary hull, habitable volume was 
  clustered on the upper half of the ship. The two of the decks above the equator of the sphere 
  provided most of the berthing, while decks above these accommodated navigation and signals 
  analysis facilities. The lower hemisphere was dedicated to assorted sensors, a minimal defensive 
  armament of two 180/0.6 lasers and their targeting systems, and the aforementioned ramscoop and 
  deflector machinery. Main fuel tanks at the bottom of the hull could be fueled through a ventral 
  umbilical port just aft of the dorsal sensor dome, while the delicate antimatter was brought aboard 
  through separate hatches at the bottom of the stern extension. 
   
  Starfleet’s newest (and by many accounts ugliest) reconnaissance asset proceeded to gather a mixed 
  record. By the end of 2213, as the first three sister ships to the Podish were launched, the prototype 
  had established effortless supercruise and a top speed of warp 7.1, but had also suffered two near-
  disastrous breakdowns of the main drive system. Tinkering with PB-25 continued through the 
  ultimate production run of 31 scouts, yielding a spectrum of combinations for high dash speed and 
  correspondingly low reliability. Starfleet finally settled on warp six as the operational maximum 
  speed, less than would have been allowed by main reactor output.  
   
  Reliability issues hampered execution of a deep space exploration program long in planning. The 
  Podishes were content with tagging alongside cruiser task forces, or with leading formations of 
  destroyers both obsolete and modern. Rapid progress with propulsive technologies was reshaping 
  the Fleet; in most respects, the Podishes soon became as anachronistic as the oldest of their 
  
   
  32
  destroyer companions. However, PB-25 was only finding its potential, and the scouts were retained 
  as a field laboratory for upcoming application in vessels such as the groundbreaking Detroyat heavy 
  combatants. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  USS Foch on approach of Spacedock Earth, part of a huge structure completed in the tenth anniversary of the Federation. 
  Despite generous overengineering, the facility is currently too small for most frontline starships. The compact if somewhat 
  inefficient warp engine configuration, particularly evident from this rear view of the Foch, allowed the Podish scouts to fit 
  in with ease. 
   
  Having completed this mission, the Podish class slowly faded to obscurity. The early years of 
  Klingon aggression revealed their many flaws, often fatally so. Starfleet sought improvements 
  through designs ranging from the lithe Lowell to the gargantuan Hermes, finding no single solution 
  but a concord of wildly dissimilar ones.  
   
  Thrown into the mix was a Podish upgrade project, for which two ships were converted and a final 
  nine units built. The design was to properly channel the available power into warp fields through 
  the use of two sets of warp coils, outriggered on a curving support wing to port and starboard of the 
  hull. The number of impulse units was increased to eight to compensate for the coil mass. The 
  complex design entered operational trials in 2246 under subclass name Tuverlind, and was 
  eventually cleared for a dash speed of warp 7.3.  
   
  The Podish story is quite typical of an organization in technological flux. While a definite 
  improvement over preceding designs, and competent enough in its own line of work, the class 
  would leave virtually nothing for later generations – save for the final iteration of PB-25, a self-
  contained engine as different from the 2213 original as that engine had been from the ‘pre-
  Twenties’ engines. Stories of heroism or tragedy do not endure, nor is there a lineage or school of 
  design to perpetrate the ungainly lines of these tadpole scouts. A single hull serves as an orbital 
  storage capsule at Vega, another as a beaconship near Hephaistos. Pleshun displays the original 
  flight article of NCC-310’s warp engine in the company museum.  
   
  The final active Podish was recalled in 2242 and decommissioned and stricken five years later; the 
  last Tuverlind ceased operations in 2258. Related utility designs are legion, however: with the 
  substitution of PB-35 engines on the Tuverlind hull, Chiokis was able to produce a range of high 
  speed couriers and light transports that saw widespread civilian service. Such vessels could still be 
  found in local duties in the early 24th century. 
   
  
   
  33
   
   
  This Medusan courier is a typical example of the ‘civilized’ Tuverlind, with a PB-35 pair filling in for the antiquated PB-
  25. Starfleet found no applications for the design, preferring the Tavares light transport that also had welcome planetary 
  landing and takeoff capabilities. 
  Lowell 
  Scout 
  2215-2239 
   
  Completed: 
  80 
   
  Length: 
  74.3 m 
   
  Beam: 
  38.8.m 
   
  Height: 
  23.7 m 
   
  Mass: 
  56,000 tons 
   
  Officers: 
  3  
   
  Crew: 
  10 + up to 20 research crew 
   
  Cruise speed: 
  w 4 
   
  Max. speed: 
  w 4.0 
   
  Endurance: 
  8 months 
   
  Weapons: 
  2 laser emitters (200 nm / 900 MW) on port/stbd main hull 
   
  Shields: 
  1-layer graviton/subspace globular forcefield 
   
  2 navigational deflector emitters on bow 
   
  Laboratories: 
  1 GP, 1 planetary sciences, life sciences or astrophysics 
   
  Transporters: 
  1 GP (3-pad); Mk I 
   
  Auxiliaries: 
  None 
   
  Ships of historical interest: 
   
  USS Siding Springs (NCC-I346), USS Arecibo (NCC-I355), USS Lowell (NCC-I340) 
   
  SOURCES: 
  (D SFC, dimensions changed to match view) 
   
  (N SFC) 
   
  (H SFC) 
   
  During the period between UFP and Starfleet political stabilization and the return of the Klingon 
  menace, interest in basic mapping and reconnaissance vessels was rekindled; the introduction of 
  warp four cruise propulsion provided sufficient reach for modern scoutships to credibly operate at 
  
   
  34
  the far frontiers. Yet to be sure, this ‘supercruising’ was until the 2230s still largely the province 
  and privilege of large ships. The latest PB-25 warp propulsion units optimized for use in the Podish 
  scouts still massed some 90,000 tons apiece, and cost as much as two complete scoutships of the 
  preceding generation. If Starfleet were to fill the gap in scouting resources, a more affordable 
  alternative would have to be found. 
   
  Beckerman-Fusai MHG Corporation went for what could be considered ‘de jure supercruise’, 
  devising an engine just barely capable of sustained warp 4 at maximum power. At standard mission 
  profile involving deployment runs of a few days, this translated to an endurance of 8 months – twice 
  that of the various Ariadne –derived scouts with their monster engines, and this time with a useful 
  scientific payload. The high performance engine nacelles were typical representatives of the third 
  generation, their cylindrar main body terminating in a tapering aft segment with integrated 
  intercoolers; the spooled coils massed barely 10,000 tons, but erection of a warp 4 field required 
  four side-by-side sets. The powerplant was among the smallest total conversion reactors yet 
  devised, housed in an external hull section of its own, and featuring separate antimatter tankage in 
  dorsal pods. This presented virtually no demands on the pressure hull of choice, a stretched ovoid 
  six decks high. 
   
  The combining of a tested and even somewhat dated spaceframe design of modest dimensions with 
  these hypermodern engines raised a few eyebrows. But Beckerman-Fusai assured Starfleet and the 
  Council that the economic reasons behind the decision were sound: the tightly packaged 
  superengines needed to be proven in practice before series production of third-generation units for 
  use in light vessels such as corvettes or couriers could be begun. And a science scout, intended to 
  run fast and straight to her target and not to engage in violent maneuvering, was the ideal test 
  platform. To reduce costs, the company was ready to tap into its R&D funds, in order to solidify its 
  position as the warp engine supplier to the upcoming projects involving marketing prospects for 
  third-generation engines. 
   
  In late August of 2214, three things were slapped onto Beckerman-Fusai’s superengine: Starfleet’s 
  stamp of approval, a systematic Fleet propulsion block designation (in this case PB-26), and a 
  spaceframe to carry a crew of thirteen plus abundant instrumentation for both technology 
  demonstration and scientific study. Soon after leaving the dockyards next April, USS Lowell (NCC-
  I340) proved an excellent small scientific scoutship, demonstrating high speeds and the ability to 
  accommodate and cater for the needs of research crews – in the relative context of very small ships, 
  of course. The topmost of the six decks featured little beyond the navigation bridge and sensors; 
  most control facilities, as well as cabins for the three officers, were on Deck 2. Two well equipped 
  if small principal laboratories and various other research facilities dominated the middecks. Plenty 
  of room was left for crew comforts, though, as propulsion and support machinery was mainly 
  housed outside the main hull; Decks 4 and 5 could accommodate up to 20 visiting researchers in 
  addition to the 10 operating crew if needed. Deck 6 mainly housed sensor controls and life support 
  systems. 
   
  Standard hull surface and domed sensors similar to those applied on the Mann and refitted Caracal 
  cruisers and Podish scouts were augmented by a selection of highly sensitive mapping instruments, 
  including a trailing sensor pod deployed from above the support structure of the nacelles. A wide 
  selection of probes could be sown from special racks mounted along the length of the support 
  structure, or manually prepared in pressurized compartments and deployed through lateral chutes on 
  Deck 3. For self-defense, two banks of lasers were also provided on that deck, and two navigational 
  deflector emitters were inset at the bow. 
   
  
   
  35
  The armament of the Lowells raised some initial critique. Admittedly the ships had been procured 
  with tactical intelligence gathering in mind, as indicated by their registry prefix, and admittedly this 
  presented the risk of combat. Yet the captains had no wish to engage an enemy of any military 
  worth; effective sensors for early warning and sufficient speed for early retreat were felt to be more 
  essential to survival than ship-to-ship armament. In combat against lesser opponents, the Lowells 
  would in turn have trouble in bringing their weapons to bear, as the great mass of the warp engines 
  and the fragility of the trusswork spaceframe were serious maneuverability handicaps. Nevertheless, 
  Defense Command insisted on the relatively heavy laser mounts, which didn’t present any 
  engineering or power allocation problems as such, and consumed relatively little space on Deck 3. 
   
  A more proper target of critique was the ships’ probe-launching capacity. The sublight probe racks 
  and chutes were flexible and versatile tools for scientific study. Yet without a warp launcher, the 
  scoutships would have to virtually overfly their targets in order to deploy their reconnaissance 
  probes. For civilian applications, this was within the limits of practicability, but the threat 
  environment of the 2220s required that even science scouts be ready to repel a Klingon invasion. 
  Being fundamentally incapable of this, the Lowells lost some support, and the life-extension refits 
  they required became less and less likely to take place. When the first of the Flagstaff scout drones 
  became available in the early 2230s, Starfleet Command decided to abandon the Lowell class 
  entirely. Even though the vessels were still perfectly capable of performing their original mapping 
  and research missions, the military requirements imposed by the Klingon threat cut short their 
  careers. This in turn put an end to Beckerman-Fusai’s foray into the advanced warp engine 
  business, leaving Pleshun, CWD and the newcomer Shuvinaaljis as the prime competitors in the 
  field. The common small ship engine Starfleet had hoped for was not to be PB-26, but instead the 
  humbler and less compact CWD PB-22 that initially was coupled with conventional fusion 
  powerplants. 
   
   
  Hiding in the ring system of Gault, Lowell class scout USS Anchorage (NCC-I341) deploys her swarm of probes for 
  mapping operations, in preparation for assessment of colonization potential of the lush world. Signs of possible civilization 
  on the planet later proved false, and the Prime Directive caution was unnecessary in case of this world which later turned 
  into an important agricultural site for the UFP. The approach taken in the survey of Gault contrasts strikingly with that of 
  Faicia, reflecting the new Prime Directive philosophy adopted after the consequences of the exchange with the Klingons at 
  Boreth in 2209 were realized. Note the deployable trailing array, as well as the low-mounted impulse engines and the six 
  high-mounted fuel tanks, all housed in an open trusswork instead of needlessly being enclosed within hull plates. The four-
  nacelle warp engine layout remains unique to this class. 
   
  The Lowell scouts were retired gradually between 2235 and 2239, handing over their missions to 
  newer, larger, faster and more militant Hale and Bode classes. One Lowell, USS Arecibo (NCC-
  I435), was lost to a puzzling Klingon attack in 2221 above Sarthong V, a planet of scant strategic 
  but noted archaeological significance. In 2210, the trailing sensors of USS Siding Springs (NCC-
  
   
  36
  I346) intercepted the signals of a high velocity probe passing through the galactic plane at an 
  estimated speed of warp 430. The alignment of the tight, narrow-band, high-energy signal (or 
  actually its subspace aura, since the nature of the signal itself could not be determined) made it 
  unlikely that the visitor had originated from any of the galaxies in the local cluster, thus suggesting 
  this to be the first observation of intelligence outside our local galactic group. 
  Hunter 
  Corvette 
  2219-2243 
   
  Completed: 
  125 total: 
   
  95 Hunter 
   
  30 Bloodhound 
   
  Length: 
  85.0 m (Hunter) 
   
  92.2 m (Bloodhound) 
   
  Beam: 
  35.4 m 
   
  Height: 
  36.2 m 
   
  Mass: 
  24,725 tons (Hunter) 
   
  25,125 tons (Bloodhound) 
   
  Officers: 
  4 
   
  Crew: 
  26 
   
  Max. speed: 
  w 3.7 
   
  Endurance: 
  8 months (Hunter) 
   
  11 months (Bloodhound) 
   
  Weapons: 
  2 laser emitters (130 nm / 1.6 GW) on bow flanks 
  2 laser emitters (130 nm / 1.6 GW) on ventral mid-hull flanks (2.8 GW after 2234) 
   
  600 rockets in 2 ventral cassettes  
   
  Shields: 
  1-layer light conformal shields 
   
  Navigational deflector on bow 
   
  Transporters: 
  None; some later refitted with 2- or 4-pad Mk I unit in former cargo hold 
   
  Auxiliaries: 
  None; special tactical maneuvering units sometimes carried in cargo hold 
   
  Ships of historical interest: 
   
  USS Nestor (NCC-L211) 
   
  SOURCES: 
  (D SFC) 
   
  (N SFC) 
   
  (H SFC, own) 
   
  
   
  37
  Between 2208 and 2219, no common Starfleet corvette type was in operation. This was mostly due 
  to the fact that the areas patrollable by such small vessels were largely stabilized by the beginning 
  of the 23rd century, while the technology to extend the range of corvettes beyond this ‘tamed’ space 
  did not yet exist. The next common corvette design was thus intended to succeed the Pointer class 
  in domestic law enforcement missions only, with a nominal hull mass of less than 4,500 tons.  
   
  No deep space assignments were projected for the new lightweight corvette – the escalation of the 
  Klingon threat had effectively ended the deployment of light combat vessels to the borderlands, 
  since nobody wanted to ‘lightly combat’ the menacing adversaries. To stress the non-military nature 
  of the new Hunter class ships, Starfleet for a time used the designation ‘patrol boat’ for them. The 
  designation reverted back to ‘corvette’ in the 2230s when it became apparent that even these rather 
  modestly armed ships might have to be assigned to the Klingon front after all.  
   
  With their four single 1.6 GW laser emitters and two sublight rocket cassettes, the Hunters were 
  still quite capable of inflicting damage on adversaries larger than themselves. The corvettes also 
  carried a selection of modern sensors, adequate for acquiring, tracking and identifying suspect 
  vessels and directing laser fire at short ranges. No effort was made to heavily shield the ships 
  against enemy fire, however, nor to install torpedo armament or frigate-quality computer systems. 
  Economy of design was the main criterion in the shaping of the class. 
   
  A further shape constraint came from the requirement for following suspect vessels into planetary 
  atmospheres and surfaces. Sub-impulse propulsion and material technology advances made it 
  possible to give the type full landing capacity on Class M worlds. Yet to facilitate repeated 
  maneuvering in the atmospheres of these planets, the single PB-22 warp engine had to be mounted 
  inside the primary hull, with a huge plasma diffuser endcap at the stern and an annular ramscoop at 
  the bow, aft of a deflector dish. The power systems surrounded the aft part of the engine in a conical 
  hull section, while the rest of the ship was built above and below the forward part of the engine. 
  This layout naturally placed safety limitations on the field output of the unit. Since heavy shielding 
  of the engine was out of the question, only modest power levels could be used, and warp 
  performance of these ships was limited. 
   
  The hull design introduced the extensive use of trititanium (nowadays known by the shorter name 
  tritanium, and usually replaced by duranium in small spacecraft). The aft cone began at 28 m 
  diameter astern, reached a maximum diameter of some 35 meters amidships, and then quickly 
  tapered back to 28 m before blending into an aerodynamically shaped bow section. On the flanks 
  were field windows for the warp engine, and below these the impulse nozzles. Very little of the 
  conical space was arranged into personnel-accessible decks, instead being filled to capacity with the 
  main fusion reactor, twin deuterium tanks, a single tritium tank, and two shield generators. 
   
  In the forward half of the ship, two decks sat atop the engine, including a windowed flight deck, 
  main C3I facilities and a pair of two-person officer cabins. Below these was a staging deck for 
  boarding parties, with huge docking adapters port and starboard for latching onto a wide variety of 
  targets. The deck formed the widest point of the forward hull, and necessarily so, because ship 
  centerline there was taken by the warp coil shaft. 
   
  On the deck below, aft of the navigational deflector and the bow laser systems, the starboard side 
  featured a power distribution room, then an austere crew compartment with bunks, a lavatory and a 
  small galley plus lockers for personal items. Port of the engine shaft, in a corresponding location, 
  were a sickbay and a stasis unit for consumables, plus a second, smaller crew compartment. 
   
  
   
  38
  Below this, the hull tapered down to accommodate two more lasers with a ventral field of fire, a 
  long landing strut below the bow, and two rocket cassettes for ground strafing. Within, there were 
  holding cells, a workshop and a small internal cargo hold, squeezed wherever there was room and 
  semi-practical access from the staging deck. The roughly 200 m3 cargo space was in frequent use in 
  colony support and maintenance missions, which were part of the postwar corvette mission profile. 
  It later provided enough space for the retrofitting of a two-pad transporter system to some vessels. 
   
  A ventral planetfall ramp catered for ground egress, although with the single bow and twin aft 
  landing struts deployed, the ramp had to reach down some 10 meters for level ground! Each of the 
  aft landing legs was accompanied by a vertically mounted reaction engine beneath the center of 
  gravity. Since the corvette easily outweighed most 20th century oceangoing warships, the helmsman 
  had to carefully consider whether the landing surface was solid enough for turning off the gravitics; 
  typically, the vessel would have to stay powered up throughout a surface visit. 
   
  No auxiliary craft were carried, since none were needed. In police or customs operations, the ship 
  intercepted suspect vessels and demanded direct docking access. Refusing was not wise – during 
  and after docking, both the side laser cannon were constantly pointed at the suspect at point-blank 
  range. Indeed, if no hull opening was offered for use, the lasers could be used to swiftly create one. 
  EV boarding assault was naturally also a possibility. Hand lasers were the norm in boarding 
  operations, although projectile weapons were also carried for surface use. 
   
  The atmospheric capabilities of the corvette made her an excellent tool for special military duties. 
  Twenty Hunter ships were deployed on Marine missions, serving as heavy auxiliaries and ‘assault 
  craft leaders’ in support of lesser-capacity landing craft. In a ground assault mission, a team of six 
  Marines in powered armor, or sixteen in standard combat gear, could be rapidly deployed from the 
  cargo hold via the bottom ramp, or an underslung ground combat vehicle could be carried. Also, 
  strafing runs could be performed using rockets. As the introduction of next-generation transporters 
  and high-precision phaser armament to light starships made these mission types obsolete, however, 
  Starfleet in 2239 withdrew the Marine ships and placed them on regular insystem patrol duty. 
   
  Ten other corvettes were employed by Starfleet Intelligence, presumably for operative insertion 
  missions. Their exact configuration remains classified. Reputedly at least two were equipped with 
  some kind of auxiliary craft, probably unmanned drones but possibly also manned reconnaissance 
  or ‘special tasks’ craft. Rumors also abound of the existence and use of onboard warp transporters 
  well prior to the official date of man-rating the teleporting technology. Boarding of ships at warp 
  (or through other types of low-intensity duonetic fields) would certainly have been of interest for 
  the intelligence community, and presented a nasty surprise for most adversaries. Also, the 
  theoretical independent interstellar capability of the design was undoubtedly turned into operational 
  practice in SFI service, since the Marine practice of deploying their assault craft and assault craft 
  leaders from aboard large transports less than 100 AU from their target would not have provided the 
  necessary degree of stealth for special operations. 
   
  Thirty vessels of a stretched configuration, featuring a four-meter hull plug forward of the airlocks 
  and a three-meter plug for the powerplant section, were created for extended military patrol. These 
  ships enjoyed greater endurance due to larger propellant and fuel tanks, improved life support and 
  more comfortable crew facilities. Carrying the subclass name Bloodhound, they served in border 
  starbases, patrolling nearby space up to the 500 AU defense perimeter and providing defensive as 
  well as light offensive firepower. On such a patrol mission out of the Rigel II Fleet outpost, USS 
  Nestor happened to witness a rendezvous between a Rigelian transport convoy and a Klingon 
  destroyer in 2221, revealing the trade relations between the governments. 
  
   
  39
   
  Most ships of the class received an update in 2234, in which 2.8 GW lasers replaced the ventrally 
  firing 1.6 GW units. Engines were also uprated and shielding improved. Rocket cassettes were 
  eliminated as obsolete in all but Marine vessels. Some extended vessels also accommodated four-
  person transporters by sacrificing cargo space, while most original Hunters made do with a twin-
  pad unit. This made the ships highly effective patrol vessels: they obtained a reputation of 
  reliability, durability and flexibility in Defense Command. Thirty-five Hunters were delivered to 
  civilian operators, including Federation Customs Service and Tellar Police Forces. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  A family portrait. From left to right: patrol corvette USS Nestor of Bloodhound class (NCC-L211), corvette USS Franklin 
  of Hunter class (NCC-L184), and the medium sublight transport Scrooge of Goose class, modified for such use by 
  removing the weapons and warp engine of a Bloodhound (NAR-10492). Inexpensive even if nonoptimal conversion of 
  corvettes for civilian use is a tradition upheld in Starfleet, even now that surplus weapon sales are frowned upon. 
   
  The last ships of the Hunter class were retired in 2243, and modern patrol vessels with higher warp 
  performance replaced them in law enforcement missions. Many of the low-fatigue units served later 
  as civilian luxury yachts or light cargo vessels, usually having their warp engines and all weaponry 
  removed. 
  Guardian / Majestic 
  Heavy escort 
  2229-2258 (Guardian) 
  2243-2263 (Majestic) 
   
  Completed: 
  106 total: 
   
   
  62 Guardian 
   
  44 Majestic 
   
  Length: 
  149.0 m 
   
  Beam: 
  76.2 m 
   
  Height: 
  38.0 m 
   
  Mass: 
  190,000 tons 
   
   
  Officers: 
  10  
   
  Crew: 
  48  
   
  Cruise speed: 
  w 4 
   
  Max. speed: 
  w 4.7 
   
  Endurance: 
  8 months  
   
   
  Weapons: 
  Guardian: 
  4 laser emitters (130 nm / 1.6 GW) in 2 twin banks on dorsal primary hull fwd port/stbd quarters 
  4 laser emitters (130 nm / 1.6 GW) in 2 twin banks on dorsal primary hull fwd port/stbd quarters 
  
   
  40
   
  Majestic: 
  4 phaser IV emitters in 2 twin banks on dorsal primary hull fwd port/stbd quarters 
   
  4 phaser IV emitters in 2 twin banks on ventral primary hull fwd port/stbd quarters 
   
  Shields: 
  1-layer conformal forcefield 
   
  Navigational deflector on bow 
   
  Transporters: 
  None 
   
  Auxiliaries: 
  2 light shuttles 
   
  Ships of historical interest: 
   
  USS Guardian (NCC-E300), USS Majestic (NCC-E400) 
   
  SOURCES: 
  (D SOTL2006/Aristomenis Tsirbas, STO) 
   
  (N LUG) 
   
  (H LUG) 
   
    
  As soon as supercruise capability was introduced to the elite units of the logistics fleet, the need 
  arose to defend these units on their way to fleet support assignments. Detaching to escort duty the 
  very starships the tenders and transports were supposed to assist would have been 
  counterproductive indeed. Operating the support units only within the context of an entire fleet in 
  motion would not be practical, either; strategic mobility definitely called for the option of shipping 
  supplies back and forth between bases and detachments, even when the latter were operating at 
  regions of high risk. 
   
  The first experiments with supercruising convoy involved Kovaris destroyers propelled by the 
  capable PB-25 engines. When these turned out to be in too short a supply, designing of dedicated 
  escorts based on the PB-23 of the logistics force began in earnest. Results could be presented by 
  2229, just in time to match the escalation of threat from Klingon long range raiders. The ransacking 
  of the unescorted Flying Fortress was elemental in prompting Starfleet to proceed with making use 
  of said results, despite the fact that the supercruising escort Guardian (NCC-E300) was not quite 
  meeting the specifications. 
   
  There was nothing wrong with the drive system or its ability to sustain supercruise. A pair of PB-23 
  engines, bolted to a cigar hull a hundred meters long, was producing the required warp field under 
  power from a reactor identical to the system concurrently installed on Independence fast transports. 
  The single Scarbak KKR impulse engine below aft hull was also performing admirably, despite 
  some reliability problems. The shortcomings resulted from the combination of these systems into a 
  fighting unit, intended to provide armed escort in deep space for up to a year – affordably enough 
  
   
  41
  that a hundred convoys per year could be shepherded to destinations of high risk. The performance 
  was there all right, but came at an unacceptable unit cost and consumed onboard resources so 
  hungrily that maximum mission duration had to be set at eight months. 
   
  The Guardian was not the solution to Starfleet’s escort woes yet, then. Yet it was a valiant start. 
  The saucerlike extension of the main hull to port and starboard presaged future combatant designs, 
  and housed a formidable weapon system of eight 1.6 GW lasers, later hidden under smooth 
  gunports. Cowled at the saucer/cigar joint were various sensors and scanners enabling independent 
  operations. A large sensor and deflector dish at the very bow facilitated warp four navigation, and 
  combat shields were at what might be described as high corvette level. Sized nearly like destroyers 
  but stocked with fewer weapon systems, more modest shield generators and no transporters, the 
  escorts offered almost comfortable accommodation for the 58 crew. There was also a shuttlebay and 
  hangar for two light liaison craft, providing welcome interfacing with the other ships in the convoy. 
   
  The bright glare of α Leonis shows the sleek lines of USS Majestic in the best possible light. Wearing modern pennant 
  colors, the escort belies her design age and the antiquity of her engines. Further nuances separating her from the original 
  Guardian design include a reprofiled bridge, a smaller diameter bow sensor/deflector dish, and field guide trunks for 
  upgraded SIFs running along the top and bottom surfaces of the centerline hull. 
   
  Sixty-two of the bold combatants were produced in a great rush before Starfleet made up its mind 
  about the deep space escorts it really needed. The Guardian was a tad too large and expensive for 
  her role – yet frustratingly too light to accommodate the superior PB-35 engine when it became 
  available. An all-new escort with an even bigger saucer hull had to be devised to make use of the 
  engine. The single-nacelled Remora class greatly outperformed both the Guardian and its upgunned 
  Majestic variant in almost every respect. Only a minor advantage in endurance kept a few of these 
  vessels operational past the 2250s, at which point the Hellespont three-engine escort completed the 
  generation change and consigned the two-nacellers to an early retirement. In practice, this meant 
  disarming and export to friendly powers, all of which were now cleared for the early generation of 
  supercruise propulsion. 
   
  There exists a surprising afterword to the story of the Guardians, however. The overall design was 
  eagerly adopted by several of the cultures that had bought the surplus hulls. Production of 
  comparable designs ensued at Andess and Lactra in the seventies, and when the Bilanans joined the 
  Federation in the early 24th century, they soon had a modernized variant in production. This type 
  originally remained in local use only. However, the Dominion War saw its adoption, with minor 
  modifications, as the Dervish class patrol escort. This vessel, described in a later entry, has been 
  
   
  42
  found thoroughly satisfactory and is projected to spawn a range of related, more advanced patrol 
  combatant designs. 
  Thunderbolt / Mandalay 
  Corvette / courier 
  2234-2269 
   
  Completed: 
  195 total: 
   
   
  52 Thunderbolt corvettes 
   
  101 Battleaxe corvettes 
   
  42 Mandalay couriers 
   
  Length: 
  88.0 m 
   
  Beam: 
  51.2 m 
   
  Height: 
  18.0 m 
   
  Mass: 
  44,800 tons (Thunderbolt) 
   
  46,900 tons (Battleaxe) 
  41,000 tons (Mandalay) 
   
  Officers: 
  4  
   
  Crew: 
  38 (Thunderbolt, Battleaxe) 
   
  22 (Mandalay) 
   
  Max. speed: 
  w 4.0 (fusion-powered Thunderbolt, Mandalay) 
   
  w 4.5 (antimatter-powered Battleaxe) 
   
  Endurance: 
  2 months (Thunderbolt) 
   
  3 months (Battleaxe) 
   
  5 months (Mandalay) 
   
  Weapons: 
  1 laser emitter (130 nm / 3.8 GW) atop fwd hull 
   
  2 rocket turrets below fwd hull 
   
  1 phaser V emitter refitted in 2256 in place of laser (phaser IV or twin 4 GW laser in export versions) 
   
  2 phaser IV emitters refitted in 2256 in place of rockets (in Starfleet and some export versions) 
   
  Mandalay unarmed 
   
  Shields: 
  1-layer conformal combat shields 
   
  Navigational deflector on upper bow 
   
  Transporters: 
  None (many later refitted with various shuttlecraft transporters) 
   
  Ships of historical interest: 
   
  USS Bronson (NCC-L421), USS Callaghan (NCC-L357), USS Mandalay (NCC-D300) 
   
  SOURCES: 
  (D Starfleet Battles) 
   
  (N Starfleet Battles, LUG) 
   
  (H LUG, own) 
   
  Attach two warp nacelles to an overturned spoon and let go, and you have launched a Thunderbolt 
  class patrol vessel – or so it seems. In reality, a corvette is always a tightly packed maze of 
  technology, a work of engineering art. In the case of the Thunderbolt class, such extreme 
  compactness was reached that the cramped berthing facilities became the primary endurance-
  limiting factor. This mattered little, as Starfleet’s aim in creating the class was extremely rapid 
  reaction capability for short range interception and traffic monitoring duties. A top speed of warp 
  four or better, combined with a transatmospheric hull, would redefine the corvette mission class 
  rather completely. 
   
  
   
  43
   
  A rough and ready design sketch for the Thunderbolt shows the major elements while revealing no compromising detail 
  on weapons placement. The eventual Mandalay variant ended up looking much like the sketch. 
   
  The Thunderbolt was originally designed in 2234 around two 20,000 ton PB-22 warp coils and a 
  fusion reactor by a civilian design team, but in 2239, Starfleet engineers managed to fit a dilithium-
  regulated matter/antimatter reactor to the ship instead. The modernized version, which also later 
  accommodated phaser weaponry, was named Battleaxe class, and was to be the mainstay of corvette 
  forces during the forties and fifties. A parallel batch of courier vessels was initiated in the likeness 
  of an unarmed Thunderbolt but upgraded entirely to unarmed Battleaxe standards within five years 
  of project start. In all the versions, the reactor sat between the nacelles and fed drive plasma through 
  two broad and straight winglike pylons that also housed radiators and landing legs. Behind the 
  reactor was an impulse engine feeding directly from the main power source; there was no auxiliary 
  power unit, save for a series of batteries in the space between the reactor and the spoonlike forward 
  hull. Also in this space were two lifting engines for planetary landings (also ingeniously used for 
  maneuvering by experienced captains), the tractor beam necessary for capturing uncooperative 
  vessels, and the shield and artificial gravity generators, plus four propellant/fuel cells. 
   
  Atop the ‘spoon hull’ sat a 3.8 GW accelerated laser (later phaser V) turret, actually grossly 
  oversized for the vessel. Ahead of this, the bridge of the ship had a set of windows opening directly 
  forward into space. Below this compact five-person bridge lay a broad second deck with 
  accommodation for the 42 crew, consisting of four cabins of five plus an officers’ cabin and a 
  general mess (although the latter designation was often rightfully applied on the entire interior by 
  the disgruntled crews). A small sensor and deflector array took up space at the bow, and a service 
  corridor and a monitoring room aft provided limited access to the reactor and propulsion systems. 
  The outer rims of the deck did not attain full height due to the hull shape, and held tanks for liquid 
  consumables, as well as proximity sensors and communications gear. 
   
  The third deck was narrower than the middle one; a central corridor was flanked by holding cells, 
  storage holds and a cramped staging and briefing room. These competed for space with the main 
  airlock that had a ventral docking adapter and smaller surface ingress/egress hatches opening aft 
  port and aft starboard. Outside the pressurized area lay the bay for the forward landing leg, some 
  space- and surface-scanning sensors, and two rocket-launching swiveling turrets. The turrets were 
  of little use against shielded ships and intended mainly against ‘soft’ surface targets, such as 
  recently deployed and vulnerable planetary assault troops. In later versions, these cumbersome 
  ground-strafing weapons were replaced by two phaser IV emitters, but the rapid response anti-
  assault mission of the corvettes was retained. In theory, even the unarmed Mandalay couriers could 
  be fitted with the rocket turrets or their later phaser replacements and perform in this role, after a 
  
   
  44
  few days of modification; there was no structural or systemic provision for installing the main laser 
  or phaser, however. 
   
  As with most vessels of this size, the navigational deflector was of extremely limited power: to 
  avoid micrometeoroid damage, the ship always flew with combat shields up. Originally, this was a 
  minor inconvenience, since there were no transporters aboard anyway. Boarding of ships suspected 
  of illegal activities was still done the way the Pointer and Hunter crews had done it – by actually 
  latching onto the target vessel and demanding access by transfer tube or spacewalk. Weep the 
  opponent who refuses, as the corvette captain turns on his lift engines and burns through the 
  offender’s hull... For less destructive hull breaching, the crew could use a wide variety of power 
  tools adjacent to the ventral hatch. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Traffic control on Earth orbit. USS Lancer sports a Federation Customs Service registry, but also doubles as a planetary 
  defense vessel for Starfleet Earth. Highly populated and frequently visited worlds like Earth or Andor usually maintained a 
  dozen corvettes for combined law enforcement and defense duties, while important colonies often supported a defense-
  dedicated corvette operated by the local Starfleet liaison team.  
   
  About 150 Thunderbolts of various standards were produced for patrol and police duties, 40 going 
  to Federation Customs Service and 50 to Starfleet local starbase patrols. Several customers later 
  upgraded the ships with modern small craft equipment including transporters and navigation 
  systems, plus new software, but engine or weapon upgrades proved too costly for most users. 
  Starfleet has since given up the use of this class, donating all ships to other UFP users (the export-
  cleared, slightly downgraded version with a phaser IV or twin 4 GW laser turret was generally 
  known as the Vazzar class, although many customers insisted on locally applied names). Some 
  Battleaxes served in Customs duty until the 2310s essentially in their original configuration, as the 
  onset of replicator technology made the supply of even antiquated spare parts virtually limitless and 
  free of expenses. 
   
  The Thunderbolts and Battleaxes were not ideally suited for local defense missions, despite their 
  heavy laser/phaser armament and rapid reaction capability. Shields were of low power and combat 
  endurance poor due to nonexistent repair facilities and system redundancies. Nor was the rapid 
  reaction configuration compatible with patrol missions of practical length, as the limits of crew 
  endurance, both physiological and psychological, would be reached in a matter of weeks. Starfleet 
  therefore decided to move toward even heavier corvette designs, which soon began to approach 
  frigate size and complexity. The heavy corvette classes were often short-lived and production runs 
  short, reflecting the difficulty of maintaining pace with weapon technology advances – corvette-
  sized vessels are in general too small to be able to receive significant upgrades. 
   
  The stories of Thunderbolt exploits are too many to be recalled or even believed. Two examples 
  might be included: USS Callaghan’s exposure, boarding and impounding of an Orion slave cruiser 
  
   
  45
  near Cygnet XII and USS Bronson’s valiant three-month pursuit of a sensor ghost created by escape 
  artist and con man Harcourt F. Mudd. 
  Sawyer 
  Light scout 
  2238-2255 
   
  Completed: 
  30 
   
  Length: 
  79.0 m 
   
  Beam: 
  34.8 m 
   
  Height: 
  27.3 m 
   
  Mass: 
  181,000 tons (NCC-I810) 
  184,500 tons (production vessels) 
   
  Officers: 
  6 
   
  Crew: 
  24 
   
  Max. speed: 
  w 6.0 
   
  Endurance: 
  2 years 
   
  Weapons: 
  2 laser emitters (200 nm / 200 MW) on single banks, above and below primary hull (production versions only) 
   
  Shields: 
  1-layer conformal forcefield 
   
  Navigational deflectors on fwd hull 
   
  Laboratories: 
  1 GP 
   
  Transporters: 
  1 GP (3-pad); Mk I (NCC-I810) 
  1 GP (2-pad); Mk II (production vessels) 
    
  Auxiliaries: 
  None  
   
  Ships of historical interest: 
   
  USS Gulliver (NCC-I824), USS Sindbad (NCC-I823), USS Ulysses (NCC-I814) 
   
  SOURCES: 
  (D SFC) 
   
  (N SFC) 
   
  (H SFC, own) 
   
  After the experimentation on dilithium foci aboard the Bonaventure was finished, Starfleet finally 
  unleashed its designing and engineering teams on the production of a new wave of spaceships – or, 
  as the new name went, starships. The first series-produced m/am reactors with natural dilithium 
  reaction control were harnessed to power warp drives in 2238, aboard light scoutships of Sawyer 
  class.  
  
   
  46
   
  USS Sawyer, NCC-810 (later NCC-I810), looked perhaps not so much like a starship as a stardrive 
  let loose without a proper hull to accompany it. The two nearly 80 m long, 80,000 ton PB-36XD 
  dilithium-compatible nacelles together far outbulked the rest of the ship, a narrow central body 
  placed between the engines and joined to them with twin short pylons aft. The low-mounted 
  forward pylons featured plasma feed lines from the revolutionary matter-antimatter reactor to the 
  warp coils. The jettisonable reactor itself sat a couple of meters abaft of the pylons; sternmost, large 
  dorsal loading hatches for fuel pods were flanked by the complex aft supports, which 
  accommodated the impulse propulsion system. Major RCS functions were housed in the aft ends of 
  the nacelles, along with a multiply redundant plasma purge system. 
   
  Forward of the reactor rode the payload of the vessel: a flight deck and habitat section for the 30 
  crew, and a bow compartment dedicated to advanced sensor gear. Some weaponry was later added 
  to the design, in the form of 20 MW lasers above and below the central hull. At this early stage, 
  there was no attempt to harness the power of the m/am reaction to energize the weapon systems, 
  and high power lasers would have been too heavy a burden to the secondary power systems. 
  Shielding of the ship was equally modest. Powerful shields would also have interfered with the 
  sensor suite of the ship, which was not intended to be flown into battle anyway, and was eminently 
  qualified to fly out of one if needed. 
   
  Initial propulsion tests were performed unmanned, and the prototype ship reached a staggering 
  speed of warp 6.4 before the emergency limiters cut in. After a very brief manned test period, the 
  ship was pressed into service and fourteen more ordered for the immediate scouting needs of the 
  Federation. A year later, a further order for fifteen was made; while this did not yet fill the fast 
  scout gap for good, at least it vastly improved the situation as regarded military data gathering. 
  Even more importantly, adaptations of the high performance power system were fielded aboard 
  other vessels, first on the Baton Rouges and later on other modern cruiser, frigate, destroyer and 
  science vessel types. There was little hope of maintaining secrecy around the innovation, and in 
  2243 it was revealed that Klingons, too, possessed the new power source. Starfleet still believed it 
  had a slight technological lead, especially in translating the raw power of antimatter-excited plasma 
  into useful weapons output – a technology that never saw applications aboard the Sawyer class. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Days of testing far behind, a weathered Sawyer warps into the Merak system on a courier errand. Slowish by the 
  standards of the 2250s, the vessels faced stiff competition from dedicated Centaurus couriers, and had very few chances to 
  demonstrate their military reconnaissance skills.  
   
  The high performance scouts proved very useful in both reconnaissance and courier duties, taking 
  over from the high-strung and high-fatigued Frobishers. However, the inherent inflexibility of the 
  specialized design meant that very narrow mission profiles were available. In 2246, during the 
  Secession crisis, USS Gulliver (NCC-I824) was sent to assess the political situation in the Axanar 
  system and became the first ship to succumb to the Klingon forces there. In 2250, USS Sindbad 
  
   
  47
  (NCC-I823) got the distinct honor of carrying President Varis to Axanar for the signing of the 
  Rehabilitation Treaty, while in 2254, USS Ulysses (NCC-I814) proved that the Klingon threat had 
  not receded by stumbling to an extensive attempt to influence Prime Directive-protected planets 
  inside Federation territory. 
   
  By that time, however, the Sawyers were already so outdated that Starfleet did not even see it fit to 
  equip them with communication gear compatible with modern subspace transceivers. Duotronics 
  were out of the question, as were phasers – in fact, nothing could be refitted into the cramped 
  vessels without ripping out their entire infrastructure. Instead of attempting extensive modifications, 
  Starfleet promptly decommissioned and scrapped all the remaining scouts within fiscal year 2255. 
  Instead of procuring a direct successor, it relegated the duties of the Sawyers to the new and capable 
  category of larger vessels, of the Procyon/Centaurus type. 
  Procyon 
  Corvette 
  2244-2283 
   
  Completed: 
  40 
   
  Length: 
  145.0 m 
   
  Beam: 
  69.7 m 
   
  Height: 
  20.8 m 
   
  Mass: 
  200,300 tons 
   
  Officers: 
  10 
   
  Crew: 
  68 (later 76, including 18 Marine boarding crew) 
   
  Max. speed: 
  w 6.0 
   
  Endurance: 
  1 year 
   
  Weapons: 
  2 phaser V emitters on dorsal primary hull, port/stbd of the bridge 
   
  1 phaser V emitter on ventral primary hull, fwd of lower sensor dome 
   
  1 mine tube w/250-1100 gravitic mines in optional ventral dispenser 
   
  Shields: 
  1-layer globular forcefield 
   
  Navigational deflector on pod below secondary hull bow 
   
  Transporters: 
  1 GP (2-pad); Mk II  
   
  Ships of historical interest: 
   
  USS Antares (NCC-L717), USS Lyra (NCC-L723) 
   
  SOURCES: 
  (D Concordance / Brian Pimenta, Kris Trigwell) 
   
  (N own) 
   
  (H own) 
  
   
  48
   
   
  The introduction of antimatter-powered Battleaxe corvettes in the early forties provided Starfleet 
  with an excellent rapid response insystem police vessel. However, this was hardly what Starfleet 
  needed at the time. With local defenses at risk of falling apart for lack of fast enough starship 
  support, and several planets expressing separatist interests, police action was of low priority. While 
  the numerous Battleaxes could theoretically boost local defenses with their anti-assault capability, 
  Starfleet hoped to extend these defenses beyond the 100 AU range normally limiting corvette 
  operations, missile defenses and realtime scanning systems. A mere warp 4 police cutter could not 
  hope to patrol the 5000 AU -radius sphere specified in Staff Requirement 452/2242/5B – it would 
  take almost three days to circumnavigate the patrol area in one plane at such speeds. What was 
  needed was a craft capable of a top speed of warp six within the duonetopause of a star system, 
  reducing the patrol circuit to twenty hours and enabling a single vessel to intercept, identify and 
  hopefully deter intruders in time. 
   
  Naturally, a vessel far larger than the underperforming Battleaxes (or the fast yet overly 
  experimental Sawyers) was required. Landing capability was abandoned early on; so were the now 
  obsolete sublight rocket weapons. Instead, emphasis was placed on adequate shielding, sufficient 
  sensor and targeting capabilities, and a decisive system defense armament of heavy Type V phasers 
  and gravitic mines. Three phaser emitters and at least 250 mines were to be carried. An antimatter 
  powerplant was required for the desired performance, and a matching set of warp engines had to be 
  created specifically for the type. 
   
  The daunting task of designing the extended-range corvette was given to a specially appointed 
  Starfleet team of engineers. In later years, many of them would go on to serve in the Advanced 
  Starship Design Bureau, Starfleet’s own ‘dream factory’ whose first major product would be the 
  Excelsior transwarp testbed. For now, the engineers had to cope with a shortage of time, but did 
  have plenty of other resources.  
   
  Three major components were designed side by side: the compact 80,000 ton PB-34 warp engines 
  with 75 m nacelles; the RMR-282 antimatter powerplant (later to be replaced by the more reliable 
  KR05-P); and the 60 m dia. primary hull, fully capable of jettison and planetfall. By 2243, test 
  articles of all the components existed, and the problem now became one of systems integration. 
  Physically, this required the designing of a secondary hull and nacelle mounts. A streamlined four-
  
   
  49
  deck structure superficially similar to Constitution secondary hulls was chosen, with the saucer 
  mounted directly onto the upper bow so that the uppermost two decks of the engineering section 
  met with the lowest two of the saucer. Then, a constant-profile, half-cylindrar top deck was applied 
  over the length of the vessel to house a variety of mission and support systems. Finally, a Class 4 
  bridge module was installed atop the forward part of this top deck. 
   
  The first loss: on SD (11)4526.2, USS Antares (NCC-L717) disabled herself through self-mining, sending the badly hurt 
  spaceframe to mothballs for the following three decades. Although due to crew error rather than faulty design of either the 
  weapon or its delivery platform, the incident discouraged future operational use of mines aboard the corvettes and 
  emphasized their phaser armament instead. 
   
  By March 2244, the first corvette was ready for launching as the UFP Starfleet Starship Procyon, 
  NX-L700; it would not be until the time came to field a successor that a prefix-free registry would 
  be allocated to a corvette, one befitting the size and complexity of this new breed of warship. Below 
  the four-person bridge, the forwardmost top deck compartment housed targeting and fire control 
  sensors and scanners; the top deck then tapered slightly into a utility compartment with resupply 
  and docking fixtures, followed by a breach line between the primary and secondary hulls. Aft of the 
  breach line began the long upper engineering section, housing diverse support systems within, a 
  protruding dorsal antimatter fill port forward, and two cowlings for the main battery banks aft. 
   
  On the upper saucer level, Deck 3 featured officer accommodation and communications facilities; 
  the engineering hull on this deck in turn held the secondary plasma distribution systems forward 
  and the shuttlebay upper level aft. No shuttles were permanently carried, nor was there a service 
  hangar, and typically the bay was reserved for carrying of additional mine or relay buoy racks. The 
  warp engine pylons branched out laterally at this level. They incorporated plasma expanders and 
  radiator surfaces, and also served as attachment points for underpylon impulse nozzles. Primary 
  plasma was led to the propulsion systems from the bottom of the secondary hull via conduits faired 
  to follow the hull exterior. 
   
  Deck four in the saucer housed starship-standard crew accommodation without a need for hot-
  bunking; a comfortable galley; a well-equipped sickbay; and assorted utilities. Thus furnished, the 
  ships could perform patrol sorties as long as the nominal refueling interval of one year, without 
  endangering the welfare or combat readiness of the crew. The secondary hull part of the deck held 
  the top segments of the m/am reactor, and the lower level and space doors of the shuttlebay. Deck 
  five was the bottom level of the main reactor systems. The navigational deflector machinery was 
  out of necessity significantly larger and more powerful than in preceding corvette designs, and was 
  housed in a separate pod attached to the bow of Deck 5. Also podded was the revolving minelaying 
  system, inset into a berth forward of the reactor. Alternately, an additional fuel tank or a cargo pod 
  
   
  50
  could be carried. Finally, the only partially personnel-accessible Deck 6 housed engineering 
  utilities, radiators and matter tankage ports. 
   
  In brief but demanding test runs, the original ventral radiator was found insufficient and replaced by 
  a far bulkier assembly girdling half the hull. Corresponding changes were made to the two dozen 
  other corvette hulls already under construction. The overall success of the design, verified by the 
  tests, also meant that two hulls were immediately set aside for conversion to courier and scoutship 
  variants. Operational deployments began in August 2244, when USS Shaula (NCC-L702) took over 
  system patrol of Regulus from three Thunderbolt class corvettes. She was soon joined by USS Vela 
  (NCC-L705), at which point the two elderly Marklin destroyers deployed in the system moved out 
  into deep space. The goals of the corvette program were being met. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  USS Sheliak (NCC-L703) chases an Orion Wanderer, a ship greatly influenced by the Procyon design. The Wanderers 
  were developed in the mid-2240s largely through industrial espionage, and provided the Orions with their first truly 
  modern and competitive ship design in several centuries. The innovations that had allowed the corvettes to reach warp six 
  were applied in double the scale and power, enabling for example this Orion vessel to ultimately shake off pursuit. Other 
  cultures have tried to copy the excellent Federation design as well, but few have had the resources of the Orion cartels for 
  doing so. The Klingon approach usually is limited to crippling and capturing a ship or two, then reverse-engineering some 
  components and adapting them to use aboard Klingon-designed ships; the Romulans in turn seldom find Federation 
  technology worthy of copying. 
   
  A total production run of 40 Procyon class corvettes was completed between 2244 and 2249. In 
  theory, greater production volumes or faster timetables could have been achieved, but the 
  production lines were also utilized for the construction of the promising courier and scout variants 
  of the basic design. Thanks to the lull of Axanar, the corvettes did not see much combat initially. 
  Instead, their high warp speed allowed the extension of operations to true interstellar space along 
  the old Deneva run. While the success of anti-piracy operations in the late 23rd century is generally 
  attributed to the fielding of high numbers of frigates, it must be argued that the Procyon class also 
  played a role in securing most of the spacelane from Earth to Rigel, thereby depriving Orion forces 
  of their most bountiful hunting grounds this side of the Borderlands. The heavy phaser armament of 
  the corvettes proved more than sufficient in deterring or destroying typical pirate vessels. Towards 
  the end of their service, virtually none of the Procyon ships were carrying their intended primary 
  arsenal of gravitic mines. Yet they no longer wore the belittling L prefix, either, having finally been 
  accepted as full members of the starship community. 
   
  In the mid-2270s, operational strategies once again changed to favor heavier and faster local 
  defense vessels, and corvettes faced a reassignment back to law enforcement duties. However, the 
  success of the Procyon class was a major factor in encouraging Starfleet to experiment further with 
  the heavy corvette concept. The relatively high operating costs of the Procyon corvettes were 
  somewhat unexpectedly being countered by the high efficiency of the vessels in traffic protection 
  duty – indeed, there was a clear monetary net gain for the Federation from the pacifying of the 
  spacelanes. Ultimately, the path of heavy corvette development would again lead towards a more 
  openly military operational role, and vessels would close the ‘lineage gap’, with the Okinawa class 
  
   
  51
  representing Procyon growth to frigate dimensions and the Daring experimenting with 
  miniaturization of the Surya to corvette size. 
   
  When the Darings were fielded in mid-2270s, the Procyon class vessels gradually bowed out. Yet 
  their heritage was being continued, not just on the conceptual level, but also in the form of the 
  directly derived Antares multi-mission corvette series. Constant refinements on propulsion, 
  armament and eventually also spaceframe would carry the Procyon line to the latter half of the 24th 
  century, albeit in a greatly changed form, as described in the Antares and Merced entries. 
  Centaurus 
  Courier / scout 
  2244-2288 
   
  Completed: 
  40  
   
   
  Length: 
  145.0 m 
    
  Beam: 
  69.7 m 
   
  Height: 
  20.8 m 
   
  Mass: 
  200,100 tons (courier) 
   
  199,500 tons (scout, estimated) 
   
  Officers: 
  3 
   
  Crew: 
  26 
   
  Max. speed: 
  w 6.9 
   
  Endurance: 
  3 months 
   
  Weapons: 
  1 phaser V emitter on ventral primary hull, fwd of sensors (optional) 
   
  Shields: 
  1-layer globular forcefield 
   
  Navigational deflector on pod below secondary hull bow 
   
  Transporters: 
  1 GP (2-pad); Mk II  
   
  Ships of historical interest: 
   
  USS Typhon (NCC-D867), USS Kismet (NCC-D861), USS Sphinx (NCC-D853) 
   
  SOURCES: 
  (D Concordance / Brian Pimenta) 
   
  (N SD Perry “S31: Cloak”, LUG) 
   
  (H own, SD Perry “S31: Cloak”, LUG) 
   
  Project Procyon, Starfleet’s effort to create a corvette capable of patrolling entire star systems, 
  spawned in 2244 a breakthrough in small vessel warp propulsion. The PB-34 nacelles and the 
  compact KR-05P antimatter powerplant were immediately earmarked for use in two other projects 
  topical at the time: a high-warp courier for both diplomatic and military use, and a small scout or 
  advance surveyor. Yet the development of new small starship classes was in the event deemed 
  unnecessary. Highly positive early experiences from operating standard Procyons in these roles 
  prompted a swift downselect to a type minimally modified from the corvette design. A smooth 
  introduction of the mission-dedicated types in parallel construction ensured that by 2251, Starfleet 
  possessed forty thoroughly modern multi-purpose couriers and scouts, formally grouped under the 
  class name Centaurus despite the theoretical interchangeability of the three designs. 
   
  Naturally, in a spaceframe this cramped, configuring for one mission necessarily meant removing of 
  all gear intended for other roles. Externally observable, but requiring a trained eye, were the 
  omissions of the dorsal phasers and the revolving mine dispenser. Internally, the saucer was gutted 
  
   
  52
  of fire control and combat support hardware to provide improved accommodation. Endurance was 
  boosted with the dedication of the faired-over mine dispenser berth to fuel storage, and the 
  transporter room and surrounding facilities were modified. 
   
  In the courier role, accommodation and amenities for four VIP parties were provided, although the 
  luxury facilities could be rapidly dismantled and stowed away to allow the ship to transport a 
  maximum of 80 passengers or up to 3,000 tons of priority cargo. In scouting duty, all internal gear 
  in the compartments was simply omitted to save weight. Actual scouting sensor payloads still 
  remain largely classified. 
   
  Although the ventral phaser assembly was still carried, it was typical to shut down the phaser power 
  feeds in flight, so that all power could be directed to warp propulsion. Different power allocation 
  protocols were in the end the primary reason for the high top speed of the courier and scout versions 
  in comparison with the corvettes. A Centaurus class courier could achieve warp 6.9 safely enough 
  and sustain warp 6 for the duration of an interstellar journey. Dash speeds of warp 7.3 were 
  reputedly reached during scouting missions. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Courier or scout? USS Minotaur (NCC-D842) probably wears at least two hats on this diplomatic mission to the Catullan 
  system in 2267. Externally distinguishable from the simplest courier configuration are the two duonetically transparent 
  covers beneath the bridge, although admittedly many of the ships carried these sensor orifices without mounting any 
  associated instrumentation. Tellingly, the original registry prefix for the vessels had been the I of intelligence gatherers, 
  evident also from the sequentiality of the numbers with the preceding Sawyer class of scouts. 
   
  The Centaurus couriers were among the long-lived classes that saw their mission-coded registries 
  converted to regular NCC numbers, in this case simply by dropping the prefix letter. The last units 
  were retired in the late 2280s, after decades of constant and demanding service. Many had 
  succumbed to wear and tear along the way, but only two had met a violent end. USS Sphinx (NCC-
  D853) was sabotaged in 2265 by unidentified foreign operatives and burned out her powerplant at 
  extreme warp, at which point the crew was already dead due to life support shutdown. USS Typhon 
  (NCC-D867) in turn was in 2286 ransacked by pirates readily identifiable as Elasi, and just as 
  readily traceable to the Klingon intelligence payroll. As the result of the raid, data on Starfleet 
  defensive sensor networks in the Archanis sector was assumed compromised, and the whole 
  Firechain tripwire system had to be abandoned at the worst possible moment.  
   
  On the positive side, scouting missions brought in significant intelligence on Klingon spacelanes 
  and garrison chains, despite the limited range and speed of the small scouts. The original Centaurus 
  force met Fleet short range scouting needs through the Organian peace and well into the 2270s. A 
  refit in 2279 would give some of the vessels a significant engine upgrade, described in a later entry. 
  
   
  53
  Chasseur 
  Clipper 
  2245-2267 
   
  Completed: 
  7 
   
  Length: 
  110.0 m 
   
  Beam: 
  110.0 m 
   
  Height: 
  29.8 m  
   
  Mass: 
  190,700 tons 
   
  Officers: 
  6  
   
  Crew: 
  18  
   
  Max. speed: 
  w 6.5 
   
  Endurance: 
  2 months  
   
  Weapons: 
  2 phaser V emitters on pylon roots 
   
  Shields: 
  1-layer globular shield 
   
  Transporters: 
  1 GP (2-pad); Mk II 
   
  Ships of historical interest: 
   
  USS Chasseur (NCC-323) 
   
  SOURCES: 
  (D aridas sofia) 
   
  (N aridas sofia) 
   
  (H aridas sofia, own) 
   
   
  The multirole Ariadne class remained an excellent tool in filling the gaps in UFP perimeter defenses 
  even in the 23rd century. Yet the very gapfiller nature of the design read as a challenge for ship 
  designers, especially those believing in the Cochranean sequential-coil drive type. In the early years 
  of the 2240s, various compact solid state warp engines were developed and fielded for use with 
  natural dilithium powerplants, including the PB-34 which was compatible with smallish patrol 
  
   
  54
  vessels. When this engine was slotted for system patrol corvettes and optimized accordingly, 
  veteran third generation warp technology provider Yatanesi saw a market opening and instead 
  worked its comparable PA-450 to deep space specifications. 
   
  The portly engine came to feature capacious ramscoops, a bypass plasma venting system for rapid 
  recovery from high warp sorties, and plasma diffuser spikes for adequate stealth en route. Starfleet 
  adopted the design readily enough on first proposal, dubbing it the PB-38. Nylstroom Astris was 
  contracted to produce a fairly generic scoutship hull, an ovoid with an undercut and with a stern 
  section where any suitable antimatter powerplant could effortlessly be fitted. At 25 m maximum 
  width and 55 m length, the hull barely outbulked the twin nacelles, which were rigged on very long, 
  30 m pylons both for providing a wide, maneuverability-optimal warp field and for protecting the 
  crew from the field output.  
   
  Additional protection came from a Hobbs navigational deflector and long range sensor booster 
  dangling on a ventral pylon, and from an internal combat shield generator of TaT make. This left 
  minimal room for accommodation, as the forward end of the hull was dominated by a multilevel 
  command facility. The lowermost deck had a panoramic window arching around a half-circle of 
  control stations, with the commanding officer’s station and a situation table at the middle. Ship’s 
  ladder gave access to two upper levels where fire control and communication personnel worked 
  their gear beneath vast duonetically transparent panels. Closet-sized quarters for 24 crew were 
  arranged along the outer walls of the midhull, with some communal spaces and supply holds in the 
  center, but with support systems for the antimatter reactor taking up most of the centerline space. 
   
  As the name chosen for the pathfinding vessel suggested, the Chasseur would defend the perimeter 
  by virtue of being an advance skirmishing force – but unlike the later, larger perimeter ships, it 
  didn’t have the ability to loiter in wait yet. Mad dashes at warp six or better would bring the ship’s 
  two M-43 phaser emitters to bear on an intruder. The technique was rigorously tested for several 
  months in various dry runs and wargames, and found completely unrealistic: the craft lacked the 
  persistence, firepower and range necessary for frontier operations, as well as the growth potential to 
  rectify the shortcomings. 
   
  What the seven Chasseurs built for the testing did excel in was reliability. Within the decade, 
  Starfleet would be forced to create a border defense fleet, its back against an impassable wall. 
  Vessels built with better powerplants for the PB-38 would be the way to proceed, resulting in 
  defenders of superior endurance and weapons output but nevertheless affordable dimensions. These 
  perimeter ships would also pay heed to certain well-working ideas about the internal layout, and 
  would arrange their large combat control centers in similar horseshoe manner. 
   
  The seven pathfinders were not forgotten. Short on all other qualities, they capitalized on their dash 
  speed in scouting rather than skirmishing tasks. Minor but crucial sensor upgrades turned them into 
  useful perimeter assets for starbase commanders, in a fitting scale model of the defenses provided 
  by their larger siblings much farther away from home. The Chasseurs benefited from the engine 
  support infrastructure of the strategic PA fleet, and only stopped scouting when their hulls and 
  secondary systems wore down in the late 2260s. The even more compact Archer scoutships took 
  over their role smoothly enough. 
  Portsmith / Bedford 
  Escort 
  2246-2263 
   
  Completed: 
  155 total: 
  
   
  55
   
  92 Portsmith 
  63 Bedford 
   
  Length: 
  158.0 m (Portsmith) 
   
  142.6 m (Bedford) 
   
  Beam: 
  50.1 m (Portsmith) 
   
  48.7 m (Bedford) 
   
  Height: 
  58.4 m (Portsmith) 
   
  71.2 m (Portsmith command variant w/ antenna) 
   
  48.7 m (Bedford) 
   
  Mass: 
  130,000 tons (Portsmith) 
   
  131,600 tons (Portsmith command variant) 
   
  128,500 tons (Bedford) 
   
  Officers: 
  10 
   
  Crew: 
  84 (Portsmith) 
   
  73 (Bedford) 
   
  Max. speed: 
  w 5.0 
   
  Endurance: 
  1 year 
   
  Weapons: 
  Portsmith: 
  2 laser emitters (130 nm / 1.6 GW) on dorsal aft hull port/stbd  
   
  2 laser emitters (130 nm / 1.6 GW) on ventral aft hull port/stbd 
   
  Bedford: 
  1 laser emitter (130 nm / 1.6 GW) on command towerl  
  2 laser emitters (130 nm / 1.6 GW) on ventral aft hull port/stbd  
   
  Shields: 
  1-layer globular forcefield 
   
  Navigational deflectors on bow 
   
  Transporters: 
  1 GP (3-pad); Mk II 
   
  Ships of historical interest: 
   
  USS Bedford (NCC-E592), USS Portsmith (NCC-E500) 
   
  SOURCES: 
  (D SFC) 
   
  (N SFC) 
   
  (H SFC, own) 
   
  Not two weeks had passed since the Klingon intrusion at Axanar when Starfleet issued a set of 
  instructions and orders to all commercial traffic in the region. At first, all flight plans would be 
  subjected to Starfleet review; within sixty days, convoy was to be established, with escort provided 
  under Starfleet control. Actual combat units would not be available in sufficient numbers for such a 
  massive undertaking, as Axanar offered Klingon raiders access to some of the highest-volume 
  spacelanes in the entire Federation. Instead, Starfleet would perform ‘handover escort’ in the style 
  of the old Romulan conflict, and would only provide select convoys with duly armed protection. 
  Others would have to fend for themselves – but Starfleet also intended to provide them with the 
  means to do so. 
   
  Among the directives of the Convoy Act was a requisition order for two hundred medium freighters 
  for immediate conversion to escort vessels. Preferred types were Rigelian Noljottu and Rekul 
  general cargo ships, sturdy bottlelike designs with good warp performance and solid handling. Fleet 
  yards would add combat shield generators, scabbed-on targeting sensors and an array of directed 
  energy weapons. Select units would be assigned convoy command duty and be provided with a 
  subspace surveillance antenna. 
   
  
   
  56
   
   
  The Bedford conversion diverged rather minimally from the original freighter, a design already familiar to Starfleet’s 
  Earth branch from the 22nd century when leased examples of the class had been used for early interstellar exploration and 
  exploitation. The command tower hidden from view here would display the most add-ons, including subspace antenna 
  blades and a ball turret for a 130/1.6 laser. The corresponding ventral gondola is a detachable liaison craft, a relic of pre-
  transporter days. The pennant number here specifies the convoy rather than the individual destroyer escort; the logistics of 
  convoy in the most hectic years of the Klingon conflict had little room for subtlety. 
   
  Within a month, nineteen Noljottu freighters had been converted to Portsmith escort destroyers, 
  armed with four medium lasers each. Two were under conversion to command ships, with a dorsal 
  antenna boom, lateral sensor and communications antenna clusters, and a cluster of independently 
  pressurized C3I modules within the main holds. Twenty-three of the somewhat smaller Rekuls had 
  become Bedford escorts, with just three laser emitters, some extra communications gear, and the 
  capacity for berthing small combat craft. 
   
  Crews of slightly less than a hundred would operate these vessels in zones of convoy. Half would 
  be mercantile personnel dedicated to keeping the ships moving, while the other half would consist 
  of Starfleet-trained gunners and a Fleet liaison officer, two fire control officers and two sensor 
  specialists. A command-configured Portsmith would in addition feature civilian staff for the 
  Convoy Commodore, plus an additional Fleet officer in charge of communications. Crewing was on 
  volunteer basis, and quickly became a coveted assignment for young officers. 
   
  
   
  57
   
  This dorsal double schematic of USS Goochland (NCC-E321) showcases the alterations that turned a transport hull into a 
  C3I-augmented Portsmith escort destroyer. Firepower is provided by four staggered laser turrets on the aft hull. Advance 
  warning of enemy movements comes from the dorsal subspace array rigged on tapering pylons amidships; convoy 
  coordination requires an extensive antenna array with one medium and two low frequency blades to starboard, with a 
  sensor pylon to port. Internal holds are filled with combat shield generators and command facilities. Nevertheless, the 
  transport retains the hexagonal cargo doors now blocked by the surveillance array plus the large-diameter docking port 
  near the bow. 
   
  The Portsmiths and Bedfords were at first intended to be a stopgap measure as Starfleet prepared a 
  series of dedicated escorts. However, doctrinal planning was soon thrown into chaos: Fleet primary 
  combatants found few targets of classic military nature, and instead became entangled in hunts of 
  small intruding enemy formations. Reliability of local defenses was questionable in light of the 
  Axanari betrayal; reprisal flotillas and planetary counterattack task forces had to be improvised in 
  response to the guile of Klingon surprise attacks at unpredictable targets. There were no resources 
  to waste for developing a dedicated convoy protection type just yet, not until Starfleet could re-
  establish something resembling lines of battle. Between 2246 and 2250, the converted merchantmen 
  were the primary type of escort for commerce in the ill-defined battle zone. 
   
  The nature of the conflict ultimately degenerated to a series of uncoordinated punches and 
  counterpunches, and the convoys found themselves safe from systematic hunting. Random raids by 
  stray Klingon captains hungry for glory were an ever-present threat, though. There was to be no rest 
  for the escorts until the late fifties, well past the expulsion of primary Klingon military forces from 
  Federation space.  
   
  Once the deep raiders were evicted from their forward bases, though, Starfleet could again establish 
  a border guard and a tripwire defense, allowing the vectoring in of deadly primary combatants 
  whenever a Klingon adventurer threatened the lines of commerce. The usefulness of the Portsmiths 
  
   
  58
  and Bedfords was at an end practically overnight when Admiral Kkorhetza’s forces in May 2250 
  limped back to their side of the prewar border. Of the 92 and 63 vessels, respectively, 86 and 54 had 
  survived the conflict. Just 24 and 3 survived its end, seeing some limited service on lawless sectors 
  important to Federation commerce. The last Portsmith was retired from escort service in 2263, 
  converted back to a Fleet support vessel. 
  Kiaga / Agilis 
  Perimeter action ship 
  2248-2294 
   
  Completed: 
  189 total: 
   
   
  35 Kiaga  
   
  154 Agilis 
   
  Length: 
  155.5 m (Kiaga) 
   
  159.8 m (Agilis) 
   
  Beam: 
  102.0 m (Kiaga) 
   
  102.8 m (Agilis) 
   
  Height: 
  20.5 m (Kiaga) 
  21.6 m (Agilis) 
   
  Mass: 
  207,000 tons (Kiaga) 
   
  209,500 tons (Agilis) 
   
  Officers: 
  7 
   
  Crew: 
  42 (Kiaga) 
   
  44 (Agilis, typical) 
   
  Cruise speed: 
  w 5.0 
   
  Max. speed: 
  w 7.0 
   
  Endurance: 
  1 year 
   
  Weapons: 
  4 phaser V emitters in 2 twin banks on dorsal primary hull 
  4 phaser V emitters in 2 twin banks on ventral primary hull 
  2 fwd light torpedo tubes w/40 (Kiaga) or 68 (Agilis) torps on ventral hull  
   
  Shields: 
  1-layer conformal forcefield 
   
  Navigational deflector above fwd torpedo tubes 
   
   
  Transporters: 
  1 GP (4-pad); Mk II (Kiaga) 
  1 GP (2-pad) Mk II (Agilis) 
   
  Auxiliaries: 
  None  
   
  Ships of historical interest: 
   
  USS Aerfen (NCC-P858), USS Kaira (NCC-P831) 
   
  SOURCES: 
  (D aridas sofia, Voyda N McIntyre “The Entropy Effect”, own) 
   
  (N SotSF) 
   
  (H SotSF) 
  
   
  59
   
  The open confrontation between UFP and Klingon forces at Axanar was a relief for Starfleet in 
  many ways. Not only had Federation ships prevailed in the psychologically decisive first clash, but 
  the Federation itself was on a much more secure footing now. The dissolutionary movement lost its 
  staunchest supporters overnight. The now unveiled face of the true enemy frightened the ranks into 
  coherence and cooperation. However, the danger of secession was factually far from over. Some 
  sensitive defensive technology had already fallen in Klingon hands at Axanar; moreover, it had 
  been brought to bear on the Starfleet forces sent to the system. Were worlds closer to the disputed 
  Klingon borders to switch sides, dangerous gaps could be created in Federation defenses – and 
  taking back these worlds would be all the harder if their system defenses changed ownership intact. 
   
   
  Shocked by the Axanari defection, the Councils of the UFP were quick to effect a major change in 
  frontier defense doctrines. Instead of funding the construction of system fortresses and fixed-node 
  sensor nets as had been done at the Romulan border, the Defense Council now required Starfleet to 
  prepare a defense line under direct central command, and independent of local support and control. 
  In practice, this meant gearing up all combat starship construction. Obvious problems of 
  affordability prevented the acquisition of significantly increased numbers of cruisers or frigates, 
  however. Yet how could smaller, shorter-range, lower-endurance ships hope to defend the 
  borderlands? 
   
  Starfleet could but try. Technologically, it would be quite possible to pack frigate armament into a 
  ship half the size, by omitting virtually everything else from long range sensors to power coupling 
  backups. Tactically, such a vessel would be purely an attrition unit, incapable of withstanding 
  enemy pounding, but still able to deliver a few decisive punches of her own. Operationally, a 
  combination of tender and courier vessels, carefully positioned forward resupply stations and deep 
  space sensor platforms could keep the patrol combatant supplied with consumables and tactical 
  data, without a need for planetary support. Strategically, a fleet of 200-300 such ‘perimeter action 
  vessels’ might be sufficient for securing the Eridani Gap, in the sense of being able to provide early 
  warning and some delaying action in case of an invasion. 
  
   
  60
   
  The questions faced by Starfleet in 2246 were predominantly economic, however. Choices of 
  engine type, propulsive performance requirements, torpedo magazine size, crew complement, or 
  computing power were all matters of balance: the bottom line would be counted not in crews or 
  ships lost or individual battles won, but in raw credits. Starfleet could not afford to field a partially 
  complete defense of capable ships, to be expanded when budgets allowed, but had to introduce a 
  complete defensive chain of fixed scope at one stroke. It took until November 2248 for the die to be 
  cast. Out of four prototypes offered, the newly appointed Chief of Planetary Defenses Dahia al-Latif 
  picked the Nylstroom Astris Schiffwerke proposal, PAX ‘48. Production immediately began under 
  the class name Kiaga. 
   
  USS Kiaga (originally NX-820, eventually NCC-P820) took very literally the concept of being half 
  a frigate. A five-deck saucer 66 meters across mounted two single torpedo launchers of the type 
  used in pairs in the Loknar frigates, carried a single supercharged antimatter powerplant in a central 
  longitudal boom and was propelled by two 80,000 ton PB-38 engines in nacelles roughly half the 
  length of the PB-31 capital ship units. Phaser firepower was closer to full Loknar Mk II standard, 
  featuring six Type V emitters, and setting the Kiaga apart from the somewhat similar Procyon 
  corvette. Total mass was slightly higher than that of the corvettes, mainly thanks to the different 
  powerplant and heavier armament. 
   
  The nacelles were mounted close to ship centerplane, on slender pylons slanting down slightly from 
  the dorsal engineering boom, thus creating a minimal frontal profile. Just as with the Chasseur, a 
  wide separation resulted in significant warp maneuverability. To meet the high endurance 
  requirements of the type, the PB-38 nacelle ramscoops were boosted by scooping coils on the sides 
  of the engineering boom. The coils fed directly to primary stage plasma intake, just aft of the warp 
  core, and were quite welcome in compensating for the disproportionately high fuel expenditure 
  during the brief warp dashes that characterized perimeter ship operations. Farther astern on the 
  boom was a single MHD tap to primary plasma, then the massive bulge of the shield generator.  
   
  Second-stage conduits doubled back along the upper surface of the boom, feeding primary hull 
  systems. The main navigational deflector, intended to protect the ship on warp dashes, was housed 
  in two bulges on dorsal hull forward quarters. For cruising, it was augmented by a triple-emitter, 
  low signature auxiliary array at the bow. Passive sensors were spread out on hull surfaces, most 
  active scanners clustered in a dome at hull lower vertex. A twin phaser bank on ventral bow was 
  paired with a single emitter on the dorsal side; two further units fired aft from between the twin 
  impulse assemblies on the primary hull trailing edge, and a single emitter was placed atop the 
  engineering boom. Torpedo systems were mounted in lateral pods whose looks could be described 
  as utilitarian or downright menacing. The magazines for twenty rounds each were housed inboard, 
  however. 
   
  Amidst the high energy conduitry were squeezed 49 crew and their supplies and support systems for 
  a one-year patrol sortie. The accommodation standards would have appalled a 22nd century 
  observer, yet modern amenities eased the situation somewhat. Still, isolation was the keyword for 
  perimeter ship crews. Communications silence was strictly maintained, as stealth was the only way 
  these ships of limited propulsive power could hope to be within intercept range of Klingon units if 
  and when they made a threatening move. Yet when the time came, the ships would have to be 
  capable of coordinated aggression in decisive numbers. 
   
  These conflicting tactical imperatives could only be resolved by honing the group combat skills of a 
  PA squadron to perfection and beyond. The clichéd comparison to a wolfpack would be a poor one 
  
   
  61
  in this case, as the intent of the squadron was not to wear down the enemy in vicious pursuit. 
  Rather, the formation would stalk its prey with the patience of a lion pride: the individual vessels 
  quietly seeking best possible pouncing positions, getting their cues from external sources via 
  datalink, and only switching on their targeting scanners when moving in for a kill. 
   
  The first 35 Kiagas (NCC-820-854) were swiftly produced on a large number of dockyards, to a 
  wide variety of standards resulting from the differing resources and methods of the yards. 
  Concurrently, the sensor and control stations for the perimeter action system were erected on the 
  Eridani Gap area and integrated to the existing sensor networks. Targeting data began to pour out in 
  March, 2249, deliberately aimed to alert the Klingons to the existence of the new defense chain. 
  Codes were allowed to leak across the border, and ‘orders’ were given to dozens, later hundreds, of 
  nonexisting perimeter ships. The technique was successful especially because the distributed 
  perimeter ship production was difficult to monitor by traditional Imperial Intelligence methods, and 
  thus the nonexistence of a given ship was more difficult to prove. 
   
  The second (NCC-855-874), third (NCC-P875-P928 in a new scheme that was retroactively applied 
  on the earlier registries as well) and fourth (NCC-P928-P1008) perimeter ship batches were all built 
  to a common improved standard, featuring a stealthier primary hull and a more powerful D-2A 
  onboard computer. Transporters were reduced in size and capacity, primarily to allow more 
  torpedoes to be carried. Some of the second-stage plasma leads were redrawn after an explosion 
  aboard USS Kaira (NCC-P831) killed two and shut down all power for nineteen harrowing hours 
  until help could arrive. Numerous third batch vessels were equipped with sigint systems, and also 
  took the calculated risk of carrying a two-way datalink as onboard processing power was lacking. 
  The subclass name Agilis is often collectively used for these later production batches. 
   
  Total Kiaga production reached 189 vessels by 2257. By that time, relations with the Klingons had 
  been through several ups and downs, but the general atmosphere was one of frustrated restraint. The 
  concept of perimeter ships had never been properly put to test, as Klingon raids after Axanar had 
  been uncoordinated and strategically aimless. It was not tactically sensible to expose the PA pack to 
  deter a lone privateer or to block the return of a raiding party to Empire space. Ships built for 
  attrition ended up suffering zero losses in the campaign. In retrospect, Starfleet might have attained 
  the same deterrence value by simply broadcasting ‘targeting data’ to a wholly nonexistent perimeter 
  fleet! 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  The scarlet war paint of USS Aerfen (NCC-P858) is not to be found in any Starfleet field manuals or regulations, yet 
  formality mattered little in the perimeter fleet. Significant leeway, not only with regard to hull art but to procedures and 
  tactics as well, was typically granted to the PA commanders. Of these, Capt. Hunter of the Aerfen was among the most 
  legendary, although a PA commander without a legend to his or her name would be difficult to find. 
   
  Operations against lesser adversaries gave the Kiagas a chance to gain combat merit, yet also 
  brought forward problems inherent in their unique nature and narrow mission profile. By the end of 
  the 2260s, most perimeter ships had been withdrawn to their support bases. Organian peace was not 
  
   
  62
  the only factor in the idling of the fleet – on the other side of the coin, expansion of Klingon forces 
  and Klingon space had rendered the fleet of less than 200 units strategically impotent. The new 
  bottom line for perimeter ships was written in red ink: further procurement of PA units was 
  economically unviable. 
   
  Idling of the perimeter fleet was as much a relief to Starfleet as the Axanar showdown had been. 
  Once again, the strategic situation was simplified and clarified. Sensor chains now extended across 
  the Klingon borders, and modern starships had the speed and firepower to react flexibly to Klingon 
  intrusions. The lack of fixed defensive installations or their perimeter ship mobile counterparts was 
  no longer considered a shortcoming, as doctrines moved more and more towards fully mobile 
  defenses. 
   
  The next two decades would again alter Starfleet’s perceptions. From the viewpoint of the 2280s, 
  the inability to support a perimeter fleet had been dismissed too lightly. Would the Xindi have been 
  able to strike their claws so deep into the soft coreward flank of the UFP if there had been perimeter 
  defenses in place? Could not their aggressions have been contained the same way the PA ships had 
  done to the Tholian ones in the late fifties? Was the price truly not worth paying, when the red ink 
  was made of humanoid blood? 
   
  Once the false lull of Organia was over, Kiaga and Agilis ships were pressed back to service. 
  Technologically obsolete, they would be at greater risk than ever. Yet combined with over a 
  hundred new PA ships, they could once again mount an effective tripwire defense, alerting the main 
  fleets to Klingon incursions and slowing them down as much as possible. 
   
  In the end, the incursions never came. The Khitomer peace had the same effect as the Organian one, 
  as far as border fleets were concerned: standing down from alert status meant withdrawing the PA 
  ships to bases. This time, however, there would be no return to active service. The ships had been 
  built for a single purpose only, and that purpose no longer existed in the new political situation. 
  Lacking the relative versatility and multipurpose abilities of corvettes, or the high performance of 
  the newer perimeter ships, the last Kiagas were scrapped in 2302, after two initiatives to refurbish 
  them for service at the Romulan border were blocked.  
  Mustang 
  Corvette 
  2252-2279 
   
  Completed: 
  70 
   
  Length: 
  88.6 m 
   
  Beam: 
  47.5 m 
   
  Height: 
  13.4 m 
   
  Mass: 
  77,000 tons  
   
  Officers: 
  6 
   
  Crew: 
  27 + up to 20 Marine boarding crew 
   
  Max. speed: 
  w 5.7 
   
  Endurance: 
  10 months 
   
  Weapons: 
  1 phaser V emitter on dorsal bow 
   
  1 phaser V emitter on ventral bow 
   
  2 phaser IV emitters on ventral stern 
   
  
   
  63
  Shields: 
  1-layer graviton/subspace globular forcefield 
   
  4 navigational deflector dishes on bow 
   
  Transporters: 
  None 
   
  Auxiliaries: 
  1 atmospheric shuttlepod, 1 work pod  
   
  Ships of historical interest: 
   
  USS Madahan (NCC-L803) 
   
  SOURCES: 
  D TNG 
   
  (N SFB) 
   
  (H own) 
   
  The unqualified success of the Procyon corvette was somewhat curtailed by the high acquisition 
  costs of the type. At nearly six times the total mass of a Battleaxe, the heavy corvette also embarked 
  three times the firepower and twice the crew complement, not to mention her ability to take aboard 
  (if not sustainably operate) auxiliary craft. When the undeniable tactical, strategic and even 
  financial advantages of the Procyon concept began to manifest in the late forties, Starfleet began to 
  ponder if it were not possible to barter at least some of these superb attributes for lower price. 
   
  Vital to the expanded mission profile of the heavy corvettes was the high speed warp drive system. 
  The Starfleet request for proposals in 2249 thus specified a maximum sustainable speed in excess of 
  warp five. This implicitly ruled out gradual upgrading of the Battleaxes, since only radically new 
  hull solutions would allow the required outsize engines to be fitted on a vessel of compact overall 
  dimensions. Indeed, when the respective prototypes of VXT Interstellar of Voltara and Starfire of 
  Deneva were presented for Starfleet scrutiny in February 2251, their hulls were scarcely larger than 
  the engine nacelles that flanked them, and were of extreme structural robustness and outward 
  simplicity. 
   
  The VXT ‘CCV-50’ proposal dedicated relatively little of the interior to warp power generation, 
  and placed more drive components in the nacelles than the competing Starfire ‘ADSC’ did. The 
  subsequently superior warp performance of the Starfire vessel ultimately swayed Starfleet, even 
  though the roomier Voltaran design was considered more practical from a systems integration 
  standpoint. In September 2251, a go-ahead was given to develop the Starfire prototype into the 
  Mustang class compact deep space corvette. 
   
  The characteristic ‘trimaran’ structure of the Mustang consisted of two 52.8 m, 35,000 ton nacelles 
  of smooth cylindrar shape, plus a 88.6 m vertically flattened cylinder serving as the main hull. The 
  nacelles (dubbed PB-37 in Starfleet service) housed nine solid state warp coils apiece; ramscoops 
  and m/am reaction chambers and antimatter tanks for plasma reheaters at bow; and a powerful 
  stern-mounted RCS system. Drive plasma was fed via broad, high-mounted horizontal pylons from 
  a centrally mounted fusion reactor, from which power also flowed to twin impulse assemblies 
  cowled on both sides of the stern. 
   
  With the essential propulsive systems in place, it was time for Starfleet to step in and offer input on 
  the equipment to be carried. An armored command module was placed atop the main hull, just 
  forward of the pylon juncture. It was largely assembled from Procyon hardware, and featured a 
  
   
  64
  five-person navigation bridge, essential communications systems and a recorder marker dispenser. 
  Of the four decks within the hull, the topmost was dedicated to combat and propulsion subsystems. 
  The upper main phaser of the heavy Type V was located at upper bow, flanked by the QIK-11 long 
  range sensors. Main fuel tanks were followed by the plasma distribution system beneath the bridge, 
  then by paired radiator and plasma purge assemblies. 
   
  Crew amenities took up much of the lower bow, sharing the space with navigational deflectors and 
  short range sensors yet offering significantly more room than the Battleaxe design nevertheless. 
  Amidships, engineering functions dominated the interiors of Decks 3 and 4. Housed in the tapering 
  stern was the second ‘heavy corvette’ feature deemed worth preserving: a hangarette with a rolling 
  ceiling door could support one shuttlepod plus one work pod, or temporarily accommodate a pair of 
  light shuttlecraft. The impulse cowlings straddled the lower level of the hangarette port and 
  starboard. 
   
  A compartment directly below the hangarette, on Deck 5, was reserved for a minelaying system. 
  Flanking this were two light phasers, providing cover fire for troops disembarking via one of the 
  three planetfall exits, one astern and two to the sides. The second main phaser was located at lower 
  bow, directly below its dorsal counterpart. Six landing legs helped support the considerable mass of 
  the vessel under up to 1.2 gravities, provided that the helm officer managed to find sufficiently solid 
  ground. 
   
  In April 2253, Starfleet representatives could sit back and enjoy a demonstration of the first three 
  production Mustangs in carefully staged action. High speed intercepts, boardings and strafing runs 
  proved select aspects of Mustang prowess, but belied the limited impulse maneuverability resulting 
  from the weight of the warp engines. Crew size and overall dimensions and mass were the three 
  factors kept as low as originally planned; costs threatened to spiral out of control nevertheless, 
  resulting in the omission of several pieces of mission gear. No minelaying tube was installed, for 
  example. Phaser fire control systems were also of a less capable type than originally planned, and 
  sufficient shielding proved difficult to achieve within the mass limitations. 
   
  Overall, the Mustang class proved a mixed success. Two batches of 35 vessels each were finished in 
  2253-58, and augmented the Battleaxe force in both law enforcement and local defense through the 
  fifties and sixties. Due to the inherent shortcomings, the vessels did not quite distinguish themselves 
  – especially since there was very little enemy action in their designated patrol areas, falling between 
  the core worlds and the Procyon outer prowling grounds, during that period. The pirate hunts of the 
  late sixties were the true heyday of the class, but even there its role was largely a passive one. While 
  the Mustangs stood guard at key port systems, the excitement of combat was left to heavier types, 
  and the intelligence gathering groundwork to significantly lighter ones. 
   
  Built around and sized for the highly specialized PB-37 system, the Mustangs were far from the 
  ideal choice for an engine refit in the early 2270s when Starfleet began looking for a modern light 
  corvette type. In the end, the search proved futile, and the Mustangs were retired, their doctrinal 
  niche finally superseded by the heavy corvette one. The last Mustang, USS Madahan (NCC-L803), 
  was paid off in late 2279. 
   
  Somewhat morbidly, the Mustang class has achieved most of its good reputation a century after 
  being stricken from Fleet strength. Built with robust conservatism, unlike some more fine-tuned and 
  high-strung light combatants, the spaceframe can cater for radical interior and system modifications 
  and shifts in mission profile. Deactivated vessels have been assigned a great variety of post-
  combatant roles, such as testbeds, target drones or probes. Perhaps the most famous of these roles 
  
   
  65
  came with the 2367 Borg incursion of Earth, where fifteen Mustangs retired from Earth Defense 
  Forces and converted to defense drones were flown laden with antimatter against the Borg Cube, in 
  a last-ditch attempt that did not even fail spectacularly. The drones, attacking in formations of three, 
  were simply vaporized by the Cube. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  A row of ‘Colt’ drones at the Sinai Planum defense station. Modified by removal of the bridge, ramscoops and life support 
  systems and installation of 26 antimatter charge chambers within the forward hull in 2308 already, the drones had to 
  await action for six decades. In fact, Starfleet had never seriously expected to put these weapons to use, as the originally 
  projected targets, large spaceborne lifeforms, were less prevalent than initially estimated. Against maneuverable or 
  defensively armed opponents, the drones turned out to be less than practical weapons. 
  Remora 
  Escort 
  2257-74 
   
  Completed: 
  78  
   
  Length: 
  144.8 m 
   
  Beam: 
  101.9 m 
   
  Height: 
  41.7 m 
   
  Mass: 
  138,200 tons 
   
  Officers: 
  7 
   
  Crew: 
  56 
   
  Cruise speed: 
  w 5 
   
  Max. speed: 
  w 6.0 (first and second batches) 
   
  w 7.0 (third batch) 
   
  Endurance: 
  1 year 
   
  Weapons: 
  4 phaser IV emitters in 2 twin banks on dorsal primary hull, port/stbd of bridge 
   
  4 phaser IV emitters in 2 twin banks on ventral primary hull, port/stbd of sensor dome 
   
  Shields: 
  1-layer conformal forcefield 
   
  Extensible globular forcefield 
   
  Navigational deflector on fwd secondary hull 
   
  Transporters: 
  2 GP (2-pad); Mk III 
   
  All ships brought to Mk IV standard after 2268 
   
  Ships of historical interest: 
   
  USS Remora (NCC-E800)  
   
  SOURCES: 
  (D FASA, dimensions altered) 
   
  (N FASA) 
   
  (H FASA, own) 
   
  Starfleet’s two corvette designs for the 2250s totaled some 110 hulls, or 150 when counting the 
  scout and courier versions of Procyon. In a Federation now controlling thousands of planets and 
  hundreds of star systems, it was obvious that these light units would seldom be available for duty 
  
   
  66
  outside their assigned insystem or nearsystem patrol volumes. Also limiting such assignments was 
  the fact that neither PB-34 nor PB-37 could be considered a viable deep space propulsion system.  
   
  In this respect, post-Axanar threat scenarios were troublesome indeed. After the Klingon offensives 
  of 2246-50 subsided to aimless raiding, it was harder and harder to efficiently use conventional 
  battlefleets for defense. What was needed were low-cost, light units that had no obligations beside 
  local protection. Some of these – the corvettes – would guard star systems and other fixed ‘point 
  targets’, fighting a delaying action until higher-performance, higher-cost units could arrive. This 
  placed very modest requirements on propulsion. Others – the perimeter ships – would do the same 
  across the vastness of border space. Their engines had to provide significantly greater dash speed. 
  But spacelanes were too vast targets to be secured by either ship type or doctrine; instead, protective 
  forces would have to concentrate on covering the actual shipping that plowed the lanes. This placed 
  a most stringent requirement on propulsive systems. Constant deep space cruising at convoy speed 
  would have to be presented, yet at low enough acquisition cost to allow sufficiently many of the 
  escorts to be built, and at low enough maintenance cost for them to be operated.  
   
  Staff Requirement 137/2255/1C was exacting in its specifications. Only one warp engine could 
  match the criteria: Cochrane Warp Dynamics’ PB-35 was explicitly decreed as the propulsive 
  system of the hundred and twenty escort vessels to be constructed between 2257 and 2264. USS 
  Remora (NCC-E800 in the mission-specific registry scheme) was completed by Eckard Collins 
  Fleetworks Ltd in early November, 2257, to meet the specifications to the letter. A saucer markedly 
  larger than the Procyon or Kiaga hulls, some 85 meters in diameter, was introduced for crew 
  accommodation and weapon and sensor mounting. Propulsive systems in turn resided in a 90 degree 
  cutout astern: two FIB impulse engines flush to the sides, and a beavertail secondary hull some 55 
  m long and 10 m deep in between, mounting the multilinear Fairey RMR-720 warp core 
  horizontally on the upper level, the single PB-35E nacelle dorsally, and the Hobbs navigational 
  deflector dish ventrally.  
   
  Combat resilience of the escort hinged on her F-type shield generators, outriggered laterally in 
  finlike extensions that allowed the ship to erect a protective shield bubble around her closest 
  protégés in addition to shrouding herself in a conformal field. The fins also mounted radiator 
  surfaces and plasma expanders; these gave surge reserves to the power systems, for the famous 
  minute of sheer terror among the months of uneventful waiting and cruising. At the first sign of 
  threat, shields would be brought to full power and four twin banks of Type IV phasers would be 
  preheated – yet not fully charged until absolutely necessary. At anything higher than the nominal 
  cruise speed of warp five, the Remora was a notorious underachiever, dangerously starved of 
  power. This was only to be expected, for a ship this small inevitably had to make compromises 
  when emulating the various functions of proper starships. Like a PA ship, the escort would quite 
  deliberately sacrifice herself when committing to battle, giving time for the convoy to scatter and 
  the combat fleet to respond. 
   
  Starfleet small ship construction facilities at the time were largely occupied with the PA ship 
  program, which stretched the Remora construction schedule somewhat. Nevertheless, in addition to 
  the prototype and three preproduction vessels, two batches of 37 escorts had reached completion by 
  2265, when production was halted due to changes in the operational environment. The great hunt 
  for Orion slavers had cut down piracy overall so much that an escort force half the originally 
  intended size would be able to deal with the remainder, both Klingon and otherwise. 
   
  Unlike the perimeter force, the escort fleet had by then faced plenty of actual combat. Also, unlike 
  the corvette case, engagements had mainly involved Klingon opponents. Prior to the Organian 
  
   
  67
  peace, a dozen vessels were lost with all hands, lending credibility to the belief that Klingons took 
  no prisoners. Typically, the killers had been battle cruiser flotillas, but lesser enemy units had also 
  taken their toll on the shipping and its protectors. Assignments aboard the escorts were the exact 
  opposite of perimeter fleet positions: hated for their mind-numbing boredom, feared for the 
  deathtrap nature of the ships, devoid of the ‘sniper thrill’ of the attack-oriented PA force, and 
  undervalued even by the mercantile crews the escorts were trying to protect. Only minor job 
  satisfaction could be derived from the higher accommodation standards the Remoras enjoyed over 
  the austere Kiagas or even the Procyon or Centaurus ships. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Two Karoo merchantmen huddle inside the shield bubble of USS Marlin as Elasi pirates try their luck. In this 2263 
  engagement, fortune was on the side of Starfleet. Careful alternating of phaser volleys, moments of shielding and bold 
  sallies disabled three Elasi marauders and drove off the remaining two, saving the dolamite, fabricator and narcotics 
  convoy from pillaging. Such tactics had less success against Klingon forces, for whom capturing of loot was a secondary 
  concern. 
   
  The Organian lull resulted in thorough reorganization of commerce protection, among other things. 
  Perimeter ships and escorts, the controversial ‘sacrifical lambs’ of Starfleet, were withdrawn as 
  economically and ethically unviable, and capital ships freed by the truce were deployed in their 
  stead. Frigates of multiple types drove pirates either out of business altogether or into the clutches 
  of the semi-civilized Orion syndicate. Light cruisers cut to pieces those who did not conform. With 
  sighs of relief, the escort crews moved on to other assignments.  
   
  The Remora vessels themselves, idled as they were, were not significantly affected by a 2267 
  culling that left just the most spaceworthy two dozen vessels in active reserves. Starfleet had vague 
  plans of rearming and re-engining, but mainly went ahead with the mothballing because the 
  associated costs were minimal. USS Remora herself was singled out for testing the LN-61 light 
  linear engine, and entered a box dock at Titan in August 2267, to emerge for first trials in January 
  2268 already. The results of this experiment and its unexpected offshoot are described in detail in a 
  subsequent entry. The story of the original type ends in 2274, with honorable discharging and swift 
  scrapping of the entire remaining force. 
  Hellespont 
  Escort 
  2260-2277 
   
  Completed: 
  60 
   
  Length: 
  126.9 m 
   
  Beam: 
  66.4 m 
   
  Height: 
  39.6 m 
   
  Mass: 
  325,400 tons 
   
  
   
  68
  Officers: 
  12 
   
  Crew: 
  55 
   
  Cruise speed: 
  w 6 
   
  Max. speed: 
  w 8.0 
   
  Endurance: 
  1 year 
   
  Weapons: 
  4 phaser IV emitters in 2 twin banks on dorsal primary hull fwd port/stbd quarters 
   
  4 phaser IV emitters in 2 twin banks on ventral primary hull fwd port/stbd quarters 
   
  1 light fwd torpedo tube w/ 17 torps on ventral primary hull 
   
  Shields: 
  1-layer conformal forcefield 
   
  Navigational deflector on ventral primary hull 
   
  Transporters: 
  2 GP (2-pad); Mk III 
   
  Ships of historical interest: 
   
  USS Bretha (NCC-E885/NCC-3425), USS Crimea (NCC-E882/NCC-3402), USS Matterhorn (NCC-E897/NCC-3457) 
   
  SOURCES: 
  (D SFB, dimensions altered; idea borrowed from Neale Davidson) 
   
  (N LUG) 
   
  (H LUG, own) 
   
  The low-cost Remora class was rather obviously but a partial answer to the commerce protection 
  equation. Many commercial routes would extend beyond the range of the simplistic vessels; many 
  shipments could only be subjected to convoy if allowed to proceed at the modern high cruise speed 
  of warp six. From the beginning, therefore, it was hoped that a multi-engined counterpart to Remora 
  could be fielded simultaneously with the single-engine type. 
   
  Initial simulations on a twin-engined Remora hull indicated difficulties with maintaining the 
  required cruise speed; indeed, PB-35 had never achieved sustainable speeds in excess of warp five. 
  Yet installing a PB-45 would certainly result in unacceptable unit costs. It was because of this that 
  Starfleet decided to go for the rarely utilized three-nacelle configuration. Some of the computations 
  for the field shapes were ready, thanks to work done on the Federation class. But an escort was no 
  dreadnought, and PB-35 was no PB-47 in terms of flexibility and asymmetry control. Vulcan 
  duonetics specialists had to spend two years calculating a customized field configuration before the 
  Hellespont medium range, high speed escort could be put into production. 
   
  From there on, the mathematics became much simpler. The three-engined escort could be built in 
  roughly one-third the Remora numbers; thirty hulls were allocated production slots on the yards 
  currently churning out the lighter escorts, and ninety additional PB-35Es ordered. Crew size would 
  be kept more or less unchanged, although a higher number of engineers now held officer rank. 
  Internal volume for accommodating the personnel also remained stable. While the Hellespont 
  primary hull was just 66 m across, it featured pronounced dorsal and ventral structures, the latter of 
  which now also housed a single-tube Mk 13 light torpedo launcher. Long range tracking and early 
  warning was markedly boosted by the adoption of a ventral sensor dish, outriggered in the fashion 
  of larger destroyers. For combat at shorter ranges, four twin Type IV phaser emitters were again 
  carried, although now mounted closer to bow for better clearance of the warp engines.  
   
  Engineering systems consisted of a structural frame of T cross section, with nacelles at each end, 
  and a vertical setup of three parallel containment tubes. The lower forward parts of the vertical 
  section provided main tankage. Hands-on access and dilithium focus were at saucer level, in a 
  slightly broadened midpart of the vertical section. Plasma expanders, surge and antimatter tanks and 
  main batteries in turn filled the broad horizontal part of the T hull. Crawling in the access tubes was 
  
   
  69
  unenviable work: even in standard cruising mode, there were stability problems with the three-
  engine setup, and the slightest maneuvering called for constant presence of monitoring personnel. 
   
  Indeed, whatever complaints a Remora crew had, the heroes who kept the Hellesponts working 
  could file in triplicate. In the hectic half a decade before Organian peace, some six hundred 
  Hellespont escort sorties were recorded, typically featuring just one escort vessel per convoy. There 
  would seldom be time or facilities for proper maintenance either en route or at turnpoint, and 
  uninterrupted eight-month missions were not unheard of. Nominal endurance was set at twelve 
  months, in practice requiring a second crew that would be berthed on the convoy transports for the 
  first half of the voyage. 
   
   
   
  Often dependent on her mercantile chattel for her supply of fuel and consumables, a Hellespont escort rarely received 
  support from Fleet tender vessels. Deep space replenishment from a Justice class transport is nevertheless underway here; 
  newest-issue hand weapons were distributed to all local defense units in 2270, via clandestine shipments that often took the 
  recipients by surprise as well. 
   
  Unlike the Remora, the heavier Hellespont did not carry extensible shields, but relied on her 
  torpedo firepower for keeping the enemy at an arm’s length. Dangerous weaknesses in aft shielding, 
  endemic of three-nacelle configurations, combined with near-complete obscuring of stern firing arcs 
  to give the type a lethal vulnerability to attacks from astern. Six of the original thirty vessels and 
  two of the similarly sized successor batch of 2267-68 were lost to relatively lightly armed raiders 
  this way before general recall orders were sent in 2273. The last of these was USS Crimea 
  (originally NCC-E882, later NCC-3402), mauled in a 2271 attack that claimed the lives of her 
  bridge crew. 
   
  There remained little sense in subjecting the surviving vessels to the rigors of deep space again. 
  Refitting of Remora units with linear-excitation warp engines was producing a new breed of escorts 
  that would propulsively outperform all commercial transport types in service. The multi-engine 
  configuration thus no longer provided any added value. When the last Hellespont, USS Bretha (ex-
  NCC-E885, now NCC-3425), powered down for good at New Judaea after her notorious 
  misadventure into Gorn space in 2277, a plethora of modern frigate and heavy corvette designs 
  already illustrated a new strategic reality. Economics no longer dictated the fielding of woefully 
  underpowered and undergunned commerce protectors against overwhelming odds. 
   
  
   
  70
  It may interest the escort enthusiast that no less than four examples of the Hellespont class survive 
  in spaceworthy condition. Their post-Starfleet employment by private security enterprises involved 
  many internal changes and some external redecorating, but essentially they still exude the historical 
  spirit of convoy service. This is especially true of the former USS Matterhorn, shepherd of the first 
  post-Khitomer Federation merchant convoy into Klingon space. 
  Graynet 
  Support corvette 
  2261-2284 
   
  Completed: 
  18 
   
  Length: 
  117.3 m 
   
  Beam: 
  52.8 m 
   
  Height: 
  14.6 m 
   
  Mass: 
  50,000 tons  
   
  Officers: 
  8 
   
  Crew: 
  32 + up to 32 Marine boarding crew 
   
  Cruise speed: 
  w 5 
   
  Max. speed: 
  w 7 
   
  Endurance: 
  10 months 
   
  Weapons: 
  2 phaser IV emitters on dorsal bow, port/stbd of bridge 
   
  1 phaser IV emitter on ventral stern 
   
  1 light fwd torpedo tube w/20 torps on ventral bow (select ships) 
   
  Shields: 
  1-layer graviton/subspace globular forcefield 
   
  4 navigational deflector dishes on bow 
   
  Transporters: 
  2 GP (6-pad) 
   
  Auxiliaries: 
  5 boarding shuttles  
   
  Ships of historical interest: 
   
  USS Graynet (NCC-5010) 
   
  SOURCES: 
  (D Daniel Biringer) 
   
  (N Daniel Biringer) 
   
  (H own) 
   
   
  VXT Interstellar’s failure at the 2252 corvette competition prompted the company to search for a 
  more capable warp engine to go with the original design. In order to grab a share of the lucrative 
  escort market, VXT would have to match PB-35E in performance, yet the 90,000 ton coil mass of 
  that engine was prohibitive for the application. On the other hand, traffic control and planetary 
  defense duties would be hampered by even the 70,000 ton combined mass of the two PB-37 engines 
  
   
  71
  that had originally cost VXT the corvette sale. The company kept looking for lighter and cheaper 
  alternatives, but had to mind the requirement for warp 5 cruise speed that would enable the escort 
  sales. 
   
  Yet technology was advancing rapidly in the aftermath of the Great Awakening, branching off to an 
  increasing number of user groups. In the end, it was Federation Customs Service that approached 
  the company with a requirement for traffic control vessels – and an engine to propel them with. 
  While this order for Masterson class police cutters ultimately went elsewhere, negotiations on the 
  use of the PB-40 engine culminated in the introduction of the Graynet class, a heavy cutter that was 
  everything VXT had hoped for. 
   
  The first heavy cutter was launched within six months of signing, thanks to the compact and 
  modular plug-in nature of the propulsion system. The two warp engines dangling on short, straight 
  pylons on both sides of the legacy spaceframe were not exactly of PB-40 type, but of the PB-40B 
  variant lengthened by one-third, all of it effective coil mass. Performance was hiked up to warp 7 
  flank speed, while cruise remained at the desired warp 5. The lightweight hull could barely take the 
  stresses of sustained cruise, and would probably have torn apart at warp 7 maneuvers. This 
  concerned the designers relatively little, as FCS was ready to settle for far lower performance 
  figures, and Defense Command in turn was in desperate enough a jam to buy almost anything with 
  warp 5 written in the specs. 
   
  The systems aboard the Graynet catered for both customers. Atop the bow, the bridge 
  superstructure was configured for 10 command crew, but also had an adjoining telescoping airlock 
  and docking berth for ease of boarding action. The next, full-length deck featured five holds 
  accessible through dorsal doors, each theoretically capable of housing a light assault or boarding 
  craft, even though there were no maintenance or refueling facilities available. Forward of these lay 
  a holding compartment with five separate detention cells to starboard, an armory and supply room 
  to port, and an extensive forensics laboratory to the bows. A rather superfluous turboshaft system 
  ran at the centerline, connecting the various decks. 
   
  Deck 3 was of full width as well as length, and housed the officers in eight luxuriously sized cabins. 
  Ahead of the ship’s main armament of two phaser IV banks, the bow was dedicated to a mess hall 
  for the entire crew. At centerline was the main computer, with a six-pad transporter platform at the 
  forward and a three-bed sickbay at the aft end. Aft, beneath the holds, was a staging area for 
  Marines, put to storage or recreation use when assault missions were not on the schedule; the rest of 
  the stern was dedicated to machinery.  
   
  Deck 4 accommodated the Marines as well as the crew, in up to 20 cabins with three to six bunks 
  each. The layout of the cabins was flexible, though, and as few as six could be shipped if there was 
  a need to use the remaining space for carrying of cargo, or for other purposes. At the center, two 10-
  pad assault transporters remained the one immutable element in the layout. Astern lay Main 
  Engineering, terminating in a four-nozzle Scarbak KKS impulse engine, while at the other end of 
  the ship, a broad TaT ‘Danel’ deflector emitter curved around the bow. 
   
  Deck 5 housed tankage and support services, but VXT had made sure to leave room for a 
  lightweight torpedo launcher as well. Although few of the ships ever came to carry this weapon, its 
  installation in place of the bow disposal chute would have been a matter of mere days. A third 
  phaser IV emitter was always carried at the aft end of the lowest deck, and an all-important tractor 
  beam was located near the bow. 
   
  
   
  72
  The flexibility of the design was a welcome change from the affordable austerity of the Mustang. 
  The two types ended serving side by side on some Starfleet assignments, but generally the eighteen 
  Graynets completed for Starfleet needs were dedicated to sedate escort runs while the Mustangs 
  guarded star systems. The division of labor was natural for several reasons, perhaps leading among 
  them that despite the limited mass and streamlined body, the Graynet did not behave well within 
  atmospheres. The Marine platoon was rarely shipped; the vessels instead often carried vital spares 
  and supplies for the convoys they escorted, earning a ‘support corvette’ designation. This was also 
  fitting for their role when acting in concert with Mustang vessels. The larger but more lightly armed 
  Graynets provided many types of assistance, ranging from transrep of spares and consumables to 
  reception of casualties or prisoners. 
   
  A mutually complementing working relationship with the Mustangs continued till the late 2270s, 
  but ultimately the Graynets, too, had to give way to heavy corvettes. There was never a good 
  opportunity to test the Graynet planetary assault or boarding capabilities against a powerful military 
  opponent, although many a boarding action successfully enforced Federation law during the 2260s 
  and 2270s. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  A Starfleet Graynet impounds a yacht suspected of spying for the Klingons. Between the escort, traffic control and convoy 
  support assignments, Starfleet never could decide whether to go for an E or L prefix, and ultimately opted for neither; the 
  corvettes got ‘straight’ registries in the NCC-5010-5027 range, reflecting their support commitments by following the 
  registries of the Tavares class corvette tenders. 
  Lenthal 
  Escort 
  2264-2295 
   
  Completed: 
  31 total: 
   
  20 Mk II escort leaders built in 2264 
  11 Mk V escort leaders built in 2269 
   
  Length: 
  260.0 m 
   
  Beam: 
  110.4 m 
   
  Height: 
  39.9 m  
   
  Mass: 
  313,700 tons (Mk II) 
   
  285,300 tons (Mk V) 
   
  Cruise speed: 
  w 5 (PB-35) 
  w 6 (LN-61) 
   
  Max.speed: 
  w 7.0 (PB-35) 
  w 9.0 (LN-61) 
   
  Endurance: 
  3 years 
   
  Officers: 
  28  
   
  Crew: 
  132 (Mk II) 
   
  137 (Mk V) 
  
   
  73
   
  Weapons: 
  6 phaser V emitters in 2 triple banks on primary hull lateral fairings 
   
  Shields: 
  1-layer forcefields 
   
  Navigational deflector on secondary hull bow 
   
  Secondary navigational deflectors on primary hull lateral fairings 
   
  Laboratories: 
  None 
   
  Transporters: 
  4 GP (4-pad), 2 emergency evacuation (22-pad), 1 cargo; Mk III 
   
  Auxiliaries: 
  2 light shuttles (Mk V) 
   
  Ships of historical interest: 
   
  USS Lenthal (NCC-) 
   
  SOURCES: 
  (D FASA, dimensions corrected) 
   
  (N FASA) 
   
  (H FASA) 
   
  In parallel with the Thufir program, the ASDF in the 2260s introduced a lighter and more affordable 
  local destroyer type of a very similar design, merging a saucer with an otherwise traditional 
  Andorian layout. The dimensions chosen were still formidable, and in essence only two factors 
  supported the light destroyer designation over, say, the light cruiser one. One was the choice once 
  again to leave ashore all hardware, software and personnel distracting from the classic destroyer 
  mission; the other was the omission of torpedo launchers from the lateral weapons wings. 
  Trademark heavy shielding in cowlings of the secondary hull (this time encircling it laterally rather 
  than drooping down), combined with the tucked-in warp engines, made the destroyer a fearsome 
  opponent in head-on attacks nevertheless, and guaranteed at least native interest in the design. 
   
   
   
  The Mk I version of the destroyer, with DLL-H engines, served with relative indistinction in the ASDF for a decade, 
  then bowed out in favor of its Starfleet-compatible variants. 
   
  In contrast with the Thufir project that had courted general Starfleet interest with common 
  hardware, Salazaar opened with an all-indigenous Mk I sporting a pair of DLL-H warp engines, half 
  the size of their Kh-type or PB-31 counterparts. Two flotillas of the vessels were produced until 
  
   
  74
  Starfleet agreed to experimentation with PB-35E propulsion. This proved a technological success, 
  giving the Mk II admirable performance specs for a twin PB-35 type and making her a serious 
  contestant in the quest for twin-engined deep space escorts. A combination of maneuverability and 
  affordability issues cost the Lenthal the ultimate escort prize, though. Starfleet did deploy twenty 
  units between 2264 and 2278, but reneged on mass production; the lighter, more limited Griffon 
  type was to be the preferred format of twin-engine escorts.  
   
  Undeterred, the ASDF proceeded with three further batches for local use, sporting indigenous warp 
  engines and improved phasers and targeting systems but retaining the agility-compromising engine 
  layout, advantageous in classic head-on destroyer attacks. When the escort fleet in the 2270s began 
  receiving the superb LN-61, the class was offered to Starfleet for a second time. When the 2269-
  vintage Mk V was in 2274 refitted with this modern engine and with an amidships shuttle hangar 
  module plus modernized deflectors, sales of eleven units were secured. The vessels successfully 
  acted as escort leaders alongside the somewhat jury-rigged Babcock and Keith types, but once again 
  proved too expensive to serve as the rank and file of the escort force. 
   
  The “linearized” destroyer escort was a far less awkward construct than her Babcock competitor aesthetically, but 
  suffered from excess bulk, maneuverability shortcomings and the lack of torpedo armament. A launcher similar to that of 
  the Babcocks could have been carried as an alternative to the modular dorsal shuttle facility. However, Salazaar did not 
  see the need for the integration effort as Starfleet procurement plans would not have been significantly altered even with 
  this addition. 
   
  Linear refitting did not impress the ASDF, which dealt less with high speed escort and more with 
  local defense. Its separate destroyer force continued with modest upgrades only, and Andorians 
  soon turned their attention to the emerging light frigate types. The standardized Daran and Ianar 
  frigates were very much to their liking, and their acquisition in strength ended the story of the native 
  destroyers right after the conclusion of the Klingon conflict in 2293. 
  
   
  75
   
  It is only in dorsal view that the significant difference between the two Andorian destroyer designs becomes apparent. In 
  both the 2260s and 2270s incarnations, with both native and generic warp engines, the Lenthal sports half the coil mass of 
  the Thufir, and operates at one less warp factor in cruise and dash. The humbler weapon wings also consistently lack 
  torpedo launchers. Starfleet’s decision not to invest in escort ships of such muscle is still rather understandable. 
  Griffon 
  Escort 
  2267-2312 
   
  Completed: 
  236 total: 
   
   
  208 Griffon built in 2267-68 
   
  28 Terrier built in 2272-73 
   
  Length: 
  167.8 m (Griffon) 
   
  168.0 m (Terrier) 
   
  Beam: 
  66.0 m (Griffon) 
   
  65.8 m (Terrier) 
   
  Height: 
  21.0 m (Griffon) 
   
  32.2 m (Terrier) 
   
  Mass: 
  240,195 tons (Griffon) 
   
  210,450 tons (Terrier) 
   
  Officers: 
  9  
   
  Crew: 
  76 (Griffon) 
   
  78 (Terrier) 
   
  Cruise speed: 
  w 5  
   
  Max. speed: 
  w 7.2 (Griffon) 
   
  w 8.0 (Terrier) 
   
  Endurance: 
  4 months 
   
  Weapons: 
  4 phaser IV emitters in 2 twin banks on forward secondary hull 
   
  1 light fwd torpedo tube w/ 35 torps on ventral primary hull 
   
  1 light aft torpedo tube w/ 15 torps on ventral primary hull (Terrier) 
   
  Shields: 
  1-layer conformal forcefield 
   
  Navigational deflectors on forward secondary hull 
   
  Transporters: 
  2 GP (2-pad); Mk III or Mk IV 
   
  Select ships brought to Mk V standard after 2285 
   
  Auxiliaries: 
  2 work pods (Terrier) 
   
  Ships of historical interest: 
   
  USS Feist (NCC-E977), USS Saluki (NCC-E962) 
   
  
   
  76
  SOURCES: 
  (D FASA, dimensions corrected) 
   
  (N FASA) 
   
  (H FASA) 
   
   
  Starfleet escort needs peaked in the mid-2260s, after the Remora and Hellespont classes had been 
  fielded and their initial production runs completed. Yet from the contemporary viewpoint, the peak 
  looked like the foothills of a towering mountain range. With no way of knowing that in just a few 
  years, the Klingons would be signing documents of truce and the core space pirates would be driven 
  into hiding on the outer rim or behind Orion backs, Starfleet had no choice but to continue 
  procurement of dedicated commerce protection vessels. Since vessels with single and triple nacelles 
  had proved suboptimal, the next step was obvious. 
   
  The Griffon deep space escort was conceived with mass production in mind. Specifications relating 
  to performance included but two items: warp five sustainable for operations spanning one year (to 
  be attained with twin PB-35E engines), and torpedo armament (consisting of one launcher of any 
  suitable type). Apart from these, solutions enabling a production run in the hundreds should be 
  favored in all respects. Salazaar’s Lenthal was simply too large and costly even before the addition 
  of the required torpedo system. ECF’s saucer hulls proved prohibitively expensive as well, and the 
  company also acknowledged its failure to reduce mass enough to make the twin-engine 
  configuration perform as required. Empress offered a radically simpler and lighter design, 
  compatible with a production rate of 24 keels per year at its Morena yards. In the August of 2266, 
  Starfleet signed on to purchasing five annual yields and providing the engines thereto. 
   
  The Empress proposal was essentially a Corona series lifting body converted for warp drive by 
  welding a propulsive appendage astern. The engineering section doubled the length of the vessel, 
  and the laterally rigged warp nacelles quintupled the mass, depriving the combination of 
  atmospheric maneuvering or landing capabilities. A forward hull jettison mechanism restored these 
  options in emergencies, though. The lifting body was a practical primary hull structure in other 
  respects as well, already featuring mounts for two twin phaser banks and military-standard shield 
  generators. Starfleet opted for Type IV of the former, and H series for the latter. The necessary 
  interstellar sensor and deflector gear was installed on the dorsal forward end of the engineering 
  section, along with beam armament. The original impulse engines of the lifting body were replaced 
  by larger ones of military FIE-1 standard, and operated independently of main power. Also added in 
  this section was a Graynet-style Mk 14 light torpedo launcher with 35 rounds, replacing the original 
  ventral cargo ramp/elevator. 
   
  The piecemeal construction was a quick and inexpensive way to proceed, and very little integration 
  was performed on the resulting hodgepodge of systems. When the first Griffon (NCC-E940) was 
  
   
  77
  delivered in March 2267, Starfleet was immediately forced to increase the onboard crew from 
  planned 62 to 85. Personnel expenses were insignificant in the escort equation, however, and 51 of 
  the affordable vessels were fielded by the end of the following year. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  A simulated emergency ends the service of USS Saluki (NCC-E1149) at the Arcturus Test Range, demonstrating primary 
  hull separation and atmospheric entry. Deep space sensors, deflectors and the double twin phaser banks can be observed 
  above the explosive glow of the separation line, just forward of the twin plasma expanders and the housing for the shield 
  generator. There are some striking conceptual similarities to the Kovaris destroyers half a century older in the Griffon 
  design; it is perhaps not so surprising, then, that those vessels would be pressed to escort duty in the 2290s alongside their 
  Griffon counterparts. 
   
  Operational experiences were “satisfactory” in official reports. Crews were less than enamored with 
  the compact design, but valued the firepower of the torpedo launcher. A stern tube would help with 
  the poor turning rate, and additional aft sensors were also requested. More speed would also be 
  welcome, and in fact Starfleet was quite ready to provide it: if either LN-23, LN-41 or LN-61 
  panned out, the Griffon class would be a prime recipient.  
   
  However, Organia and the anti-piracy crusade put Griffon production on hold for 2268. Like most 
  yards, Empress was reeling from multiple other starship program cancellations or downrampings, 
  and wanted to hang on to the escort program the best it could. Reinventing the mission profile 
  would be more important than reworking the technical details; keeping costs down would be 
  absolutely paramount for project survival. The linear engine refit was postponed, the extra torpedo 
  tubes left ashore for the time being, and the next two batches of sixty finished with more austere 
  sensor systems pared down to nearspace, policing-oriented specs. The Griffons spent more time as 
  system protection cutters than in accompanying transports and merchantmen between systems – a 
  valuable role as such, even if a waste of PB-35 capabilities. 
   
  Yet Empress never gave up: plans to install a linear drive were constantly reworked to best match 
  the stage of completion and state of equip of the latest vessels off the dockyards. Sure enough, in 
  2272 the permission came to finish the final 28 vessels to the LN-61 propulsive standard. 
  Production then moved to the higher endurange Genser type; beyond that, Starfleet had no need for 
  so-called “medium escorts” any more. 
   
  The vessels of the second batch had a rather different silhouette out of technological necessity: the 
  linear-excitation engines were rigged below the vessel to give a line of sight between the field 
  windows. All the requested improvements were introduced, and since it was already known that 
  production numbers would be limited, funds were also directed at modern interiors, encompassing 
  both creature comforts and user interfaces. While some chided this as wasted effort, operating crews 
  certainly held the opposite view.  
   
  Out of the 208 vessels of the first batch, some 145 saw service to the early 2300s, and 82 of these 
  were refitted with improved interiors although not with the modern propulsion system. The second 
  batch was not slated to outlive the first. At the end of active operations, there were 21 confirmed 
  
   
  78
  Griffon losses, mostly in system protection duties at the restless frontier, and three vessels declared 
  missing. A final training unit (USS Feist, NCC-E1164) was retired in 2312; she was the last 
  example of classic Empress lifting body design in Starfleet service. 
  Richtofen 
  Clipper 
  2268-2293 
   
  Completed: 
  20 
   
  Length: 
  141.9 m 
   
  Beam: 
  135.0 m 
   
  Height: 
  17.0 m  
   
  Mass: 
  95,100 tons  
   
  Officers: 
  2  
   
  Crew: 
  16  
   
  Max. speed: 
  w 6.5 
   
  Endurance: 
  5 months  
   
  Weapons: 
  Phaser IV emitters on nacelle bows 
   
  Shields: 
  1-layer globular shield 
   
  Transporters: 
  1 GP (3-pad); Mk III 
   
  Ships of historical interest: 
   
  USS Richtofen (NCC-330) 
   
  SOURCES: 
  (D aridas sofia) 
   
  (N aridas sofia) 
   
  (H aridas sofia, own) 
   
  
   
  79
  For the latter half of the 2260s, the attention of starship and starcraft designers was turned towards 
  the novel concept of linear-sequential rather than radial excitation of warp coils. The possibilities of 
  the new type of drive were alluring. The practical execution proved elusive, however, and threw 
  many procurement projects to disarray with repeated delays and complications. But even traditional 
  warp technology had something to offer for the latter half of the 23rd century. It was just a matter of 
  scale. 
   
  Once, the Ariadne clippers had attained their considerable speed through the use of immense ring 
  drives. The joint Vulcan-Terran enterprise Panastric offered to repeat this feat of relative advantage 
  with two 128-meter, 40,000 ton nacelled drives, further promising superior acceleration and top 
  speed. The vessel being put forth was not a light cruiser, however. Rather, a crew pod just two 
  decks high would be riding between the mammoth drive units, almost apologetic in its slimness and 
  lack of major systems. The nacelles would contain virtually everything required for propulsion, 
  starting with bulging bow sensors and ramscoops, continuing with coil sections, and ending in 
  sequential fusion reactors and the MHD taps in their exhaust systems. 
   
  For crew safety, maximum separation would be maintained between the active sections of the 
  nacelles and the habitat pod. Each nacelle would protrude far ahead of the pod, and the stern ends 
  would be rigged some 130 meters apart on broad wings of pronounced dihedral that also held the 
  vessel’s fuel reserves. The pod was pentagonal in shape, 65 meters long at centerline and 45 meters 
  wide at the broadest point, and was smoothly, nearly featurelessly covered in thermoceramic armor. 
  The hull exposed but two impulse propulsion units aft and a few access hatches on the ventral side. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Showing the flag, or showing off? Granted that barrel rolls offer the squabbling Tellarite and Frenni merchantmen an 
  egalitarian view of the prominent UFP symbols painted on the broad wings of USS Belinski (NCC-336), but the phaser 
  armament of the clipper would enjoy full firing arcs also without such orientation changes. 
   
  
   
  80
  The type was in theory chiefly an engineering exercise. In practice, it was also a sales success, as 
  Starfleet procured twenty hulls and ten spare pairs of engines outright. Class leader USS Richtofen 
  (NCC-330) continued where the Chasseur class had left off and rounded out Starfleet’s modern 
  scouting forces with a fast albeit low endurance type.  
   
  An established top speed of warp 5.5 inevitably led to a ‘clipper’ designation, a useful distinction in 
  an era whose other scoutships remained lumbering heavyweights. Furthermore, scouting was to be 
  but one of the many duties of the type: a principal application was as priority courier, for dignitaries 
  and dispatches as well as for troubleshooters and tactical teams. If not for the rather horrid unit 
  price, Starfleet would have ordered another fifty. 
   
  A Richtofen needed considerable engineering support at home base, to be sure. Planetary patrol 
  missions initially projected as taking place from colonial bases had to be limited to systems of high 
  level of technological resources and know-how. This was just as well, because some 70 % of the 
  Richtofen force ultimately fell under the direct command of Fleet Operations. 
   
  Availability problems were a primary factor in downscaling of Richtofen operations in the late 
  2280s, with the succeeding Frobisher class largely taking over. However, miniaturization had also 
  led to the highly successful Tai series of courier sleds, less than half the size of the Frobishers yet 
  almost as fast and capable as the Richtofens. A handful of the old clippers survived in Admiralty 
  VIP transport role until the 2290s, then gracefully bowed out to their betters.  
  Remora refit 
  Escort 
  2268-2287 (Remora (II)) 
  2272-2299 (Charger) 
   
  Completed: 
  38 total: 
   
   
  22 Remora (II) converted from Remora 
   
  16 Charger converted from Remora 
   
  Length: 
  150.1 m 
   
  Beam: 
  109.5 m 
   
  Height: 
  41.3 m 
   
  Mass: 
  133,450 tons (Remora (II)) 
   
  131,200 tons (NCC-3482) 
   
  127,260 tons (Charger standard) 
   
  Officers: 
  7 (Remora (II)) 
   
  8 (Charger) 
   
  Crew: 
  56 (Remora (II)) 
   
  72 (Charger) 
   
  Cruise speed: 
  w 7 
   
  Max. speed: 
  w 9.0 (Remora (II)) 
   
  w 12.0 (Charger) 
   
  Endurance: 
  1 year 
   
  Weapons: 
  Remora (II): 
   
  4 phaser IV emitters in 2 twin banks on dorsal primary hull, port/stbd of bridge 
   
  4 phaser IV emitters in 2 twin banks on ventral primary hull, port/stbd of sensor dome 
   
   
  Charger: 
   
  4 phaser V emitters in 2 twin banks on dorsal primary hull, port/stbd of bridge 
   
  2 light fwd torpedo tubes w/ 15 torps on lateral fairings 
  
   
  81
   
  Shields: 
  1-layer conformal forcefield 
   
  1-layer globular forcefield (Remora (II), NCC-4100) 
   
  Navigational deflector on ventral hull (Charger) 
   
  Transporters: 
  2 GP (2-pad); Mk IV 
   
  Select ships brought to Mk V standard after 2285 
   
  Ships of historical interest: 
   
  USS Agriotês (NCC-3491), USS Iku-Turso (NCC-3494) 
   
  SOURCES: 
  (D FASA, dimensions altered) 
   
  (N FASA, Charger Joshua Spencer) 
   
  (H FASA, Charger Joshua Spencer) 
   
   
  When linear excitation of warp coils was first theorized to have advantages over the classic 
  circumferential method, physicists and engineers alike thought small – and fast. Starships in the 50-
  70,000 ton hull mass category were the preferred testbeds and likeliest beneficiaries of the 
  technology, with the promise of tenfold increase in maximum speed. Even when experiments with 
  large linear engines in the fifties and sixties ended in disappointment or disaster, faith in the 
  successor to the compact PB-35 remained firm. 
   
  The respite of Organian peace made experimentation on small starships especially attractive. Not 
  only were R&D funds released from operating budgets and suitable surplus spaceframes piled up; 
  treaty limitations on new construction of large vessels also steered development towards operational 
  testing aboard light combatants. The leading engine manufacturer in this field was Cochrane Warp 
  Dynamics, with the sleek LN-61 that was to be a scale model of the greatest breakthrough in 
  
   
  82
  company history. Repeating the PB-35 development history, the LN-61 would be developed into a 
  cruiser engine and refitted onto as many capital ships as Organian limitations allowed. 
   
  First had to come the proof of concept. Escort vessel USS Remora had her PB-35E discarded and 
  replaced by the similarly dimensioned but somewhat lighter linear excitation unit, while major 
  internal changes were made to the engineering systems to accommodate total intermixing within the 
  hull of the ship. Sufficient space existed in the engineering section, and some radiator structures on 
  the escort’s wings even became redundant in the modification. Nevertheless, some ten thousand 
  tons were added to hull mass by the addition of the inboard KR02 intermix machinery, completely 
  new YPS impulse systems, and an experimental new Type H shield generator pair. A bulkier pylon 
  assembly was also required for the warp engine, not so much due to its manageable mass of 75,000 
  tons nor for the increases in torque and shear forces, but for the now necessary external plasma 
  expander and flushing systems. 
   
  There was some disagreement between Cochrane, Yoyodyne and Prentice-Schafer over the 
  rationality of testing all the respective new hardware in a single spaceframe. The former two clearly 
  required the integration experience from the standpoint of propulsive subspace field interaction, but 
  the shield company only needed to tap into the new power system; why was a ‘live’ test bench 
  needed? However, Starfleet did not want to dedicate a hull solely to the testing of combat shields in 
  the delicate times immediately following the Organian negotiations. In the end, Remora testing did 
  not suffer undue setbacks from the work on the shield generator, and operational experiences could 
  be gathered from early 2268 on already. 
   
  The upgraded escort retained her original armament and sensor and communications systems, yet 
  clearly was superior to her previous incarnation, and worthy of a “full” NCC registry. There was 
  now power to efficiently operate the weaponry in all tactical situations, as well as added sublight 
  maneuverability and thrust. Operating crew size remained unaltered, while crew morale could not 
  have undergone a greater change. Flying the fastest small starship in the Fleet was a prestigious 
  assignment, and tall tales of warp 10.5 peak speeds in test runs began to gain in credence with 
  expanded and better publicized test programs. 
   
  By 2269, there were nine converted Remoras in operation; by 2270, twenty. Two more would yet 
  leave the slipways, but the first casualties were suffered before completion of the conversion run. 
  USS Grouper (the former NCC-E841, now NCC-3471) exploded without warning in May 2271 
  when seeing a deuterium transport from Vega to Dinan; no reason was ever discovered. USS 
  Sturgeon (NCC-E853/3472) had to be abandoned after being devastated by the Xindi in August 
  2272, with light casualties only; USS Pirarucu (NCC-E820/3465) survived to limp to port, but 48 of 
  her crew did not.  
   
  On a less tragic note, two Remoras would leave Starfleet for the private sector in 2274, purchased to 
  escort a twenty-ship settler convoy to Cutting Edge at Epsilon Librae. Building on the two military 
  surplus vessels, the Nightshield mercenary corporation would soon expand to a major commercial 
  success, securing dozens of colonial sorties throughout the late seventies and eighties. Private 
  security enterprises were tolerated well into the 24th century, even if their exploits at times 
  conflicted with general UFP interests. 
   
  The Remora (II) class soldiered on till the 2287 détente, at that point replaced by a significantly 
  more qualified holder of the designation ‘fast frigate’, the Ianar class. Although four units were 
  removed from Fleet strength in 2279 with the introduction of Daran frigates, no further combat 
  losses were suffered. Then again, the light armament of the type kept it out of the deadliest 
  
   
  83
  engagements, now that the triumphant Starfleet finally could decide where, when and whether to 
  deploy its anti-piracy forces. Against a determined Klingon anti-shipping campaign, the Remoras 
  would have been useless in any case. 
   
  * * * 
   
  In March 2270, with eighteen unconverted Remoras still remaining in mothballs at Titan, Eckard 
  Collins designers managed to attract the attention of Commodore Joseph R. Holman, head of the 
  Sol VI yards. Holman had to turn down their ambitious plans of rearming the vessels with medium 
  torpedo launchers, but he recognized great potential in the powerplant uprating suggested in these 
  plans. A two-pronged attack plan by Holman involved approaching Fleet command with a white 
  paper on the great potential of linear-engine refitting, as well as cuing ECF to market its refit 
  program mainly as a significant propulsive upgrade. 
   
  Combining the new through-flow intermix chamber with LN-61J, the ‘jauntier’ sibling to the now 
  fully operational original (far be it from CWD to name their engine after ‘Joseph’!), was eventually 
  verified to give performance previously undreamed of. After a bit less than two years of conversion 
  work and six months of testing, USS Charger (ex-USS Catfish, NCC-E813, now NCC-3482 to 
  systematically succeed the Remoras) on her maiden voyage in July 2272 achieved warp 12 – and 
  sustained it for more than 12 hours! The results were manna for the engine manufacturer, and all but 
  secured complete market dominance for the company’s LN-64 series, now undergoing installation 
  on heavy and strike cruisers. 
   
  Eckard Collins in turn secured contracts for converting fifteen more Remoras into Charger class 
  light destroyers, torpedo-armed sisters of the Remora (II) design. The Mk 14 launchers that would 
  transform the mission class of the vessels were mounted on the bows of the lateral shield generator 
  fairings. A mechanical swiveling system made available broad forward firing angles even at the 
  point blank ranges of convoy combat. Fifteen torpedoes were stored per launcher, and medium 
  range targeting was boosted by an all-new sensor cluster. Also new was the Edan navigational 
  deflector. The Type H shields were retained but their secondary bubble mode was lost as the 
  associated coils had to give way to torpedo machinery; a deflector beam added to the aft ventral hull 
  in turn provided extra forward protection for high warp. Upper phasers were changed to RIM-9 
  Type V units, and impulse propulsion to twin Scarbak FIF engines, whose fuel tanks were reduced 
  in size. More than 6,000 tons of mass could be shaved off by the changes. 
   
  The lavishly equipped little ships had less combat value than their initial designation suggested. 
  Their high speed admittedly gave them excellent response times in missions of intercepting border 
  incursions, yet combat resilience was low in comparison with heavier destroyers. Some delightful 
  victories were scored against pirates during the brief resurgence of Orion activity in the mid-2270s, 
  when Starfleet’s frontier campaigns drove the slave hunters back towards inner UFP space convoys. 
  Mistaken for meek Remora (II) vessels, Chargers would pounce on unsuspecting raiders with the 
  full ferocity of their namesake, the Centauran antelopoid. For example USS Agriotês (NCC-3491) 
  managed to render immobile two pirate vessels thrice her size while escorting colonists to the 
  Kessik waystation in 2278; the raiders promptly scuttled the wrecks before their Orion identities 
  could be confirmed. 
   
  With the 2287 retiring of the Remora (II) class, certain maintenance and training resources for the 
  Charger class also became scarce. By 2290, the construction of two-engined Babcocks and refits of 
  old Kovaris destroyers had made the Chargers redundant in the role of torpedo-armed contingency 
  escorts. Lifting of the Klingon threat in 2291 thus was just one more step down a path whose end 
  
   
  84
  already was in sight. The last units were deactivated in 2299, with USS Iku-Turso (NCC-3494) 
  listed missing in the direction of 53 Aquarii. 
  Genser / Babcock 
  Escort 
  2274-2312 
   
  Completed: 
  17 total: 
   
  12 Genser escorts built in 2274-2276 
  5 Babcock escort leaders built in 2274-75 
   
  Length: 
  180.0 m (Genser) 
   
  240.0 m (Babcock) 
   
  Beam: 
  98.2 m (Genser) 
   
  102.0 m (Babcock) 
   
  Height: 
  40.1 m 
   
  Mass: 
  182,300 tons (Genser) 
   
  213,750 tons (Babcock) 
   
  Officers: 
  9 (Genser) 
   
  12 (Babcock) 
   
  Crew: 
  71 (Genser) 
   
  96 (Babcock) 
   
  Troops: 
  10 (Genser, occasionally embarked) 
   
  30 (Babcock, seldom embarked) 
   
  Cruise speed: 
  w 6  
   
  Max. speed: 
  w 8.0 
   
  Endurance: 
  1 year 
   
  Weapons: 
  Genser: 
  4 phaser IV emitters in 2 twin banks on dorsal primary hull, on fwd quarters 
   
  2 phaser IV emitters in single banks on ventral secondary hull 
   
  2 phaser IV emitters in single banks on dorsal aft secondary hull 
  Babcock: 
  4 phaser IV emitters in 2 twin banks on dorsal primary hull, port/stbd of bridge 
   
  2 phaser IV emitters in single banks on ventral secondary hull 
   
  2 light fwd torpedo tubes w/80 photorps 
   
  Shields: 
  1-layer conformal forcefield 
   
  Navigational deflector on secondary hull bow 
   
  Transporters: 
  2 GP (2-pad), 1 cargo; Mk IV (Genser) 
   
  2 GP (2-pad), 3 cargo; Mk IV (Babcock) 
   
  Select ships brought to Mk V standard after 2285 
   
  Auxiliaries: 
  1 light shuttle, 2 work pods (Genser) 
   
  2 light shuttles, 6 work pods (Babcock) 
   
  Ships of historical interest: 
   
  USS Babcock (NCC-2812), USS Genser (NCC-2800) 
   
  SOURCES: 
  (D FASA, dimensions corrected) 
   
  (N FASA) 
   
  (H FASA) 
  
   
  85
   
  Starfleet’s experiences with the Griffon class had proven the limited utility of small deep space 
  escorts. Despite general affordability, such ships suffered from severe endurance limitations, and 
  the shielding that could be carried in the small hulls was inadequate for most purposes. In the 
  2270s, Starfleet was forced to reattempt the application of “proper” saucer hulls and heavy shield 
  generators on twin-engined deep space escorts. Fortunately, the engine technology at least was 
  working as planned, and the versatile LN-61 was now ready to equip ship categories that just a 
  decade earlier could never have hoped to afford the comparable PB-35. 
   
  An experimental re-engining of the old Keith class surveyors resulted in a ship of the proper size 
  range attaining all the performance figures required of a modern escort. Just a little bit of additional 
  work on the Keith spaceframe was needed to turn this experiment into a practical production model, 
  then. The primary hull was adopted as such, merely with the two twin phaser IVs moved from port 
  and starboard positions to the bow quarters.  
   
  The secondary hull lost its flexible “mission pod” nature, though, having its amidship shuttle hangar 
  replaced by a full-fledged engineering section that housed the KR02 reactor and its antimatter 
  
   
  86
  tankage. The arcane hinged engine pylons of the Keith had to go, too; the stems of the new pylons 
  for LN-61 nacelles were fixed on both sides of a modern high-performance Avidyne impulse deck. 
  Small hangarettes were restored to both sides of the engineering complex, below the shoulders of 
  the engine pylons; one held a liaison shuttle, the other a pair of work pods necessary for deep space 
  operations. The aft part of the secondary hull was reserved for fuel, stores and supplies, while the 
  forward part hosted additional crew support systems and workshops. A ventral bulge was added for 
  a deep space navigational deflector of TaT make. Equally vital to the mission was the Type H shield 
  system, borrowing from the success of the Lenthal design philosophy. Similarly housed in a lateral 
  bulge that encircled the entire secondary hull, it gave the class excellent shield extension 
  capabilities. 
   
  The resulting Genser class of escorts followed the unyielding pattern of arithmetic that had 
  governed Remora and Hellespont procurement already: against the 22 Remora refits, only half as 
  many of the two-nacellers could be completed. A mere dozen vessels were still more useful than the 
  hundreds of Griffons against any future Klingon aggression. While the lighter ships would have to 
  settle for partway escort to and from Federation core worlds, only protecting the happiest hunting 
  grounds of Klingon raiders near the choke points of incoming and outgoing traffic, the Gensers 
  could escort a convoy all the way to the colony zone and back. 
   
  Babcock, Genser and Griffon in a family portrait with their smaller Remora/Charger cousin. The LN-61 was a forgiving 
  engine, and easily capable of propelling ships of this modest size at useful interstellar speeds, but could not compete in 
  sheer performance with the LN-64 engines of modern heavy corvettes.  
  
   
  87
   
  True deep space operations still called for somewhat more extensive capabilities, at least for one of 
  the escort vessels in a given convoy; essentially, an affordable ‘escort leader’ was needed in the 
  image of the destroyer leaders of yore. Salazaar immediately offered an up-engined Lenthal, but the 
  Vulcan designers at Merak crunched out the numbers for a more affordable alternative. The Genser 
  was stretched by some sixty meters. The saucer was moved forward, the warp propulsion pack aft, 
  and a large torpedo pod was mounted amidships. The carefully blast-shielded twin tubes were 
  aimed barely past the bridge, and the magazines held a bountiful total of 80 torpedoes.  
   
  The secondary hull with its shield generators remained largely unchanged, save for two seven-meter 
  plugs for the ventral bulge, to accommodate convoy command spaces and two extra docking ports, 
  plus curved lateral ‘saddle bags’ on top of which the torpedo launcher supports rested. The primary 
  hull phasers were relocated to the sides again as internal command spaces were reworked. The aft 
  cutout of the saucer, now freed from hosting the impulse engine, instead accommodated a shuttle 
  hangar for two light liaison craft. Their approach vectors were greatly complicated by the presence 
  of the torpedo pod. Plenty of hangar space was provided beneath said pod, however, within the top 
  deck extending all the way along the secondary hull spine, from the saucer to the pylon roots. 
   
  The creation of the stretched escort leader proved structurally unproblematic. The elongated ships 
  did suffer from agility limitations, but easily bested the Lenthal Mk V upgrade in this respect.The 
  swapping of a Kloratis IP-3 impulse deck for the RSE original gave the leaders good acceleration. 
  Five hulls of the stretched configuration were completed, and considered the separate Babcock class 
  as per the name of the leader first launched. A light frigate designation was briefly considered, but 
  found excessive in comparison with the likes of Daran class; this slight detour left the escorts next 
  to the Loknar frigates rather than the Hellespont escorts in registry range, with USS Genser at NCC-
  2800 and USS Babcock at NCC-2812. The upgraded Lenthal, procured to round out the arsenal but 
  deselected from future production, was given numbers starting at NCC-2817. The separate letter 
  identifiers that had still been used for the Griffon class were now abandoned for good. 
   
  Satisfied with the demonstration of capabilities, Starfleet ceased procurement in 2276. The facilities 
  at Cait could reassume construction of either escort type on short notice, the only bottleneck being 
  the availability of further LN-61 pairs. Yet in the political atmosphere of the time, little effort was 
  made to actually secure these engine resources. The intensifying of the Klingon threat during the 
  following decade prompted no change in this respect: vessels equipped with the much more capable 
  LN-64 engines were proving to be the more cost-effective way of providing deep space protection. 
  Such patrol vessels, while low in number and impossible to mass produce in a crisis, could utilize 
  their superior speed to have short reaction time compensate for limited local availability. Their 
  firepower also best matched the newest Klingon adversaries, against which shield extension was an 
  impractical tactic. 
   
  The Gensers never were produced beyond the proof-of-concept batch. The extant vessels still flew 
  escort missions of worth, often accompanied by modernized Keiths acting as sensor pickets, and by 
  Remora or Remora (II) units, with a Babcock or a Lenthal in the middle. Escort formations of up to 
  seven ships were by no means a rare sight, even though actual convoy was never really effected in 
  the 2280s or 2290s and the groups of merchantmen to be protected were small. It remains a matter 
  of speculation whether a gaggle of escorts could have successfully opposed a Klingon raiding 
  flotilla featuring heavy units. Certainly it made a difference against various pirate vessels and 
  formations, and could have been a deterrent to Klingon Ch’ing cloakships as well. No combat 
  losses were confirmed, but operational losses included two ships going missing. In addition, the 
  
   
  88
  entire crew of USS Genser was lost during an apparent interphase incident also involving an alien 
  ship or object of unknown origin or purpose. 
   
  The escorts were retired along with the last Griffons in the early 24th century, long after their 
  tactical and strategic usefulness had come to an end. 
  Daring / Renner 
  Heavy corvette 
  2275-2319 
   
  Completed: 
  39 total: 
   
   
  18 Daring built in 2275-78 
   
  21 Renner built in 2283-85 
   
  Length: 
  215.6 m 
   
  Beam: 
  82.9 m 
   
  Height: 
  49.8 m 
   
  Mass: 
  674,000 tons (Daring) 
   
  671,000 tons (Renner) 
   
  Officers: 
  11 (Daring) 
   
  12 (Renner) 
   
  Crew: 
  94 (later 103, including 32 Marine boarding crew; Daring) 
   
  116 (later 128, including 32 Marine boarding crew; Renner) 
   
  Max. speed: 
  w 9.0 (Daring) 
   
  w 10.1 (Renner standard) 
   
  w 11.0 (Renner upgrade) 
   
  Endurance: 
  2 years 
   
  Weapons: 
  Daring: 
  2 phaser VI emitters in twin bank on dorsal hull, fwd of bridge 
   
  2 phaser VI emitters in twin bank on ventral hull, fwd of sensors 
   
  2 phaser V emitters in twin bank on dorsal hull, aft of bridge 
  2 phaser V emitters in single banks below impulse engine 
   
  2 fwd torpedo tubes w/20 photorps each 
  Renner: 
  6 phaser VI emitters in 3 twin banks on dorsal hull, fwd, port and stbd of bridge (Renner) 
   
  2 phaser VI emitters in twin bank on ventral hull, fwd of sensors 
   
  2 phaser V emitters in twin bank on dorsal hull, aft of bridge 
   
  2 phaser V emitters in twin bank below impulse engine 
   
  2 light aft torpedo tubes w/16 photorps each 
   
  2 mine tubes w/20 gravitic mines each 
   
  Up to 4 racks of 200 mines each carried in shuttlebays (optional) 
   
  Shields: 
  1-layer globular forcefield 
   
  Navigational deflector on bow 
   
  Transporters: 
  1 GP (4-pad), 1 emergency evacuation/assault (12-pad); Mk IV (Daring) 
   
  1 GP (6-pad), 1 emergency evacuation/assault (12-pad); Mk IV (Renner) 
   
  All ships brought to Mk V standard after 2295 
   
  Auxiliaries: 
  2 work pods (Daring) 
   
  4-8 work pods and either 2 medium or 1 heavy shuttle or 4 tactical craft (Renner) 
   
  Ships of historical interest: 
   
  USS Impeller (NCC-2397), USS Republic (NCC-2404) USS Katana (NCC-3268), USS Regal (NCC-3270), USS Renner (NCC-3250) 
   
  SOURCES: 
  (D FSRC, IFP/ Rafael Gonzalez, own) 
   
  (N FSRC, IFP/ Rafael Gonzalez) 
   
  (H own, IFP/ Rafael Gonzalez, Diane Carey “Wagon Train to the Stars”) 
  
   
  89
   
  The onset of relative peace with the Klingons after Axanar did not halt Starfleet’s plans for 
  escalation; indeed, even the peace treaty of Organia twenty years later did little to slow down the 
  acquisition of military hardware. But the role of local defenses was altered as a direct consequence 
  of the Axanar events, and control of defensive spacecraft was taken from local authorities firmly 
  into Starfleet hands. In practice, Fleet corvettes would now handle not only system defense but 
  traffic control and law enforcement as well, even in systems where indigenous vessels and crews 
  had formerly been available. 
   
  The supply of Battleaxe and Procyon corvettes was not inexhaustible, and many colonies and 
  trading posts between 2246 and 2266 had to make do without any permanent Starfleet spacecraft 
  presence at all. Nevertheless, by the sixties, Starfleet had managed to cover the major freight ports 
  and strategic mining and farming planets in decisive strength. Key to this was the three-tiered 
  system of affordable defense vessels, increasing in cost and complexity from corvette to escort to 
  perimeter ship. 
   
  Enter Organia, exit Klingon threat. Deprived of its budgetarily convenient arch-enemy, Starfleet in 
  the early seventies could ill afford three tiers of defense. Consolidating these into two was an 
  attractive proposal when first made in May 2270, following the successful Holman-CWD pitch for 
  linear-excitation warp engine application on small and medium combatants. The experimental LN-
  61 engine was quickly adapted for corvette use and mounted on USS Riverstone of Battleaxe class 
  (formerly NCC-L427, now NX-2393). The original GA antimatter power systems were left mostly 
  intact, but practically all other equipment was removed; new weaponry, consisting of six phaser V 
  emitters (three RIM-9 twin mounts) and one phaser VI unit (RIM-10B single mount), was mounted 
  on the main hull, and new communications, control and analysis gear installed. Since the main 
  powerplant and the computer core were modified little from their original standard, the systems 
  performed below the levels projected for a full conversion or a newbuild production model, and 
  Starfleet had no plans for putting the ship to operational use after initial tests. 
   
  These tests, however, were a spectacular success. With only minimal modifications, the LN-61 
  engine could be made to propel the Riverstone to a phenomenal warp 10.3. New phasers offered 
  excellent coverage and functioned well in test firings and combat simulations. Despite the 
  patchwork nature of the upgrade, the Riverstone’s various systems worked admirably. The only 
  downsides were high conversion costs and increased crew requirements accompanied by a severe 
  shortage of space – problems that Starfleet hoped to amend by building the next wave of corvettes 
  completely from keel up. 
   
  Ironically, success meant oblivion for the LN-61. The positive experiences gained on the Riverstone 
  conversion encouraged everybody to set their aims higher. For the Daring class, an unprecedented 
  top speed requirement was placed: the new corvettes were to achieve warp 10 in order to be able to 
  serve independently in deep space, thus combining the escort, border patrol and system defense 
  roles in one spaceframe. The Darings were thus to be built into true starships about half the size of 
  the projected Daran frigate class. A total of four phaser VI and four phaser V emplacements were to 
  
   
  90
  be fitted; a pair of light torpedo launchers was also proposed. There would be hangar facilities for 
  interceptor craft, navigation systems for long interstellar sorties, a Duotronic III –level computer 
  system… The vessels would clearly remain corvettes in name only.  
   
  However, Starfleet’s ongoing fascination with small frigates might better have been served by 
  investing more funds in the Daran/Knox program. After five years of trying, Starfleet engineers had 
  to admit that there was no way of stuffing all the required weaponry and engine technology into a 
  single hull of the specified dimensions. The program was divided in two: eighteen ships would 
  carry a torpedo armament, twenty-one a combination of escort fighters and gravitic mines. Common 
  to both would be the selection of the propulsion system, comprising a full-scale LN-64 warp engine 
  and an IF-453L twin impulse unit, both powered by a short KR07-L vertical antimatter reaction 
  core. Specific to each subclass would be the shape of the main hull. That of the Daring subclass 
  would be a narrow arrowhead with laterally faired torpedo launchers amidships. That of the Renner 
  subclass would broaden out much more to accommodate the hangar facilities and inboard mine 
  bays. 
   
  By 2275, the first Daring spaceframe, NX-2394, was ready for engine installation. The hull flared 
  from a narrow deflector bow into a five-deck central section, then tapered into an engine 
  compartment that housed the impulse and power systems. A plasma distribution node directly 
  below the power core fed both the impulse engine and the warp nacelles through very short 
  conduits, while a fourth conduit ended in a power tap that channeled energy to the weapons and 
  other ship’s systems. Two twin phaser banks were on the dorsal side, a Type VI (RIM-10B) 
  assembly forward and a Type V (RIM-9) one abaft of a standard Class 3 bridge module; one twin 
  Type VI and two single Type V banks were located forward and abaft of the ventral sensor cluster, 
  respectively. The rapid-firing Mk 16 torpedo launchers protected by athwartships cowlings were 
  lightweight variants of Common Claw, with a single loader and a magazine for 20 shots each, and 
  with a simplified, reduced-range targeting system commensurate with the overall capabilities of the 
  ship. 
   
  A crew of no less than 105 was required to operate this unwieldy vessel. The engines and power 
  systems were especially labor-intensive. The choice of the LN-64 mod 4 variant common with the 
  emerging Daran frigates proved a costly mistake for the Daring class. Surmounting maintenance 
  problems effectively halted the production of the fighter-carrying/minelaying variant for eight 
  years, as an alternate high performance engine was sought. Meanwhile, the Darings made do with 
  an engine that not only generated constant feedback into the underengineered main drive plasma 
  system, but also threatened to tear apart the entire spaceframe at high speed. Warp factor 8 proved 
  to be the ultimate operational limit for the type. Externally, however, the problems were only 
  evident in the adoption of an exceptionally broad pylon structure and adjoining plasma intercoolers 
  from USS Formidable, NX-2395, onwards. 
   
  The Darings were initially put to border patrol use in the Gorn and Tholian fronts, peaceful since 
  the late sixties. Press coverage of their humanitarian missions helped divert attention from the 
  earlier unrest in Xindi space. All factions of Starfleet and the Defense Council were satisfied with 
  the project, and further support was given to the development of a follow-on class. Also, Starfleet 
  was allowed to stockpile externally mounted mine racks for use on the first-batch corvettes, even 
  though these dispensers were very rarely carried and never saw combat use. 
   
  While the development program for the improved Renner subclass dragged on, the Darings attained 
  much fame as police cutters. Despite their low numbers, they were elementary in pacifying the 
  rampant Orion, Elasi and Landorian piracy in previously unprotected UFP and neutral systems 
  
   
  91
  outside of main spacelanes. New ground was broken when Starfleet cutters were assigned as escorts 
  to a convoy of civilian colony ships heading for the Belle Terre system. If not for the valiant fight of 
  USS Impeller (NCC-2397) under the command of Capt. Gunnar Merkling in defense of a colonial 
  transport isolated from the convoy, the entire expedition might eventually have been lost to Orion 
  slave hunters. Realizing how lucrative targets colonization expeditions presented to Orions, 
  Starfleet subsequently deployed a cutter escort for any convoy carrying more than 500 settlers.* 
   
  When the dedicated LN-64B mod 1 engine was introduced in late 2283, space trials of the Renner 
  (NX-3250) could finally begin. At this point, series production of the type was a foregone 
  conclusion, and the trials a mere formality: the Remora deep space escorts were at the end of their 
  viability already, and would have to be immediately replaced. Fortunately, the Renner performed as 
  planned, reaching at first warp 8 and soon thereafter warp 9 in risky, partially crewed tests. Her 
  weapons systems were tested at Arcturus following a deployment cruise that almost ended in a core 
  jettison due to a power spike; the engineers, a selection of Starfleet’s finest, managed to save the 
  ship from such a humiliating and potentially dangerous maneuver. In welcome contrast, the new Mk 
  23 torpedo system, its two aft tubes crammed beneath the impulse engine, met the modest 
  expectations placed on it. The lateral hangars were tested with various combinations of support 
  shuttles and ‘Killer Bee’ fighter kits, but found to be the most useful as storage spaces for gravitic 
  mines to be sown from two aft deployment tubes, whose integrated magazines could only hold 20 
  mines each. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Two Renners laying mines as part of Factor Two, a massive yearly exercise that between 2284 and 2293 spanned the 
  entire Eridani gap. At the outbreak of a full-scale war, system defense corvettes would rapidly mine key approach vectors, 
  then turn into phaser-armed predators, flanking the approaching Klingon formations and striking at targets of opportunity. 
  Sister ships would be assigned deep space escort duty and general anti-shipping missions. Little was left of the old passive 
  system defense doctrine in which corvettes had made a stand within the Kashishowa perimeter of a system. 
   
  By 2285, all twenty-one Renners were completed and ready to begin operations. USS Escovedo 
  (NCC-3263) opened her career with a stunning discovery: sent to discreetly monitor the planet 
  Organia to find out why so many of the Klingon border provocations now went unchallenged by the 
  noncorporeal rulers of the planet, she found Organia wiped clean of any and all forms of life. There 
  was no indication of the cause of this devastation (or possibly simply a relocation?). Clearly, it had 
  not been effected by conventional weapons. The captain and crew of the Escovedo were sworn to 
  secrecy, and other Starfleet-controlled traffic quietly rerouted so that nobody else would stumble on 
  the dangerous information. It is not known when exactly Klingons found out about the Organian 
  disappearance – but barely a year later, war was declared again, under the pretense of the Genesis 
  incident involving Starfleet captain James T. Kirk, Dr David Marcus and Klingon captain Kruge 
  sutai-Brahar.  
   
  
   
  92
  While all parties well knew that the war would be a cold one, the Klingon fleet being incapable of 
  taking on the bloated warfleet of the Federation, the Renners were sent to reinforce border patrols 
  and starbase defenses nevertheless. A contingent of some forty Marines was regularly carried on 
  special Starfleet Intelligence missions, and the Renners gradually amassed a respectable number of 
  captures of small enemy vessels: while Klingons were just as eager to fight to death as the 
  Romulans had been, they were far less trigger-happy with self-destruct systems. Starfleet PR 
  specialists had a hard time explaining out the capture missions which inevitably ended in complete 
  loss of the Klingon crew (or, in many an unadvertised case, in loss of the Marine teams, although 
  only two capture attempts ended in loss of the entire target ship, and none in the loss of the corvette 
  herself). Still, the missions were vital for Starfleet in providing up-to-date information about enemy 
  movements, command codes, transponder frequencies and deployment orders. Similar missions 
  were regularly performed by the Klingons as well, and labeled as simple piracy by UFP press. 
   
  After a much-needed computer upgrade to the D-4A2 standard, the Darings also embraced the 
  intelligence gathering role, carrying sensor probes deployable by the torpedo launchers but also 
  embarking Marines. Six units were lost in uneven border skirmishes in the wake of the Genesis 
  crisis. In face of the attrition, the idea of building midget frigates began to look economically 
  sounder, at least in comparison with the prospect of losing Darans or Akyazis at a similar rate. With 
  relatively low investments, advanced successors to the Renners were rapidly designed and 
  deployed, mainly concentrating on engine serviceability and endurance increases. Some of these 
  improvements also diffused down to the Renner class, which was rated for warp 11 dash speed in 
  2288. The LN-64B, essentially a cruiser engine, was able to accommodate the increased stresses 
  easily; the rest of the systems simply had their lifetime estimates revised, an unhealthy but relatively 
  commonplace practice in the late 2280s. 
   
  All the earlier, outdated corvettes had by then been recalled to port and their crews transferred to 
  training for the more modern vessels. Within five years of Genesis, Starfleet had remade its entire 
  corvette fleet; the Renners and their successors of Juliet and Riga classes were all deployed to the 
  border starbases, and the guarding of ‘secondary’ star systems was left to their local navies. Once 
  again, Starfleet was fully geared for a war with the Klingons.  
   
  As is well known, the peak of escalation coincided with its unexpected end. The surviving ten 
  Daring vessels were retired near-simultaneously in 2293, mere weeks after the Khitomer 
  conference, and their crews rotated back to the lighter Antares units. The sixteen Renners soldiered 
  on until 2319, their mine bays sealed off and converted into cargo holds. They never managed to 
  find a true civilian niche. Somewhat ironically, the lithe Riverstone pathfinder was to enjoy the 
  longest service life among the modern corvettes, succumbing to an unfortunate collision with a 
  service platform in 2349 after an acclaimed career as a navigation training vessel. 
   
  * Ultimately, this decision also led to many colonization parties setting 500 people as the upper limit of their expedition, to guarantee 
  the colonists full independence. Proliferation of small high performance warp engines further accelerated this development. 
  Centaurus refit 
  Corvette / courier / light scout 
  2278-2369 
   
  Completed: 
  98 total: 
   
   
  1 Antares courier/corvette/light scout converted from Procyon in 2278 
  10 Centaurus (II) (later Antares Mk I) corvettes converted from Centaurus in 2278-80 
  5 Centaurus (II) (later Antares Mk I) corvettes built in 2279-83 
   
  1 Mizar (later Antares Mk IIa) corvette converted from Procyon and 6 built in 2289-95 
  1 Ianetos (later Antares Mk IIb) light scout converted from Procyon and 15 built in 2292-96 
  
   
  93
  20 Antares Mk III (Sedna) couriers/corvettes/light scouts built in 2298-2301 
   
  19 Antares Mk IV (Pollux) couriers/corvettes/light scouts built in 2300-03 
   
  20 Antares Mk V (Capella) corvettes/light scouts built in 2313-15 
   
  Length: 
  143.5 m  
   
  Beam: 
  63.5 m 
   
  Height: 
  19.2 m  
   
  Mass: 
  300,500 tons (Centaurus (II), typical) 
   
  303,800 tons (Mizar, typical) 
   
  302,300 tons (Ianetos, typical) 
  306,000 tons (Antares Mk III, typical) 
   
  306,900 tons (Antares Mk IV, typical) 
   
  Officers: 
  3 (Centaurus (II), Mizar, Ianetos) 
   
  4 (Antares Mk III, IV) 
   
  Crew: 
  37 (Centaurus (II)) 
  39 (Mizar) 
  32 (Ianetos) 
   
  42 (Antares Mk III, IV) 
   
  38 (Antares Mk V) 
   
  Max. speed: 
  w 8.1  
   
  Endurance: 
  3 months 
   
  Weapons: 
  2 twin phaser V emitters on dorsal primary hull (NCC-717/NX-3000) 
   
  2 twin phaser V emitters on ventral primary hull (NCC-717/NX-3000)  
  4 single phaser IV emitters on dorsal primary hull (Antares Mk IIb) 
   
  4 single phaser IV emitters on ventral primary hull (Antares Mk IIb) 
  4 single phaser V emitters on dorsal primary hull (others) 
  4 single phaser V emitters on ventral primary hull (others) 
   
  1 light torpedo launcher on ventral primary hull (Antares Mk III-V) 
   
  Shields: 
  1-layer globular forcefield 
   
  Navigational deflector on secondary hull bow 
   
  Laboratories: 
  1 GP (Ianetos) 
   
  Transporters: 
  1 GP (2-pad); Mk IV (Centaurus (II), Mizar) 
   
  1 GP (4-pad); Mk IV (Ianetos) 
   
  1 GP (2-pad); Mk V (Antares Mk III-V) 
   
  All surviving ships brought to Mk VI standard in 2323 
   
  Ships of historical interest: 
   
  USS Antares (NCC-717/NCC-3000), USS Mizar (NCC-714/NCC-3006), USS Hermes (NCC-10376), USS Ianetos (NCC-710/NCC-3013) 
   
  SOURCES: 
  (D Kris Trigwell, based on Mike Morrisette original) 
   
  N TNG (LUG, SotSF, own) 
   
  (H own) 
   
   
   
  The relatively peaceful post-V’Ger, post-Xindi 2270s were a good time for Starfleet to experiment 
  with linear engine refits. Yet to get a modernized starship design into production was a more 
  demanding undertaking. The threat environment suggested an emphasis on local-action, dual-use 
  designs such as corvettes and frigates, on exploration forces such as heavy cruisers and surveyors, 
  and on concentrated reserve firepower such as dreadnoughts and strike cruisers. Certain other 
  starship resources were allowed to dwindle, not only as the result of failed refit attempts, but even 
  
   
  94
  when experimental linear engine installations had proven relatively satisfactory and affordable on 
  ships of these types. 
   
  As previously explained, no follow-on design emerged for the lighter end of the corvette fleet 
  despite the success of the experimental Riverstone LN-61 refit. This bode ill for other ship types in 
  need of light and affordable linear engines for nearspace applications. The Procyon family of 
  corvettes, couriers and light scouts, ships otherwise befitting the peaceful posture of the Fleet, 
  would soon disappear from active records. Attrition of these vessels from combat losses or 
  accidents was low, but the wear and tear of high speed operations was taking its toll. By the end of 
  the decade, especially the state of the light scoutships was intolerable: apart from the lithe Missions 
  and Archers, there were just a dozen Centaurus units in mothballs, only theoretically serviceable, 
  and another 17 in active service yet no more than nine still capable of the original warp seven 
  dashes. 
   
  Modern light warp engine development did not end with LN-61, however. In 2272, Shuvinaaljis 
  introduced the Advanced Circumferential Engine, a worthy competitor to the Cochrane Warp 
  Dynamics LN-64 at least in single-nacelle applications. When hopes of cruiser sales were dashed, 
  ACE development was directed at lighter applications. In waiting for the final breakthrough of 
  Cochise destroyer sales, Shuvinaaljis fielded the Medium ACE, an engine type ideal for 
  revigorating the Procyon family. 
   
  The damaged Procyon corvette USS Antares (NCC-717) was in early 2277 recommissioned for 
  testing the methods and tools of the refit. In addition to MACE installation, the complex procedure 
  would involve a complete pylon and impulse engine remodeling and changing of the main reactor. 
  Similarities with the ongoing cruiser refit programs helped dockyard engineers streamline the 
  process somewhat; nevertheless, work on the Antares exposed several problems, most of them 
  relating to the structural integrity of the much-abused hull. Rather than convert further Procyon 
  units, Starfleet thus decided to recall for upgrading ten of the surviving Centaurus couriers. These 
  vessels were less fatigued structurally than the corvettes, due to lesser impulse maneuvering, yet 
  definitely in need of a thorough propulsive system overhaul after more than two decades of high 
  warp service. 
   
   
   
  The re-engined and re-registered USS Antares, NX-3000, was originally destined for a short and tasking career as a 
  propulsive systems testbed. However, new technology allowed Shuvinaaljis to bench-test full MACE systems in near-
  
   
  95
  operational conditions, leaving the Antares to a sedate life as guardian of the Sol system. Here she frustrates Academy 
  pilots in advanced tactical flight training at Saturn, breaking a formation of Wasp craft with a mock phaser attack. 
   
  The courier mission profile did not require the latest instrumentation or weaponry. However, 
  mission gear for scouts had evolved significantly during the quarter century of Centaurus 
  operations, and an extensive primary hull refit was ultimately warranted. The saucer lost its 
  separation engines, but received all-new sensor pallets on Deck 2 bow. The trio of phasers was 
  replaced by no less than eight modern Type V emitters, arranged in twin RIM-9 banks on the 
  Antares but evenly spread on the saucer surfaces in single M-57 banks on the Centaurus refits. 
  Contours of the lower saucer half were altered along with the dorsal sensor and phaser removal, 
  even though the general structural frame stayed intact. A modern shield grid was applied overall, 
  and the bridge revamped to match the quality of the equipment controlled from it. Thus armed and 
  protected, the upgraded design basically took on all the three roles of the original spaceframe. 
   
  The utilities compartment forward of the breach line was remodeled to house multi-purpose 
  equipment/cargo/consumables holds and more neatly packed umbilicals for rapid consumables 
  transfer. At the same time, as a side effect of the installation of the new warp reactor and its radiator 
  surfaces, the secondary hull bottom half was rather completely dismantled. Deck six was gone, 
  replaced by a smooth half-cylindrar hull surface, and the ventral module berth omitted altogether. A 
  new main deflector and long range navigational sensors were introduced simply by swapping the 
  respective pod structure.  
   
  Re-engined, rearmed and thoroughly refurbished, the vessels sailed out again in 2279-80, led by the 
  Antares and followed by the ten units of what was then known as the Centaurus (II) subclass. A 
  newbuilding program immediately followed, as Starfleet was now convinced of the worth of 
  advanced propulsion scout/courier/corvette ships. Decisive in the change of heart was the high top 
  speed attained by the modifications, somewhat moderated by the high costs of the refit. Starfleet 
  anticipated continuing wear and tear on the scout fleet, and wanted to avoid further refitting or 
  major refurbishing of the aging hulls. Therefore, the so far unrefitted Centaurus vessels were retired 
  in their original configuration, as were the Procyon corvettes. In addition, new construction of the 
  multimission type was halted at five units; more keels would be laid as the original ones wore 
  down. Were major new mission equipment to emerge in the meantime, it would be installed on the 
  new units but not refitted on the existing ones. At first, individual surplus Procyon hulls could serve 
  as testbeds for each batch, letting the dockyards iron out any integration problems with the new 
  gear; later on, technological advances could be expected to negate the advantages of such precursor 
  hulls. 
   
  In accordance with this plan, yet in flexible response to the political events, the last vessels (in the 
  new, largely subclass-free nomenclature dubbed Antares Mk V rather than the systematic Capella) 
  were fielded in 2313, while retirement of the first MACE units began in 2292. The final batches 
  were armed with the new Mk 28 light torpedo launcher under the primary hull, and carried the latest 
  in anti-cloak sensor technology. Yet they found few practical applications for the new gear when 
  the Klingon border was declared off limits. This steered the multipurpose units back towards 
  courier duties. However, in this role they found themselves challenged by the increased dimensions 
  of the operational theater; at shorter ranges, the challenge came from the proliferation of small 
  interstellar craft. 
   
   
   
   
   
  
   
  96
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  An Antares of ‘Mk III’, actually the fourth distinct Antares configuration to be fielded, externally differs from a Centaurus 
  (II) or ‘Mk I’ ship hovering alongside in paint scheme only. Hidden are the ventral torpedo launcher and the uprated 
  shield generators, computer and sensors. Such minor differences had once called for subclass designations. Now, the only 
  controversy regarding the decision to use the common Antares class designation from 2300 on lay in the fact that the 
  commercial sector continued to operate the prominent Antares class of medium transports, creating the potential for 
  confusion. 
   
  Law enforcement and traffic control thus employed the torpedo-armed Mk IV and V units till the 
  end of their active service careers, in 2328 and 2337, respectively. Beyond this, only the light 
  scouting mission theoretically remained. Yet the scientific ambitions of the organization called for 
  scoutships of markedly longer range and greater capabilities, and so did the next military threat to 
  emerge. Only three Antares units were activated for the border wars: USS Acrux (NCC-10379, Mk 
  V), USS Sedna (NCC-3059, Mk IV) and USS Hermes (NCC-10376, Mk V) ran errands on various 
  theaters in the years of conflict. The Hermes was stricken from Fleet strength in 2369, after sporadic 
  service amounting to nearly four decades. 
  Firestone 
  Courier / corsair 
  2284-2328 
   
  Completed: 
  40  
   
  Length: 
  157.0 m 
   
  Beam: 
  39.5 m 
   
  Height: 
  39.0 m 
  78.3 m (w/ largest ventral subspace antenna) 
   
  Mass: 
  74,500 tons (w/o antenna or optional weapons) 
   
  Officers: 
  3  
   
  Crew: 
  12 (boarding or sigint mission, estimated) 
   
  5 (courier mission) 
   
  Cruise speed: 
  w 4 
   
  Max. speed: 
  w 7.0 
   
  Endurance: 
  1 year 
   
  Weapons: 
  2-4 phaser IV emitters in single or twin banks on port/stbd primary hull 
   
  1 fwd torpedo tube w/ 12 torpedoes (optional) 
  2 aft torpedo tubes w/16 torpedoes (not in NCC-1905-1909) 
   
   
  Shields: 
  1-layer conformal forcefield 
   
  Navigational deflector on nacelle bow 
   
  Laboratories: 
  1 signal processing (select ships) 
   
  Transporters: 
  1 GP (4-pad); Mk IV 
   
  Auxiliaries: 
  Boarding pods sometimes carried 
   
  
   
  97
  Ships of historical interest: 
   
  USS Emerald (NCC-1908) 
    
  SOURCES: 
  (D FASA/David R. Deitrick) 
   
  (N own) 
   
  (H own) 
   
   
  While the Antares family of small multipurpose starships was a direct descendant of the Procyon 
  law enforcement corvettes, the contemporary Firestone design had a more notorious pedigree. 
  Designed to augment Starfleet’s growing force of ‘corsairs’ or boarding ships, the Firestone 
  combined a powerful engine with a hull pared down to the barest essentials of a mission that 
  bordered on piracy. 
   
  The distinct looks of the Firestone had certain basics in common with the single-engined scoutships 
  of the past centuries. An angled support structure attached the warp engine ventrally to the habitat 
  and command hull, resulting in a fairly classic side profile. However, this interhull was barely two 
  meters thick and only featured a narrow passageway and second-stage plasma trunk. Main power 
  systems were packed away in an extended midpart of the engine nacelle, fully automated and 
  
   
  98
  almost inaccessible in flight. Lack of extensive passageways made it all the easier in emergencies to 
  sever the whole assembly from the forward section of the nacelle, which in turn contained a 
  powerful narrow-beam Lorill navigational deflector, three QIM-40 or -42 FTL sensor blisters and a 
  cramped systems monitoring room.  
   
  Aft of the reactor lay the warp coils, relying on conventional circumferential excitation; reactor 
  ejection would thus rid the ship of the coil assembly as well. Gone would also be power to the 
  sublight engines and weapons of the vessel, since the meager onboard batteries would not be able to 
  provide for these systems.  
   
  Barring a separation event, both impulse propulsion and firepower would be in ample supply on the 
  compact vessel. Her two-deck main hull of tombstone shape was built around a greatly oversized 
  Scarbak TS twin-nozzle impulse system, flanked by two aft-firing Mk 24 torpedo tubes for 
  discouraging pursuit; the semicircle bow held brutally efficient accommodation for the twelve crew, 
  but also managed to fit in an optional armament of two single or twin Type IV phaser emitters 
  and/or a forward torpedo launcher. If the forward launcher was left ashore, a docking port could slip 
  in its place, with an equally modular internal compartment taking the place of the magazines and 
  serving as a boarding party staging room, a signals intelligence laboratory, or possibly a high 
  security vault. Two lateral docking ports were a more permanent fixture; their universal docking 
  adapters were accompanied by lateral grappling systems and forcible access tooling. On a narrower 
  deck below, additional sensor assemblies helped either with hunting down boardable prey or with 
  more conventional gathering of crucial intelligence, depending on the modular configuration 
  chosen. 
   
  The pennants worn by this Firestone identify her as the Claymore. While most Firestones changed names more often than 
  they purged trilithium resin, edged weapons were typically associated with corsair missions and precious stones with 
  courier duty, while names of sensing instruments were chosen for signals intelligence sorties. Confusingly, ‘Claymore’ 
  here sports a large ventral subspace antenna seldom used for corsair work .Use of the names was seen as a frivority in any 
  case, there being little relevance to whether or not an ally or a victim would spot such an identifying detail on the hull of a 
  particular vessel. 
   
  Atop the hull, officer accommodation and a fourth docking port adjoined the bridge, from which the 
  daring raids would be coordinated. At speeds of up to warp seven, the Firestone could outrun most 
  commercial vessels to effect boarding. The speed would also help evade pursuit, were the vessel to 
  
   
  99
  be caught listening to subspace transmissions deep within enemy territory – a task assisted by 
  ventrally mountable fin antennas up to sixty meters long.  
   
  Of the forty Firestones completed, just five would utilize their considerable speed for the less 
  clandestine courier mission. These were also the only vessels to carry NCC registries (1905-1909), 
  and not to carry the grappling mechanisms and torpedo launchers. The space freed by the omission 
  of these systems provided some cargo capacity, while passengers could be accommodated in 
  relative comfort thanks to the reduction of crew to just the engineering team of eight. Ventral 
  subspace aerials would also be left ashore, although the priority transports retained full use of their 
  phasers and targeting systems, and also carried their datalinks for a secondary sigint mission. 
   
  The exploits of these special vessels were mostly in the subdued colors of Starfleet Intelligence, and 
  therefore remain poorly known. History records the loss of three hulls, supposedly respectively 
  named the Sapphire, Kivas and Amethyst at the time. All three vessels were declared missing 
  between 2288 and 2291, in obvious connection with the peaking of the Klingon confrontation. The 
  exact nature of their mission has not been disclosed, however, and records pertaining to the matter 
  have apparently been destroyed. 
   
  Despite its highly specific nature and exclusive SFI employment, even the Firestone class could not 
  avoid contributing to Federation scientific knowledge. In 2306, USS Emerald (NCC-1908) took a 
  shortcut through a magnetic monopole stream and found herself displaced by some fifteen 
  lightyears in a matter of minutes. The existence of tachyon upswellings in dense magnetic 
  phenomena had been hypothesized before; experiments now confirmed strong if erratic tachyonic 
  flows in several such formations. Propulsive applications are unlikely to emerge, although scattered 
  reports of ‘hypercurrent’ travel have been filed ever since. Study on the significance of tachyonic 
  flows to earlier starfaring cultures such as the Etoshans is ongoing. 
  Akyazi / Arbiter / Akula 
  Perimeter action ship 
  2285-2349 
   
  Completed: 
  105 total: 
   
   
  38 Akyazi 
   
  42 Arbiter 
   
  25 Akula  
   
  Length: 
   
  216.1 m (Akyazi)  
  215.8 m (Arbiter) 
  215.5 m (Akula)  
  222.4 m (Akula NCC-P1093, -P1095, -P1098, -P1101, -P1105-6, -P1108-10, -P1112, -P1114)  
   
  Beam: 
   
  120.2 m (Akyazi, Arbiter)  
  108.0 m (Akula)  
  119.9 m (Akula NCC-P1093, -P1095, -P1098, -P1101, -P1105-6, -P1108-10, -P1112, -P1114) 
   
  Height: 
  27.5 m (Akyazi, Arbiter) 
   
  68.7 m (Akula) 
   
  70.4 m (Akula- NCC-P1093, -P1095, -P1098, -P1101, -P1105-6, -P1108-10, -P1112, -P1114) 
   
  Mass: 
  548,000 tons (Akyazi) 
   
  547,000 tons (Akyazi NCC-P1043-6) 
   
  549,250 tons (Arbiter) 
   
  548,700 tons (Arbiter NCC-P1065, -P1065-6, -P1069, -P1074, -P1081, -P1084, -P1086-88) 
   
  554,500 tons (Akula) 
  557,200 tons (Akula NCC-P1093, -P1095, -P1098, -P1101, -P1105-6, -P1108-10, -P1112, -P1114)  
   
  Officers: 
  8 (Akyazi) 
   
  7 (Arbiter) 
   
  8 (Arbiter NCC-P1053, -P1054, -P1058, -P1061, -P1072-3, -P1085) 
  
   
  100
   
  7 (Akula)  
   
  Crew: 
  76 (Akyazi) 
   
  70 (Arbiter) 
   
  72 (Arbiter NCC-P1053, -P1054, -P1058, -P1061, -P1072-3, -P1085) 
   
  68 (Akula) 
   
  74 (Akula NCC-P1093, -P1095, -P1098, -P1101, -P1105-6, -P1108-10, -P1112, -P1114)  
   
  Max. speed: 
  w 8.0 (standard drive) 
  w 21.5 (Akyazi, saturation drive) 
   
  w 22.0 (Arbiter, saturation drive) 
   
  w 18.5 (Akula, saturation drive) 
   
  Endurance: 
  2 years (6 months unsupported) 
   
  Weapons: 
  6 phaser VII emitters in 3 twin banks on dorsal primary hull 
  6 phaser VII emitters in 3 twin banks on ventral primary hull 
  2 phaser VII emitters in single banks on aft engineering hull (Akyazi, Arbiter) 
  1 phaser VII emitter in single bank on aft engineering hull (Akula, Arbiter NCC-P1050-51,  
  -P1055-7, -P1062-4, -P1067-8, -P1076-80, -P1089) 
   
  2 fwd torpedo tubes w/20 torpedoes in bow cutout 
   
  1 aft torpedo tube w/12 torpedoes in aft cutout (Akyazi, Akula) 
   
  2 aft torpedo tubes w/20 torpedoes in aft cutout (Akula) 
   
  2 phaser VI emitters on deflector pod (Akula) 
   
  Shields: 
  1-layer conformal forcefield 
   
  Spherical deflector/shield system 
   
  Main deflector array in forward cut-out, above torpedo launchers 
   
  Auxiliary deflector emitter in dorsal pod (Akula) 
   
  Transporters: 
  1 GP (6-pad); Mk V 
   
  Auxiliaries: 
  None (most Akyazi) 
   
  1 light shuttle, Chisu type (NCC-P1095, -P1105-6) 
   
  1 medium shuttle, Atai type (NCC-P1110, -P1114) 
   
  Ships of historical interest: 
   
  USS Akula (NCC-P1090), USS Akyazi (NCC-P1010), USS Araxes (NCC-P1030), USS Arban (NCC-P1087), USS Arbiter (NCC-P1048), 
  USS Bengal (NCC-P1021), USS Sitka (NCC-P1108), USS Talence (NCC-P1062) 
   
  SOURCES: 
  (D SotSF) 
   
  (N SotSF) 
   
  (H SotSF, Eddie Sharpe) 
   
  The perimeter action ships of the late 2240s were born out of desperation, yet achieved the 
  impossible: together with the internal dissent that weakened the Klingon Empire at the time, they 
  prevented the collapse of UFP border defenses during the 2246-50 raids. Yet the first generation of 
  PA ships was a stopgap one at best, awaiting the development of more advanced and more durable 
  classes. It was to be a long wait. Throughout the 2260s and 2270s, such development proceeded on 
  a theoretical level only. The Kiaga and Agilis ships were worn out and in a state of disrepair by the 
  mid-2260s, and would have to have been withdrawn even had not Organian peace intervened. 
  Recalling of the patrol combatants did not entail refurbishing them, and for some two decades, the 
  ships languished on border starbases, awaiting action but not being prepared for it. 
   
  The attempted relaunch of perimeter ship development in 2269 stumbled in the very beginning on 
  twin hurdles. First came the technical problems encountered in giving such small ships the 
  endurance of deep space patrol combatant, now that the 2260s exploration program had redefined 
  ‘deep space’. Then, in the aftermath of the Xindi Incursion, followed the 2273 Cammell IV 
  investigation and a wave of acquisition program re-evaluations. The funds originally reserved for 
  modern PA development were eventually channeled to the dreadnought upgrades and the Daran 
  frigate project, which approached the tactical and strategic problem of border control from wholly 
  different angles. 
   
  
   
  101
  Temerand design bureau never gave up the development work, though. Low on funding yet fueled 
  by the innovative spirit of the engineers, Temerand explored the potential of the linear warp engine 
  in giving the perimeter ships a shorter intercept time. Tactical analysis indicated two extreme 
  possibilities: construction of 600 to 750 ships capable of warp 10, or a hundred vessels capable of 
  warp 17 or better. Knowing the financial realities and refusing to yield to the technological ones, 
  Temerand chose to pursue the latter. 
   
  In 2283 came the spark that would re-ignite Starfleet’s PA program: the Klingon Taal Tan 
  offensive. This fatally undermined the pacifist block in the Federation Council, and funds were 
  released almost immediately for the construction of a new class of perimeter action vessels. 
   
  Serendipitously, this event came hot on the heels of the 2282 SF R&D report on findings from the 
  first decade of linear-coil operations. According to this data, saturation of warp coils by high 
  intermix ratio power pumping would allow a modern engine to keep on coasting on a self-generated 
  warp shockwave. The technique was applicable to vessels from a certain minimum size up, yet at 
  successively higher power costs. In theory, even a defender could be prompted to warp-coast, yet 
  with no appreciable improvement in performance. The Ianar and Decisive light frigates were 
  eventually configured to utilize the technique, resulting in a top speed of warp 14 – at the cost of 
  dangerous field gradients around the nacelles every time a new power pulse was administered. But 
  danger was part of the perimeter ship mission description, and Temerand engineers trusted the 
  nacelle/hull clearance of their design would protect the crew. 
   
  Barely two months after the Taal Tan offensive, practical development began on no less than eleven 
  prototypes, based on the results of Temerand Duplicat’s Internal Perimeter Program 1 (IPP-1). 
  Prototype evaluation began in early 2284 with the removal of the LN-83 purpose-built saturation 
  engine from the first Temerand test articles and installation of the super-tuned LN-90 successor 
  design, and finally the somewhat less risky LN-91 and 94. Demonstration flights convinced 
  Starfleet observers that a practical border patrol combatant could be derived out of the prototypes. 
  In 2284, orders were placed on what would eventually be a fleet of 105 perimeter ships. The burden 
  of construction was spread not only across dozens of dockyards, but also between Temerand and 
  Avondale Group, the latter being contracted to build eleven of the initial ships. 
   
  USS Akyazi (NCC-P1010) was the class ship for the first operational saturation-drive PA vessels – 
  yet not the first of her class to be launched, that honor going to USS Bucke (NCC-P1020) on 
  December 11, 2285. She was built around a saucer five decks tall and 107.6 m meters wide, with a 
  bow cut for twin Mk 5 torpedo launchers and an aft cut for the single Mk 9 rear launcher and for the 
  field safety clearance. A Class 5 bridge module featured a standard docking port, and another was 
  fitted on Deck 3; these were the only auxiliary craft fixtures aboard. Twelve phaser VIP emitters in 
  six twin banks fired on extreme compression mode, and were supported by two single emitters 
  flanking the aft tube. RCS systems were backed up by the FORS emergency impulse thrusters for 
  separated flight mode, in the likely case of having to ditch the main propulsion systems. 
   
  The LN-90 nacelles were mounted on long, nearly horizontal curving pylons, and shrouded with 
  field reflectors for extra stealth. The shrouds as such merely hid the intense flash of the saturation 
  pulses, and actual stealth characteristics were dictated by the Orissa system, a very efficient partial 
  cloak and stasis countermeasure suite based on a test article flown on USS Sparrow. The primary 
  field stabilization crystal capped the warp generator compartment at the pylon junction. Test flights 
  had dramatically shown that the warp field gradients would eat through the IMRF regulator in a 
  matter of hours, so the Akyazi also carried a smaller backup, coupled to the primary for extra 
  stability. The CCE impulse engine was mounted at the extreme aft of the engineering pod. In a 
  
   
  102
  catastrophic situation, twin booms connecting the compartment to the saucer could be severed in a 
  fraction of a second, with rapid-reaction forcefields sealing off the primary plasma conduits that 
  gave raw feed to the phasers. Antimatter for torpedoes was contained in the primary hull and 
  required no feed lines. 
   
  In addition to the phaser and torpedo systems, powerful shield generators for the Close In Deflector 
  Shield (CIDSS) system (post NCC-P1021 vessels constructed by Arbing and Lidde received the 
  CIDSS (heavy) upgrade), the FORS emergency impulse system and the Ilorin main computer, the 
  primary hull had room for little else. The major concern of ship evacuation was addressed by a 
  separating bridge module and a set of sixteen three-person lifepods. Accommodation for the crew of 
  84 was beyond cramped, with most personnel hot-bunking in cabins of six. Officers shared a single 
  cabin, save for the CMO and CEO berthed at their posts. Supplies had to be stashed in personnel 
  spaces for extra on-station endurance. Yet neither Temerand nor Starfleet would consider enlarging 
  the hull, as the crucial speed advantage of the field configuration would be lost. 
   
  As the initial fleet of 38 Akyazis began to take shape in 2286, operational deployments commenced 
  in the Cursa and Hromi sectors of subquadrant 4. Klingon forces soon paid attention to the 
  increased Starfleet firepower, and made probing strikes against the perimeter vessels. Akyazi 
  responses were swift yet restrained, as the fleet was nowhere near fighting strength yet. USS Akitsu  
  threw back a light probing raid on April 27, 2287, only two months before the Nimbus III hostage 
  crisis temporarily curtailed Klingon activity in the borders. USS Abreus was destroyed on April 3, 
  2289, during an engagement with no fewer than seven hostile craft, which had lured her there by 
  transmitting a fake distress signal. The hostiles were believed to be either Romulans or Klingons 
  using Romulan vessels. 
   
  * * * 
   
  A second batch of 42 vessels, dubbed the Arbiter subclass, had already been ordered for fielding in 
  2287; this class featured twin Mk 20 tubes both forward and aft, had a reduced crew, and introduced 
  numerous design improvements made following operational experiences with the Akyazi group. The 
  exterior angle on the primary hull edge was inverted compared to the Akyazis, as a result of warp 
  field tests. The Arbiter group carried the Iulus Protective Envelope Generator between the 
  engineering section support booms; this system rendered the Arbiter class vessels almost totally 
  invisible, even to directed mass sensors (the major weakness of Federation cloaking systems thus 
  far).  
   
  Like all Akyazi class ships, the Arbiters carried a broad range of sigint systems and sophisticated 
  sensors in order that they act as mobile borderspace listening platforms if necessary – secure two-
  way datalinks could now be counted on to protect the vessels from exposure even when relaying 
  their findings. Arbiters were equipped with the slightly more powerful LN-91 warp nacelles and 
  with the CME primary impulse engine. Emergency impulse power was provided by two ASL 
  engines, fitted just outboard of the engineering pod support booms. The improvements made to this 
  subclass allowed the crew quarters to be home to much smaller groups of crewmen and -women and 
  also put an end to the hated hot-bunking system. They did not, however, solve the problem of stores 
  being kept in quarters; the complaint of the captain of the USS Talence about the crates of self 
  sealing stem bolts in his quarters has become notorious- “…and no one even seems to know what 
  the bloody things are for!” 
   
  Due to the placement of the Iulus system, most Arbiters only had one small craft docking port, on 
  the aft of the bridge module; some early build vessels, however, had two ports on the topside 
  
   
  103
  primary hull. These were deleted from later vessels due to their weakening of the overall structure. 
  Other variations were also notable; the Singapore-constructed vessels had a starburst deflector grid 
  pattern rather than the conventional fit. These vessels also had only a single aft phaser, as did those 
  ships constructed by Star Fleet Division. 
   
  The Arbiter group suffered early casualties. During the Makus Fleet Maneuver in February 2288 the 
  Eigar and Arashi collided while attacking the USS Monitor (NCC-1713). The Eigar sustained 
  massive hull damage and 12 fatalities but the Arashi was destroyed with all hands. However, the 
  Arbiters soon proved that the design was a sound one; the Talence and Thrace regularly outscored 
  and ‘disabled’ the heavy cruiser Alkaid (NCC-1829) during trials in 2290.  
   
  Tactics against the feared Bird of Prey raiders were devised, even though the intended main role of 
  the PA ships still was to cripple invaders of cruiser size. Also, exercises were performed to hone the 
  stealth and evasion skills of the PA crews. In the 2290 Primmin’s Hunt Exercise, the Accera, Jico 
  and Armavir were ordered to evade hunter groups of cruisers and fast frigates within certain 
  volumes of space. After six days, only the Accera had been located. While speaking well of the 
  abilities of the PA ships, the exercise unnerved Starfleet, as Klingon vessels of comparable 
  capabilities (that is, Birds of Prey) could wreak untold havoc in six days. 
   
  Theoretically, use of the saturation drive was to be kept at a minimum at this stage. In practice, each 
  six-month patrol sortie involved at least two or three accelerations, up to the established top speed 
  of warp 22. Reports of intense spiritual (or, at times, rather carnal) experiences during saturation 
  drive initially alarmed Fleet physicians. Yet no physical or physiological reason for the 
  phenomenon could be found, and it eventually came to be dismissed as a psychosomatic effect of 
  the extreme stress and overcrowding onboard. Crews spoke of “saturation space”, base commanders 
  of “overdrive madness”. Thanks to factors like this, the perimeter fleet eventually attained a strong 
  mythos, the crews being considered a very special breed. Service aboard PA ships was both coveted 
  and feared, much like deep space exploration assignments aboard the heavy cruisers. 
   
  * * * 
   
  The third batch of modern PA ships, the 25-strong Akula subclass, was planned for commissioning 
  in 2288 and contained two main variants, A and B. The B model was produced in response to 
  financial realities and would be closer to the previous two batches in configuration than the initial, 
  more ambitious A model. Several design changes were made, essentially reworking the Akyazi 
  design around the massive Bia series deflector pod. LN-94 warp nacelles were fitted on swept back 
  support pylons, held slightly inboard compared to the LN-90/91 units on the other Akyazi batches 
  and the Akula B. CME-A impulse engines were fitted with ASL-5A emergency units. The 
  engineering hull support booms were slightly longer than in the preceding batches and the Bia pod 
  was slung underneath these. The support struts for the pod necessitated the reduction of aft torpedo 
  tubes to the single unit of the original batch. Two Type VI phaser emitters were fitted to the pod, 
  however.  
   
  The Akula A bridge module was more functional than the Akyazi or Arbiter modules; it was fitted 
  with a full thruster package as well as the magnetic drive system. The more spartan B models had a 
  standard Arbiter bridge. All vessels were equipped with 24 three-person lifepods, all located on 
  Deck 5. The Akula class was also equipped with the best crew accommodation of the Akyazi group; 
  all personnel were housed in two-bunk quarters, with shared bathroom facilities, and the CO, XO 
  and Tactical Officer had their own cabins. None of this stopped additional supplies being crammed 
  in wherever possible, as a strong tradition had already formed – even if this time, the boxes on the 
  
   
  104
  corridors might contain some Stiegel crackers or Delavian souffle rather than just TKL rations and 
  crucial spares. The Akula batch also featured the most sophisticated communications and 
  intelligence gathering equipment, including two holocom rooms on Deck 5. These could also be 
  utilized as holographic entertainment facilities, a luxury previously reserved to cruiser-size 
  starships. Intelligence drone information could also be analyzed here.   
   
  Avondale-built B variants carried deflector enhancement grids on the primary hull topside and 
  either Chisu or Atai class shuttlepods rigged between the engineering hull support pylons. The craft 
  were made independently impulse- or warp-capable via add-on propulsive modules as needed. For 
  special assignments, a stealthy Chisu variant known as the Sekasu class was also sometimes 
  embarked. 
   
  The first operational experience for the Akulas came in 2288 when the Akula, operating with the 
  Atago, was challenged by Orion fast attack craft at the outskirts of the Kat system. In the mistaken 
  belief that the Starfleet ships were there to close down their latest smuggling route, the Orions 
  claimed that Starfleet had no jurisdiction in Kat as the system was not part of the UFP. After being 
  informed that the Conservator of Kat II had requested Federation protection, the three Orion craft 
  opened fire on the Akula; once she had informed the Atago (then 4 parsecs distant) the Akula 
  neutralized two of the hostile craft with torpedoes. The third vessel was neutralized two hours later 
  by the Atago. The Akula suffered only minor damage. 
   
  The standard deployment pattern for the Akyazi class vessels was intended to reinforce Starfleet’s 
  post-Axanar doctrine of spherical defense independent of fixed planetary assets; the PAs would 
  delay invading vessels for as long as possible in order to give heavier forces time to gather and 
  intercept from strategic dispersal points in the inner defensive spheres. The Akyazi design was 
  supposed to be able to engage five K’teremny class battle cruisers or ‘destroyers’ for thirty minutes 
  and inflict 20% casualties. Even though the PA ships now operated on multiple theaters, the choice 
  of a modern Klingon vessel as the baseline for this projection was far from accidental: in the 2290s 
  more than ever before, it was believed that the Klingons were the most brutal of the UFP opponents, 
  bent on occupying the Federation at all costs. It is somewhat ironic, then, that the last Akula class 
  ship was launched in 2293, just in time for the Khitomer peace conference. The events of this 
  conference were the death knell for the attitudes that had turned Starfleet into one of the most 
  powerful offensive forces within a thousand lightyears and a thousand years.  
   
  It soon became clear that the Akyazi class ships had been intended to play a vital part in the 
  offensive against the Klingons planned by the militaristic conspirators in Starfleet and the 
  Federation Council. Fortunately, none of the projected moves into Klingon space by the class ever 
  took place. The perimeter ships chose to display their famed independence in defense of Federation 
  integrity, their captains refusing to obey orders to the contrary and, in the case of the Jersey, 
  completely disappearing for two weeks.  
   
  At first it seemed that the perimeter action vessels would go the way of the dreadnoughts and strike 
  cruisers, decommissioned under the category of “excess offensive units”, but this was not to be the 
  case. It was recognized by both sides that each had other enemies to deter and borders to defend, 
  and so each side was allowed to keep most of its PA or equivalent vessels. However, the stipulation 
  was included that none be deployed along the Federation-Klingon border or within two weeks’ 
  travel at normal speeds; in addition, the first 15 vessels of the Akyazi group were placed in reserve 
  depots, along with many Klingon craft, under the joint administration of the UFP and Empire. The 
  remaining ships were then dispatched to assignments in other sectors. Crews were assigned for two-
  year periods, but the vessels usually called in at a starbase every six months, to replenish their 
  
   
  105
  supplies and allow the crew to get out and stretch their legs in a different environment before taking 
  up their lonely vigil once more.  
   
  Over the next two decades, another ten vessels were retired, only to be hurriedly reactivated to 
  reinforce Starfleet’s shattered defenses along the Romulan Neutral Zone following the Tomed 
  Incident (during which one Akyazi, five Arbiters and two Akulas were listed destroyed). From 2317 
  onward the class was assigned to less rigorous duties; system and starbase defense, convoy escort, 
  customs, etc. Indeed, the class was instrumental in again defining escort type vessels as small, fast 
  and heavily armed craft rather than the converted freighter designs of the desperate eighties. By the 
  beginning of the Cardassian conflict, only 18 ships remained in service, all Akulas or Arbiters; two 
  were destroyed while escorting convoys, a task which deprived them of the crucial advantage of 
  superior dash speed. The remaining units were retired by 2349. 
   
  Starfleet briefly considered reactivating the perimeter ships after the first Borg crisis, and again in 
  2375. In the first instance, all the ships, already even more cramped than the originals had been due 
  to early 24th century refits, were denied both modernization and activation. In the second case, three 
  ships stored in the Sol system were temporarily powered up for patrol in the aftermath of the Breen 
  attack. They were placed back in storage three months later, having never officially re-entered the 
  active ship roster. 
  Frobisher 
  Clipper 
  2285-2333 
   
  Completed: 
  47 
   
  Length: 
  147.5 m 
   
  Beam: 
  165.2 m 
   
  Height: 
  12.5 m  
   
  Mass: 
  109,500 tons  
   
  Officers: 
  6  
   
  Crew: 
  18  
   
  Max. speed: 
  w 9.5 
   
  Endurance: 
  4 months  
   
  Weapons: 
  2 phaser IV emitters on nacelle forward ends 
   
  1 aft mine/torpedo tube w/80 gravitic mines or 20 fusion torpedoes (optional) 
   
   
  Shields: 
  1-layer globular shield 
   
  Transporters: 
  1 GP (3-pad); Mk IV 
   
   
  Ships of historical interest: 
   
  USS Frobisher (NCC-350) 
   
  SOURCES: 
  (D FSRC/aridas sofia) 
   
  (N FRSC/aridas sofia) 
   
  (H aridas sofia, own) 
  
   
  106
   
  
   
  107
  Due to the numerous breakthroughs and setbacks in warp propulsion technology, efforts to increase 
  the speed and range of Starfleet’s lighter units proceeded at an uneven page between the 2260s and 
  2280s. When refitting of linear warp systems into couriers and light scoutships did not immediately 
  yield desired results, Starfleet turned its attention back to the reliable Vulcan technologies that had 
  served the Richtofen and Tai classes so well. For short range courier work, Tai production was 
  increased and the logistics of the separable payloads further streamlined. For longer ranges, a 
  successor to the Richtofen was devised, with a significantly more powerful reactor and a capacity 
  for sustained warp 9.5 flight. 
   
  The improved Frobisher model featured slightly larger warp and impulse engines and simplified 
  hull contours. Crew size, sensor capabilities, armament and other mission aspects remained more or 
  less unchanged. Just an optional aft tube was introduced for mine deployment, or for a special Mk 
  IISP light torpedo that had both sublight and warp firing modes yet was plagued by varied 
  performance and reliability problems.  
   
  Much like the Richtofen, the Frobisher was to principally perform courier duties and secondarily 
  engage in scouting and skirmishing whenever other forces were slow to arrive. In practice, the 
  primary mission swallowed the entire production run of 47, and still left the operators wanting. 
  Light scouts with higher propulsive performance were slow to emerge, though, so Starfleet 
  continued to exploit the vessels in a variety of ways, and retained the broad ‘clipper’ designation on 
  the Frobisher class until the end of operations in 2333. Armed conflict never was part of the 
  Frobisher service history, though, and the operating crews were trimmed down to just ten people in 
  the 2310s when the phaser armament was further automated and a completely defensive posture 
  assumed. 
   
  The following generation of medium couriers abandoned the hot rod aspect of the preceding Vulcan 
  designs. The Condor featured non-phaselocked engines of compact design tucked close to the 
  capable and versatile hull, and provided much more operational flexibility even if settling for the 
  speeds first reached in the 2280s. Certain organizations and private operators continue to wring 
  ever-higher performance out of the Richtofen/Frobisher configuration, however. The design is a 
  popular one for warp racing, in somewhat scaled-down form. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  A handover of diplomatic packages between USS Nef Inka (NCC-366) and the Tai/Sait craft Hasaku (VS 5022) reveals the 
  conceptual similarities and differences between the two sizes of courier.  
  
   
  108
  Engage 
  Perimeter action ship 
  2285-2356 
  2374-2377 
   
  Completed: 
  28 
   
  Length: 
  225.9 m 
   
  Beam: 
  108.0 m 
   
  Height: 
  29.9 m 
   
  Mass: 
  555,450 tons 
   
  Cruise speed: 
  w 8  
   
  Max. speed: 
  w 15.0 (standard drive) 
   
  w 22.0 (saturation drive) 
   
  Endurance: 
  6 years (2 years unsupported) 
   
   
  Officers: 
  8 
   
  Crew: 
  72 
   
  Weapons: 
  10 phaser VII emitters in 5 twin banks on saucer hull 
   
  2 phaser VI emitters on aft engineering hull. 
   
  4 phaser VIIP heavy pulse phasers on forward primary hull.  
  2 VIIP heavy pulse phasers on aft primary hull 
   
   
  Shields: 
  1-layer conformal forcefield 
   
  Spherical deflector/shield system 
   
  Deflector array on forward primary hull 
   
   
  Laboratories: 
  None 
   
   
  Transporters:  
  1 GP (6-pad); Mk V 
   
   
  Auxiliaries: 
  4 work pods 
   
   
  Ships of historical interest: 
   
  USS Engage (NCC-P1125), USS Enfield (NCC-P1129), USS Estouin (NCC-P1150) 
   
  SOURCES: 
  (D Eddie Sharpe) 
   
  (N SotSF) 
   
  (H Eddie Sharpe) 
   
  The life of a perimeter action ship was a lonely one. Ever since the first deployments of this type of 
  vessel, PA crews would spend months at a time cruising in deep space, out of contact with any 
  starbase, outpost or other vessel. This was not solely due to distances involved. The vast majority of 
  PAs were deployed to the area of greatest threat, be it the Romulan or Klingon neutral zones or the 
  Cardassian border. On such a deployment, the PA typically remained within a few days or at most 
  two weeks of a Starfleet facility or staging area, and maintained her isolation out of choice.  
   
  Yet some areas of the Federation border have always been out of effective support range. Despite 
  their distance from important (or interesting) features, these areas of space are vulnerable to a long 
  range penetration attack or infiltration by enemy intelligence-gathering vessels. This was something 
  Starfleet had learned well during its confrontations with the Klingons, for whom a conquest victory 
  held intrinsic value even if the targets were devoid of true strategic import. For these faraway 
  operational theaters, a class of PA capable of a cruise length of about 6 years and 2 crew rotations 
  with minimal external support would have to be fielded. 
  
   
  109
   
  The design for a vessel in this niche had been started along with that of the Akyazi class in 2269. 
  Like the Akyazi, the Engage class high endurance perimeter ship was delayed for almost 15 years 
  due to bureaucratic infighting, pacifist elements on the Federation Council and the controversial 
  Procuia Report. These delays arguably benefited the design effort, however. When permission to 
  build was eventually given in 2283, following the Taal Tan offensive, the design for the Engage 
  was fully mature. The class had been based on the Akyazi spaceframe, but with several major 
  changes. The forward cut-out was almost entirely filled in, two Type VIIP heavy pulse phasers were 
  installed in the space provided and two more were mounted under the primary hull. An additional 
  fusion reactor was fitted to provide more power for the combat systems. The aft torpedo tube was 
  removed and replaced with a pulse phaser as well. The elimination of torpedo launchers was 
  intended to remove a major type of expendable that the PAs frequently had to replenish (usually, 
  torpedo stocks were used up even in peacetime, in live fire exercises and in the deployment of long 
  endurance remote sensor platforms, which used photorp casings) and to store aboard (the pulse 
  phaser armament took up less than 40% of the volume of a full torpedo system). The forward 
  ventral phasers were also deleted.   
   
  The aft spaceframe was extended to fill in the triangular space between the aftermost part of the 
  saucer section and the engineering hull support pylons. This section was mainly filled with cargo 
  facilities, including space for two spare warp coils and two additional workbees. The propulsion 
  section support pylons were extended by ten meters compared to the Akyazi group vessels. The 
  warp field dynamics dictated that the LN-90 warp nacelles be mounted slightly closer to the 
  propulsion section than in the PA-1010 design. The propulsion section was deeper than that of the 
  Akyazi vessels, in order to accommodate larger antimatter storage facilities. Additionally, a 
  deuterium storage tank was fitted under the primary hull. These latter two modifications were the 
  most significant in tripling the endurance of the Engages over that of the Akyazis.  
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  USS Engage, fresh from the docks in 2284, is put through her paces at the Fleet Test Range. From an official Starfleet 
  press release. 
   
  The first vessel was commissioned in late 2284, with the construction run of 28 ships planned to last 
  until 2295. The class was fitted with a variety of defensive features, including both conformal 
  shields and an early form of deflector/shield bubble. In addition, an extensive electronic warfare 
  suite was included, including a full cloaking device (removed in 2311). Despite the extensions and 
  modifications, the Engage class was almost as stealthy as the Akyazis, with a low mass and warp 
  signature; it was virtually undetectable by civilian sensors and exceptionally hard to get a lock on 
  even for military units. Most of the systems installed on the Engages also saw service aboard the 
  Akyazis. NCC-P1125, -1126, -1127 and –1128 had the same exterior angle on the leading edge of 
  the primary hull as the Akyazi batch PAs. All subsequent hulls had this angle inverted, as in the 
  Arbiter and Akula batches. NCC-P1130-45 were fitted with LN-91 engines and hulls NCC-P1146-
  52 were fitted with LN-94 warp nacelles. The primary impulse engine on all vessels was the CME 
  model with the improved CME-2 fitted to NCC-P1129 onward. FORS emergency engines were 
  fitted to the Engage and Flore but ASL units were fitted to all other ships.  
  
   
  110
   
  Docking ports were provided aft of the bridge assembly (itself fitted with magnetic drives for use as 
  a lifeboat) and between the propulsion section support pylons on Deck 3. Transporter facilities were 
  limited to a single six-pad mark V unit; perimeter action vessels were not supposed to do much 
  boarding, and in most situations an armed away party of six was enough to perform customs duty.  
   
  Like the Akyazi class vessels, the Engage class was built at a variety of shipyards around the 
  Federation, resulting in a number of differences between individual ships. USS Enfield was built in 
  the Singapore yards and featured the starburst deflector grid that had been used on several Arbiter 
  group vessels built in that yard; USS Firtina also exhibited this feature. Other vessels differed 
  slightly in internal arrangement and fittings.  
   
  As planned, the Engages were deployed to the remotest borders of the UFP. Only very rarely did 
  they come to contact with other vessels. They were resupplied and recrewed once every two years 
  by a tender vessel; as a result of this extreme loneliness, the Engage class was fitted with expanded 
  entertainment facilities, including advanced VR systems. Every six years, the PA would return to a 
  starbase for a 3-month period of resupply and repair. Due to the long periods of time that they were 
  expected to spend inside their ships, crews for the Engage class were selected very carefully and 
  subjected to a battery of psychological tests to establish their suitability for the mission. Perimeter 
  action vessels were considered an elite assignment and competition was tough; only personnel with 
  Class 1A deep space clearance were considered for candidacy, and only one in five of those who 
  applied for transfer to the PA force were accepted.  
   
  In service the Engage class performed well, intercepting numerous smugglers and pirates trying to 
  enter or exit Federation space through what they believed were lightly defended or deserted safe 
  passages. Sometimes these interceptions involved an exchange of fire, sometimes not. In addition, 
  in accordance with the policies of the day, several vessels of unknown origin were destroyed at the 
  border after they refused to answer hails or slow down. Such questionable practices did not mean 
  the deployment of the borderland PA fleet was unjustified, however: Engage class ships also 
  intercepted at least three Klingon and four Romulan scout vessels in obvious missions of malice. 
  Losses were infrequent. USS Enrico Toti disappeared without trace in 2299, and the remains of USS 
  Falk were found 12 light years from her patrol area in 2314. Additionally, USS Fylla was scrapped 
  in 2301 due to damage sustained engaging a Klingon vessel. Cardassian forces destroyed USS Fox 
  in 2349 as she was performing convoy escort duty.  
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  USS Firtina in 2349. Looking old and battered, she is escorting a Starfleet convoy near Cardassian space. A modern 
  sensor array has been fitted on her primary hull, but compared to an Akyazi class vessel viewed in the same year, she has 
  far fewer visible modifications – testimony to her spacious cargo bays, now put to other uses. 
   
  Out of the perimeter fleet, the Engage class vessels were to serve the longest in their original role. 
  They were deployed on the far perimeters until 2339, when they were drawn in to a variety of 
  postings, including convoy escort, planetary and solar system defense and customs duty in some of 
  
   
  111
  the unrulier portions of the Federation and its allies’ space. The variety of upgrades they underwent 
  ate swiftly into their extensive cargo facilities. Thanks to this sacrifice, though, the Engages at least 
  avoided the ergonomics nightmares the Akyazi class vessels had turned into during the last years of 
  their service. In the late 2350s, the Engage class was finally moved to inactive reserves, and was 
  expected never to be reactivated.  
   
  In 2374, however, Starfleet needed every viable hull to guard against the Dominion. Five Engage 
  perimeter ships were deemed suitable for reactivation and were deployed to system defense stations 
  in the Sol and 40 Eridani systems. Breen forces destroyed USS Engage during their attack on Earth 
  in 2376. Despite the exemplary service of the class during the Dominion War, the remaining ships 
  were retired almost as soon as the threat on Earth receded. Their many inherent strengths were 
  offset by their low accommodation standards, questionable serviceability and high structural age. 
  Juliet / Lautaro / Riga 
  Heavy corvette 
  2286-2333 
   
  Completed: 
  57 total: 
   
   
  17 Juliet built in 2286-87 
   
  23 Lautaro built in 2288-90  
   
  17 Riga built in 2293-94 
   
  Length: 
  212.0 m 
   
  Beam: 
  79.3 m 
   
  Height: 
  40.0 m 
   
  42.6 m w/mine or torpedo pods 
   
  Mass: 
  672,000 tons (Juliet, Lautaro) 
   
  672,550 tons (Juliet, Lautaro, w/2 torpedo pods) 
   
  673,200 tons (Riga) 
   
  673,750 tons (Riga, w/2 torpedo pods) 
   
  Officers: 
  9 
   
  Crew: 
  90 (standard, including 32 Marine boarding crew) 
   
  102 (w/pods, including 32 Marine boarding crew) 
   
  Max. speed: 
  w 11.0 
   
  Endurance: 
  3 years 
   
  Weapons: 
  2 phaser VI emitters in twin bank on fwd dorsal hull 
   
  2 phaser VI emitters in twin bank aft of bridge 
   
  2 phaser VI emitters in twin bank on ventral hull 
   
  2 phaser V emitters in single banks below impulse engine (Lautaro, Riga) 
   
  Mine dispensers or torpedo tubes in 2 ventral pods 
   
  Shields: 
  1-layer globular forcefield 
   
  Navigational deflector on bow 
   
  Transporters: 
  1 GP (6-pad), 1 emergency evacuation/assault (12-pad); Mk V 
   
  Ships of historical interest: 
   
  USS Juliet (NCC-3300), USS Lautaro (NCC-3317), USS Riga (NCC-3340) 
   
  SOURCES: 
  (D own) 
   
  (N SotSF) 
   
  (H SotSF) 
   
  As soon as the Daring class had crashed through the political and economic hurdles of heavy 
  corvette introduction, development was begun on an advanced follow-up type – not just the Renner 
  
   
  112
  subclass to deliver on the initial promises, but an upgrade surpassing even those rather grandiose 
  dreams. All parties involved were confident that an operational justification would be found for the 
  new performance specifications, once they had been put to practice. 
   
  A lightweight version of the angular main hull was introduced. It now housed a balanced fit of just 
  six phaser emitters (albeit still of the notably heavy Type VI), a lighter sensor assembly optimized 
  for the corvette mission, and a simplified structural support system that left more internal volume 
  available for the crew and ship’s systems. Twin mine or torpedo pods could now be carried 
  ventrally, providing greater flexibility than the integrated mine bays or launcher fairings of the 
  original models. Crew requirements, while still formidable for a corvette, could be pushed down to 
  a hundred thanks to increased automation and a more refined powerplant design. 
   
  The development of this hull was a rather straightforward process compared with the drawn-out 
  history of Renner hull construction. More significantly, the warp engine integration process was 
  greatly simplified as well. The first testbed, USS Juliet (NX-3300), was laid down in May 2286 and 
  received her LN-64D engines in October, embarking on her initial test flights in early December. 
  The engines, mounted laterally on short and broad pylons, effortlessly propelled the ship into warp 
  9. Unmanned tests soon pushed the envelope to the projected warp 11: at that point, series 
  production of the type had already begun. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  A Juliet maneuvers amidst jetsam from a damaged Frenni transport. Although the original captioning of the shot refers to 
  the aftermath of a Klingon raid, it appears the damage here is the result of a simple impulse drive failure. Starfleet press 
  releases acquired a somewhat unpleasant tint during the early 2290s, downplaying the civilian heroics of traffic control 
  vessels and highlighting the other half of the corvette mission profile. The Juliet here carries only one torpedo pod, 
  possibly indicative of the initial reliability problems with the podded Mk 18 launchers. 
   
  Seventeen Juliet heavy corvettes were initially ordered, and all were delivered before the end of 
  2287. As the recently redeclared Klingon war continued to loom over the Federation, these ships 
  were used exclusively for border patrol missions near the starbases of the Klingon frontier. None of 
  the older, pre-2270s types of corvettes could be expected to perform operations of this type, not 
  with top speeds of warp 4 or less. Even the modernized Darings were having trouble keeping up 
  with Klingon movements, and none were predicted to remain in active Starfleet service beyond 
  2299. This meant that more than fifty outdated vessels would have to be replaced soon. 
   
  To replace the last Battleaxes remaining in Starfleet service, Defense Command ordered a further 
  batch of 23 heavy corvettes, differing from the Juliet baseline mainly in having extra phaser V units 
  under the impulse engines. The batch had actually been designed back in 2286 as an alternate 
  configuration for the Juliets, but the introduction of the extra phasers and an upgraded Lacerta 
  computer system was delayed to allow the basic configuration to be adequately tested aboard the 
  initial batch. The so-called Lautaro subclass was procured just as swiftly as the original batch: by 
  2290, Starfleet corvette strength was up to 67 despite the massive retirement of older types. By 
  
   
  113
  2295, the numbers had reached 84, as the improved Riga class was introduced. Seventeen of these 
  vessels were built between 2289 and 2295 with higher endurance LN-64E engines, lengthened aft 
  hulls and a greatly augmented sensor array. 
   
  At this point, Starfleet decided that the aims of the programs had been met. An uneasy peace again 
  held between the UFP and the Klingon Empire. Not only did this free the corvettes back to law 
  enforcement and spacelane protection duty, but also released high numbers of frigates for these 
  duties. Piracy of UFP vessels dropped to virtual zero, and the survival odds of merchant crews 
  abandoning their ships in emergency increased by some 700% from the grim 2260s-2280s figures. 
  Naturally, this did not come without a cost. The heavy corvettes were too heavy and too defense-
  oriented for their own good, and operating expenses were a continuing bane to Starfleet, which kept 
  shuffling the ships from Defense to Logistics to Colonization Ops and back. 
   
  The selection of 2280s-era corvettes remained in service until the 2320s without major 
  modifications. But when the time for midlife upgrades came, Starfleet found the vessels lacking in 
  future potential. As soon as piracy was eradicated, their heavy armament had turned into a liability; 
  their overcomplex powerplants did not help any. Most damningly, the high performance engine 
  configuration precluded transatmospheric operations and use of surface bases, capabilities that 
  would be essential in the new frontier theater of operations. By 2330, only a handful of Lautaros 
  and Rigas continued the securing of spacelanes. 
   
  In the previous century, the retiring heavy corvettes would automatically have been sold to UFP 
  allies for local use. In the 2330s climate, such a move was considered both unethical and 
  economically unnecessary, thanks to the rapid market changes effected by the introduction of 
  replicators. Arguments were made that the corvettes might still be useful in future conflicts, 
  possibly in escort duties. The heavy corvette lobby was far less powerful than the perimeter ship 
  fraternity, though, and had to yield to the prevailing rationality of Fleet disarmament and 
  streamlining. Thus, virtually all the vessels were scrapped within two weeks of their 
  decommissioning. 
  Kirsanov 
  Large perimeter action ship 
  2288-2351 
   
  Completed: 
  11 
   
  Length: 
  260.0 m 
   
  Beam: 
  127.1 m 
   
  Height: 
  41.2 m 
   
  Mass: 
  680,000 tons 
   
  Cruise speed: 
  w 7  
   
  Max. speed: 
  w 11.4 (standard drive) 
   
  w 14.0 (saturation drive) 
   
  Endurance: 
  3 years 
   
   
  Officers: 
  28 
   
   
  Crew: 
  124 
   
  Weapons: 
  12 phaser VII in 6 twin banks in saucer hull 
   
  2 phaser VI on aft engineering hull 
   
  4 photon torpedo tubes (2 forward, 2 aft) w/48 torpedoes in primary hull mounts 
  
   
  114
   
  Shields: 
  1-layer conformal forcefield 
   
  WADE plates on forward of primary hull (either side of torpedo launcher cutout) 
   
   
   
  Laboratories: 
  None 
   
  Transporters:  
  1 GP (6-pad), 2 emergency evacuation (12-pad), 1 cargo; Mk V 
   
   
  Auxiliaries: 
  2 work pods 
    
   
   
   
  Ships of historical interest: 
   
  USS Katyusha (NCC-P1173), USS Köln (NCC-P1177), USS Fife (NCC-P1172) 
   
  SOURCES: 
  D (Eddie Sharpe) 
   
  N (SotSF) 
   
  H (own) 
   
   
  The Kirsanov class large perimeter action ship stands out in Starfleet history as the only class of 
  vessels to be given that designation. Officially, the design was a response to operational lessons 
  learned with Starfleet’s first generation of perimeter action ships, the Kiaga and Agilis classes. 
  These vessels had performed admirably against a number of foes, including the Klingons and 
  Tholians, but a number of weaknesses had also been exposed. On certain occasions, it was 
  necessary for PA ships to act in conjunction with each other or with vessels of other classes. The 
  communications equipment provided in the Kiaga and Agilis vessels was found to be inadequate to 
  the task – after all, the vessels had been designed to run silent, relying on a very specialized, one-
  way type of targeting data feed. In addition, operations involving only PA class ships were found to 
  be extremely difficult to co-ordinate due to the lack of facilities for multi-ship command and 
  control.  
   
  It was decided that the best way to correct these problems would be the creation of a single class of 
  vessel, somewhere between a PA and destroyer in size, which could operate as a PA command ship. 
  In addition, the new Akyazi class PA vessels would have vastly improved C3I facilities, yet in 
  practice they would still require the assistance of a pack leader vessel. Initially this new design was 
  designated a perimeter action command ship, but this was changed in late 2289 to large perimeter 
  action ship. Either designation helped disguise the other, more sinister reason for the creation of 
  such a class of vessels: Starfleet wanted a vessel that could coordinate offensive missions involving 
  the stealthy and heavily armed yet so far primarily defensive perimeter skirmishers. Construction of 
  the new class, by now designated Kirsanov, began in early 2290, with six ships completed by the 
  end of that year and five more in 2291. All eleven vessels were constructed in Martian or Alpha 
  Centauran shipyards and, despite the ongoing overall escalation, were completed on time. 
   
  The design was based on an eight deck, saucer shaped primary hull of 127.1 m diameter with a 
  small engineering hull of two decks attached directly to the bottom of the saucer. From this 
  engineering hull (which contained little more than the warp core, antimatter storage and some 
  communications equipment) two pylons, sweeping back and down, mounted two LN-62 warp 
  nacelles. A cutout at the forward edge of the primary hull mounted two photon torpedo launchers, in 
  a manner similar to the Akyazi class vessels. Two more cutouts were made on the extreme port and 
  starboard sides of the saucer, facing aft. Each of these allowed a photon torpedo launcher to cover 
  the aft sectors. Twelve phaser VIIs in twin mounts were located on the primary hull and two phaser 
  VI single mounts were installed on the aft dorsal and ventral surfaces of the engineering hull. These 
  phaser mounts were, like the Akyazi’s, JAKA models, capable of brief, extremely powerful bursts 
  when necessary. 
   
  
   
  115
  The bridge was fitted with magnetic drives and had full separation capabilities, and was designed to 
  support up to 12 personnel for up to three weeks, a necessary precaution in the borderlands. Four-
  person escape pods were fitted on the ventral surface of the primary hull, and the engineering hull 
  could be ejected in an emergency, as could the antimatter storage cells. The forward part of the 
  engineering hull was crammed to capacity with the state of the art DSFH communications system, 
  and additional systems were located in the lower primary hull. These were supported by the Mark 
  III Combat Information and Control System (CICS), which allowed the Kirsanovs to control up to 
  15 other vessels. This controlling would be done from the Flotilla Operations Room on Deck 5; in 
  combat, this would be under the command of a Flotilla Commander, usually a captain, and the 
  Kirsanov herself by a commander.  
   
  Navigational deflection was provided by two Wide Angle Deflector Emitters, which were mounted 
  on the forward primary hull, either side of the forward torpedo cutout. Kirsanov class ships carried 
  two workbees, but no other auxiliaries were carried on a permanent basis although docking facilities 
  were provided on Deck 2 and it was possible to convert one of the forward cargo bays to a small 
  shuttlebay (occasionally used for customs assignments in the later years). Two intelligence drone 
  launch bays were also fitted. 
   
  Operational deployments of the Kirsanovs started immediately after acceptance trials had been 
  completed. Initial exercises were highly satisfactory; in December 2290 a flotilla of five PA ships 
  (three Akyazis, two Arbiters) under the direction of USS Katyusha (NCC-P1173) engaged the USS 
  Affiliation accompanied by USS Canopus and their support groups. The dreadnought was ‘crippled’ 
  and the cruiser ‘destroyed’, along with a scout, two destroyers and a frigate. All the PAs were 
  ‘destroyed’, but they had held up the intimidatingly strong simulated invasion force for one hour, 
  two minutes, having relied completely on the Katyusha for targeting and coordination. The 
  experiment was deemed a great success. The invader could no longer defeat the stealth of a PA 
  group by listening in on its external targeting data flow. The defender in turn could operate against 
  larger adversary groups than ever, by pooling multiple PA ships without curtailing their tactical 
  independence. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Although Starfleet readily released material on the launch and testing of PA vessels, visual records on actual operations 
  are relatively rare. USS Ierax here is seen rendezvousing with two Engage PAs, prior to an operational sortie where the 
  ships would maintain a much greater separation. An old Kovaris destroyer is floating in the background, possibly serving 
  as bait for the trap set up by the PAs. 
   
  The eleven PKAs were dispatched to the various perimeter defense sectors to assume their roles as 
  defensive coordinators – and as the possible leaders or any offensive into the Klingon Empire. USS 
  Sahin (NCC-P1180) was conducting offensive exercises as early as June 2291; the results of these 
  exercises are believed to have been distributed to the commanders of all perimeter action groups. 
  When, in 2293, the militant conspirators struck, three of the Kirsanovs were supposed to lead hunt-
  and-destroy ‘lion prides’ of perimeter action vessels against Klingon border defenses, so that heavy 
  
   
  116
  units could slip in through the holes created. However, here the conspirators had misjudged their 
  support badly. In the event, only one of the Kirsanovs, USS Köln (NCC-P1177) agreed to follow the 
  orders, but her captain was prevented from proceeding by a combination of the PAs that were 
  supposed to make up the strike force, and by the refusal of several of his officers to carry out the 
  strike orders. The captains of two other Kirsanovs, USS Ierax (NCC-P1174) and USS Kvikk (NCC-
  P1178) later admitted that they too were supposed to attack the Klingons. 
   
  Post-Khitomer, three of the Kirsanovs were retired and used as a source for spare parts for the 
  remainder, which were distributed to perimeter defense locations far away from the Klingon 
  Empire. Most of the other perimeter action ships followed the Kirsanov lead. The ships 
  subsequently saw action against the Tholians and also took part in a variety of anti-piracy 
  operations. In the early stages of the Cardassian conflict, Kirsanov class vessels were used as 
  convoy escorts, notably the USS Fife (NCC-P1172) and USS Ingolf (NCC-P1175). By the early 
  2350s the Kirsanovs were too small for deep space duty, and their weaponry and communications 
  gear, despite numerous upgrades, were too old to be useful. With Starfleet no longer tasked with 
  perimeter patrol of the kind the PKAs had been built for, it was decided that the Kirsanov class 
  could be safely retired. It was briefly considered that they be reactivated for their picket abilities 
  when the Borg threat was discovered, but upgrades to unmanned sensor systems were deemed the 
  more practical alternative. All the Kirsanovs were left in the surplus depots, where they 
  theoretically still remain available. 
  Asmodeus 
  Light corvette 
  2292-2315 
   
  Completed: 
  62 
   
  Length: 
  114.0 m 
    
  Beam: 
  88.9 m 
   
  Height: 
  30.5 m  
   
  Mass: 
  111,100 tons  
   
  Cruise speed: 
  w 4  
   
  Max.speed: 
  w 7.0  
   
  Endurance: 
  6 months 
   
  Officers: 
  4  
   
  Crew: 
  21 
   
  Weapons: 
  1 phaser V emitter on bow  
  4 medium torpedo tubes w/ 60 torps in ventral pod 
   
  Shields: 
  1-layer forcefields 
   
  Navigational deflector beam on bow 
   
  Laboratories: 
  None  
   
  Transporters: 
  1 GP (6-pad); Mk V  
   
  Most ships later brought to Mk VI standard 
   
  Auxiliaries: 
  None 
   
  Ships of historical interest: 
   
  USS Asmodeus (NCC-5200) 
   
  SOURCES: 
  (D SFP) 
  
   
  117
   
  (N SFP) 
   
  (H SFP, own) 
   
   
  The brief warming of relations between the UFP and the Klingon Empire in 2287-88 did little to slow 
  down Starfleet acquisition programs. This was only to be expected, considering that such undertakings 
  involved time intervals far longer than the fleeting gust of détente. Yet some programs were 
  unfortunate enough to be caught at a vulnerable moment. The design process of the Fury frigates was 
  practically completed yet construction contracts not yet signed in 2287; the effects of the cancellation 
  of the project could not be reversed when bellicose feelings again surfaced in 2289. Time was running 
  short now, and Starfleet began to worry that the replacement Decisive frigates would not be ready for 
  the inevitable invasion across the border. 
   
  Starfleet’s original hope had been for the direction of that invasion to be from Ardana, Ajilon and 
  Archanis into the heartland of the Empire. Fleet strength was almost sufficient for attack now, yet the 
  mechanisms of space warfare always strongly favor the attacker. If the Fleet strategists had 
  miscalculated, if the détente had delayed the timetable a crucial year or two and the Klingons struck 
  first, the role of the defender would be much harder to play with the existing number of vessels. To 
  protect the vulnerable UFP commerce, Starfleet began equipping and fielding ersatz escort vessels 
  whose main requirements were convoy speed and some modicum of firepower. To secure the border 
  star systems, makeshift defenses were also needed, but the requirements there were quite different. 
   
  The elite force of system defenses were the heavy corvettes, bolstered whenever possible by frigate 
  units. No ships from the higher end of the arsenal could be spared for the role, though, if Starfleet 
  wanted to retain the initiative in the battlefield. Two types of lower-end vessels would be needed in 
  their place: a minelayer and a torpedo platform. The former could be converted out of light civilian and 
  Fleet transports at a moment’s notice, but the latter took some planning and preparation. In 2291, the 
  decision was made to use the Garneau spaceframe as the basis. 
   
  It was a surprisingly simple matter to fit a torpedo pod in place of the towing fixture of a Fisher class 
  light tug, the most practical and affordable Garneau variant available at the time. USS Asmodeus 
  
   
  118
  initially experimented with a stock Miranda pod mounted on reinforced pylons. The weapon that 
  ultimately went to production, however, was a barebones four-tube Mk 26 launcher assembly that 
  lacked all the sensor systems of the Miranda pod. A total of 60 shots could be stored in the pod, 
  enough for three of the ‘light corvettes’ thus equipped to carry the battle for a day. For targeting, the 
  ships were completely dependent on external assets. A CLLT secure datalink was carried; in addition, 
  fire control required either a proper starship or a standard system defense network. The Asmodeus 
  forces were thus deployed mainly to boost the defenses of already guarded locales, rather than bring 
  new systems under Fleet protection. 
   
  Within a year of project start, sixty Asmodeus light corvettes of production standard were completed 
  and deployed. This was still strategically insufficient, yet a very good start in fortifying the borders 
  without weakening the offensive forces. Production would surely have continued if not for the 
  Khitomer peace. Just as surely, the cessation of hostilities meant a sudden end for the program – not 
  only for production but for operations as well. The vessels had no peacetime role whatsoever, and were 
  quickly recalled to port and mothballed. Their value on other potential war theaters was limited as well, 
  since their weapons were largely reliant on fixed targeting systems of now outdated type. 
   
  One aspect of the class was not outdated, however. The production line had been little modified, and 
  could swiftly be converted back to producing Fisher tugs. Their number was soon brought to 93. 
  Production beyond this was discontinued only because Logistics Command foresaw the complications 
  of container operations resulting from the post-Khitomer spatial expansion. The same complications 
  made it unwise to retrofit the Asmodeus ships into tugs. Forty units were disarmed and sold off to 
  foreign users as light transports. This was not an ideal solution for either side, since the Fisher-type 
  interiors of the ex-corvettes couldn’t accommodate as much cargo as those of the other Garneau 
  variants, but at least it allowed Starfleet to recoup some of its investment in the class. 
   
  Since Starfleet did not have to weather the feared frontal assaults on the border worlds, history does not 
  remember Asmodeus corvettes of distinction. 
  Merced 
  Corvette/escort 
  2312- 
   
  Completed: 
  51 total: 
   
   
  16 Merced Mk I corvettes (later corvette / escorts) built in 2312-14 
   
  32 Merced Mk II (Nomad) corvettes / escorts built in 2325-27 
   
  3 Merced Mk III (Frontier) heavy corvettes / escorts built in 2348  
   
  Length: 
  187.0 m (Mk I, II) 
   
  187.2 m (Mk III) 
   
  Beam: 
  122.0 m (Mk I, II) 
   
  122.4 m (Mk III) 
   
  Height: 
  41.6 m  
   
  Mass: 
  174,000 tons (Mk I, II) 
   
  303,000 tons (Mk III) 
   
  Officers: 
  8 
   
  Crew: 
  42 
   
  Cruise speed: 
  W 5 
   
  Max. speed: 
  W 8.6 (Mk I, II) 
  W 9.2 (Mk III) 
   
  
   
  119
  Endurance: 
  1 year 
   
  Weapons: 
  1 phaser VII emitter on dorsal superstructure 
  2 phaser V emitters on dorsal hull, port/stbd of bridge 
   
  1 phaser V emitter on ventral bow 
  1 light fwd torpedo tube w/ 50 torpedoes on dorsal bow 
  1 light aft torpedo tube w/ 25 torpedoes on ventral stern 
   
   Shields: 
  1-layer conformal forcefield 
   
  Navigational deflector on bow 
   
  Transporters: 
  2 GP (4-pad), 2 emergency evacuation (8-pad), 2 light cargo; Mk VI  
   
  SOURCES: 
  (D LUG) 
   
  N TNG  
   
  (H LUG) 
   
   
   
  The shifting political climates of the early 24th century also greatly influenced the position of 
  corvettes. Convoy escort assignments and anti-piracy operations were rapidly decreasing in 
  importance. Full starships such as the Daran and Miranda frigates were handling ‘coastal defense’ 
  operations in the expanding operational theater. Border patrol was becoming impractical as a 
  concept, save for the Romulan Neutral Zone and certain other special areas. What remained of the 
  traditional corvette mission profile was traffic control and law enforcement. But such mundane 
  duties deep inside the Federation could not be plausibly assigned to vessels as heavy, expensive and 
  specialized as the Daring or Juliet classes.  
   
  As far as Starfleet could see, the future of the corvette lay in modest dimensions and equally modest 
  if flexible mission gear. The lineage that would be perpetuated was not the Daring or Juliet one, but 
  that of the Antares series. The Mk IV design of that series had recently entered service, while Mk 
  III was bowing out; plans for Mk V were already well advanced, featuring only incremental 
  upgrades. For Mk VI, Starfleet hoped to introduce improvements that would guarantee a future till 
  the mid-century at least. 
   
  Among the first and most crucial changes would be warp propulsion. To succeed the MACE, 
  Shuvinaaljis was already testing a beamier but otherwise equally compact LANCE light, non-
  
   
  120
  phaselocked circumferential engine. Computational predictions offered warp 5 cruising on the new 
  scale, and a dash speed close to warp 9. Early tests were promising enough to secure orders for the 
  engine, thus also dictating Starfleet’s choice for impulse propulsion. A unit twice as powerful as the 
  Antares system was needed for dragging the LANCE coils through the required sublight maneuvers. 
   
  Meanwhile, mission system choices were being made independent of propulsive considerations. 
  The new mission profile did not call for minelaying gear or auxiliary craft and their associated 
  secondary hull facilities, and Starfleet no longer saw a need for large holds either for courier or 
  endurance boosting purposes. It didn’t take long for the design committee to drop the requirement 
  for a secondary hull altogether, and the designers were prompted to go ahead with a single 
  integrated hull configuration. What had until then been considered Antares Mk VI now became an 
  all-new corvette class, quickly gaining the class name Merced for a theme of Earth seaports of note. 
   
  The Mk 28 torpedo launcher was still current for offensive and defensive work, and two would be 
  packed aboard the new corvette. As for energy weaponry, Starfleet went for the old 
  Thunderbolt/Battleaxe configuration, with a single heavy Type VII cannon atop the dorsal 
  superstructure aft of the bridge to complement the regular Type V emitters elsewhere. Fire control 
  and sensor capabilities were to be upgraded apace with advances in performance and affordability, 
  again introduced to new batches of corvettes but not necessarily retrofitted to existing batches. A 
  modular approach for fitting the systems was thus not dictated. 
   
  Within these constraints, Arbin & Lidde created a hull design that matched the Antares in capacity 
  but resembled the small Thunderbolt in shape. Atop the spade hull lay the command bridge, aft of it 
  the phaser VII turret. On Deck 2, there were two phaser V emitters flanking the bridge and one 
  heavy tractor beam turret capable of handing aft angles; inside were fire control facilities. The wide 
  Decks 3 through 5 provided main accommodation, with berthing in comfortable two-person cabins 
  that all had exterior portholes for psychological comfort. Replicator technology offered improved 
  sustenance and increased endurance without requiring large holds, galleys or comparable facilities. 
  Also provided on Decks 3 and 4 were 22 three-person lifepods for the 50 crew, alleviating another 
  concern of previous corvette and perimeter ship designs. Interstellar missions as long as twelve 
  months could now be projected; Starfleet was on the road to redefining ‘local defense’, putting 
  greater and greater distance between the locations to be protected and the forces doing the 
  protecting, both physically and psychologically. 
   
  The forward torpedo launcher was housed on Deck 3, its barrel shamelessly protruding through the 
  dorsal bow surface to give the ship an aggressive silhouette. Deck 5 featured a small notch at the 
  very bow to accommodate the navigational deflector system, and two clusters of RCS engines to 
  port and starboard. Deck 7 was but a narrow canoelike structure for mounting primary sensors and a 
  secondary, forward-facing tractor beam, plus the aft-firing second torpedo launcher and its 
  magazines. 
   
  Power generation was divided in two, with separate port and starboard reactors riding aft of the hull 
  and cross-feeding to the warp nacelles and to an impulse pod in between. There was little need to 
  access the lower levels of the tilted warp cores, or the pressurized compartments of the impulse 
  assembly, formally labeled Decks 8 and 9.  
   
  The first Merced batch, built in 2312-14, comprised 16 vessels. Smoothly replacing the Antares Mk 
  IV group, they adopted its traffic patrol and troubleshooting mission, but failed to diversify to other 
  roles. The second batch, constructed in 2325-27, was for all purposes identical to the first, and 
  replaced Antares Mk V. While production numbers were doubled over the inaugural batch, it was 
  
   
  121
  quickly determined that the expanding theater of operations would be too great a challenge for such 
  a slow design. Thus, the third batch was to bring about a leap in propulsive abilities, as LANCE was 
  succeeded by LF-25, again doubling the coil mass without significantly altering the external 
  dimensions. Yet only a few examples of Merced Mk III were ever fielded – the all-new Saber 
  design offered greater overall performance and significantly more growth potential. 
   
  To be sure, all the Merced batches enjoyed longer service than any of the Antares ones, but in duties 
  of little consequence. Few managed to make a mark in history: USS Trieste (NCC-37124) is 
  mentioned in most reference works, but only because the famous sentient android Data served 
  aboard her after being accepted to Starfleet. Lamentably, once again the paths to glory were to be 
  chiefly found in battle – and thankfully, the class saw little of it. 
   
  At the onset of the Border Wars, the Merceds were pressed to escort duty, and appropriately 
  redesignated. Lacking in sustainable speed, they were tasked with protecting slow convoys, while 
  more modern Chimera escorts and various frigates covered fast convoys and priority shipments. 
  This proved a blessing to the Merced class, as few Cardassian, Talarian or Tzenkethi attacks were 
  actually directed against the slower shipments. In 2354, USS Pumori (NCC-27029) was lost to 
  Cardassian action, along with the three light freighters she was protecting; the loss prompted the 
  retirement of all the remaining Mk I vessels. The newer USS Boston (NCC-37007) fared much 
  better against Tzenkethi aggression in 2358, admittedly fighting alongside two Sabers. No other 
  shipment escorted by the older corvettes came under serious attack, and the Mk II could be retired 
  with zero combat losses by 2367. Several units were disarmed and sold forward, their outdated 
  technologies deemed harmless enough for export and their military potential nil.  
   
  The three heavy Mk III vessels continue serving in a training role, grooming new crews for Saber 
  corvettes. The formal subclass name Frontier has been semi-officially applied for the trio in a 
  favorably received gesture. 
  Condor 
  Courier 
  2320-2364 
   
  Completed: 
  183 
   
  Length: 
  82.2 m 
   
  Beam: 
  90.0 m 
   
  Height: 
  20.9 m (landing gear retracted) 
   
  22.3 m (landing gear extended) 
   
  Mass: 
  174,000 tons 
   
  Crew: 
  8 
   
  Passengers: 
  12-40 
   
  Cargo: 
  100 tons (batch I) 
   
  40 tons (batches II, III) 
   
  Cruise speed: 
  W 6 
   
  Max. speed: 
  W 7.0 
   
  Endurance: 
  9 months 
   
  Weapons: 
  2 wingtip phaser VI emitters 
   
  1 phaser V emitter on dorsal aft hull 
   
  1 phaser V emitter on ventral aft hull 
  1 medium fwd torpedo tube 
  
   
  122
  1 medium aft torpedo tube (batch II) 
   
  2 medium aft torpedo tubes (batch III) 
   
   Shields: 
  2-layer conformal forcefield 
   
  Navigational deflector on dorsal bow 
   
  Transporters: 
  1 GP (2-pad); Mk VI (batch I) 
   
  1 GP (2-pad), 1 emergency evacuation (6-pad); Mk VI (batches II, III) 
   
  SOURCES: 
  D TNG, DS9, VOY 
   
  N VOY (Condor own) 
   
  (H own)  
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
   
  123
   
   
  The introduction of multiphasic warp technology had little initial effect on small craft like shuttles 
  and runabouts. The engines of these craft were less finely tuned than starship engines to begin with, 
  and usually paid little attention to cruise efficiency. It was the upper tier of small warp vessels that 
  stood to gain the most – and as with the introduction of linear coil technology, the benefits were 
  mainly in cruise performance and economy. However, in courier vessels, cruise speed was pretty 
  much equated with maximum operational speed, and any improvement in this field thus translated 
  to expansion of the performance envelope. 
   
  The first commercial manufacturers to take advantage of multiphasics were AsTrans of Deneva and 
  Ardep of Bolarus. The former fielded a full range of light and medium transports between 2315 and 
  2330, and in poetic revenge, ensured that Star Fleet Division’s Deneva class would drop out of the 
  commercial scene. The latter, however, operated in a market niche devoid of Earthly competition 
  since the early 22nd century: Ardep starcraft were optimized for transatmospheric performance. The 
  combination of warp drive and the ability to replenish, rest or hide on a planetary surface offered a 
  unique range of applications, from local defense to ambulance duties or tourism. 
   
  In 2318, Ardep presented the Ju’day, an 82 m transatmospheric transport capable of sustained warp 
  six. The winged vessel only offered some 60 m3 of actual cargo space, but this was provided with 
  neat, integrated loading cranes for ease of access. The three-deck forward hull could house the six 
  to eight crew and a dozen passengers in comfort, but space for up to 40 passengers was available 
  through rearranging of movable bulkheads in the hold area and installation of suitable modular 
  interiors. Unlike the more capacious competitors in the 150,000 ton mass niche, the Ju’day was a 
  rugged vehicle, virtually independent of infrastructure beyond refueling stations. Extensive 
  instrumentation around the bow section allowed the ship to operate in areas with poor or 
  nonexistent traffic control networks. Multifuel impulse engines had impressive safety margins, and 
  there was power to spare from the main antimatter powerplant. 
   
  
   
  124
   
  Kicking up dust, USS Westwind approaches the crash site of dolamite freighter Kalandra. The Condors provided rapid 
  response to a greater range of emergencies than any previous design. Starfleet did its best to keep them free of military 
  obligations, so that their versatility could better be exploited. 
   
  Here was an opportunity Starfleet could not ignore. Its own attempts at finding a replacement to the 
  frigatelike heavy corvettes had resulted in the far less flexible Merced design whose atmospheric 
  abilities were more theoretical than practical. Parallel procurement of Ju’days would offer 
  significantly expanded capabilities in colonial support and control. The fast vessels would also 
  excel as long range couriers, especially on routes where only the core region endpoint offered a 
  service infrastructure. In 2320, the first twenty vessels were purchased, and named the Condor 
  class. 
   
  As the Condors would be tasked with law enforcement and defense, they were armed from the 
  outset with wingtip phaser VIs, dorsal and ventral defensive phaser Vs and Mk 20 bow torpedo 
  tubes. They also received a full suite of pursuit, tracking and fire control sensors, most of them in a 
  tight ventral cluster near the stern. A second batch of eighty was equipped with CSNDR datalink 
  and High Point attack scanners for medium range targeting. To make good use of the increased 
  targeting range, the batch carried Type III torpedo ammunition and also mounted a stern tube, an 
  addition that required some engineering effort as the commercial model structures did not cater for 
  such placement. The third and final batch, basically similar in equipment to batch two save for the 
  use of a twin aft launcher, brought the total number to 183. The latter two batches sacrificed almost 
  two thirds of their cargo capacity for the improved weapons systems. Yet the compact vessels were 
  primarily considered couriers, and some insisted on referring to them as craft, despite the full 
  starship registries and names assigned to them. 
   
  During the Cardassian offensives of 2355-58, the identity crisis largely kept the Condors from 
  seeing combat. Their local defense prowess was not recognized, nor did system commanders have 
  any of these craft under their direct authority. While the Marines often used formations of Condors 
  
   
  125
  in small scale raids on Cardassian outposts or in countering similar Cardassian raids, the ships were 
  formally always ‘on loan’. Yet the Marines openly envied the atmospheric agility of the ships over 
  that of the primary Marine rapid deployment vessel of the time, the Saber corvette. 
   
  Regular upgrades would no doubt have kept the class in service well into the latter half of the 24th 
  century. However, diminishing interest in colonial courier duties after the Border Wars led Starfleet 
  to sell its Condor fleet almost entirely to civilian operators. Several militaries swiftly purchased ex-
  Starfleet Condors, recognizing them as the perfect midsize combatants. If not for UFP export 
  limitations, Ardep could have made significant profit in the market niche so far dominated by 
  Klingon Birds of Prey. Despite such limitations, several UFP adversaries acquired Ju’day units that 
  were put to action against Starfleet. The Maquis counterinsurgents operated half a dozen such craft, 
  reputedly possessing some datalink-equipped ex-Condors as well. 
   
   
  A Maquis Ju’day strafing USS Defiant in 2373, at the height of the rebellion. Wingtip phasers have been supplemented by 
  numerous heavy disruptors, and shielding boosted to withstand direct phaser hits. Torpedo armament rivals that of late-
  batch Condors. Unidentified additional systems speckle the exteriors. The kind of ingenuity used by the Maquis in 
  upgunning their ships and craft would surely have multiplied Starfleet firepower against the Dominion as well, yet little 
  effort was made to adapt civilian designs into combatants in that crisis. 
   
  Currently, some 450 Ju’days are believed to remain operational. Ardep terminated production in 
  2365 in favor of the more refined Drex’lar model, and has agreed not to provide further support for 
  users classified by Starfleet as security risks. Recent SF Marine interest in Klingon planetary assault 
  tactics has prompted speculation that Starfleet might purchase further transatmospheric high warp 
  craft in this category. No concrete procurement plans have been formulated as of 2377, however. 
  Moscow 
  Scout 
  2342- 
   
  Completed: 
  22 
   
  Length: 
  155.0 m (Mk I) 
  147.2 m (Mk II) 
   
  Beam: 
  45.0 m 
   
  Height: 
  35.0 m (Mk I) 
  
   
  126
  29.9 m (Mk II) 
   
  Mass: 
  123,200 tons (Mk I) 
   
  116,300 tons (Mk II) 
   
  Crew: 
  45 
   
  Cruise speed: 
  W 7 
   
  Max. speed: 
  W 9.0 
   
  Endurance: 
  15 months 
   
  Weapons: 
  2 phaser V strips on primary hull 
   
  2 phaser V strips on engine pylons (Mk I) 
   
  2 phaser V strips on secondary hull stern (Mk II) 
   
  2 fwd torpedo tubes w/ 22 torpedoes or probes on scoutcraft keel (Mk I) 
  1 fwd torpedo tube w/ 28 torpedoes or probes on scoutcraft keel (Mk II) 
  2 aft torpedo tubes w/ 8 torpedoes on secondary hull stern flanks (Mk I) 
   
   Shields: 
  2-layer conformal forcefield 
   
  Scoutcraft navigational deflectors on connecting neck flanks 
   
  Secondary hull navigational deflectors in dorsal bow depression 
   
  Transporters: 
  1 GP (4-pad), 1 light cargo; Mk VI (scoutcraft) 
  1 GP (6-pad), 2 emergency evacuation (12-pad), 1 cargo; Mk VI (secondary hull) 
   
  Auxiliaries: 
  2 shuttlepods 
   
  SOURCES: 
  (D FASA, Mk I redrawn to match dimensions, dimensions corrected for Mk II) 
   
  (N Moscow, DW-21, M’Benga FASA, Graceful, Wei-Fa LUG) 
   
  (H FASA) 
    
   
  In the first half of the 24th century, the role of small scoutships was steadily and significantly 
  reduced as the radius of scientific and tactical reconnaissance missions increased beyond the reach 
  of low-tier vessels. Tactical scouting across short ranges could also increasingly rely on compact 
  
   
  127
  craft as their performance was increased by the gradual adoption of multiphasic technologies. It was 
  thus no foregone conclusion that the 2339 initiative for a long range scoutship in the 150,000 ton 
  category would yield viable results. 
   
  The combination of range and speed dictated by the expanding area of responsibility was just half 
  the equation. For mission success, the small ship would also need stealth and agility – Starfleet 
  demand was for a tactical scout capable of spying on guarded and defended military installations 
  and formations. Changes in the operating environment complicated matters in this respect as well. 
  With the use of cloaks out of the question after 2311, reductions in physical dimensions and warp 
  signature were the only options available to the designers. 
   
  The inherent stealth advantages of the ring-type warp drive were brought up at this point. Yet the 
  requirement for compact dimensions put ring drives at a disadvantage: for decent cruising speed 
  across the specified ranges, a ring some hundred meters across would be needed, defeating both 
  stealth and agility. The solution of ASDB was a two-stage system, where a small, stealthy and agile 
  ring drive craft would ride on a cruise stage propelled by relatively heavy twin nacelles of modern 
  make and high performance. Separation would take place outside the sensor range of the target, and 
  the supporting stage would remain crewed and alert for the eventual recovery. 
   
  The original configuration of the Moscow featured the best small warp engine of the day, the brand new GD-12. 
  Optimized for high cruise performance with correspondingly high plasma loads, the engine had very poor stealth 
  characteristics, but needed none thanks to the two-stage concept of the scout. The onboard reactor was incapable of 
  providing coil saturation even in theory, leaving the scouts with a top speed of warp nine even when the engines in their 
  other prominent application in Chimera class could be commanded to deliver more. 
   
  The scouting end of the system was quickly sketched out: a saucer some 45 meters across, two 
  decks thick in the middle but just one at the habitation-dedicated rim, would feature two Type V 
  phaser strips, and mount the ring drive below a trailing edge hull extension. Sensor systems would 
  be housed in the forward upper part of the extension, and in the upper part of a tapering keel going 
  down all the way to the bottom vertex of the ring. Closer to the bottom would be twin Mk 24 probe 
  or torpedo launchers, fed from a tall vertical magazine, and flanking the keel on both sides would be 
  deflector domes with associated forward FTL sensors. For best possible stealth, impulse engines 
  were located inside the ring drive: aft of the deflectors, on both sides of the sail-thin aft part of the 
  keel. 
   
  The secondary hull grappled the scoutcraft’s aft keel with a groove in the dorsal bow, the aft end of 
  the keel neatly fitting between the two slanted deflectors of the secondary hull. These deflectors 
  
   
  128
  would only come to play after separation, but were quite essential at this mode of warp operations. 
  Once separated from the scoutcraft, the cruise hull resembled a smoothly filed stone axe blade, with 
  a broad leading edge and a rounded, gently tapering stern. Accommodation was arranged 
  amidships, just aft of the deflectors. Power systems astern fed two warp nacelles on downcanted 
  pylons and an auxiliary impulse engine at the upper part of the stern (as the well-positioned primary 
  engines of the scoutcraft would take care of sublight propulsion in combined mode, linking up to 
  the same secondary hull bow tanks for fuel).  
   
  At both dorsal and ventral amidships, there was also a quartet of modern lifepods, plus two ventral 
  berths for compact shuttlepods between the pylons. The pods would mainly be used for corraling 
  and towing the lifeboats in case of evacuation in high-risk volumes of space, but could serve as 
  maintenance craft if needed. There was no need to task them with liaison operations, as the hull 
  featured both a personnel and a cargo transporter. 
   
  The cruise section also had some self-defense capabilities at detached mode, in the form of phaser 
  V strips on engine pylons and aft torpedo tubes on stern flanks. The magazines for the latter 
  supposedly only held four rounds each, though, concretizing the extreme crampedness of the 
  section. A likelier reason for the inclusion of the launchers is the deployment of high performance 
  recorder markers for discreet reporting. 
   
  The Moscow scoutcraft was built in modest numbers appropriate for her clandestine task. Just 
  twenty-two of the vessels are known to have been built, although it appears that at least two extra 
  scoutcraft without the cruise stage were also completed, quite possibly for testing purposes only. 
  Evidence also exists for the use of different reconnaissance stages, including drones, from aboard 
  the cruise stages, as well as from a further evolved launcher stage dubbed DW-21.  
   
  As operational experiences mounted, there were some equipment upgrades, most of them difficult 
  to discern from exterior view. It was not until 2362 that the scouts received major modifications, 
  chief among them the installation of lightweight GN-10 warp engines. The new pylons no longer 
  featured phaser strips; these were moved to the lateral flanks of the stern, while the secondary hull 
  torpedo launchers were removed. The scoutcraft system was upgraded to the single-tube Mk 50 
  standard of practrical combat worth. 
   
  Events appear to have proven the concept sound, as there have been no Moscow losses in the recent 
  conflicts. On the other hand, it is unlikely that Starfleet would have deployed the scouts on 
  penetration missions against the superior sensor capabilities of the Dominion. Nor have these only 
  symbolically shielded ships been deliberately engaged in combat. 
   
  
   
  129
   
  While the elaborate Moscow combination of vessels saw relatively little production, the cruise stage soon evolved into 
  a Starfleet Intelligence workhorse. The pared-down DW-21 drone support platform retained the propulsion system and 
  the powerful deflectors of the Moscow secondary stage, yet apparently omitted most crew spaces, there being no need 
  to support a crewed reconnaissance vessel. Instead, a flight deck was added atop the hull, supposedly to help control 
  the launching of a wide range of payloads from an elongated bow platform. The DW-21 appeared unarmed, with 
  performance figures probably matching or exceeding those of the Moscow cruise stage. 
   
   
   
  
   
  130
  In contrast with the rather secretive DW-21, the existence, characteristics and production numbers of the distinct 
  derivatives of the scoutcraft are a matter of public record. The Graceful rapid response medical ship mounted a wider, 
  two-segment ring drive, of dubious stealth qualifications and optimized for dragging along an inert pod that in the 
  ambulance configuration could move up to 170 patients quickly out of the harm’s way. The M’Benga variant later 
  added two GN-10 nacelles to the mix, mounted on the tugship rather than on the pod. Note the lack of phaser strips on 
  the saucer, for pressing reasons of internal space allocation rather than for pacifist symbolism. The nimble Wei-fa 
  tanker restored the phasers and carried a cargo of antimatter and neutronic fuel tanks for frontline use. 
   
  Chimera 
  Escort 
  2347- 
   
  Completed: 
  221 
   
  Length: 
  103.5 m 
   
  Beam: 
  67.2 m 
   
  Height: 
  31.4 m 
   
  Mass: 
  232,700 tons (batch 1) 
   
  233,000 tons (later batches, upgrade 2350-52) 
   
  Officers: 
  10 
   
  Crew: 
  49 
   
  Cruise speed: 
  W 7 
   
  Max. speed: 
  W 8.9 
   
  Endurance: 
  1 year 
   
  Weapons: 
  2 phaser VIIP emitters in bow cutout 
   
  1 phaser VI strip on dorsal primary hull (upgrade 2350-52) 
   
  2 phaser VI strips on ventral primary hull 
   
  2 phaser VI strips on pylons 
   
  1 phaser VI strip on aft secondary hull 
   
  Shields: 
  1-layer globular forcefield 
   
  Navigational deflector on dorsal bow 
   
  Transporters: 
  2 GP (2-pad); Mk VI 
   
  All ships brought to Mk VII standard after 2352 
   
  Ships of historical interest: 
   
  USS Ithurial (NCC-57419), USS Minerva (NCC-57402), USS Portland (NCC-57418), USS Rapid (NCC-57498) 
   
  SOURCES: 
  (D Jim Martin Defiant predesign) 
   
  N DS9 (LUG) 
   
  (H Ed Sharpe) 
   
  Despite the new experiences from the Klingon threat in the 2280-90s and the Romulan scare in the 
  decade after the Tomed Incident, Starfleet’s strategic thinking was still conducted in the shadow of 
  the only major interstellar war it had fought, the Romulan War of 2156-60. This war had begun (in 
  retrospect analysis at least) with the disappearance of numerous Earth and allied freighters in the 
  direction of the Romulan Star Empire. As a result, events of the early 2340s deeply worried 
  Starfleet planners: several vessels, including a Starfleet surveyor, had gone missing in the direction 
  of the Cardassian Union, with whom the Federation had enjoyed peaceful trading links for many 
  years. As merchant losses mounted in 2345-6, commercial lines and Starfleet Logistics Command 
  requested that a convoy system be implemented to ensure the safety of their vessels. 
    
  
   
  131
  Operations Command agreed, but only reluctantly. While Starfleet could provide convoy escorts out 
  of primary combat types in the short term, this would result in a reduced number of ships available 
  for fleet combat duty if there were a war – an event Starfleet Intelligence now considered highly 
  likely, having learned to better know the Union’s bellicose nature during the long Cardassian-
  Klingon conflict at Betreka. It might be possible to pull corvettes from their local duties to travel 
  with the convoys, but this would leave many systems without defenses and vulnerable to piracy and 
  smuggling. As a result of this, Starfleet decided to rapidly develop a new high endurance combatant 
  that could be manufactured on smaller yards, in essence a modern counterpart to the perimeter ships 
  of the late 23rd century. In the meantime, the aging original PA ships themselves would be pressed 
  into duty one last time to fill the escort gap. 
   
  Design work commenced in November 2346 and, building heavily upon proven solutions, was 
  anticipated to reach final validation phase by late September the following year. This was not to be. 
  In May 2347, Cardassian forces commenced a series of probing strikes against small frontier 
  settlements. Attacks on the economically more important Federation colonies and Starfleet 
  installations in the border space would surely follow soon. Main Starfleet combat forces were 
  promptly dispatched to the threatened areas, leaving mercantile shipping completely exposed. 
  Starfleet thus had to upgrade the priority on what was now known as the Chimera class deep space 
  escort.  
   
  Design work was hurriedly completed, resulting by the end of 2347 in the fielding of a slightly 
  simplified version of the class. All the vital systems were installed in the earliest constructed ships, 
  but for example shuttle facilities were not furbished to operational capacity, and the crew quarters 
  were somewhat more spartan than originally planned. The first fifty vessels were intended as a 
  stopgap measure to be rushed to the front while the remaining vessels, at least a hundred and fifty in 
  number, were to be completed to full production standard. 
   
  Even the early Chimera specimens were starships of high performance and considerable 
  complexity, however. The basic primary hull form was a flat three-deck spade, with two Type VI 
  phaser strips on the ventral side and two heavy phaser VIIP cannon in a bow cutout. These were 
  supplemented by three Type VII strips on the complexly shaped engineering section, covering the 
  lateral and stern angles. This would be the very first time strip phasers would be operationally fitted 
  on such small vessels, and represented a major technological risk despite extensive testing on some 
  deactivated Soyuz and Daran spaceframes. Yet the stepped-up timetable of escort production meant 
  that time of testing was over. If successful, the new weapons would give Starfleet a qualitative 
  upper hand in all multitargeting combat scenarios, and would alleviate its quantitative shortcomings 
  in the outer colonization zone.  
   
  The flat primary hull had barely enough room for the 59 crew and the heavy phaser systems. All 
  engineering functions including primary life support were banished to the secondary structures, 
  which consisted of a sturdy dorsal fin and broad, horizontally extending pylons. The base of the fin 
  served as a pedestal for the main bridge, but also extended astern beyond the rim of the primary hull 
  in a fantail, through which the ship’s warp core could be ejected downwards. The upper surface of 
  the fin base served as the breakaway line in case of primary hull separation; the complexity of 
  cleanly severing the ship along such a long surface was offset by the aerodynamic elegance of the 
  resulting spacecraft, equipped with four BRP thrusters on the aft rim for deorbiting and controlled 
  landing. 
   
  The following two decks in the fin, barely five meters wide, reached even farther back; the third 
  finally flared out into pylons of 25 meter initial chord, large enough to hold main fuel tanks, plasma 
  
   
  132
  expanders and radiator surfaces. Out of tradition, main bridge was labeled Deck One, while the fin 
  decks from breakaway line up were referred to as Engineering Levels 1-3. The confusing naming 
  convention only served to highlight the strength of the obscure tradition of placing the bridge at the 
  very top of a starship: apart from various dorsal pods or other not permanently manned modular 
  assemblies, the Chimera engineering section was the first exception to the rule for the better part of 
  two centuries! In any case, it was EL 2 that held the forward navigational deflector and twin long 
  range sensor cowlings, and EL 3 that carried the primary communications and datalink package. 
  Atop EL 3 stern section and the upper end of the warp core sat a massive two-pronged impulse 
  engine assembly, perhaps not ideally placed for sublight maneuverability, but so grossly 
  overpowered that this mattered little. 
   
  A curious pylon arrangement cradled the two 90,000 ton GD-12 warp nacelles. Curving down from 
  the initial flat angle to final 45 degree anhedral, the pylons then twisted sharply up to fully vertical, 
  ultimately mounting the nacelles inboard. Apart from providing extra radiator surfaces for the 
  muscular power system, the exotic pylons to some degree shielded the crew spaces from engine 
  emissions. The robust but almost blade-thin GD-12 provided sustainable cruising at warp 7, well 
  beyond the capabilities of the corvettes that in other respects were the closest counterparts of the 
  Chimera design. Saturation drive mode was a theoretical option only, when the conventional top 
  speed of warp 8.9 already exceeded typical convoy speed more than three times over. Starfleet had 
  no intention of burning out the engines when more sustainable operating modes could be tactically 
  afforded. 
   
  Later vessels brought to use a small shuttle hangarette at the extreme aft of the engineering hull, at 
  EL 2 just below the impulse engines – a capacity that was also added to the first fifty Chimeras 
  between 2350 and 2352 (thus removing the last excuse of separately referring to the later batches as 
  the Ariel subdesign). Adding of a transverse dorsal phaser on the primary hull rounded out the 
  weapons suite, and the two transporter installations were upgraded to Mk VII standard. 
  Communications suite was comprehensive to begin with, as the Chimeras were expected to 
  communicate with and coordinate large numbers of civilian freighters and Starfleet transports. 
   
  Chimera class vessels began to replace the Akyazi, Engage and Kirsanov classes in escort roles in 
  August 2349, although some of the latter two classes would remain in service until the 2350s. The 
  Chimeras assigned to each convoy, three in the ideal case, were expected to be able to deal with 
  most Cardassian vessels smaller than the ‘Cheetah’ cruisers (soon learned to have the native 
  designation Akril class). Essentially, their mission profile when faced with anything larger was to 
  delay it long enough for the convoy to scatter and escape. Between August 2349 and March the 
  following year, most Chimeras were accompanied on escort missions by old PAs which, thanks to 
  their standoff weaponry, better acted as command ships for the escort mission. As the theater of 
  operations became more active, larger vessels were occasionally assigned to convoys, along with 
  increasing numbers of Chimera class ships being churned out by Federation shipyards. 
   
  
   
  133
   
   
  USS Firedrake (NCC-57408) and USS Ithurial (NCC-57419) seen from a freighter in convoy YTK-972T in 2349. One 
  freighter was lost from this convoy and two Cardassian raiders destroyed. 
   
  The class performed well in service, although eight were lost to Cardassian forces; freighter loss 
  rates were reduced by 95% with the introduction of the convoy system and Chimera escorts. The 
  finest hour of the Chimeras came in 2350, when the USS Minerva (NCC-57402), USS Otus (NCC-
  57441) and USS Plymouth (NCC-57468), along with the Kirsanov class USS Katyusha, destroyed 
  two Cardassian ‘Cretin I’ (Galor Type I) heavy cruisers which attempted to attack convoy DXY-
  890A. As Starfleet prepared to strike back at the Cardassian Union, several Chimeras were called to 
  fleet duty, in order to assess how well the class would perform as escorts to capital ships in a fleet 
  engagement. The answer turned out to be “very well indeed”, mostly owing to the extraordinary 
  cruise performance of the class. Once the war with Cardassia was over, the ships of the Chimera 
  class were assigned to a variety of duties. Some took on convoy protection tasks in other trouble 
  spots, but most were given border patrol and security duties, often backing up corvettes in their 
  enforcement of Federation law and order. The designation ‘fast frigate’ is suggested in some 
  sources for reflecting the new role of the vessel, but it never was officially adopted by Starfleet. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  USS Rapid (NCC-57498) and USS Somme (NCC-57437) escort USS Onslaught, flagship of the Seventh Fleet in 2373. All 
  three vessels were subsequently lost to the Dominion. 
   
  
   
  134
  When war came again, in the 2370s, the class was ready to serve once again in both its roles, as 
  protector of freighters and of the mighty warships which were massing to defend the Alpha 
  Quadrant against the Dominion. Once more, the Chimeras found themselves doing battle with 
  Cardassian vessels, and this time it was not as easy going. The upgraded Hideki class ships 
  deployed by Cardassia were extremely capable and destroyed several Chimeras in deep space duels. 
  However, the class did give a good account of itself, killing 2.1 enemy vessels for every Chimera 
  lost. The 69 survivors of the class are expected to be retired by 2400; this relatively early 
  decommissioning date is due to the heavy strain placed upon the spaceframes in high speed 
  maneuvering. 
  Saber 
  Corvette 
  2350- 
   
  Completed: 
  419+ 
   
  Length: 
  172.7 m 
   
  Beam: 
  159.9 m 
   
  Height: 
  40.0 m 
   
  Mass: 
  310,000 tons (batch 1, typical) 
   
  312,500 tons (batch 2) 
   
  317,500 tons (batch 3, typical) 
   
  318,000 tons (batch 4) 
  315,000 tons (batches 5-6, typical)  
   
  317,200 tons (batch 7 onwards) 
   
  Officers: 
  20 (typical) 
   
  Crew: 
  76 (typical) 
   
  Cruise speed: 
  W 6 
   
  Max speed: 
  W 8.8 (LF-25D –engined) 
  W 8.9 (LF-25F –engined) 
  W 9.0 (LF-25H –engined) 
  W 9.2 (LF-25J –engined) 
   
  Endurance: 
  2 years (batches 1-4, pre-upgrade) 
   
  6 years (batches 5-6) 
   
  10 years (batch 7 onwards) 
   
  Weapons: 
  Batches 1-2: 
  2 phaser VII strips on dorsal fwd hull 
   
  1 phaser VII strip on ventral fwd hull 
   
  Batches 3-4: 
  2 phaser VII strips on dorsal fwd hull 
   
  1 phaser VII strip on ventral fwd hull 
   
  2 light fwd torpedo tubes w/ 80 photorps or probes 
   
  Batches 5-6: 
  2 phaser VII strips on dorsal fwd hull 
   
  1 phaser VII strip on ventral fwd hull 
  2 light fwd torpedo tubes w/ 120-160 photorps or probes 
   
  2 light aft torpedo tubes w/ 40 photorps 
   
  Batch 7 onwards: 
   
  Quantum torpedo compatibility added 
   
  Orbital bombardment variant: 
   
  2 phaser IX emitters added on ventral aft hull 
   
  Shields: 
  1-layer globular forcefield 
   
  Navigational deflector on ventral aft hull 
   
  Transporters: 
  4 GP (6-pad), 2 cargo, 2 emergency evacuation (26-pad); Mk VI (standard) 
   
  1 GP (6-pad), 4 cargo, 1 emergency evacuation (26-pad); Mk VI (SCE support vessel) 
   
  1 GP (6-pad), 1 emergency evacuation (26-pad); Mk VI (sigint vessel) 
   
  All ships brought to Mk VII standard after 2353 
   
  Select ships brought to Mk VIII standard after 2374 
  
   
  135
   
  Auxiliaries: 
  1 medium and 1 light shuttle, 2 work pods (defense mission standard) 
  2 light shuttles, 1 shuttlepod, 2 work pods (exploration mission standard) 
  2 shuttlepods, 2 work pods (sigint vessel) 
   
  2 light shuttles, 4 work pods (SCE support vessel) 
   
  Ships of historical interest: 
   
  USS Yeager (NCC-61947), USS Da Vinci (NCC-81623) 
   
  SOURCES: 
  D ST:FC (J Ordover et al. “SCE”) 
   
  (N Alex Jaeger) 
   
  (H J Ordover et al. “SCE”, own) 
   
  The midpoint of the 24th century saw Starfleet in an unbearable situation. There was a peace to be 
  protected on the spinward flank of the Federation, yet no means existed of accomplishing this 
  mission. Starfleet’s top Zakdorn analysts only confirmed what everybody already knew: the 
  rampant colonization on this flank was a thorn in the hides of Cardassian Central Command, 
  Talarian High Electorate and Tholian Assembly, and the thinly spread Starfleet forces only served 
  to highlight the de facto power vacuum in the region. Mobile defenses would protect the Federation 
  core, of that there was no question. But they could do nothing to protect the fringe worlds, and 
  Starfleet had no strategic deterrent capable of spanning the cold void between Earth and Cardassia 
  Prime. 
   
  Up until 2350, many in the Councils chose to believe the soothsaying factions that promised a 
  renewed local defense network as the result of new frigate development. But when the 
  technologically superb New Orleans class was finally fielded and the true costs and timetables of its 
  further procurement became clear, few could put their faith on it any longer. Those who did were 
  arguing that the ends could still meet if just 20% of the colonies could be withdrawn and defenses 
  rearranged. But the ‘retreationist’ faction was small and lacking in support. 
   
  Even if the retreat was to be effected, Starfleet still had to field a replacement to the geriatric 
  Miranda class, and the New Orleans was not to be it. The most optimistic estimates now put New 
  Orleans procurement at a hundred and ninety vessels over a 15-year construction period. What 
  Starfleet needed were 350-450 ships in ten years. Starfleet saw no alternative but to cut costs by 
  stripping down the ships to the barest minimum. Sufficient cruise performance was a must, although 
  not quite as important as in actual deep space combat duty. Survivability was negotiable – the ships 
  could pacify the frontier by their mere presence, once they got there, and the ultramodern weaponry 
  of the New Orleanses might not be needed. Endurance was a function of support infrastructure – 
  ships could employ an austere, economical mode of operations to give the desired five-year 
  endurance at first, then step up activities as upgrades were performed and supply lines improved, 
  and still retain five-year missions. Finally, versatility was expendable – it would suffice to build the 
  ships so that they would be capable of taking on wider roles by accepting new modular equipment 
  and gradual upgrades. 
   
  
   
  136
  In essence, the desired defensive starship thus began to look very much like the light frigates or 
  heavy corvettes of the late 23rd century, and the proposals put forward all outlined a vessel of 
  similar size. Yet mere attrition units or law enforcement vessels of Renaissance or Merced ilk 
  would be unacceptable from economic, strategic and tactical viewpoints. The ships had to have 
  major growth potential, even if little of it was to be realized at first. So Starfleet started with a ship 
  of sufficient size (‘Renaissance-plus’), mounting engines of sufficient performance (‘FN-15-plus’), 
  and left plenty of room for everything else. 
   
  For the main spaceframe, a design derived from the sturdy Steamrunners was chosen. A family 
  relationship to the Yorkshire, London and Whitewater transports was obvious also, and commercial 
  standards were actually employed in the construction of the hull. Nacelles would be integrated to 
  the hull in Steamrunner fashion, yet the overall layout was compacted so that the main powerplant 
  and navigational deflector would now both sit next to the primary hull. The lightweight Shuvinaaljis 
  LF-25D engines were selected for their availability and affordability; they utilized a standard 
  Tsayev HK warp core, giving maintenance commonality with the military transport fleet. Impulse 
  systems were ordered from Kloratis, another trusted transport fleet supplier. The navigational 
  deflector was an off-the-shelf unit from the Yorkshire and London programs as well. Therein, 
  however, ended the cut-and-paste nature of the ship. 
   
  Veterans of frigate operations were once again brought in to give input. With the Renaissance class, 
  the question had been “what would you do better?”; with the new defenders of the frontier, it was 
  “what do you really need?”. The answers dictated the initial equipment and organization of the 
  ships, and laid the groundwork for future upgrades. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  A formation of two Sabers helps secure SB 375 at the height of the Dominion War. This ventral view shows the clustering 
  of engineering functions at the stern of the vessel, with core and fuel pod ejection hatches and refueling valves in the 
  fantail cutout and with plasma conduits following the trailing edge of the primary hull, feeding both impulse and warp 
  systems. It also reveals the limited weapon coverage aft. Until the addition of aft torpedoes in batch 5, the ships had to rely 
  on their maneuverability to bring the dorsal phaser strips to bear on six o’clock adversaries. To consider this a ‘problem’ 
  would be quite an overstatement, though… 
   
  In February 2350, two prototypes for the new class were launched. USS Saber and USS Hammer 
  were barebones testbeds for the propulsion systems, but did carry three important pieces of mission 
  hardware: hard-punching HiBeam phaser VII strips, DCS computer cores based on most recent 
  experience but trusted hardware, and twin bow-mounted shuttlebays. Weapons testing ensued in 
  May, and by the end of the year, both vessels were commissioned to operational status and sent to 
  the spinward sectors. They now carried crews of 68, cruised at warp 6 and could reach warp 8.8 
  without major risk. Within months, four more ships followed, featuring improved shield generators 
  
   
  137
  and larger crews and correspondingly increased numbers of single-occupancy lifepods. During the 
  following four years, two ships would be completed each month, and given incremental 
  improvements – a plasma conduit upgrade here, enlarged fuel tanks there, six instead of two 
  subspace scanners, and finally two, then four Mk 51 or Mk 75 torpedo launchers.  
   
  On the Saber procurement process, the classic subclass or ‘mark’ notation was dropped, as refits 
  performed on select vessels of earlier batches rapidly blurred the distinctions in equipment and 
  performance. Instead, the ‘batch’ notation in this entry is intended to indicate the innovations and 
  improvements associated with the launch of each new production lot. 
   
  The Saber class was fielded far too late to quell the border crisis, but did serve with distinction 
  during the actual Cardassian War. Primary missions for the type were convoy escort, fleet outrider 
  duties, and active support of planetary assault missions and colony evacuations. In the latter role, 
  the shuttle facilities proved elemental. Indeed, Starfleet began to view the neglecting of these 
  facilities on the far larger Springfields and New Orleanses as a grave mistake. The original 
  designation of ‘corvette’ was soon amended to ‘strike corvette’, to emphasize the planetary assault 
  role. 
   
  By the end of the war, Sabers had become full-fledged deep space combatants. With moderate 
  crews of 96, they enjoyed an endurance and cruise performance quite comparable to the high-tech 
  light cruisers; they had also begun carrying laboratories and survey sensors, after the latest upgrade 
  of computer capabilities had provided the computing power necessary to run these systems. In fact, 
  after the informal ceasefire of 2359, there was no practical difference between the roles of these 
  ships and that of, say, Griffin class vessels. 
   
  A Saber from 2364 was a very different beast from a Saber of the 2350s. The three phaser VII strips 
  now enjoyed advanced fire control and fell nothing short of modern frigate performance. LF-25H 
  could reach warp 9.0 easily enough, and Fasav-Lahnamäe shield generators gave sufficient 
  protection against most frigate- or even cruiser-sized adversaries. However, only about 40 of the 
  170 vessels produced represented this standard; while most ships at least now carried torpedo 
  launchers, the majority featured engines of LF-25F standard or lower. In the threat-free 
  environment, there were no pressures for upgrading the early specimen further. 
   
  It would only be in 2371 that Starfleet would regret this choice. Mounting evidence of the power 
  and malevolence of the Dominion made it obvious that a reactivation of Miranda assets would once 
  again be needed. In search of a less desperate alternative, Saber production was restarted and 
  upgrade programs initiated, now with an emphasis on escort missions. The formal ‘escort’ 
  designation was pondered, and even ‘light cruiser’ was touted as a politically advantageous 
  moniker, yet ‘corvette’ ultimately still made the most sense. For the financial and technological 
  environment of the 2370s, production of Sabers was a simple matter – until the strains of the war 
  finally began to have an impact. In face of the devastating power of the Dominion, the concept of 
  ‘attrition unit’ lost its meaning: no class of starships could be replaced apace with combat losses, 
  not a frigate or light cruiser, nor a huge explorer. The minuscule Sabers at least fared better than 
  most, filling in for fallen Mirandas at an eventual pace of four per month. 
   
  The early 2370s saw the Sabers taking over all the Miranda niches and also expanding to directions 
  the Mirandas had previously taken. Six ships were refitted for sigint duty, this time without the 
  pretentious ‘survey’ moniker. Four units (the Khwarizmi, the Musgrave, the T’Pora and the da 
  Vinci) were configured for SCE field operations needs, with vast cargo and workshop spaces, 
  industrial replicators, and heavy tractor beams, and subsequently reduced crew facilities. Nine 
  
   
  138
  Sabers were also built specifically for orbital bombardment, utilizing heavy stern-mounted phaser 
  IX units. Further diversification is likely to take place, and longevity similar to that of the Miranda 
  class is now seen as the unavoidable fate of the Sabers. 
  Bradbury 
  Heavy corvette 
  2362- 
   
  Completed: 
  178+ 
   
  Length: 
  247.8 m 
   
  Beam: 
  71.1 m 
   
  Height: 
  33.9 m 
   
  Mass: 
  452,000 tons (NX-72307, original) 
  468,000 tons (NX-72307, modified) 
   
  471,200 tons (production standard) 
   
  Cruise speed: 
  W 6 
   
  Max.speed 
  W 9.1 (NX-72307, original) 
  W 9.3 (NX-72307, modified, and production standard) 
   
  Endurance 
  3 years 
   
  Officers: 
  22 
   
  Crew: 
  158 
   
  Weapons: 
  NX-72307, original: 
   
  2 phaser VII strips on dorsal primary hull 
   
  2 phaser VII strips on ventral primary hull 
   
  2 phaser VI strips on aft dorsal primary hull 
   
  1 phaser VI strip on aft ventral secondary hull 
  NX-72307, modified, and batch I: 
   
  2 phaser VII strips on dorsal primary hull 
   
  2 phaser VII strips on ventral primary hull 
   
  2 phaser VI strips on aft dorsal primary hull 
   
  2 phaser VI strips on aft ventral primary hull 
   
  2 phaser VI strips on engine pylons 
   
  1 phaser VI strip on aft ventral secondary hull 
   
  2 fwd medium torpedo tubes w/40 torps in secondary hull 
   
  4 mine tubes w/480 gravitic mines in primary hull 
   
  Batch II: 
   
  1 phaser VII strip added on ventral secondary hull 
   
  Aft ventral secondary hull phaser VI strip divided in two 
   
  Shields: 
  1-layer globular forcefield 
   
  Navigational deflector beam on fwd secondary hull 
   
  Auxiliary deflector on fwd primary hull 
   
  Laboratories: 
  1 GP, 1 planetary sciences, 1 astrophysics, 1 signals and communications 
   
  Transporters: 
  2 GP (6-pad), 2 emergency evacuation (12-pad), 1 cargo; Mk VII 
   
  Auxiliaries: 
  2-4 light shuttles, 2 work pods 
   
  Ships of historical interest: 
   
  USS Bradbury (NCC-72307), USS Heinlein (NCC-74444), USS Pournelle (NCC-73602), USS Strugatski (NCC-73912) 
   
  SOURCES: 
  (D Rick Sternbach Voyager study models) 
   
  N TNG 
   
  (H own) 
   
  With the colonial guard role of the corvettes gone for good, and with the border wars under control 
  at last, Starfleet in the 2360s once again began seeking ways to combine traffic control and medium 
  to long range combat missions into a single spaceframe of high performance. This time, the 
  
   
  139
  incentive for upgunning was not an ongoing arms race, nor a desire to market warships as police 
  vessels for political convenience. Rather, heavy corvettes would be created just to see if they could.  
   
  Several key technologies had emerged that would finally allow the packing of decisive combat gear 
  like integrated torpedo launchers and independent fire control systems into compact and affordable 
  dimensions. Significantly, too, peace had brought prosperity, and freed major replicator technology 
  resources for experimental starship ventures. Finally, precise numerical modeling of warp fields 
  was reality at last. It was inevitable that radically new types of small and medium starships emerge. 
  In the corvette category, this was combined with a true tactical need to produce at least 120 fast 
  patrol combatants by the end of the decade, as the numbers of Renaissance units gradually began to 
  dwindle. 
   
  Project requirements for the Bradbury class heavy corvette were set in early 2360. Total length was 
  to be about 250 meters, 50 of those due to the tail ends of the long, heavy-duty warp engines that 
  would propel the ship to warp 9 and possibly beyond. Maximum width was only 70 m, thanks to a 
  sleek primary hull configuration utilizing lessons learned from the Griffin class. New materials and 
  extensive application of SIFs would keep the total mass down to about 400,000 tons, despite the 
  massive engines. 
   
  It took less than two years to transform USS Bradbury, NX 72307, from a naval construction contract 
  to a working starship. The ship that emerged from the Chandley dockyards was a curious mismatch of 
  components, bristling with newest engine and weapon technology and sensor and computer systems 
  but relying on rather bulky and conservative GD-18 nacelles as the support structures of her advanced 
  warp coils. Her primary hull was roughly the shape of an upturned spoon or an antique pressing iron, 
  featuring five decks of successively smaller area, topped by a bridge assembly.  
   
  The lowermost of the primary hull levels, Deck 6, housed main habitation functions and, as a novelty 
  for corvettes, four rather well-equipped laboratories, as well as a holodeck for recreational and training 
  use. On the next deck above were additional quarters, plus lateral docking ports on the spine aft of the 
  primary hull proper. An auxiliary navigational deflector at the bow provided extra security. In case this 
  security proved insufficient, there were 14 lifepods for evacuation on Decks 5 and 6. Decks 3 and 4 
  were largely free of portholes and dedicated to weapon systems, mainly the two primary phaser VII 
  strips and an indented bow sensor platform.  
   
  The top primary hull deck, which contained a mess hall and officer accommodation, was capped by a 
  modern bridge module that included amenities like five more lifepods and spacious ready room and 
  conference facilities for the senior officers. Aft of the bridge, in the spine, space was reserved for an 
  amidships sensor platform, to be installed later. 
   
   
  
   
  140
  The original configuration of USS Bradbury. Blanked-out hull openings await the installation of some of the operational 
  sensors and weapons. Note the narrow spine structure, lacking the central impulse engine. 
   
  More armament was carried on the lower part of the vessel, including two more phaser VII strips on 
  the ventral side of the primary hull and two auxiliary Type VI strips on the upper aft corners of the 
  hull, inboard of RCS clusters. The five-deck secondary hull initially housed no weaponry, and was 
  streamlined for maximum warp efficiency as well as for possible atmospheric tests. Secondary 
  accommodation was provided in the forward part, and four upward-firing lifepods were available 
  for the needs of the secondary hull crew. 
   
  Decks 7 to 9 tapered aft into an engineering facility where a short but high performance bypass-
  cooled vertical warp core sat amidst support equipment. The aft part of Deck 7 flared out into twin 
  down-curved pylons that housed port and starboard impulse engines and supported the warp 
  nacelles. Impulse systems could be powered either by their dedicated fusion reactors or by direct 
  tapping of warp plasma. Their location gave the ships excellent maneuverability and unprecedented 
  reverse thrust capabilities, and also augmented in maneuvers within gravity wells.  
   
  Landing capacity was a major part of the specifications for the corvette program. Four landing legs 
  could be deployed from behind protective hatches; wide pads unfolded to support the immense mass of 
  the ship even on relatively soft ground. The mass of the warp nacelles balanced the effect of the 
  forward-extending primary hull. 
   
  After the completion of the prototype, some sixteen months of testing in locations across the 
  Federation explored the full flight envelope of the vessel. Landings were performed on Class L and M 
  worlds of 0.8-1.3 Earth mass, and combat maneuvering simulated at both warp and impulse. 
  Recommendations were made on three main fields. Refined warp nacelles should be installed for 
  maximum performance; to compensate for their increased mass, a third impulse engine should be 
  added to the upper part of the spine and the port and starboard ones uprated; and the secondary hull 
  should be expanded to house additional systems deemed necessary for the ships’ eventual operational 
  use. 
   
  The modifications were to be implemented on the second keel laid, NX-73264. However, as the 
  operational need for the vessels was not pressing, Chandley was told to first modify the original 
  prototype, and only then proceed with completion of further units. While manufacturing and assembly 
  techniques based on replicator technology were well established, Starfleet wanted to experiment with 
  their application on refitting and overhauling, and the low-priority corvette project and its modestly 
  scaled contractor were deemed ideal for the testing. 
   
  In a starbase layover of eight months, the aft hull of the Bradbury was extensively remodeled. The 
  extreme stern was widened on Decks 7 and 8, and atop was added a landing approach platform for 
  shuttlecraft, flanked by two transporter emitters. Light shuttles could now enter through a sliding door 
  into a shuttlebay on Deck 6, then descend via an elevator to a service hangar within the secondary hull. 
  Aft of the hangar, there was now room for a lounge area with spectacular aft view through panoramic 
  windows. Otherwise, the hull expansion did not cater for major new facilities, as the shuttle hangar ate 
  up most of the extra space. 
   
  The new GD-20 warp nacelles were of immense size for a ship this small – essentially frigate standard, 
  and more than half the total length of the vessel. Ramscoops were generously overengineered to 
  provide maximum endurance and range augmentation. This was of practical significance as the 
  Bradburies would actually spend time cruising in deep space, in the manner of the 23rd century heavy 
  corvettes. Other mission systems appropriate for the heavy corvette type included two twin mine tubes 
  
   
  141
  added on Deck 5, and two forward-firing torpedo launchers on the enlarged forward secondary hull, on 
  Deck 8. Phaser VI strips were added on warp engine pylons and aft ventral primary hull, and the sensor 
  suite completed. 
   
   
   
  The modified configuration. Addition of the central impulse engine proved inefficient, as thrust from this unit would not be 
  available for planetary landings, and had to be restricted below the levels of the port and starboard engines out of 
  structural concerns. In contrast, the GN-20 warp engines were a resounding success and met all performance goals on this 
  originally quite speculative ship type. 
   
  Further testing was to prove some of the modifications unnecessary. When Starfleet decided on a 
  production standard in October 2363, it was for a vessel with just two, uprated impulse engines, and 
  with a streamlined spine and quarterdeck structure. These improvements were implemented on two 
  new keels without major problems. USS Pournelle, NCC-73602, was originally to carry the name of 
  the abandoned NX-73264, USS Voyager, but that name was transferred to the second Intrepid light 
  cruiser (NCC-74656) only weeks before the launching ceremonies. USS Strugatski (NCC-73912, 
  originally intended to be USS Discovery before losing that name to another upcoming Intrepid), 
  suffered from initial engine problems and was kept under study for half a year at Arcturus until the 
  problems were traced down to faulty specifications in the warp coil casting process. New coils were 
  cast and the originals scrapped.  
   
  In the meantime, four more vessels were ordered with a slightly heavier weapons fit, including a 
  ventral phaser VII strip and extended-length Type VI strips on the primary hull corners. USS Strugatski 
  was also scheduled to be refitted with the ventral phaser, followed by the Heinlein and the Lem. The 
  experimental power system layouts of USS Bradbury and USS Pournelle prevented the installation of 
  this weapon on the pathfinder ships. Regardless of this, series production could finally begin in 2364. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
   
  142
   
   
   
   
   
  Combat at close quarters, the way corvette captains prefer it. Rather sluggish at warp, sacrificing maneuverability to 
  speed, a Bradbury turns into a fierce mongoose at impulse speeds. Even though the heavy and long warp nacelles present 
  undesirable momentum arms along two rotational axes, the placement of impulse engines close to nacelle center of gravity 
  makes possible extreme translational maneuvering. In this engagement from late 2374, USS von Harbou (NCC-73978) 
  easily finds a blind spot behind a Jem’Hadar attack ship and proceeds to secure victory. 
   
  The need for fast corvettes in scouting operations has been demonstrated by the large number of 
  combat deployments in recent history. All the Bradbury class ships completed by 2373 partook in 
  the Klingon Border War, usually operating in concert with frigates and heavy cruisers. In January 
  2373, USS Pournelle was forced to engage a Klingon Vor’cha attack cruiser and her two escorts 
  while rendezvousing with USS Tecumseh for replenishment, and suffered a debilitating impulse 
  reactor explosion. Thirty lives were lost, but the ship was quickly brought back to service and 
  played her humble part in the decisive fleet action against Dominion shipyards in December 2373. 
   
  USS Heinlein (NCC-74244) came under Klingon attack while escorting the medical vessel USS 
  David Ho (NCC-59064) and two Corvallen transports to the Cardassian colony of Vernara II in 
  2372, shortly after the beginning of open hostilities. The crew fought off two scout-class Birds of 
  Prey for six hours before reaching the relative safety of the colony, after which the Cardassian 
  destroyer Hanaki defeated the surviving BoP – the first joint Federation-Cardassian military action 
  in history, not to be followed until late 2375 and the battle of Cardassia Prime. The Heinlein was 
  finally destroyed in the 2373 Borg invasion, and was thus the first permanent loss for the class. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Even corvettes can make scientific discoveries. The shields of USS Blish (NCC-74234) light up Saigyo nebula, prior to 
  2371 thought to be an inert Type 9 phenomenon. The Blish encounter revealed the presence of an intricate and self-
  organizing inner structure, which the corvette was able to record to great accuracy.  
   
  The currently active Bradbury heavy corvettes, numbering more than 170, are deployed on the 
  Bajoran sectors and near Romulan holdings, patrolling space against Dominion or Borg advances. 
  They will be moving on to their intended local roles only after Starfleet has recovered from the 
  heavy losses on its primary patrol forces, possibly only after the fielding of the next frigate 
  generation. Bradbury production is expected to continue till the late 2380s at the very least, 
  although a major powerplant modification is also on the drawing boards and might lead to a 
  structurally different follow-on subclass. 
  
   
  143
  Paladin 
  Scout 
  2366- 
   
  Completed: 
  30+ 
   
  Length: 
  107.1 m 
   
  Beam: 
  95.8 m 
   
  Height: 
  28.6 m 
   
  Mass: 
  66,520 tons  
   
  Officers: 
  17 (typical) 
   
  Crew: 
  58 (typical) 
   
  Cruise speed: 
  W 5.5 
   
  Max speed: 
  W 7 
   
  Endurance: 
  1 year 
   
  Weapons: 
  1 phaser VI strip on dorsal fwd hull 
   
  2 phaser VI strips on ventral fwd hull 
   
  1 light fwd torpedo tube w/ 20 photorps or probes (podded, optional) 
   
  1 light aft torpedo tube w/ 20 photorps or probes (podded, optional) 
   
  Shields: 
  1-layer globular forcefield 
   
  Navigational deflector on ventral fwd hull 
   
  Transporters: 
  1 GP (6-pad), 1 cargo, 2 emergency evacuation (26-pad); Mk VII 
   
  Auxiliaries: 
  2 light or medium shuttles, 2 work pods 
   
  Ships of historical interest: 
   
  USS Valkyrie (NCC-73994) 
   
  SOURCES: 
  (D Temporal Graphics) 
   
  (N Temporal Graphics, Robert Simpson DS9 Mission Gamma: Lesser Evil) 
   
  (H Robert Simpson DS9 Mission Gamma: Lesser Evil, own) 
  
   
  144
   
  It is often said that schools of thought only die out when the last scholar does. In starship design, 
  schools survive through their classes; in the mid-2360s, Starfleet’s search for a next generation of 
  small scouts was directed – and perhaps misguided – by the considerable success of the Nebula, 
  Akira and Galaxy classes in a completely different size and mission category.  
   
  Research and development had been tending towards a narrow hull form for quite some time, for 
  both aerodynamic and warp-dynamic reasons. Some smaller vessels such as the Bradbury heavy 
  corvettes had already adopted this hull type. Yet there were aerodynamic and utilizable volume 
  advantages to the gracefully curving saucer of the Nebula type, some of which could be downscaled 
  for an atmospheric-capable scout design. No such type had been fielded for the past half a century. 
  Scouting at the far fringes of the known called for larger vessels with more capable engines, and the 
  tactical theater was less and less dependent on atmospheric reconnaissance operations thanks to 
  modern sensing technology. 
   
  It was thus clear from the start that the Paladin class scout would be a niche type, competing with 
  larger and more versatile vessels not in terms of affordability, but in special abilities. Sized like a 
  corvette or escort, the Paladin would feature a compact six-deck hull 107 meters wide, propelled 
  along with the smallest and newest in GN series starship warp engines. Many solutions familiar 
  from small craft GN applications were adopted, including integrating a landing plate system at the 
  bottom of the 65 m nacelles, and using a flat, laterally fed warp core of low maintenance 
  requirements. The core was located in a separate dorsal module which also housed the navigational 
  deflectors and an optional suite of sensors, light torpedo/probe launchers, or both. 
   
  An admirable top speed of warp seven was squeezed out of the system without creating an 
  excessive maintenance burden. Impulse drive was coupled to the main power feed, so that drive 
  plasma flowed from the engineering pod down to the nacelles, then up again to a slim beavertail 
  structure featuring two impulse nozzles and a row of aft-firing lifeboats between them. The 
  beavertail merged to the aft rim of the saucer, with the doors of a wide shuttlebay just above so that 
  the auxiliary craft could use the top surface as a landing target. When landed, the scout could utilize 
  
   
  145
  this flat top as a staging area for various surface operations: a tractor beam at the aft bottom of the 
  engineering pod could double as a crane for delivering loads to and from the surface. 
   
  More direct surface access came from a giant combined landing leg and ramp at forward centerline, 
  folding down from the saucer ventral surface. The ramp connected to vehicle holds on Deck 6; 
  further scouting and survey stores were located on Deck 5, along with the lower, two-part Type VI 
  phaser strip for primary offensive punch. The middecks held accommodation and support services, 
  while Deck 2 housed analysis facilities and the upper phaser strip. Deck 1 was a semi-sunken 
  command center, surrounded by some navigational sensors. The hull was extensively armored and 
  featured few portholes. A primary tactical aim for this specialist scout was advance assessment of 
  hostile environments in preparation for planetary assault, with a secondary role in inserting, 
  extracting and supporting special strike teams. In both roles, the ability to carry two medium 
  shuttles (typically specifically configured for reconnaissance) and a dozen surface action vehicles 
  was of practical use; the latter role called more for the armament, but both benefited from the heavy 
  armoring and shielding.  
   
  Production began in early 2366, leading to initial series of 16 scouts armed with torpedoes and 14 
  lacking this armament but featuring a more capable sensor suite. No mass production commeasurate 
  with the affordable size of the Paladins was attempted. The operational niche of the type was too 
  narrow, and ultimately the versatility of competing generic small starships too great. The Nova 
  surveyors and Ukora corvettes are crowding the niche now, while also covering many other areas of 
  concern for the modern Starfleet. The exemplary service record of the Paladins in their field of 
  speciality will allow them to carry the “Galaxy family” design philosphies to the far future 
  nevertheless – quite possibly ultimately leaving the nimble scouts as the last active members of that 
  family. 
  Defiant 
  Escort/anti-Borg platform 
  2371- 
   
  Completed: 
  60+ total: 
   
   
  5 anti-Borg platforms / reconnaissance ships 
   
  55+ escorts 
   
  Length: 
  170.7 m 
   
  Beam: 
  134.1 m 
   
  Height: 
  30.1 m 
   
  Mass: 
  387,500 tons (initial prototype configuration) 
  355,000 tons (anti-Borg / reconnaissance configuration) 
   
  343,500 tons (escort) 
   
  Officers: 
  10 
   
  Crew: 
  30 (anti-Borg configuration) 
  42 (reconnaissance configuration) 
   
  40 (escort) 
   
  Cruise speed: 
  W 6 
   
  Max. speed: 
  W 9.5 
   
  Endurance: 
  6 months 
   
  Weapons: 
  Standard anti-Borg / reconnaissance fit 2375: 
   
  4 pulse phaser IXP emitters on engine cowlings 
   
  2 fwd medium torpedo tubes w/ 40 quantum or photon torps 
   
  2 aft medium torpedo tubes w/ 10 quantum or photon torps  
  
   
  146
   
  1 fwd heavy torpedo tube w/ 20 quantum or photon torps or probes 
   
  Additional weapons emplacements available for defensive phasers etc. 
   
  Standard escort fit 2375: 
   
  4 pulse phaser IXP emitters on engine cowlings 
   
  2 fwd medium torpedo tubes w/ 40 quantum or photon torps 
   
  2 aft medium torpedo tubes w/ 10 quantum or photon torps  
   
  1 phaser VII emitter on dorsal hull 
   
  1 phaser VII emitter on ventral hull 
   
  Shields: 
  1-layer globular forcefield 
   
  Ablative armor coating 
   
  Navigational deflector on fwd hull 
   
  Transporters: 
  2 GP (6-pad), 1 cargo; Mk VII 
   
  Auxiliaries: 
  2 shuttlepods, 1 light shuttle, 2 work pods 
   
  SOURCES: 
  D DS9 
   
  N DS9 
   
  H DS9 (DS9 TM) 
   
  The smallish but heavily armed Defiant was an early result of the crash program that was launched 
  in 2365 to provide defense against a Borg intrusion. Far from a success story at first, the design 
  underwent a series of drastic alterations, humiliating dismissals and disastrous early deployments. 
  Nevertheless, by the time of the Dominion war, the Defiant and her small band of sisters had 
  established themselves as an invaluable armed reconnaissance asset and a solid point defense 
  platform. 
   
  When first conceived, the class was to be a conservative mount for an as yet undecided mix of the 
  latest anti-Borg weaponry. Initially, the project involved a rather pedestrian hull design modified 
  from the general utility Nova spaceframe to hold six heavy launchers for firing of superfast 
  antimatter or zero-point energy torpedoes. However, it was soon realized that the expected lifetime 
  of such a weapons platform was so low that she could not hope to fire her weapons to maximum 
  effect before succumbing to Borg fire. 
   
  Clearly, one had to consider the ship as an integrated weapon system rather than a mere flying 
  turret. As of December 2365, ASDB decided to put more emphasis on survivability and outlined a 
  smaller, more mobile vessel with just one fixed heavy launcher. Firepower would be boosted by 
  installation of a series of berths for palletized standard torpedo launchers and other, hopefully more 
  decisive modular weaponry yet to be developed. Also, new pulse phasers capable of rapid 
  frequency shifts were introduced as the main directed-energy weapon for the type.  
   
  Massive solid state warp coils of more than 16,000 tons apiece, adapted from off-the-shelf Norway 
  GN-40 coils and thus somewhat ill fitting for a ship of this size, were to be suspended inside heavily 
  SIF-reinforced protective cowlings. Initial plans called for five coils per side, with small aft-facing 
  field windows of superb forward-angle stealth characteristics and maximized survivability in head-
  on engagements. Drive plasma venting via a driver coil positioned inboard of the field windows 
  would provide drastic impulse boost in situations where stealth was of no essence, while a trio of 
  FIG-4 impulse units (this time off the Griffin and Intrepid shelves) cowled astern would handle 
  normal sublight propulsion needs with far greater discretion. The prototype was to be powered by 
  an exceptionally powerful, heavily shielded Class 7 warp core that could theoretically drive the less 
  than ideally configured ship to warp 9 and beyond, as well as feed the new phasers with the 
  required raw power. 
   
  The unorthodox hull shape, more reminiscent of scoutcraft than of full starships, was chosen to 
  meet two contradictory needs: to accommodate the oversized propulsive hardware borrowed from 
  far larger vessels, and to minimize vulnerable hull area. Should the enemy still score a hit, a layer of 
  
   
  147
  ablative material within a surface forcefield matrix would protect the outer hull – the first 
  application of significant amounts of physical armor since the late 22nd century.  
   
  The hull between the warp coil cowlings was extremely flat, with only five full-height decks, plus 
  partially reduced-height access areas divided between the engine cowlings. The uppermost deck 
  held a recessed, armored bridge, some officers’ quarters, a six-pad transporter and the uppermost 
  level of the main engineering facility, complete with deuterium tankage. Lifepods were also 
  provided here, as were berths for various lateral sensors. Deck two housed more engineering 
  facilities, including the high bay for the actual engine room, plus crew quarters, the sickbay and 
  mess hall. In the cowlings were the upper main phasers, as well as four berths for weapons/sensors, 
  usually housing two targeting scanners and two torpedo launchers. The main computer cores and 
  warp and impulse engines extended down from this deck, which also contained the main power 
  trunks.  
   
  Deck three held the lower level of the engine room; the deck below, the main antimatter tankage. 
  Permanent cargo holds extended across both decks, accompanied by three modular spaces that 
  could accommodate a variety of systems. In the prototype, two of these were pressed to use as 
  shuttlebays for a total of two shuttlepods and two work pods. The cylindrar central space had 
  originally been projected to hold a vast rotating ZPE cannon, a weapon that never lived up to its 
  potential. Instead, the facility mostly served as an additional cargo hold until converted into another 
  shuttle hangar. The horizontal shafts for turbolifts were drawn through Deck three, extending from 
  the bow structure to the aft impulse engineering spaces. 
   
  Deck four was the lowermost of the full-height main hull decks, only the engine cowlings and the 
  bow structure extending down from there. The cowling part of Deck five housed the lower main 
  phasers, elements of the two shuttlebays, plus six weapons/sensors berths; typically, these mounted 
  two to four torpedo launchers and two long range scanners. Deck six in turn held miscellany like 
  contingency accommodations, life support subsystems, landing legs and recorder markers. 
   
  The striking bow structure spanning Decks 2-5 housed navigational deflector and sensor arrays and 
  shield generators, and featured a forking walkway and double airlocks for primary starbase access, 
  or for boarding use in some rather fanciful projections. It also contained a heavy photon torpedo and 
  probe launcher. Due to the extremely strong forward shields, the ship could practically ram through 
  most opponents, and this was indeed intended to be one of the combat modes in a battle against the 
  Borg. In an emergency, the bow structure could be separated to perform an independent ramming 
  run, relying both on kinetic energy and the onboard torpedo warheads to create maximum 
  subsurface destruction on a Borg cube. 
   
  Starfleet realized early on that the technologies being developed and fielded against the Borg would 
  be of great interest to the more conventional enemies of the Federation as well. Disinformation 
  campaigns were initiated, and an ‘escort’ designation assigned to the pulse phaser and torpedo 
  prototype. Construction of the initial three spaceframes was trusted on Antares Shipbuilding 
  Industries, which chose the Rho Nemesis yards, a relatively isolated Cardassian war vintage 
  forward repair base in the Bajoran sector, as the suitably inconspicuous construction site. The 
  compact USS Defiant (NX-74205) was the first to be completed, off the record yet in record time, 
  launching in June 2366; engine testing commenced mere two weeks later.  
   
  However, the rushed program predictably resulted in unpredicted problems. Power transmission 
  systems were found to be woefully lacking, and the nonconventional warp field design tried to tear 
  the ship apart at high power levels. Weapon systems performed as planned in test firings in the 
  
   
  148
  Arcturus and Lalande 21185 ranges, but integrating them to the ship prove frustrating, as targeting 
  systems development met with repeated delays. The Defiant was in the middle of post-testing 
  teardown on Martian surface when the Borg struck in New Year ‘67. Frantic efforts were made to 
  deploy the ship even without hull plating or warp drive to defend the Sol system, but she remained 
  on the surface throughout the battle.  
   
  Soon after the Borg incursion, Starfleet aborted development and mothballed the troubled vessels. 
  Their phaser systems were copied for installation aboard other, more advanced Borg-fighters, and 
  the quantum torpedoes were fielded aboard modern defense ships. The Valiant was stripped of 
  virtually all internal gear. Warp coils were removed from the Defiant and the Triumphant and tested 
  to destruction, to ascertain what had gone wrong with the power transmission design. A dozen more 
  warp coils were allocated from Norway surplus stock, allowing a redesigned set now comprising 
  just four coils per side to be mounted on the Defiant. Final installation of the modified drive system 
  was put on indefinite hold, however. 
   
  In 2370, the program took a dramatic step back to limelight when Commander Benjamin L. Sisko 
  of Deep Space 9, part of the team that had developed the design, was given command of the Defiant 
  for a very special mission. After negotiations with Romulan and Klingon envoys, Starfleet had 
  fitted the ship with a Romulan cloaking device and basic support systems to enable her to perform 
  reconnaissance missions in the Gamma Quadrant space controlled by the enigmatic Dominion. 
  Access to the distant part of the galaxy was through the newly discovered Bajoran wormhole, a 
  physically stable but politically delicate centerpoint of Federation, Klingon and Cardassian 
  activities and now a possible attack route for the merciless warriors of the Dominion. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  The Defiant in battle with the Borg cube in 2373. Rapid-fire pulse phasers are close-combat weapons, having maximum 
  effectiveness at the range of 100 km or less, and maximum practical range of only about 10 000 km. Improved targeting 
  systems are in development, though, and may in time increase the range of these weapons to perhaps half a lightsecond. 
  Meanwhile, the Defiant relies on her excellent maneuverability and heavy armor to ‘get personal’ with her opponents. 
   
  The prestigious mission did not quite establish the Defiant as Starfleet’s most potent asset; rather, it 
  showed that she was considered the most expendable. As predicted by the gloomy pre-mission 
  simulations, the aggressive reconnoitering into Dominion space ended in a dismal failure and 
  temporary capture of the vessel. No diplomatic relations could be established with the leaders of the 
  Dominion – and although their identity and whereabouts at least could be determined, it was also 
  found that challenging them militarily would be beyond Starfleet’s means. 
   
  But the Defiant was subsequently refitted with improved power and support systems and 
  production-standard quantum torpedoes, and was utilized for numerous military intelligence 
  missions through the wormhole and permanently stationed at DS9. She played a crucial part in 
  defending the Federation against Dominion intrusion in the early 2370s, and was also extensively 
  
   
  149
  used for anti-Maquis operations. In 2373, she was finally deployed for the mission she was 
  designed for, as she successfully fought the Borg cube that intruded UFP space that year. Sadly, in 
  2375, the Defiant was lost to joint Breen and Dominion forces at Chin’toka. 
   
  With the success of the design in handling the Gamma Quadrant assignment, Starfleet ordered the 
  production of further Defiant class vessels for armed reconnaissance purposes; five such units have 
  been completed to date, all with slightly different equipment standards in search for the best 
  possible weapons and sensor fit. One of these, USS Valiant (NCC-74210, one of the original 
  prototypes brought to more or less Defiant-like standard), has been lost in battle so far. As many as 
  55 more vessels have been constructed for fleet/convoy defense duty, a truly ironic twist in mission 
  profile when one considers the original, false designation for the class. The second such vessel, USS 
  Sao Paulo, was renamed USS Defiant in honor of the historic vessel lost earlier that year, and 
  assigned to DS9. Several others are based at key ports along endangered trade routes, while others 
  stand by to accompany major military formations as their nimble and hard-striking perimeter 
  guardians. Half a dozen war losses were suffered among the escort fleet, but replacement vessels 
  are coming off the construction docks at a steady pace of eight per year. 
   
  Studies are underway to further modify the rather satisfactory type to scouting missions by 
  installing more conventional warp propulsion machinery. Near-term upgrade plans to existing 
  Defiants include removing the upper pulse phasers and installing a reconnaissance-dedicated bow 
  structure lacking a torpedo launcher or destruct charge. A number of ships will still be retained in 
  the original, heavily armed configuration for possible anti-Borg use. 
  Ukora 
  Corvette 
  2372- 
   
  Completed: 
  99+ 
   
  Length: 
  178.0 m 
   
  Beam: 
  86.2 m 
   
  Height: 
  34.5 m  
   
  Mass: 
  269,000 tons 
   
   
  Officers: 
  18 
   
  Crew: 
  73 
   
   
  Cruise speed: 
  W 6 
   
  Max. speed: 
  W 8.0 
   
  Endurance: 
  2.5 years 
   
  Weapons: 
  4 phaser VIII strips on forward primary hull 
   
  4 phaser VI strips on aft primary hull 
   
  1 phaser VIII strip on ventral secondary hull 
   
  2 phaser VI strips on aft secondary hull 
   
  2 fwd medium torpedo tubes w/ 30 photorps 
   
  2 aft medium torpedo tubes w/ 30 photorps and 120 gravitic mines 
   
  Shields: 
  1-layer globular forcefield 
   
  Navigational deflector on fwd secondary hull 
   
  Auxiliary navigational deflector on fwd primary hull 
   
  Transporters: 
  2 GP (6-pad), 1 cargo; Mk VIII 
   
  Auxiliaries: 
  2 light shuttles, 1 atmospheric auxiliary, 1 work pod 
   
  
   
  150
  SOURCES: 
  D VOY 
   
  (N LUG Spacedock) 
   
  (H own) 
   
   
  While the Bradbury was a high performance experiment designed largely as a technology 
  demonstrator, the Ukora class was created out of very real strategic need. As the decade separating 
  the conceptions of the classes had seen little in the way of military conflict, however, this strategic 
  need came as a rude surprise to Starfleet. The solution thus was somewhat hasty and improvised, 
  both technologically and operationally. 
   
  The prime threat of the early 2370s came from across the galaxy, yet had repercussions close to 
  home. Dominion meddling turned the Klingons and the Cardassians to the warpath once again, and 
  thus threatened the very core of the UFP. The doctrine of active reserves hinged on the concept of 
  advance warning, and thus had a “proximity gap” the far-flung fleet of capital ships could not fill in 
  time. Ironically, the ideal rapid reaction defensive vessel was one with short range and low speed, 
  immune to the temptations of deep space assignments. Starfleet defensive technologies had recently 
  plateaued on a very potent level where even relatively humble starships could qualitatively outgun 
  the known enemies. Thanks to this, the two remaining criteria for the new defensive type were 
  affordability and availability, not lethality and invulnerability. 
   
  The acuteness of the Klingon threat narrowed down the selection; availability criteria were met by 
  one type only. The Nova multipurpose spaceframe was mass-produceable, adaptable, and already 
  armed well enough to challenge Klingon and Cardassian units of comparable size. Four could be 
  built at the cost of a Saber, the preceding benchmark in affordable defenses. Indeed, four 
  
   
  151
  spaceframes were immediately diverted from surveyor production, and modified or purpose-built 
  modular mission gear was ordered. 
   
  The Nova standard used as the basis was the deep space surveyor. Patrol ships would add a larger 
  navigational deflector, and feature more powerful shield generators in the ventral cavities while 
  sacrificing some endurance. Interiors would also be rearranged to accommodate the required 
  targeting and tactical analysis facilities, as well as mission gear like holding brigs, boarding party 
  assembly rooms, utility spaces for storing basic repair gear and confiscated contraband, etc. Main 
  bridge would be increased in volume to better accommodate the C3I needs of a fighting vessel, and 
  better shielded as well. 
   
  The highest number of torpedo launchers installable on the Nova spaceframe was naturally carried. 
  Extra magazines for up to 80 torpedoes increased the combat endurance of the corvette. Impulse 
  engines were of greater power and bulkier construction than in any other Nova variant, and allowed 
  for sublight maneuvering comparable to that of the earlier Renaissance and Chimera patrol types; a 
  key element here was an enlarged double-coil IMRF arrangement. Warp propulsion in turn was 
  basically retained at original Nova specifications, although H-47 mod 1 featured some sequencer 
  software adjustments to allow for faster plasma feed adjustment and consequently higher 
  accelerations. The H-47 mod 2 had a thoroughly strengthened primary plasma system negating the 
  need for intercooler fins, and was introduced to ships from fiftieth spaceframe onwards. 
   
  During the course of the war, ninety Ukora ships were finished to the initial standard, and six more 
  were given a modified atmospheric craft for enhanced planetary assault capability. Combined with 
  Sabers and Bradburies, even though losing out to these two types in capacity, they were an 
  important addition to Federation defenses on multiple fronts. A proper strategic analysis of their 
  importance is still to be made, though. So far, production of Ukoras has been continued at a 
  relatively low rate, since the ships share construction resources with Nova variants of higher 
  peacetime utilizability.  
   
  On the other hand, no decision has been made to discontinue Ukora production, either. Indeed, 
  Starfleet is ready to introduce improved phaser armament to the next production batch, should one 
  be procured. Shielding advances will be equally crucial in giving such small vessels an edge over 
  adversaries. If truly superior weapons and shields emerge from the recent Borg technology captures, 
  it could be that spaceframe and engine design becomes relatively irrelevant tactically. Affordable, 
  low propulsive performance light starships would then be at the forefront of Starfleet rearmament, 
  and conventional starships of larger size would become wasted effort, with economic inertia their 
  only justification for survival. However, “superior weapons” are a recurring theme in the history of 
  warfare, and one of its most fleeting elements. Starfleet can hardly be blamed for applying 
  conservative thinking for the next generation of starships – and that is likely to include continued 
  support for the Nova class, in all its incarnations. 
  Loki 
  Courier 
  2372- 
   
  Completed: 
  18+  
   
  Length: 
  183.5 m 
   
  Beam: 
  86.2 m 
   
  Height: 
  34.5 m  
   
  
   
  152
  Mass: 
  509,000 tons 
   
  Officers: 
  12 
   
  Crew: 
  35  
   
  Cruise speed: 
  W 8 
   
  Max. speed: 
  W 9.92 
   
  Endurance: 
  2.5 years 
   
  Weapons: 
  4 phaser VIII strips on forward primary hull 
   
  1 phaser VIII strip on ventral secondary hull 
   
  2 phaser VI strips on aft secondary hull 
   
  2 fwd medium torpedo tubes w/ 20 photorps 
   
  Shields: 
  1-layer globular forcefield 
   
  Navigational deflector on fwd secondary hull 
   
  Auxiliary navigational deflector on fwd primary hull 
   
  Transporters: 
  2 GP (6-pad), 1 cargo; Mk VIII 
   
  Auxiliaries: 
  2 shuttlepods or 1 light shuttle, 1 work pod 
   
  SOURCES: 
  (D DS9 TM) 
   
  (N LUG: The Price of Freedom) 
   
  (H DS9 TM)  
   
  The latest addition to Starfleet’s inventory of fast courier vessels is a modification of the Nova class 
  design. Actually directly modified from the pathfinder vessel for the Defiant class program, the 
  class ship USS Loki sports a four-nacelle configuration. Not only is the number of nacelles doubled, 
  but there are also two active warp cores aboard. The purpose of the duplication is nothing less than 
  providing a ‘pony express’ of two alternatingly running starships within one spaceframe. By idling 
  one of the drive systems while the other one operates, the hypermodern courier can sustain high 
  warp for several weeks, and warp eight for up to ten months. 
   
  The upper H-47 mod 3 nacelle pair leads slightly on the lower, both pairs being mounted on class-
  specific swept pylons that also hold standard heat exchanger systems. Extra structural strength is 
  gained from the omission of the equipment bay that in the Novas would hold aft torpedo launchers 
  or buoy/mine racks. Instead, virtually all of the secondary hull volume left free for mission gear is 
  taken up by the second warp core and its support systems. 
   
  The main shuttlebay is slightly reduced in length from the already cramped original model. Two 
  shuttlepods or one light shuttle can still be carried. In USS Loki, no atmospheric auxiliary craft 
  berthing is provided beneath the primary hull, as none was included in the Defiant test program. In 
  production-standard Lokis utilizing standard Nova hull components, the area is simply plated over, 
  featuring neither an auxiliary nor a sensor cluster. 
   
  In general, the primary hull is kept free of unnecessary clutter. As has been the practice since the 
  Centaurus vessels, easily movable partitions and internal modules can be rapidly swapped for 
  accommodating up to four VIP parties or a hundred passengers, two dozen intensive care patients 
  and medical personnel, or a wide variety of priority cargo. The latter was the main reason for 
  creating the courier in the first place: at times, it could be necessary to move expert personnel 
  extremely rapidly from place to place, but the only thing that could require the maintaining of warp 
  eight for months at an end was the carrying of physical objects. Expertise would travel swiftly 
  enough in the form of holographic abstractions, and should not be needlessly idled within a starship 
  cabin. 
   
  
   
  153
  At the time of this writing, eighteen Lokis have been completed, including the prototype. The class 
  saw significant action during the Dominion war, although luckily not of the combat kind. Superior 
  Dominion sensor capacity did prove futile Starfleet hopes that lone couriers would go unobserved. 
  Still, warp 9.92 was enough to shake off pursuit of most types. On SD 51822, USS Japori even 
  reported outrunning both torpedoes and polaron beams fired by two Dominion cruisers in initially 
  close pursuit. 
   
  Production of Loki couriers is expected to continue after standard Nova production is resumed. 
  However, demand for special high endurance couriers might have been overestimated originally. 
  Starfleet is hesitant to engage in extensive procurement of this new technology, when there is 
  promise of breakthroughs in transwarp research. Within ten, perhaps even five years, radically new 
  shapes of starships may be propelled by radically new drive systems. Major ships built in the past 
  two decades will no doubt continue service, for economic reasons alone. Whether there still is a 
  place for smaller, less expensive, more expendable vessels like the Novas and the Lokis, time alone 
  will tell. 
  Dervish 
  Heavy escort 
  2386-  
   
  Completed: 
  82 
   
  Length: 
  245.5 m 
   
  Beam: 
  243.5 m 
   
  Height: 
  71.0 m 
   
  Mass: 
  850,000 tons 
   
   
  Officers: 
  36  
   
  Crew: 
  154  
   
  Cruise speed: 
  w 6 
   
  Max. speed: 
  w 9.5 
   
  Endurance: 
  1 year  
   
   
  Weapons: 
  2 phaser VI strips on dorsal primary hull fwd port/stbd quarters 
   
  2 phaser VI strips on ventral primary hull fwd port/stbd quarters 
   
  3 more strips somewhere 
   
  2 fwd phaser cannon somewhere 
  4 aft phaser strips 
   
  1 fwd, 2 aft torp tubes (Mk 75) 
   
  Shields: 
  1-layer conformal forcefield 
   
  Navigational deflector on bow 
   
  Transporters: 
  2 GP (3-pad), 2 cargo/emergency evacuation; Mk VIII 
   
  Auxiliaries: 
  1 runabout, 3 medium shuttles 
   
  Ships of historical interest: 
   
  USS (NCC-), USS (NCC-) 
   
  SOURCES: 
  (D STO) 
   
  (N STO) 
   
  (H STO) 
   
   
  
   
  154
   
  Modern counterpart to Guardian.... 
   
  “The Dervish Class has a more traditional saucer section with the largest deflector nose of all the 
  variants. It has four Reaction Control Thrusters and protruding Impulse Thrusters at the back of the 
  saucer. The large nacelles feature wide angle Bussard collectors at the front. Its center pylon is the 
  largest with side pylons that sweep backward. 
  While being marginally less agile than the other Tier 5 Federation escorts, the Patrol Escort enjoys 
  better survivability due to its strong Engineering focus..” 
   
  -The big fins atop nacelles are a mystery… 
  -Are the pulse phasers in the “intakes” next to the deflector and flanking the bridge area? 
  -Where to put the bow torpedo launcher? Below the nose? Stern pair is in the aft hull. 
  -LF-45 / FIG-4 engines. 
  
   
  155
   
   
  Small craft 
   
  Being assigned to a vessel belonging to ‘the lower tier of sub-starship vehicles’ sounds distinctly 
  unappealing – yet craft in this category are actually coveted assignments in Starfleet, both as 
  stepping stones towards command duties aboard larger vessels, and in offering the thrill of 
  independent command without delay. The small craft in Starfleet service aren’t primarily intended 
  for training duty, however, since modern simulator systems offer a much more versatile and 
  economical training tool. Instead, the craft perform hard work in specific applications the larger 
  vessels either cannot handle, or can only handle at needlessly high operating expenses.  
   
  Few of the craft are multipurpose machines; rather, they seek optimum performance via unique 
  engineering solutions. It is thus often easy to recognize the type and mission of such a craft with a 
  glance. This in mind, the entries in this chapter only give sporadic examples of craft in any given 
  mission category, often concentrating on a single groundbreaking design. The reader should 
  understand that other craft classes in the category have been in use in other time periods, and can be 
  assumed to have generally similar appearances and characteristics. Since the active lifetime of a 
  small craft design is typically a fraction of that offered by a larger vessel, there are likely to be 
  dozens of small craft classes per century and mission class, rather than just a handful. On the other 
  hand, a small craft design may still see a century of use, even when it no longer represents the state 
  of the art. 
   
  * * * 
   
  The scouting mission, among the least specific in Starfleet, nevertheless often calls for special gear. 
  Gathering of military intelligence may prove impossible unless extreme stealth is used, commonly 
  dictating small profile for the reconnaissance craft. Certain military targets may still carry the risk 
  of near-certain exposure and destruction, in which case smallest possible craft should be expended. 
  Targets of scientific interest may place size limitations on reconnaissance craft as well, in terms of 
  access or the amount of disturbance the presence of the scouting unit creates. 
   
  Although often sporting Fleet registries (possibly with O or I prefix) and performing independent 
  instead of auxiliary missions, few of the craft at the lowest range of the scouting arsenal officially 
  meet the classic criteria of starships. Armaments may be omitted altogether, as combat endurance 
  cannot be built into the small spaceframes no matter what. Main onboard equipment consists of 
  numerous sensors and recording devices, optimized for the mission. Online analysis systems are 
  kept to a minimum, and skeleton crews of two to five typically fly the missions. 
   
  There is little need for crew comforts due to the low overall endurance. After all, scoutcraft do not 
  use their speed to combat the vast distances of interstellar space. Instead, they face far more 
  concrete opponents of battle, such as spaceborne defenses around hostile worlds or mortally 
  dangerous radiation belts in areas of scientific interest. 
   
  Aerodynamic hull shapes and landing capacity are a must for most scoutcraft. Where even the 
  scouts dare not go, an arsenal of probes can be sown from onboard dispensers. The crew is seldom 
  risked on planetary forays, and transporters are reserved mainly for boarding and emergency use 
  instead of away team deployment. 
   
  
   
  156
  * * * 
   
  Although courier services across interstellar ranges call for high speed and thus generally for large 
  engines, the volume and mass of items to be carried is often low. This contradiction has prompted 
  several cultures to develop specialized small craft that feature grossly oversized engines, often in a 
  detachable warp sled configuration. Small size provides some obvious tactical and practical 
  advantages, and some disadvantages. To simplify slightly, small couriercraft are the most useful in 
  areas of the very highest or the very lowest risk: they can run the gauntlet of an alert enemy by their 
  inherent stealthiness and unobtrusiveness, and are cheap to operate – yet when caught, are helpless 
  to defend themselves. 
   
  Some couriercraft operate without the need for warp sleds, since there still remains a need for 
  couriering across relatively short distances, and at the lowest possible cost. Propulsive advantages 
  that would make small craft truly practical at longer ranges remain beyond the horizon, though. 
   
  * * * 
   
  Prospecting of resources has always been a prime motivator for interstellar flight. Governments 
  mount resource-hunting missions for purposes of expansion, or in order to deny the resources from 
  competing governments. Private enterprises seek to obtain resources to sell to their governments or 
  in the open markets. Individual prospectors in turn offer their services to governments and 
  enterprises alike. Our galaxy is full of star systems that have no habitable planets or other obvious 
  targets of strategic interest; often, only the private prospector is ready to take the risks of checking 
  out these uninteresting targets for possible hidden treasures. 
   
  Typical prospector vessels cater for the private enterprise or the individual risk-taker. They are high 
  endurance modifications of small commercial or military designs, carrying specialized sensors pre-
  tuned to the signature of the coveted resource type. They usually require and support minimal crews 
  only. Two primary types exist: landing-capable vessels with inboard warp engines, or larger vessels 
  carrying surface-to-orbit auxiliaries. In any case, direct access to planetary surfaces is a necessary 
  part of prospecting operations. On occasion, Starfleet has taken an active role in developing and 
  fielding vessels of these types, in order to secure strategically vital resources like dilithium or 
  topaline. 
   
  * * * 
   
  Manned spatial fightercraft are rooted deep in UFP history, beginning with their introduction to the 
  internal conflicts of Vulcans some 2,500 years ago. Even after adopting a less bellicose lifestyle, 
  Vulcans have maintained a strong tradition of using tiny craft with just three or four crew for 
  demanding missions of defense, reconnaissance and, when necessary, offensive action. However, it 
  takes Vulcan discipline to successfully operate such craft on extended missions. Humans have 
  tended to favor simpler craft of very limited mission duration, range and utility. Andorians believe 
  in strength in numbers, and this applies to crew size as well; Tellarites abhor the idea of building 
  simplistic minimum-cost craft when proper large combatants could be constructed instead. Yet 
  many UFP opponents have used fightercraft with vehemence and skill, capitalizing on the low 
  acquisition price, low observability, high maneuverability and the never to be underestimated glory 
  of “single combat”. 
   
  Until the 2210s, fighters launched from starbases or dedicated carriers were an important antiship 
  weapon on par with capital ship main guns. Transatmospheric designs were available even to the 
  
   
  157
  most primitive cultures, and could inflict considerable havoc if left unchecked. A warp-capable 
  escort fighter could in turn be the only thing standing between destruction and escape for a 
  mercantile convoy. For the past 150 years, however, the role of fightercraft has steered more and 
  more towards independent defensive operations. Evolving technology has greatly reduced the 
  effectiveness of fighter weaponry against capital ships or fortified fixed targets, yet boosted the 
  performance of fighter propulsive systems and shielding. As a result, modern fighters principally 
  serve as interceptors that are deployed in small numbers from austere forward bases or multipurpose 
  starships, rather than operating en masse from dedicated support assets.  
   
  In times of intense conflict, modern interceptors can still take on a more aggressive role, providing 
  saturation fire against large ships and ground installations, as well as preventing the enemy from 
  responding in kind. Offensive use of interceptors places the pilots in considerable jeopardy, though, 
  and is therefore a doctrine reserved only for dire military emergencies. 
   
  Typical fighter designs of all eras feature massive engines (be they warp, impulse or sub-impulse) 
  and basic utilities for planetary operations (aerodynamic surfaces, gravitics, landing gear) combined 
  with a small yet well protected cockpit and a selection of both onboard energy weapons and 
  hardpoint-mounted missile weapons. Endurance is traditionally extremely limited, yet a niche has 
  also always existed for craft that can perform interstellar journeys if required. 
   
  * * * 
   
  The smallest warp-capable Starfleet type save for shuttlecraft is the runabout, essentially an 
  overgrown shuttle with increased independent operations capacity. Less volume is sacrificed to 
  engines relatively than in the faster couriercraft or the more heavily armed fightercraft, and the 
  runabouts feature a very balanced overall equipment fit. In addition to warp engines of medium 
  performance, the craft in their modern incarnation carry moderate phaser armament, tractor beams, 
  transporters, short and medium range sensors and various buoys and microprobes. The main 
  operational realm for these craft is as starbase and outpost liaison vessels, especially in remote 
  locations where distances are too great for simple medium shuttlecraft.  
   
  Apart from running errands for starbases, the craft can perform short-duration patrol and SAR 
  missions in the local space. They require minimal maintenance, getting along just fine with a simple 
  dirtside workbench and a low-power antimatter generator if starbase facilities are not available. A 
  typical Class I-III starbase might house 1-6 runabouts, or a combination of runabouts and one or 
  two heavier craft, like corvettes or couriers. Larger starbases may permanently support true 
  starships for local use, but runabouts are likely to always be present as well. 
   
  Runabout-like craft have sometimes also been called cutters or gigs, or classified as heavy 
  shuttlecraft, but only old starbase deckhands are likely to be able to follow through the convoluted 
  logic of these designations. It is sufficient to know never to refer to a Starfleet runabout as a ‘yacht’ 
  within earshot of a Starfleet officer or crewman, as this designation is solely reserved for pleasure 
  craft of essentially similar characteristics. 
  Toj Lol 
  Survey craft 
  1834-2198 
   
  Completed: 
  91 
   
  Length: 
  24.0 m 
   
  
   
  158
  Beam: 
  17.0 m 
   
  Height: 
  8.2 m  
   
  Mass: 
  2,150 tons  
   
  Crew: 
  3-5  
   
  Max. speed: 
  w 2 
   
  Endurance: 
  8 months 
   
  Weapons: 
  1 phased particle cannon (50 GJ / 200 GW) on dorsal bow 
   
  Shields: 
  Hull armor 
   
  SOURCES: 
  D ENT 
   
  (N FASA) 
   
  (H FASA) 
   
  Although the aerodynamics of the traditional Vulcan ring drive are more than acceptable for orbit-
  to-surface applications, the weight penalty of a ring element oftentimes is not. In Vulcan scoutcraft 
  construction, warp propulsion was often sacrificed in order to secure superior agility and payload. 
  Detached operations wherein a mothership of characteristically high warp performance deployed a 
  sublight scouting force were the basis of Vulcan survey and surveillance doctrine for the 19th and 
  20th centuries; Vulcan psychological stamina enabled scoutcraft missions of several months or even 
  
   
  159
  years between mothership visits. Nevertheless, survey parties craved for operational independence. 
  There existed a definite need for a survey command craft with at least rudimentary warp capability. 
  For the 19th century, the answer to the need was the Toj Lol class. 
   
  In essence a 24 m atmospheric barge equipped with two impulse modules and a partial, folding ring 
  drive for warp 2 travel, the Toj Lol seemingly exhibited little of the classic Vulcan spacecraft design 
  elegance. An upper deck featured numerous physical portholes, both on the forward flight deck and 
  on the cabins circling the central sensor and laboratory area. Middeck spaces housed survey gear, 
  supplies and consumables, with docking ports to both sides and a defensive particle cannon in a 
  forward mount. The lowermost deck had ventral, fan-shuttered doors for surface access, plus a 
  tripod landing gear consisting of a nose leg with adjoining ladder plus the downfolded outer 
  elements of the warp ring. 
   
  Four control petals stabilized the craft in passive atmospheric entry, enabling shockwave 
  manipulation for maximum aural stealth. Generally, the Toj Lol was not supposed to challenge 
  surface surveillance systems. Most observations would be conducted from orbit, behind the safety 
  of a radar-scattering field. Extreme caution was called for during surface operations. All but the 
  technologically most primitive targets of survey or surveillance could be expected to pose a danger 
  to the Toj Lol, and her ability to escape to warp would be of no use inside atmospheres or down on 
  planetary surfaces. Yet under proper operating protocol, the vessel would be cost-effective, reliable 
  and still capable of completing her mission 150 years after the end of production. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  A Toj Lol showing its age in an ear-rattling atmospheric turn down the lush Hayama Valley on Tarsus III. The fairly 
  primitive gravitics of the craft meant reliance on lifting surfaces, hull contours and engine power, and resulted in undue 
  noise and lack of agility in comparison with more modern types.   
   
  Minimum operating crew for such a craft was three, but survey and surveillance missions typically 
  involved five multi-disciplined operators for whom accommodation was secured for up to 12 
  months. In operative insertion and extraction duty, some twenty troops could be carried for a more 
  limited length of time. Variants with extended endurance existed for both courier and covert long 
  term surveillance applications, while stripped-down versions were carried in the daughtership berths 
  of the voidcruisers for planetary forays of maximum cargo capacity; only the latter were ever 
  produced in significant numbers compared with the basic survey command type. 
   
  An almost timeless design in its robust, no-nonsense excellence, the Toj Lol would succumb in the 
  late 22nd century to the needs and weaknesses of non-Vulcan operators. The unique psychological 
  stamina of the Vulcan crews was crucial to the balance of qualities that made the Toj Lol so capable 
  and affordable at the same time; a crew from a lesser species would have to be provided with a 
  vessel optimized for a shorter mission time, resulting in a completely different balance. Earth 
  obtained its first Toj Lol units in 2087, illustrating less the low esteem in which Central Command 
  held the type by that time and more the fact that its performance did not exceed that of Earth’s 
  finest native achievements. As the result, little practical use was found for the craft, beyond hauling 
  key personnel between well-established and not too distant ports of call. Survey operations in the 
  
   
  160
  unknown would certainly have exceeded both the endurance of the craft under human command 
  and the mandate of Starfleet. 
   
  While Vulcan continued to operate survey units of compact dimensions on its own, its contribution 
  to Federation shipbuilding would be biased towards craft of increased speed or reduced 
  independence. The last Toj Lol of the 91 built between 1834 and 1858 was pulled from active 
  service in 2198. 
  Tshin 
  Sublight gunboat 
  1907-2202 
   
  Completed: 
  1,016 
   
  Length: 
  36.0 m 
   
  Beam: 
  12.0 m 
   
  Height: 
  10.1 m (landing gear retracted) 
   
  10.7 m (landing gear extended) 
   
  Mass: 
  2,150 tons  
   
  Crew: 
  3-5  
   
  Max. speed: 
  Sublight 
   
  Endurance: 
  3 weeks 
   
  Weapons: 
  Phased particle cannon (50 GJ / 100 GW) on ventral bow 
   
  Shields: 
  Hull armor 
   
  SOURCES: 
  D ENT 
   
  (N own) 
   
  (H own) 
   
   
   
  
   
  161
   
   
  The classic Vulcan gunboat design has changed little in the past half a millennium. Even drastic 
  improvements in performance, such as addition of rudimentary FTL capability, have resulted in few 
  departures from the teardrop aerodynamic form that was established as superior thousands of years 
  ago, or from the arrangement of subspace coils around the stern of the craft that give them their 
  superb agility and interplanetary reach. 
   
  One reason for the lack of variation or evolution is naturally the long-practiced Vulcan policy of 
  pacifism from the position of superior firepower, and the related untouchability of the Vulcan 
  homeworld. The last gunboat type to have been tested in battle is the Tshin class, dating to the mid-
  20th century. These 36 m craft participated in the last colonial conflicts of pre-Federation Vulcan, 
  and remained an element of colonial and homeworld defenses till the beginning of the 23rd century. 
   
  Elements typical of the Tshin included gigajoule-tuning particle cannon and a trio of propulsion 
  units, an elegant paring down from previous models. Gone were external hardpoints for missile 
  weaponry, given the versatility of the phase gun armament. Reduction of drive unit numbers from 
  the six or five of the preceding types was also due to the increased capabilities of modern systems. 
  The gunboats could achieve 800 g acceleration for two days straight, although there were few 
  applications for this; typical combat operations took place within a lightsecond of the point of 
  deployment. 
   
  What the craft mostly were tasked with was planetary defense, involving interception tasks from 
  well-equipped planetary bases, and additional patrol duty in systems that lacked full defensive 
  sensor networks. However, up to ten craft could also be carried on a T’hyla cruiser, or two on a 
  Suurok. As there were many power projection duties for the Vulcan fleet in the 20th and 21st 
  centuries, such deployments were common. By the 22nd century, a much more standoffish policy 
  was adopted, and interventions became indirect in nature. A pair of Tshins would now typically 
  move down a special forces unit, then possibly loiter for fire support and surveillance – a task that 
  called for neither the speed nor the agility of the aerodynamically and propulsively refined design.  
   
  On the other hand, there were many useful stealth features built into the craft, at least when the 
  observers to be fooled did not possess technologies to detect subspace or gravitic emissions. The 
  hull had sufficient superconductivity to cool down almost instantaneously after atmospheric entry, 
  
   
  162
  with the gravity generator acting as the internal heat sink. Reflectivity could be adjusted to near-
  zero across a broad EM wavelength range, and atmospheric turbulence was minimal even at 
  medium supersonic speeds. Gravitics-only landings could be performed with precision, the craft 
  coming to rest on two large landing pads on the stern and one near the bow. Lying horizontally, she 
  would be easy to camouflage by a variety of techniques built in to the hull. She was thus much 
  preferable to certain more generic types of shuttlecraft in the operative insertion and support 
  mission. 
   
  There were generic characteristics of utility value to the type as well, to be sure. Two 2 x 4 meter 
  hatches on the lower flanks amidship allowed loading and offloading of various gear, including 
  surface reconnaissance vehicles. A centrally mounted lift provided further access to the amidship 
  holds, and served as the standard means of personnel ingress. A small hatch integrated with the 
  forward landing gear was also available for the purpose below the bow, and compatible with the 
  docking adapters of daughtership bays on D’Kyr or M’Lat ships for transfer of crews in space. A 
  tractor beam of moderate power could be deployed from above the cockpit area as a docking aid. 
   
   
   
  Two Tshin craft from VCS D’Vahl delivering an intervention force to Relka V, where a native Class E culture came under 
  the influence of Andoria in the 2020s. Near-perfect chameleon camouflage is already setting on the hull of the closer craft, 
  while the other kicks up minimal dust in a gravitics-only final approach.  
   
  High Command ultimately expressed its displeasure of continuing use of cruiser deck space for 
  gunboats, condemning the Tshins to homeworld defense tasks and the odd colonial mission by 
  2150. The banishment turned out to be a mistake in the Romulan war, resulting as it did in a lack of 
  experience on shipboard operations. While large numbers of gunboats were involved in the 
  Romulan conflict, their performance was often sub-par. Especially damning was slow deployment 
  or recovery of the craft from cruisers newly shielded with forcefield devices; infamous examples of 
  voidships caught “with their pants down” include the Lanama and the D’kan at the Battle of 198 
  Eri. 
   
  While almost a thousand craft were manufactured originally, replacements in the following 
  centuries totaled barely a hundred. No craft were built after 2104, and only about two hundred 
  persisted after the Battle of Cheron. The last Tshin combat units were disbanded in 2190, and 
  individual craft used as trainers or range support vessels ceased operations by 2202. 
  
   
  163
  Franklin 
  Scoutcraft 
  2075-2102 
   
  Completed: 
  129 
   
  Length: 
  45.0 m (nacelles retracted) 
   
  42.5 m (nacelles extended) 
   
  Beam: 
  18.5 m (nacelles retracted) 
  29.9 m (nacelles extended) 
   
  Height: 
  11.7 m 
   
  Mass: 
  542 tons  
   
  Crew: 
  4  
   
  Max. speed: 
  w 2.2 
   
  Endurance: 
  6 months 
   
  Weapons: 
  2 plasma cannon (50 MW) on midhull module wingtips 
   
  2 rocket cassettes w/ 250 KE rockets on midhull module wings 
   
  Shields: 
  None; radiation/impact armor between main body and power/propulsion block 
   
  Auxiliaries: 
  None; 4 personal maneuvering units typically carried 
   
  Craft of historical interest: 
   
  USC Bering (SC-021) 
   
  SOURCES: 
  (D SFC, own) 
   
  (N SFC) 
   
  (H SFC) 
   
  The Franklin series of warp-powered scouts holds the honor of being the first series-produced small 
  warp vessel utilized by the UESF. The direct forebears of these vessels were created as interceptors 
  for chasing other near-Earth warships; several designations were used for them and their 
  subvariants, including SI-21, ST-21B and OFS-A-1, but no class name in the naval tradition was 
  ever given. Indeed, the naval format was only slowly taking hold of space forces jargon, and 
  aerospace phraseology was still predominant in many projects.  
   
  
   
  164
  The craft were typical of the dozens of space fighter types that emerged on Earth in the 2030s. 
  Despite continuing efforts to ratify the LAST III treaty against spaceborne weapon systems in the 
  NUN, various small combat spacecraft were being built by almost all countries with access to the 
  necessary technology, and the SI-21 interceptors were among the most advanced. Their conical 
  pressure hulls, amidships fuel tanks and external clusters of machinery and armament were typical 
  of the era, and bore little resemblance to the sleek shapes of later starships. The interceptors 
  featured powerful reaction engines capable of interplanetary operations, fission powerplants located 
  behind a radiation/impact shield, and the first working versions of craftborne inertial damping 
  systems. Their armament featured KE rockets, particle cannon and plasma cannon in various 
  modular mixtures. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Some typical 21st century orbital and interplanetary craft docked to an orbital replenishment post. SF-21 interceptors in 
  NUN livery topmost, closest to the communications array. 
   
  More than 400 such interceptors were built and launched to Earth orbit between 2036 and 2049 as 
  part of the escalation towards WW III. However, the fragmentary records from the 2050s do not tell 
  whether the ships performed well in combat or ever even saw it. The warp-capable Franklin scouts 
  were based on the design not because of the armament, but because of the availability of the 
  spaceframes and their superior structural integrity and compatibility with warp power systems. 
  Much of the equipment of the interceptors was retained, but the power system was converted to 
  utilize the ‘Block Gamma’ version of antimatter-spiced fusion reactors detailed in the Bellnet. Two 
  12.5 m warp coil tubes were secured to the sides of the craft by titanium-aluminum scaffolding. 
   
  This did not much affect the external dimensions of the scout, yet naturally increased her mass, in 
  this case almost fivefold. The reaction engines, built to move the craft across interplanetary 
  distances and to accelerate them to intercepts of equally violently maneuvering opponents, had no 
  trouble coping with this increase when merely tasked with boosting the craft in and out of the no-
  warp zones around planets. The warp tubes also did their best to assist, erecting a mass-reducing 
  subspace field during sublight transit. They had to be mechanically repositioned for the task, 
  making the Franklins resemble Earth’s idiosyncratic petal-fieldguided warships both in silhouette 
  and function. 
   
  The six-man crew of the interceptors was replaced by a four-person team and provisions for 
  extended missions of up to half a year. Navigational instrumentation was modified for the needs of 
  long range missions, and some scientific sensors were installed in dome mounts atop and below the 
  amidships weapons module. Plasma guns and rocket cassettes were retained, though. The mass or 
  power consumption of extra machinery was of little concern on the generously overpowered little 
  craft; endurance was dictated by life support consumables and psychological pressures first, overall 
  equipment reliability second. 
   
  The colonies that emerged on Class M worlds in Earth's vicinity after the introduction of warp drive 
  soon began adopting and supporting former NUN peacemaker and national vessels, and the 
  conveniently sized Franklins were high on their wish list. The UESPA was happy to part with the 
  craft, as more powerful ships were coming to its possession via UEDP and later UESF acquisition 
  programs. The small scouts were initially utilized by the colonists in risky exploratory missions far 
  
   
  165
  beyond UE-surveyed space, paving way for other explorers, traders and settlers. The Franklin class 
  was thus the first in a long line of small craft pressed into hazardous scouting missions, extending 
  now to the ultrafast Talon class of scoutships and forming one of the most fascinating components 
  of Starfleet's ongoing exploration efforts.  
   
  The small crew posed serious risks, however. The isolation of a small scoutship brought about 
  many social and mental problems. One Franklin scout, USC Bering, was assumed lost because of 
  mental disorders among the crew, while two deaths and one near-disastrous explosion aboard 
  UESF-operated craft were also blamed partially on mental problems and extreme neglect. As a 
  result, ships of this size were no longer sent by the UESF to long exploratory cruises until 
  considerably faster warp engines had been developed for small vessels. The last Franklin was 
  stricken from Fleet strength in 2101. 
   
  Missions by colonial operators were naturally a different matter, and suffered from fewer operator-
  imposed limitations, although practical uses of this very short-ranged craft in interstellar space were 
  inherently limited. Typically, the colonial Franklins and their derivatives would see service as 
  escort vessels, running shotgun to ’boomer’ transports on routes plagued by space pirates, and 
  replenishing from these transports for extended range. Such humble escorts hardly increased the 
  survival odds of the shipments, however. For the first two centuries of starflight, Earth and her 
  colonies would factually lack any means to curtail or even challenge piracy – and small craft of 
  Franklin kind would not be part of the solution found in the late 23rd century. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  A colonial Franklin and a Y class transport photographed from a second escort craft at warp 1.2, somewhere between 
  Draylax and Arcturus. Insurance premiums for escorted ECS vessels were actually higher than for unescorted ones, as the 
  presence of additional warp cores and the possibility of warp field overlap represented a significant risk to both the 
  transport and her supposed protectors. Escort services were thus mainly purchased by large companies operating multiple 
  freighters, moreso because the costs of Franklin operations were often prohibitive for single-ship family businesses. 
  Arrow / Galliant / Dagger 
  Escort fightercraft 
  2147-2169 
   
  Completed: 
  430 total: 
   
   
  220 Arrow 
   
  180 Galliant 
   
  30 Dagger 
   
  Length: 
  30.0 m (Arrow, Galliant) 
   
  34.1 m (Dagger) 
   
  Beam: 
  19.2 m 
   
  Height: 
  15.0 m 
   
  
   
  166
  Mass: 
  142 tons (Arrow) 
   
  170 tons (Galliant) 
   
  192 tons (Dagger) 
   
  Crew: 
  1 (Arrow) 
   
  2 (Galliant, Dagger) 
   
  Max. speed: 
  w 2.3 (Arrow, sustainer only) 
   
  w 2.4 (Galliant, sustainer only) 
   
  w 2.8 (Dagger, sustainer only) 
   
  Endurance: 
  1-2 weeks 
   
  Weapons: 
  4 laser emitters (250 nm / 30 MW) on pylons 
   
  2 plasma cannon (60 MW) on fwd hull (Galliant) 
   
  2 Type D phase cannon (30 GJ / 500 MW) on fwd hull (Dagger) 
   
  Shields: 
  Light polarizable armor 
   
  SOURCES: 
  (D SFC, MJ Friedman “Starfleet: Year 1”) 
   
  (N SFC) 
   
  (H SFC, MJ Friedman “Starfleet: Year 1”) 
   
  The 20 ly radius sphere around Sol where UESF and UESPA explorers operated in the beginning of 
  the 22nd century was but a fraction of the space actually visited by humans. Entrepreneurs ventured 
  far into the stellar neighborhood in search of trade contacts; adventurers went farther to find fame. 
  Yet the fifty to sixty lightyears from Sol where the farthest ‘boomers’ traveled aboard their slow 
  freighters were the hunting grounds of dozens of predatory species. Pirates ranging from self-
  sufficient Nausicaans to rebellious Andorian factions to government-sponsored Klingons took their 
  toll on all traffic. Yet these deliberate and business-savvy operators often were downright civilized 
  compared with the chance encounters with conquistadors or adventurers from empires just outside 
  the Vulcan sphere of influence. 
   
  Human counterreactions to piracy were twofold. Most cargo operators simply accepted the roughly 
  40% losses of shipments as part of the business, as long as the crews weren’t harmed. Others 
  equipped their ships (illegally) with plasma weaponry, or chartered escort services, either from 
  Earth security companies, or from better equipped yet perhaps less trustworthy alien mercenaries. 
  Were a freighter to run into Orion slavers or Breen raiders, though, neither graceful yielding nor 
  feeble armed resistance would offer much protection. The demand for more potent armaments in 
  the 2100s-2130s was huge. 
   
  Yet it would only be in the 2140s that human cargo operators would get access to an escort vessel 
  with sufficient endurance and agility to be of practical use. The answer lay not in improving the 
  Franklin family of heavy warp craft, but in quite the opposite direction. The first step in boosting 
  the warp endurance of the escort craft was to remove her warp core altogether! 
   
  
   
  167
  The Arrow deep space escort fighter of USF Industries relied on a Zhilkovski S-230 warp sustainer, 
  essentially a set of warp coils energized by induction from an external warp field. The bulbous 
  assembly massed mere one hundred tons, less than a single set of coils sans power systems, yet 
  allowed the Arrow to maintain speeds up to warp 2.3 virtually indefinitely, as long as a nearby warp 
  core was feeding the external field. Onto the sustainer was added a dartlike hull some 23 meters 
  long, with a pressure compartment for a single pilot, and with four laser cannon outriggered on 
  spindly pylons. 
   
  A preproduction run of 20 Arrows was delivered to UESF 23rd and 25th Advance Scout Fleets for 
  operational testing in 2147, mainly for use in outer base defense. A squadron of fighters riding on 
  the warp field of a scout or a corvette provided a force multiplier for perimeter defenses. However, 
  by 2150, the fighters were being distributed to Transport Fleets as well, in face of ever-increasing 
  pirate activity. It would soon become obvious that much of this piracy was in fact privateering, 
  being orchestrated by a hostile foreign power. Ships unescorted by UESF units did not survive to 
  tell of the attackers, a drastic and telling change from the grab-and-grab-again modus operandi of 
  most pirates. 
   
  Full production of Arrows and improved two-crew, plasma-armed Galliant fighters was begun by 
  2150, and continued beyond the transcendence of the conflict from privateering to open interstellar 
  warfare. By the time UESF knew it was facing the Romulan Star Empire, some 220 Arrows had 
  been built, and the production run of Galliants was extended to 180 units. A heavier variant with 
  two light phase cannon instead of plasma cannon was also introduced, under the name Dagger 
  class. These craft offered a fighting chance for Terran shipments to reach their destinations, when 
  virtually no other vessels could be spared for escort duty. And fight they did: combat losses by the 
  end of the Romulan war were calculated at 298 fightercraft, out of 430 built. 
   
  Popularly called ‘cochranes’, the sustainer-engined fighters were deathtraps if stranded away from 
  their independently warp-capable protégés, or if hit by any sort of enemy fire. The incredible 
  maneuverability of the lightweight craft allowed a skilled pilot to remain within the warp envelope 
  of the convoy, however, so that a running battle could be fought. Slowing down to sublight would 
  almost invariably spell doom for the convoy, but a careful cooperation would make possible 
  counterattacks where the cochranes dropped out of warp en masse, dispatched of the enemy, and 
  picked up speed again with the help of a nimbler-than-average freighter hanging behind for this 
  very purpose. All in all, though, climbing into the cockpit of a cochrane took a very special kind of 
  character. Even when not engaged in combat, a ‘cochrane jockey’ would face untold hardships as 
  the cramped craft would have to remain at warp for at least a week or two at a stretch – slowing 
  down for rest and replenishment any more often would delay the shipments intolerably, and often 
  also invite in a Romulan raid. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  A trio of Arrows rides on the warp field of an FY class freighter, apparently photographed from a fourth fightercraft 
  sometime in the mid-2150s. Gambling this many escort fighters on a single warp engine suggests an especially valuable 
  shipment. It also suggests that in case of an attack, a pilot who dropped out of warp to fight would not be retrieved by the 
  transport afterwards. 
  
   
  168
   
  In practice, the sustainer-engined craft were often crewed by ECS pilots or former human 
  mercenaries. Prior to the Romulan conflict, they had amassed the most experience on escort 
  operations. After the war, input from these veterans was used in formulating UFP Starfleet tactics 
  and technologies. Yet only a single generation of postwar cochranes emerged, as described below. 
  Expansion of Earth’s naval forces and consolidation with alien defense organizations soon made 
  possible the construction of dedicated warp-capable motherships for fightercraft, and the art of 
  carrier warfare was reborn for the latter half of the 22nd century.  
  Clark 
  Space tank 
  2150-2178 
   
  Completed: 
  20 
   
  Length: 
  61.0 m  
   
  Beam: 
  97.3 m 
   
  Height: 
  21.4 m 
   
  Mass: 
  13,050 tons 
   
  Crew: 
  10 
   
  Max. speed: 
  w 1.0 
   
  Endurance: 
  1 week 
   
  Weapons: 
  6 plasma cannon (200 MW) in single banks on dorsal, ventral and lateral hull 
   
  2 plasma cannon (900 MW) on fwd hull 
   
  2 fwd missile tubes w/20 fusion missiles on bow 
   
  Shields: 
  Polarizable armor 
   
  SOURCES: 
  (D SFC) 
   
  (N SFC) 
   
  (H SFC) 
   
  The introduction of hull polarizing in the 2110s rather thoroughly transformed Earth space combat 
  doctrines. It no longer was vital for a ship to get in the first shot, nor fatal for her to receive a single 
  plasma bolt or even a nuclear projectile. In practice, this meant increased survivability at shorter 
  engagement ranges, and decreased maneuverability requirements. Quite naturally, UESF interest 
  quickly turned to the use of slow yet heavily armed and armored space fortresses. 
   
  The primary mission of such fortresses would be system defense, in which sustainable speed played 
  a minor role to begin with. Reaction speed still mattered, however, and even the earliest and most 
  austere designs for armored system defense weapon platforms featured warp engines. Propulsive 
  endurance was limited to short dashes, yet the machines were still too mobile to justly be called 
  
   
  169
  ‘fortresses’. The name ‘space tank’ soon caught on, and production began in 2122 on the first 
  tentative designs. 
   
  The early Guderian and Tal thousand-ton space tanks were not success stories, however. In absence 
  of real threats, the best balance of weapons, protection and mobility could not be plausibly 
  established, and simple cost analysis favored the use of lightly protected and armed yet very mobile 
  lifting body designs. Only a dozen Guderians and Tals were produced. The first half of the 22nd 
  century clarified the nature of the interstellar threat, and steered Earth farther away from the concept 
  of space tanks. Yet the attack on the Delta VII mining outpost in 2146 demonstrated the need for 
  system defenses in human dwellings other than Sol. As constructing such defenses across 
  interstellar distances was well beyond UESF capabilities at the time, mobile space fortresses were 
  the only viable solution. 
   
  The space tanks to be sent to guard distant systems were significantly larger than the Guderian and 
  Tal types. The first Manta class craft, completed in 2149, massed 1,890 tons before the installation 
  of warp engines, and measured almost seventy meters from wingtip cannon to wingtip cannon. The 
  Clark class of 2150 was larger still, its total mass some 3,050 tons when fitted with six 200 MW 
  and two 900 MW plasma cannon and two missile tubes, and carrying ten crew. When UESF began 
  shipping out the components of twenty Clarks to Vega, the first true diplomatic conflict between 
  Earth and Vulcan began to brew. 
   
  Defense of the human home system was acceptable and prudent even according to the Vulcan 
  principles of pacifism. However, deployment of permanent warship forces in ‘non-native’ systems 
  ran contrary to Vulcan policy. The alternative acceptable by Vulcan standards, reliance on starships 
  deployed on demand, was not available for the ship-starved UESF. When the cruiser V’lith arrived 
  to ‘escort’ the transports carrying the Clark components, UE Senate considered recalling the 
  shipments. However, the mechanisms of star travel worked in Earth’s political favor for once: it 
  would have been unsafe to turn the ships back after midpoint, especially after the Nebukadnessar 
  sprang a leak and the reactor of the China Beach began acting up. The space tanks arrived at Vega 
  as planned, and were assembled by February 2152. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  A tidy formation of Clark tanks deploys from the orbital port of Vega. A centralized maintenance facility was built next to 
  the commercial port, and a rudimentary sensor and control network erected across the system. Apart from these, the tanks 
  required little support, running as they did on commercial grade deuterium. Reliance on external sensor networks did 
  mean that a tank could be rendered virtually blind, deaf and useless by hitting the nearest sensor buoys. 
   
  Meanwhile, production of further Clark units was halted while diplomats fought the Vulcan ban. 
  This time, the advantage was on the Vulcan side, as the Xindi crisis diverted attention from 
  
   
  170
  traditional insystem defenses to preemptive deep space missions and rapid interdiction. For the 
  better part of the decade, UESF only brought up the space tank argument when it needed leverage 
  for other acquisition programs or military moves, and never seriously considered resuming Clark 
  production. 
   
  When the tanks finally were tested in battle, results were mixed. On April 17th, 2159, they made a 
  weak showing: Romulan light units blew up the orbital spaceport of Vega and retreated before the 
  Clarks had a chance to concentrate their fire. The second engagement, on May 21st, was a splendid 
  success, however. Two Romulan cruisers were immobilized and prompted to self-destruct, a third 
  destroyed outright, and the invasion of Vega averted. All this was accomplished to the loss of four 
  tanks and without the involvement of the destroyer Concord replenishing in the system. Belatedly, 
  UESF began deploying space tanks on other human systems as well, even as the fleets were gearing 
  up for an offensive. 
   
  The Clarks at Vega remained in service until 2178, fourteen units persevering through the 
  cannibalization of the other two. System defenses of completely different type were being erected at 
  the time, and training of space tank crews was discontinued in 2173 already. No tank-type craft 
  moved in to replace the Clarks; instead, Vega became home port for the light cruisers Sahara 
  (NCC-921) and Los Angeles (NCC-930) and garrison for a regiment of Marines. The tanks were 
  floated down to the planetary surface, and dismantled for raw materials – save for a single specimen 
  preserved for decorative purposes at the gate of the Glass Plains garrison. 
  Bradley 
  Space tank 
  2160-2181 
   
  Completed: 
  153 
   
  Length: 
  70.0 m 
    
  Beam: 
  108.2 m 
   
  Height: 
  25.7 m 
   
  Mass: 
  19,628 tons 
   
  Crew: 
  8 
   
  Max. speed: 
  w 1.2 
   
  Endurance: 
  1 week 
   
  Weapons: 
  4 plasma cannon (2.2 GW) in single banks on lateral barbettes 
   
  3 Type B phased particle cannon (80 GJ / 200 GW) on bow 
   
  2 fwd missile tubes w/20 fusion missiles on bow 
   
  Shields: 
  Polarizable armor 
   
  SOURCES: 
  (D SFC) 
   
  (N SFC) 
   
  (H SFC) 
  
   
  171
   
  Revival of the space tank concept in the aftermath of the Battles of Vega was as swift as it was 
  brief. Blueprints for improved space tanks had existed for several years, and had been updated to 
  acknowledge the latest advances in phase weaponry. When the decision in September 2159 was 
  made to resume space tank production, the Bradley class craft already existed down to the minutest 
  detail in the databanks of Martin DefenseLine. The incarnation of three units two months later was 
  only slightly delayed by material shortages, and sights were set at production of 150 more. 
   
  The Bradley was significantly more advanced than the Clark in terms of armament and targeting 
  systems. Three Type B phase cannon were installed at the bow, for a devastating punch against both 
  sublight and low-warp targets. They could not be fired while the tank itself was at warp, though, for 
  reasons of power allocation. FTL scanners on optical, RF and upper duonetic regimes were 
  available at all flight modes. Eight crew were needed to tend to the weapons, engines and sensors, 
  and their carefully repositioned workplace at the heart of the craft was armored more heavily than 
  ever.  
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  The Blue Angel, a typical Bradley in smart indigo warpaint, taking potshots at passing Romulan fightercraft at Draylax. 
   
  Deployment of the Bradleys throughout human space came at a time when need for system defenses 
  was rapidly dissipating, though. Unlike was the case in many later military conflicts, the Romulan 
  Star Empire did not operate free-roaming fleets deep in enemy space – a typical sign of a novice 
  star power still accustomed to fighting a 2D planetary battle and thinking in terms of supply lines 
  and fronts. Thus, when the Earth offensive moved forward, Romulans everywhere fell back into 
  more defensible positions, leaving behind no direct threat which the space tanks would need to 
  address. Efforts were made to redeploy the tanks in the wake of the advancing Earthforces, so that 
  new conquests and reconquests could be rapidly secured against counterattack without tying down 
  actual conquest vessels. Yet although the Bradleys were quite mobile in insystem terms, with warp 
  1.2 top speed, they weren’t the easiest type of hardware to transport from star to star. Only about 40 
  space tanks ultimately followed UESF to the heart of the Star Empire, and even these were pulled 
  
   
  172
  back when the First Treaty of Algeron established the Romulan Region of Sovereignty and sealed it 
  behind the Neutral Zone. 
   
  Investment in the 153 Bradleys was minuscule compared with what had been spent on the war 
  overall. There was no official denouncing of the concept, nor a move to discontinue operations. On 
  the other hand, no attempt was made to support the space tank infrastructure after the end of the 
  war, either. The major factor influencing the decision was the diminishing value of polarizable 
  armor, and the incompatibility of the Bradley design and concept with modern shield generators. 
  The fighting force was allowed to decay until, in 2181, the last Bradley was stricken from active 
  strength and immediately recycled for raw materials. 
   
  Space tanks have not been seriously considered as a viable space combat type for the past two 
  centuries. System defense ‘fortresses’ today are light, mobile, distributed and expendable units that 
  do not require onboard personnel. Certain planetary assault vehicles do resemble miniature space 
  tanks with all their armoring and concentrated firepower, however. Even the Defiant class, carrying 
  modern armor and forward-firing weaponry, owes to the space tank concept – but speak of a 
  continuous ‘lineage’ in this context would be quite misleading. 
  Normandy/Port Stanley 
  Escort fightercraft 
  2162-2187 
   
  Completed: 
  510 total: 
   
   
  370 Normandy 
   
  140 Port Stanley 
   
  Length: 
  40.0 m 
   
  Beam: 
  12.2 m 
   
  Height: 
  11.5 m 
   
  Mass: 
  195 tons (Normandy) 
   
  202 tons (Port Stanley) 
   
  Crew: 
  3 (Normandy) 
   
  2 (Port Stanley) 
   
  Max. speed: 
  w 2.9 (Normandy, sustainer only) 
   
  w 2.8 (Port Stanley, sustainer only) 
   
  Endurance: 
  2-3 weeks 
   
  Weapons: 
  4 laser emitters (270 nm / 40 MW) on pylons 
   
  2 laser emitters (270 nm / 60 MW) on fwd hull (Normandy) 
   
  1 laser emitter (270 nm / 60 MW) on fwd hull (Port Stanley) 
   
  2 Type D phased particle cannon (20 GJ / 4.0 GW) on fwd hull (Normandy) 
   
  4 Type D phased particle cannon (20 GJ / 4.0 GW) on fwd hull (Port Stanley) 
   
  Shields: 
  Light polarizable armor 
   
  SOURCES: 
  (D SFC) 
   
  (N SFC) 
   
  (H SFC) 
   
   
  
   
  173
  The end of the Romulan war spelled the end of convoying as well. Although theoretically a good 
  anti-piracy measure, the practice of forcing multiple ships to share destination, timetable and speed 
  was not commercially viable in the long term. Yet the transports did not have to do without the 
  protection of escort craft – wartime industry, although gearing down, could still produce such 
  overwhelming numbers of escort fighters that practically every single transport could be 
  accompanied by one.  
   
  Surplus Galliant fighters were not a favored solution, though. The discomfort to which their pilots 
  were subjected had not changed, nor had their combat performance increased despite the many 
  wartime inventions and refinements. Both ECS and Starfleet called for an improved design, but 
  could not hope for miracles. What they got was a moderately enlarged model, with space for three 
  crew so that piloting could be performed in shifts. Life support endurance was increased to about 
  500 hours. Propulsive endurance naturally remained theoretically infinite; yet the warp 2.8 top 
  speed of the sustainer engine, once considered excessive, now meant that some transports had to 
  throttle down so as not to outrun their escorts! 
   
  A quantum leap in combat capabilities was taken when miniaturized phase cannon were mounted in 
  the forward hull for FTL engagements. Targeting data could be shared via a subspace transceiver 
  array mounted ventrally amidship; onboard scanners could lock on to targets with two warp factors 
  of speed differential. Shielding remained as nonexistent as ever, however; shuttle-standard armor 
  plating might withstand the glancing hits of particle cannon, but a sustained laser beam would easily 
  cut the craft to pieces, and a proximity nuclear detonation would be lethal to crew and equipment 
  alike. Half a decade of operations was sufficient to erode Starfleet’s trust on the vulnerable craft. As 
  casualties mounted in action against the Tarn and the Nausicaans alike, a production run of 370 
  Normandy and 140 Port Stanley escort fighters, a major commitment in prewar terms, was shrugged 
  off as a misinvestment in 2164. Operations continued until 2187, but with a diminishing number of 
  craft involved in progressively shorter escort missions.  
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  A wing of Port Stanleys swoops past a perimeter sensor platform at Rigel. Independent sublight patrol was hardly the ideal 
  role for the design, yet little other employment was available in the 2180s. The decision of the Starfleet Merchant Marine 
  not to operate escort fighters was especially damaging to the future of the type. 
   
  Warp sustainer technology made steady progress in the following decades, and helped extend the 
  reach of torpedoes and probes. It was not applied on manned craft any longer, however. The 
  accidents suffered in escort operations ultimately weighed more than the combat losses, and deep 
  space escort was completely relegated to frigate or destroyer vessels. The number of escorted 
  shipments fell to 2% of the 2160s figures, but improved intelligence helped Starfleet provide 
  protection where it was truly needed. Fightercraft escort was an outdated concept in the late 22nd 
  
   
  174
  century anyway, since the pirates that still dared operate within the UFP sphere of influence were 
  by definition tactically formidable opponents, not to be scared off by a pair of phase cannon 
  mounted on a shieldless outgrowth of a shuttlepod. In the 2180 defense review, an explicit decision 
  was made not to develop a successor of any sort to the escort fighter line. 
  Powers 
  Scoutcraft 
  2165-2185 
   
  Completed: 
  80 
   
  Length: 
  75.0 m  
   
  Beam: 
  78.2 m 
   
  Height: 
  37.5 m (impulse engines in landing position, landing gear stowed) 
   
  42.1 m (impulse engines in cruise position and/or landing gear extended) 
   
  Mass: 
  4,100 tons (typical) 
   
  Officers: 
  2 
   
  Crew: 
  18 
   
  Max. speed: 
  w 2.0 
   
  Endurance: 
  8 months 
   
  Weapons: 
  4 Type D phased particle cannon (20 GJ / 4.0 GW) on fwd hull 
   
  Shields: 
  Navigational deflectors on port/stbd bow 
   
  SOURCES: 
  (D SFC) 
   
  (N SFC) 
   
  (H SFC) 
   
  During the inaugural years of UFP Starfleet, shipbuilding was largely a secondary concern, as there 
  were bountiful sources of pre-existing vessels. Surplus from wartime construction programs was 
  only one of these. Even more importantly, the member navies had previously operated overlapping 
  ship types, of which the best could now be selected for joint Federal use. The Vulcan fleet was 
  perhaps less eager to donate warships than the others – but the logic of utilizing the best available 
  
   
  175
  technology for the common cause was inescapable, and there was no question as to whose small 
  craft were the best. The bullet-shaped Tshin craft with their three evenly spaced impulse engine 
  pods had superior agility for atmospheric and nearspace combat. The medium warp capabilities of 
  the Toj Lol survey craft in turn made possible interstellar as well as interplanetary operations, and 
  variants of the type had already seen Earth service in roles ranging from courier runs to stealthy 
  operative insertion. 
   
  Even when the remains of the once-mighty Vulcan combat fleet were being scrapped, Toj Lol and 
  Tshin production continued for Starfleet use. At first, it was thought that the craft could fill both the 
  insystem interceptor and interstellar scoutcraft roles. The new operating organization – or rather, the 
  new operators themselves – brought about unforeseen problems, though. While a crew of three to 
  five Vulcans could easily perform a twelve-month survey mission within the confines of a hull just 
  a couple of dozen meters long and barely six across at the widest point, crews made up of other 
  species would face insurmountable psychological hurdles. In 2164, Vulcans were asked to consider 
  the construction of markedly larger scoutships. Simple upscaling was complicated by both 
  technological and industrial policy issues, and the design that emerged a year later was unique 
  rather than derivative of either predecessor. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  USS Grace Hopper, an early production model Powers carrying dorsal subspace scanning arrays, embarks on a survey 
  mission. Despite a thoroughly altered balance of habitable volume, crew complement and workload, endurance still fell 
  short of comparable Vulcan missions. Yet nobody was willing to entrust the Vulcan Science Council with a monopoly on 
  surveys. 
   
  There were obvious Vulcan influences remaining in the new medium scoutcraft, of course. The 
  shattered-ring warp drive surrounding the stern of USS Legrand Powers was an obvious giveaway 
  as to the origins of the vessel, even for those UFP member species that could not distinguish 
  between Vulcan ceramic red and Earth gunmetal gray. The two lateral impulse assemblies rigged 
  outboard of the warp arches featured mechanical vectoring that facilitated planetary landings even 
  in the most demanding conditions. For a 75 m vessel with a hull mass of 2,300 tons, plus the two 
  900 ton warp segments, this was no mean feat. 
   
  Standard crew included two officers and 12 ship operations ratings, plus six mission specialists. For 
  the first two decades of Powers operations, these specialists were mainly employed with basic 
  surveys of inner UFP systems and the sectors opened up by the dispersing of the Delphic Expanse. 
  Some patrol duties were also undertaken, although the nose-mounted phase cannon were of greater 
  symbolic than tactical worth. 
  
   
  176
   
  By the 2180s, the Powers vessels were hopelessly outdated as survey craft, however. Their limited 
  speed on the expanded theater of operations was the primary argument when they were reassigned 
  to system patrol duty. Hardly the equals of modern corvettes, the former scoutcraft barely spent two 
  years on their new assignments before being retired en masse. 
   
  This stumbling of Starfleet’s early attempt at sustaining its strength through continuing procurement 
  and development of prewar types was bad news for the whole Fleet. It hit Exploration Command 
  especially badly, though, as block obsolescence of larger scoutships coincided with the withdrawing 
  of Powers assets. Lack of long term procurement planning was beginning to show, and the scouting 
  fleet would remain a victim well into the 23rd century. 
  Montcalm / Meridio 
  Liaison craft 
  2169-2273 
   
  Completed: 
  160 total: 
   
   
  107 Montcalm 
   
  53 Meridio 
   
  Length: 
  21.1 m  
   
  Beam: 
  19.8 m 
   
  Height: 
  10.6 m  
   
  Mass: 
  323.1 tons (Montcalm) 
   
  318.8 tons (Meridio) 
   
  Crew: 
  3 (Montcalm) 
   
  2 (Meridio) 
   
  Passengers: 
  12 (Montcalm) 
   
  4 (Meridio) 
   
  Max. speed: 
  w 1.6 
   
  Endurance: 
  10 months 
   
  Weapons: 
  None 
   
  Shields: 
  Navigational deflectors on port/stbd hull blades 
   
  SOURCES: 
  D TOS  
   
  (N Todd Guenther/Mike Morrissette, own) 
   
  (H Todd Guenther/Mike Morrissette, own) 
   
  In the wake of the Powers project, several enterprises sprung up to hybridize Vulcan and human 
  technologies for the rapidly expanding human market. A typical combination would see a Vulcan 
  medium endurance vessel transformed to a low endurance human counterpart, the joint result of a 
  less economical drive system and a more claustrophobic clientele. Among classic examples were 
  the Gadshen and Sharan classes, adopted for production as liaison craft and warp yachts in the late 
  2160s. The former is of special interest here not only as a pioneering UFP Starfleet starcraft, but 
  also as one of the foremost private warp cruisers for the following hundred years. 
   
  Most liaison craft followed the longstanding Vulcan tradition of threefold symmetry and general 
  teardrop shape. However, the three propulsive pods of the original 2163 interplanetary Gadshen 
  (‘aurora’) design were in 2169 replaced by two much more potent, nacelle-mounted CWD Model 
  9442 warp engines, and an interstellar success story began. 
   
  
   
  177
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Much like the legendary Voroth class vessels from a century prior, the Gadshen dedicated two sectors of the hull to main 
  propulsive power generation and one to secondary power and mission systems. The almost perfect symmetry of the 
  exterior view betrays little of this. 
   
  The improved Gadshen was immediately adopted for production by Star Fleet Division, to meet a 
  Starfleet liaison need. This spawned multiple commercial orders, and Duotechnica of Luna also 
  bought the license. The former yards launched a total of 108 craft under the class name Montcalm. 
  The product of the latter was slightly different, and marketed as the Meridio class. Panastris also 
  continued production of the original type at Vulcanis Space Facilities to the somewhat more modest 
  total of 55 hulls. 
   
  Principal differences were to be found in accommodation standards. The basic Meridio was 
  registered for six persons, with egalitarian bunking and a dining area on the lower deck and a 
  compact flight deck and map room on the upper one. A more luxurious interior, selling well in 
  corporate circles, reduced capacity to four; in either case, two would be qualified pilots. Access was 
  through a bow docking port; the adjoining extensible ladder was seldom needed, as surface 
  operations were a rarity for the type. Interplanetary and interstellar journeys from orbital station to 
  orbital station were far more common, the craft having little to do in systems where such facilities 
  were lacking. Montcalm served Starfleet needs at shorter ranges by carrying up to a dozen personnel 
  on the lower deck, with the flight crew of three operating a less automated set of instrumentation, a 
  bit austere in some respects, sophisticated in others. Communications gear was particularly 
  advanced in this variant, although for example no weaponry was ever integrated to the design. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  A somewhat artificial shot from Starbase 32 shows a range of private and ex-Starfleet Gadshen craft at neighboring piers. 
  A luxurious Catullan yacht on the forefront is differentiated from a Farland courier mainly by a gaudier paint job, 
  although enlarged heat exchangers on the yacht’s nacelles hint at an uprated warp propulsion system, one of the many 
  popular targets for tinkering. 
   
  
   
  178
  Starfleet would come to operate a combined total of 160 vessels, divided not only among the three 
  subclasses but into no less than 34 minor variants (the slight differences ranging from landing gear 
  type to deflector grid patterns, as the manufacturers experimented on newest available refinements). 
  Starbase liaison and light utility transport assignments kept the craft busy from 2174 to 2180. This 
  prompted numerous manufacturers to start designing cutters and runabouts of similar size and 
  improved performance for government use. Even minor improvements in propulsion and internal 
  volume were welcome, and the original type was retired from Fleet service entirely by 2181. Private 
  and corporate operators readily purchased the retiring vessels, adding to the pre-existing numbers of 
  pleasure craft and status symbols. Despite some serviceability problems, many were still 
  encountered on UFP fringe areas in the late 23rd century. 
  Big Cat series 
  Sublight fightercraft 
  2182-2266 
   
   
  Completed: 
  380 
   
  Length: 
  7.5 m 
   
  Beam: 
  6.6 m 
   
  Height: 
  3.6 m  
   
  Mass: 
  50-55 tons (typical) 
   
  Crew: 
  2-3  
   
  Max. speed: 
  0.8 c 
   
  Endurance: 
  2 days 
   
  Weapons: 
  1 Type D phased particle cannon (20 GJ / 3.0 GW) on ventral bow (original) 
   
  1 Type G phased particle cannon (20 GJ / 100 GW) on ventral bow (later models) 
   
  2 ventral weapons bays for a maximum of 2.6 tons of ordnance 
   
  4 to 6 hardpoints for various weapons on canards (some models, optional) 
   
  Shields: 
  Polarizable armor 
   
  Transporters: 
  None 
   
  SOURCES: 
  (D SFB, ST:ID) 
   
  (N SFB) 
   
  (H SFB, ST:ID) 
   
  The standard replacement for the fightercraft of the Romulan War was long in coming, for two 
  principal reasons. The first was the great distaste towards risking live pilots like they had been 
  risked aboard the sustainer-engined escort fighters. The second was the optimistic wait for an 
  
   
  179
  independent warp propulsion system that could offer more speed and range than the old Vulcan 
  designs. Yet the 2170s came and went without breakthroughs in small-scale warp engines, and 
  Starfleet again began to look at impulse-propelled light combat craft as the answer to its tactical 
  needs. 
   
  During the two decades of inaction, those tactical needs had changed little – or rather, no strategic 
  opponent had presented itself, leaving Starfleet unsure of the nature of the threat it should prepare 
  against. Planetary defenses hinged on a combination of resident or visiting warships, vast missile 
  arsenals and a menagerie of medium interceptor craft that still included some space tanks. The latter 
  two aspects were rapidly becoming antiquated, though, and Starfleet ultimately came to consider 
  this as the proper niche of modern fightercraft operations. 
   
  High impulse thrust was thus declared essential for timely interception. The ability to carry hard-
  hitting anti-starship weapons was paramount. For versatility in basing options, transatmospheric 
  capacity was a third major requirement. On this basis, the fightercraft of the latter half of the 22nd 
  century evolved away from the wartime agile needles with warp sustainer bulges and became brute 
  force arrows shooting into space in straight paths to meet a superior enemy in numerical strength. 
  Out of the half a dozen designs produced in the era, the Big Cat is a typical example. 
   
  The basic body of the fighter was an arrowhead some six meters long and wide, with impulse pods 
  attached at the trailing edge midspan to port and starboard. For atmospheric agility, there were full-
  width canards at the bow, their anhedral following the angle of the main hull top surface. Atop the 
  arrowhead rode a boxy pressure compartment housing two to three crew. Unlike in the comparable 
  Vulcan interceptors, the pilot was provided with an angled windshield and lateral portholes for 
  direct visibility, and only the weapons officer(s) relied on a fully synthetic view of the outside. 
   
  The craft was capable of planetary takeoff and landing, with tripod landing gear folding out from 
  the bottom, and with gravitics to provide initial lift and maneuvering assistance. The jam-packed 
  hull featured just enough space at centerline to carry the main armament of the fighter, a single 
  GW-range phased particle cannon. Twin ordnance bays flanking the cannon were almost an 
  afterthought in comparison, and anything carried within would have been of little use against 
  starship-sized opponents. A secondary role against ground targets theoretically existed, though; for 
  this role, some later models were fitted with additional exterior hardpoints under the canards, 
  mainly for light projectile weapons and freeflight ordnance. 
    
   
  On the left, an early Big Cat spits fire from the engine nacelles, as fusion heating mode takes over from the hypervelocity 
  exhaust mode and provides the fighter with atmosphere-compatible thrust. Note the conical impulse engine housings, short 
  canards and the smallish windshield, identifying the Tomcat model.The craft on the right carries canard-mounted extra 
  ordnance in the form of tip lasers and two mid-span rocket projectors, but nevertheless represents the same model.  
   
  The Big Cat series did come to feature surprisingly many such models, persisting despite lack of 
  actual confrontations where the fighters could have demonstrated their worth or realistically 
  assessed their shortcomings. Shipboard variants such as Panther and Jaguar emerged in the 2190s 
  
   
  180
  already; they could mainly be accommodated by the militant variants of the Horizon cruiser family, 
  and especially the Advance battle cruisers embarked them for the dual purposes of escorting their 
  unarmed shuttlecraft in assault tasks, and of boosting antiship firepower in impulse battles. The 
  craft were a familiar sight also aboard the later Albions, even though by that time their antiship 
  capabilities had been revealed to be largely theoretical. 
   
  The last hurrah of the Big Cat series came with Starfleet’s early experiments on carrier starships in 
  the beginning of the Klingon conflict of the 23rd century. It was believed that fightercraft could still 
  make a difference if deployed in sufficient numbers. Titan and Valkyr vessels had the necessary 
  deck space, and on the other hand the Big Cats had the deck-saving dual qualifications of space 
  superiority and planetary assault capability. While better fighter designs were emerging for both 
  applications and also for their combination, the veteran design persisted and received upgrade after 
  upgrade on phase guns, targeting systems, engines and armor, all the way till the very final Bearcat 
  model completed in 2226. It was not until 2266 that the very last wings operating this model were 
  disbanded. 
   
   
  A pair of tactical craft deploying from USS Napoleon, the abortive 2260s experiment at a new type of carrier. At this point 
  of their history, the fighters were chiefly serving as trials stand-ins for more practicable craft. Note the extended canards, 
  the somewhat wider cabin with side portholes, and the lack of a sensor system “tail” between the impulse nacelles, 
  identifying the Bearcat. Such mere nuances actually stand testimony to the longevity of the basic design. 
   
  Other SFB fighter types: 
   
  HORNET: 
   
  
   
  181
   
  EAGLE (described as “economy” version of Hornet, 2 particle beams): 
   
  WARTHOG (bomber, 2 beams, 2 bomb bays): 
   
   
  AVENGER (bomber, 8 missile launchers, 2 bomb bays): 
   or 
   
   
  VOODOO: 
   
   
  UNKNOWN: 
   
  
   
  182
   
  Hubble 
  Runabout 
  2219-2262 
   
  Completed: 
  374 total: 
   
   
  180 Hubble Mk I 
   
  194 Hubble Mk II (Penzias) 
   
  Length: 
  33.0 m 
   
  Beam: 
  22.1 m 
   
  Height: 
  11.5 m 
   
  Mass: 
  1,630 tons 
   
  Crew: 
  3-6 
   
  Max. speed: 
  w 2.9 
   
  Endurance: 
  4 weeks 
   
  Weapons: 
  Usually none 
  Hardpoints provided for 2 laser emitters (200 nm / 180 MW), above and below hull 
   
  Shields: 
  1-layer light conformal forcefield 
   
  Navigational deflectors on engine pylons 
   
  Transporters: 
  None; some later refitted with 1 2-pad Mk I unit 
   
  SOURCES: 
  D TOS-R (Diane Carey “Final Frontier”) 
   
  (N Diane Carey) 
   
  (H own) 
   
  The Hubble runabout was one of the first adaptations of modern lightweight warp engines for 
  Starfleet’s high speed liaison needs. At the time the class was created, the starbase network of the 
  UFP was only gradually taking shape, with a base built per five years or so. Distances separating 
  
   
  183
  the starbases were considerable, and the mission of runabouts was not one of shuttling between the 
  bases. Instead, the small liaison craft were supposed to extend the range of local operations around a 
  starbase, moving crews and supplies between starports and planets in the vicinity of the base.  
   
  Key to the construction of Starfleet’s inaugural high speed runabouts was the DB-01 engine, whose 
  two 18 m, 750 ton nacelles for the first time matched the local interstellar average in small engine 
  performance. The compactness was due rather to the maturity of technology than to any radical 
  breakthroughs: DB-01 was still very much a ‘second-generation’ engine. A simple SPCR-20 fusion 
  powerplant at centerline was used to energize the spooled coils to 60 c field strength equivalent, 
  affording a top speed of warp 2.9. Deuterium-tritium fuel purity requirements were higher than for 
  earlier systems, and user-serviceability somewhat lower. Nevertheless, the engine marked yet 
  another milestone in Starfleet’s quest for technological parity with its competitors. 
   
  The 33 m long, oval cross section hull of VXT Interstellar make was built to be as lightweight as 
  possible. The mass of the warp engines was supported by sturdy pylons that featured a short, 
  slightly trapezoid vertical part and a broader horizontal wing box that ran between the main decks. 
  The reactor was bolted atop the wing box at centerline, with fuel tanks and impulse systems directly 
  aft.  
   
  The midpart of the craft was dedicated to a two-level cargo hold, where either level was also 
  configurable as passenger space; customers could specify portholes for this space as needed, 
  although Starfleet did not opt for any. A wide aft door was provided on the lower hold for cargo 
  loading and offloading, opening into an undercut beneath the reactor, while a central elevator ahead 
  of the holds enabled loading of the upper hold under the influence of gravity. The doors and the 
  elevator were structurally quite affordable, since the major strongbacks of the craft were the upper 
  and lower keeps and lateral spars running level with the upper deck floor, not the thin tritanium hull 
  itself.  
   
  The four-person flight deck was at the bow, slightly raised from the upper deck level, and featured 
  one forward porthole. A dorsal personnel airlock and observation dome were provided aft of this 
  control room. The Hubbles could be armed with two 180 MW lasers for self-defense or system 
  approach lane clearing operations; these would be installed in upper level spaces flanking the 
  airlock. Below the flight deck was the bunking compartment with accommodation for a crew of 
  three (short runs) to six (multi-shift sorties), including galley facilities and a lavatory. 
   
  Ventral supports on the pylons next to each nacelle extended skidlike landing pads for landing, yet 
  retracted them for atmospheric flight. Two smaller pads were provided below the bow, along with a 
  small retractable sensor turret mainly serving as a landing aid. Two sensor/deflector dishes were 
  provided at the pylon kinks, representing the simplest possible hard- and software. Also, conformal 
  shields were applied for micrometeoroid protection. No lifepods let alone auxiliary craft were 
  carried on the Starfleet craft, since the runabouts were supposed to operate well within range of 
  rescue vessels and an overall support infrastructure.  
   
  
   
  184
   
   
  USS Vercellino (NCC-B116) on approach to SB 2. Liaison craft crews were understandably proud to operate vessels with 
  full starship-like names painted on the hulls, yet whether the little Hubbles were deserving of the honor is a matter of 
  opinion. 
   
  In second-batch craft, built by VXT in 2226-29, the warp engine room was slightly modified to 
  house a smaller fusion reactor. This off-the-shelf item from starbase inventories replaced the 
  original high endurance system, resulting in significant weight and operating cost reduction. 
  Theoretical range of operations was decreased by some 30 %, yet other performance figures 
  remained practically unchanged. The greater frequency of refueling stops barely affected the 
  operating procedures of the craft. Investment in a larger number of the craft could be made now, yet 
  the technology still remained relatively immature, and the odds of finding a Hubble in a given star 
  system low as ever. 
   
  The Hubbles saw service until the 2250s, when even further miniaturized warp systems began to 
  appear, benefiting from dilithium regulation technologies. The direct successor design, the Mission 
  class, was produced in some quantity both for Starfleet and the civilian market. The various Class F 
  and G warp-capable shuttles emerged as the true inheritors of the insystem liaison vessel role, 
  however. Since these shuttles were also carried by starships, Starfleet was happy to retire the last 
  Hubbles in 2262 to simplify and commonalize equipment.  
   
  On the civilian market, Hubble was already something of a commercial standard. Various models 
  were available, including VIP transports, interplanetary personnel haulers, light cargo craft and 
  assorted utility types. The modest speed and range, falling short of most Starfleet interstellar 
  requirements, still satisfied the nonmilitary clients. Even when faster and more practical interstellar 
  runabout types began to emerge in the 2260s, the Hubbles (going by a variety of commercial 
  names) remained popular among those ill able to afford the latest technology. No doubt dozens of 
  these craft remain in service as of this writing, although most users finally abandoned the design in 
  the early 24th century. 
  Flamsteed / Fraunhofer / Flagstaff 
  Scout drone 
  2232-2298 
   
  Completed: 
  45 total: 
   
   
  20 Flamsteed 
   
  15 Fraunhofer 
   
  10 Flagstaff 
  
   
  185
   
  Length: 
  36.0 m 
   
  Beam: 
  15.4 m 
   
  Height: 
  12.5 m (landing gear retracted) 
   
  14.3 m (landing gear extended) 
   
  Mass: 
  7,000 tons (Flamsteed, estimated) 
   
  10,000 tons (Fraunhofer, estimated) 
   
  11,000 tons (Flagstaff, estimated) 
   
  Crew: 
  None 
   
  Passengers:  
  5 
   
  Cruise speed: 
  w 4 (automated operations) 
   
  w 3 (w/ passengers) 
   
  Max. speed: 
  w 6.0 (Flamsteed, automated operations, estimated) 
  w 7.0 (Fraunhofer, automated operations, estimated) 
   
  w 8.0 (Flagstaff, automated operations, estimated) 
   
  w 4.0 (w/ passengers, estimated) 
   
  Endurance: 
  2 years (estimated) 
   
  Weapons: 
  Original: 
  2 laser emitters (130 nm / 200 MW) on hull flanks 
   
  Refit 2265-66: 
  2 phaser III emitters on hull flanks (possibly replaced by phaser IV in 2275) 
   
  Shields: 
  1-layer conformal forcefield 
   
  Navigational deflector on fwd hull 
   
  Laboratories: 
  None 
   
  Transporters: 
  1 GP (2-pad); Mk IV (possibly installed in 2275)  
   
  Auxiliaries: 
  Up to 20 reconnaissance and tactical sub-drones of varying types 
   
  Craft of historical interest: 
   
  USS Ball (NCC-I691) 
   
  SOURCES: 
  (D Jeff Maynard) 
   
  (N Jeff Maynard) 
   
  (H own) 
   
   
  It did not take Starfleet long to realize that the problems the Bode scoutship project was facing in 
  2230 were formidable, and potentially crippling to the overall intelligence gathering effort. 
  Alternatives to the high speed scouts were thus sought basically from the outset. Some suggestions 
  were on the conservative side, and stressing tried and true technologies and high volume 
  production. Others dabbled on alternative supertechnologies. The solution Starfleet settled on 
  
   
  186
  featured elements of both approaches. Instead of finding middle ground, though, it changed the 
  rules, broke new ground, and eventually gave SF Intelligence the full capacity it coveted. 
   
  The secret of high speed warp propulsion was not all that secret in the end. High output powerplants 
  and high throughput warp coils could be defined simply as high risk adaptations of existing 
  powerplant and warp coil technology, constructed for extra performance at the cost of drastically 
  diminishing reliability, durability and endurance. The optimum curve for the technologies didn’t 
  allow for supercruising midget starships yet, but it did allow for supercruising drones that utilized 
  acute warp field gradients and thoroughbred antimatter reactors, sidestepping the issues of poor 
  duonetic attenuation and insufficient delta radiation shielding by removing the vulnerable crew. 
   
  A fully automated 36 meter, 7,000 ton starcraft could in fact be constructed to carry the desired 
  automated reconnaissance payload at speeds beyond warp six, cruising at a steady warp four. 
  Moreover, this craft could be given landing capacity, the ability to carry and deploy sub-drones in 
  quantity, and a potent armament for defending the nevertheless vital onboard assets from enemy 
  action. Craft of this description began appearing in 2232, duly equipped with standard navigation 
  and identification systems, yet carrying equipment of undisclosed nature, and frequently 
  disappearing from the traffic control nets onto missions of utmost secrecy. Three distinct batches 
  had been ordered, propelled by various 20-meter engines, the first of these clearly based on the 
  commercial DB-04 model. I series registries were allocated, the Flamsteed model receiving NCC-
  I650-669, the Fraunhofers NCC-I670-684 and the Flagstaffs NCC-I685-694. 
   
  The innocuous-sounding naming schemes followed the tradition of allocating people, places and 
  events from Earth’s history of astronomy to vessels scouting deep space. This was not completely in 
  the name of subterfuge: the intelligence drones had a very real role to play in the charting of outer 
  UFP commerce routes and their surrounding space. Witnessed propulsive endurance of two years 
  facilitated thorough mapping runs, during which crew fatigue would not be an issue. The occasional 
  launch of probes, drones or other hardware from the two stern deployment chutes of the craft did 
  not detract from the mapping missions, and in some cases actually legitimately complemented it. 
  The daughter and mother drones both had illegitimate uses as well, though, entering regions of 
  space closed, for various reasons and by various means, to UFP traffic. 
   
  At least two types of sub-drone capable of independent warp travel were observed. Also, it was 
  evident that the truncated cone bow section of the craft could be jettisoned and was equipped with 
  warp coils of its own, possibly for intrusion to regions of extreme risk, possibly for extraction of 
  data packages from such if the main craft were compromised. Also in evidence was the ability of 
  the drones to take onboard passengers (with apparent but ill defined means of special protection 
  against the field gradients and radiation). Insertion and extraction of intelligence operatives was an 
  obvious application, yet for example USS Ball (NCC-I691) distinguished herself in 2266 by 
  rescuing the crew of prospector SS Malverne, performing a complex series of tasks that involved 
  phasering open the side of the drifting ship.  
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  The refitted drone USS Helin (NCC-I692) mounts a lonely vigil at the Romulan Neutral Zone, counting comets and sorting 
  out stardust. Assisting in the task are modern subspace sensors as well as an onboard astrophysics expert AI, upgrades 
  
   
  187
  afforded the drones in the early 2290s. Another asset worth noting is the cloaking field generator installed at upper stern. 
  Even thus modified, the Helin retains full landing capability and armament, and was utilized as the backup for droneship 
  Potemkin (NCC-I657) in the surface extraction element of Operation Retrieve, the 2293 plan to release James T. Kirk from 
  Klingon captivity.  
   
  The exploits of the intelligence craft encouraged Starfleet to experiment with dedicated rescue 
  drones, up to and including the massive USS Recovery launched in 2273. In reconnaissance 
  missions, the trend was toward smaller craft instead. Few of these got NCC series registries, and 
  only the very smallest, least capable ones were built in significant numbers. The F drones remained 
  the mainstay of the uncrewed scouting force, keeping up with the times by adopting new engines in 
  addition to new sensors and weaponry. The Fraunhofers were equipped with DB-404, the 
  Flagstaffs with solid-coil PB-42. The original lasers were replaced by phasers, probably of Type III 
  but later possibly of Type IV as well, with possible stun mode weapons installed on select drones. 
  There is some evidence of the presence of transporters on late standard Flagstaffs as well. 
   
  Retirement of the drones was not to be an issue. By the 2270s, all the Flamsteeds and all but one of 
  the Fraunhofers had been lost in action; the last Flagstaff was written off in 2298. No fatalities have 
  ever been reported in connection with F series missions, unless one counts lives lost when recovery 
  missions were aborted for various reasons, or enemy casualties in purpoted aggressive operations 
  where lasers or phasers were fired in anger or explosive or otherwise destructive ordnance deployed 
  by the drones. Data on such aspects of the drone missions is still lacking, either unpublished or 
  destroyed altogether. 
  Talion 
  Sublight fightercraft 
  2242-2276 
   
  Completed: 
  420 total: 
   
   
  300 Talion 
   
  120 Torch 
   
  Length: 
  6.8 m (Talion) 
   
  7.1 m (Torch) 
   
  Beam: 
  4.7 m 
   
  Height: 
  2.6 m  
   
  Mass: 
  63 tons (Talion) 
  70 tons (Torch) 
   
  Crew: 
  1 (Talion) 
  2 (Torch) 
   
  Max. speed: 
  0.8 c 
   
  Endurance: 
  2 days 
   
  Weapons: 
  3 phaser IV emitters on ventral bow (Talion) 
   
  2 phaser IV emitters on lateral bows (Torch) 
   
  4 minitorpedoes on ventral rack (Torch, optional) 
   
  Shields: 
  1-layer light conformal forcefield 
   
  Transporters: 
  None 
   
  SOURCES: 
  (D Carmen Carter “Dreams of the Raven”, FASA) 
   
  (N own, Tennet Carmen Carter “Dreams of the Raven”) 
   
  (H Carmen Carter “Dreams of the Raven”, own) 
   
  
   
  188
  The multi-thousand-ton cutters, scoutcraft and runabouts of the early 23rd century did not quite 
  represent the state of the art in miniaturization. In theory, even smaller warp vessels could have 
  been built – but as long as these still exceeded the maximum size for practical starship auxiliaries, 
  nothing concrete could be achieved by the effort. The craft in use aboard both general starships and 
  dedicated carriers thus tended to remain warp-incapable, and operating doctrines were formulated 
  accordingly. 
   
  Lacking alternatives, Starfleet steadfastly refused to accept the failure of the sublight fightercraft as 
  an anti-ship weapon. Lack of warp drive meant short engagements where the initiative was on the 
  side of the warp aggressor. Yet new phaser weaponry could give Class Five fighters enough 
  destructive power to triumph even in a brief melee, and offered a limited warp response as well. 
   
  Rather than just bolt phaser IV emitters onto heritage craft, Starfleet initiated the development of 
  dedicated platforms. Still preferring the shape of the Romulan war era fighters, it picked the Genchi 
  Talion, a seven-meter silver dart with a single impulse engine, four mass masking coils and three 
  aerodynamic fins clustered at the stem. The single pilot would sit in a faceted-window cockpit just 
  ahead of the engine compartment, with the modest protection of a light shield generator in front of 
  him. On the lower bow would be the three phaser cannon, on the upper bow their targeting sensors. 
   
  The Talion was meant to be primarily flown from the Valkyr and Titan carriers, yet was flexible 
  enough to be operated out of other ship types or even surface bases. Small numbers could be carried 
  aboard cruisers if needed, yet this did not fit Starfleet doctrine of the time. Genchi was contracted 
  for just 300 craft, to replace the Class Five arsenals of the Valkyrs and Titans. The Regulan 
  manufacturer secured parallel deals with a broad Federation clientele, however, and had completed 
  more than 1,100 craft by the time Starfleet in 2242 declared its first wings operational. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Clawed paw against clawed paw, five-flights of Talions confront their feline Xindi equivalents in the battle of Parkinson 
  Point. The 2272 Xindi invasion was both a trial of fire and a curtain call for the Talions, whose role in the Klingon conflict 
  was minimal. Thirty classes of fighter pilots had served on the type without firing a shot in anger.  
   
  It was interstellar demand that prompted Genchi to develop a heavier variant, armed with two 
  additional lateral phaser cannon. While Starfleet did not opt for the design, dubbed Tasran by the 
  main Frunalian operator, the subsequent upgrade did attract its attention. The type split her pair of 
  phasers to lateral bows, leaving the ventral surface for the carriage of up to four minitorpedoes, or 
  alternately a sensor array. These twin-seat fighters were potent raiders and siege machines, despite 
  their short range and lack of independence. Under the service name Torch, ten dozen were added to 
  Starfleet arsenal for these roles in 2246, shortly prior to the Axanar confrontation. Another Class 
  Five twin-seater with phaser IVP units, the Tennet, was later fielded, but again only for non-
  Starfleet markets.  
   
  
   
  189
  The Talions and Torches opened an unfortunate chapter in Federation history, however. Their 
  diminishing role in Starfleet operations led to Fleet disinterest in controlling their proliferation. By 
  the 2250s, extra-Federation governments ranging from unsavory to savage were in possession of the 
  phaser-armed raiders, and pirates began operating carrier vessels that could arrogantly mount 
  fightercraft ambushes deep inside the Kashishowa perimeters of trade port systems. True ‘pirate 
  copies’ of the original designs ensured continuing proliferation even after stricter control measures 
  were slapped onto technology exports. 
   
  Tactically speaking, insystem fighter attacks were not a particularly difficult threat to countermand. 
  Dispatching of modern corvettes to the systems under pirate siege usually made short work of the 
  attackers, although starships of at least frigate size were needed to render the heavily armed carriers 
  harmless. Nevertheless, this new mode of pirate operations tied down valuable Starfleet resources. 
  Like the Klingon raids, it can be argued to have delayed the Fleet’s great exploration program by 
  two decades, so that only in the 2260s were significant benefits reaped from Project Starship and its 
  spinoffs. 
   
  Despite their agility, the Talions never were much good in anti-fighter operations. The austerity of 
  their sensors and targeting systems, combined with lack of endurance and need for extensive 
  support systems, made them quite dependent on motherships – and the modern cruisers and heavy 
  frigates would actually fare better against fightercraft if not encumbered with craft of their own. The 
  anti-ship capabilities of the Torches were mainly theoretical; Starfleet withdrew the last twin-seaters 
  from training use in 2276. 
  Chameleon 
  Light courier / scoutcraft 
  2242-2294 
   
  Completed: 
  912 total: 
   
   
  208 Chameleon couriers 
   
  197 Tegu scientific scoutcraft 
   
  302 Gila tactical scoutcraft 
   
  205 Gecko tactical transports 
   
  Length: 
  32.4 m 
   
  Beam: 
  8.0 m (landing gear stowed) 
   
  10.0 m (landing gear extended) 
   
  Height: 
  8.0 m (landing gear stowed) 
   
  10.0 m (landing gear extended) 
   
  Mass: 
  2,900 tons (Chameleon, typical) 
   
  2,200 tons (Tegu, Gila, typical) 
   
  3,000 tons (Gecko, typical) 
   
  Crew: 
  2 
   
  Max. speed: 
  w 3.5 
   
  Endurance: 
  4 weeks (Chameleon, Gecko) 
   
  3 months (Tegu, Gila) 
   
  Weapons: 
  None 
   
  Shields: 
  1-layer light conformal forcefield 
   
  Transporters: 
  1 GP (2-pad); Mk II 
   
  SOURCES: 
  (D FASA) 
   
  (N FASA) 
   
  (H FASA) 
  
   
  190
   
   
  Starfleet’s attempts in the 2220s and 2230s to field interstellar-capable utility craft were frustrated 
  by lack of progress in lightweight engine development. Available designs were coming short either 
  in speed, range, reliability or affordability, in paralyzing combinations. This was not for lack of 
  trying: efforts of Starfleet and the civilian sector alike were concentrated on miniaturizing the now 
  more or less standard circumferentially excited, monoaxial engine type. Yet the experimental types 
  in the 10 to 15 m total length, 1,000 to 2,000 ton total mass range only slowly crept towards the 
  desired warp three interstellar performance. In 2237, the Hubble runabouts still represented the 
  cutting edge in light craft propulsion. 
   
  Yet solid state coil technology was inevitably permeating to light craft stardrives as well. Without a 
  compact total annihilation powerplant, a solid state engine would not yield massive improvements 
  in speed, but at least it would solve the reliability and endurance problems of spooled designs. 
  When Cochrane Warp Dynamics introduced the groundbreaking DB-30, Starfleet jumped at the 
  opportunity and ordered immediate construction of light craft mounting one nacelle of this type. 
  Project Salamander thus began life as a utility transport, yet impressed Starfleet with its propulsive 
  performance, and quickly diversified into a variety of battlefield and exploration roles.  
   
  There are obvious practical problems with creating a single-nacelle craft capable of planetfall. A 
  top-heavy dorsal mount is virtually the only possible configuration, and craft like this tend to be 
  very beamy for relaxed, SIF-off surface stability. The Salamander went another route, sporting a 
  long and narrow body braced by widely spread landing struts at both ends. The fusion reactor was 
  packed astern, while the two-pilot flight deck in front sat atop a flight and life support systems 
  compartment, a two-pad transporter, and a minimal berthing space.  
   
  Payloads in the low-lying midsection could be easily accessed by surface crews and cargo handling 
  machinery. They typically consisted of containers five meters on the side and 2.5 meters high, but a 
  single box hold five meters wide and fifteen long could also be carried. Offloading in this 
  configuration called for perfectly smooth and almost level landing sites. Even with smaller 
  packages, a roll angle limit of 9 degrees and positive yaw limit of 5 degrees had to be observed. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
   
  191
   
   
   
   
  It is difficult to tell the exact type or mission of a Chameleon from her looks alone. This pair helpfully sports Exploration 
  Command logos on the sides of the forward hull, suggesting Tegu interiors and a Locust assignment, although both craft 
  show signs of scabbed-on side armor typically found on SFI ‘spydroppers’. The division to subclasses found in official 
  sources is indicative of initial production batch designation only, as many of the craft underwent repeated back-and-forth 
  modifications to comply with the broad range of tasks burdened on them. 
   
  Prepared landing sites could generally be expected in the utility role, yet Starfleet wanted to push 
  the envelope. Development of more flexible or specialized craft would have to wait: Starfleet’s first 
  small craft capable of exceeding warp 3 on a regular basis would be pressed on to scouting duty. In 
  this application, amidships holds would simply be furnished with crew quarters for extended 
  operations; with a field laboratory; and with a sensor and computer package. Military intelligence 
  gathering would call for a slightly different balance of equipment, and configurations dedicated to 
  operative insertion and extraction were also requested early on. By 2240, Project Salamander had 
  mutated to the multifaceted Project Chameleon, and the first production craft began operations as 
  Exploration Command surveyors, Logistics Command couriers and SF Intelligence scouts. 
   
  The voluminous production run would extend to 2252 and to no fewer than 912 hulls, after which a 
  further 833 would be manufactured for the civilian market. Many of the Starfleet Chameleons 
  would also be liquidated at that point by turning them into mercantile transports; the Fleet would by 
  the fifties be well supplied with more affordable types of light interstellar utility and liaison craft, 
  eventually in the shuttlecraft category as well.  
   
  This is not to say that the Chameleon would have been a transitional type of little operational value. 
  To the contrary, Project Locust in the mid-forties had seen the survey craft taking the lead in 
  planetary prospecting operations within the sectors of the calm Romulan border and coreward 
  wastes. Swarms of up to dozens of craft, accompanied by other interstellar scout types and a 
  number of tenders, would quickly cover vast surface areas in search of key planetary resources. 
  Unsuited for operations against the adversity of harsh environments, enemy harassment, or complex 
  cultural or political issues, the craft specialized in assignments of low risk – and consequently often 
  of low return as well. Exceptions were the norm in this business, however: many a Locust swarm 
  ran into enemy action, often with fatal results, while others hit notable paydirt despite the modest 
  survey gear allocated. 
   
  As losses began to mount, the Locusts were pulled back. Conversions to Marine landing craft were 
  short-lived, due to the poor handling of the type, but retrofits to second-line utility transports were 
  favorably received. Still, the last of the Great Projects swept away the majority of Starfleet 
  Chameleon assets: under Project Tradewinds, some three thousand light units of Starfleet origin or 
  design were transferred to boost commerce when Klingon aggression seemed to paralyze all trade.  
   
  Starfleet withdrew its last Chameleon units from insystem utility service in 2294. None of the 
  numerous museum pieces found across the Federation are preserved in the original Starfleet 
  condition, even though some have been retrofitted into such a configuration for showcasing 
  purposes. 
  
   
  192
  Mission 
  Runabout / scoutcraft 
  2248-2285 
   
  Completed: 
  1,293 total: 
   
   
  393 Mission Mk I utility craft built in 2248-52 
   
  120 Mission Mk II (Jgonas) utility craft built in 2248-52 
   
  60 Mission Mk III (Galileo) scoutcraft built in 2248-50 
   
  306 Mk Ib utility craft built in 2259-65 
   
  372 Mk IIb utility craft built in 2259-65 
   
  42 Mk IIIb scoutcraft built in 2259-61 
   
  Length: 
  32.0 m 
   
  Beam: 
  25.0 m 
   
  Height: 
  13.1 m 
   
  Mass: 
  3,620 tons (Mk I, II) 
   
  3,810 tons (Mk III) 
   
  3,710 tons (Mk Ib, IIb) 
   
  3,900 tons (Mk IIIb) 
   
  Crew: 
  3 
   
  Passengers: 
  6 (cargo operations) 
   
  50 (passenger operations, Mk I, II) 
   
  Cargo: 
  5,000 tons (Mk I, Ib) 
   
  7,500 tons (Mk II, IIb) 
   
  3,750 tons (Mk III, IIIb) 
   
  Cruise speed: 
  w 3 
   
  Max. speed: 
  w 4.0 
   
  Endurance: 
  15 months (Mk I, III) 
   
  8 months (Mk II) 
   
  Weapons: 
  1 laser emitter (200 nm / 600 MW) on ventral bow (original series) 
   
  1 phaser III emitter on ventral bow (b series) 
   
  Shields: 
  1-layer globular forcefield 
   
  Navigational deflector on bow 
   
  Transporters: 
  1 GP (3-pad + cargo); Mk III (b series) 
   
  Craft of historical interest: 
   
  USS Mission (NCC-B500), USS Galileo (NCC-I6600), USS Jgonas (NCC-G1000), SS John Paul Jones (NCC-G1001/NPT-23841) 
   
  SOURCES: 
  (D FASA, corrected to match side view) 
   
  (N FASA) 
   
  (H FASA) 
   
  
   
  193
   
  When Starfleet in 2243 set out to acquire a replacement for its aging Hubble runabouts, there was 
  considerable excitement among small craft manufacturers. Why a dull utility vehicle would create 
  such interest was obvious in the specifications for its warp drive system. For the first time, a 
  dilithium-regulated antimatter reactor and associated solid state warp coils would be mounted onto 
  a small craft, and access to these technologies would give the project winner a definite lead in the 
  market. 
   
  There was considerable financial and conceptual risk in the project, though. Nobody knew how 
  much the new drive system would eat into available space and payload capacity in a vessel whose 
  dimensions had already been fixed to approximate Hubble values. There was even less idea about 
  how the hopefully increased drive performance would affect the doctrines of runabout operations. 
  Yet it was obvious that priority freight carriers would be the first to call for civilian sales. Starfleet 
  had nothing against the idea, and arranged for risk mitigation through a deal to produce some 70 
  hulls for the civilian market concurrently with 40 Fleet liaison craft. In 2247, the lot fell on three 
  manufacturers: VXT Interstellar, Arbing & Lidde, and Thornycroft. 
   
  The companies would produce three distinct variants of the design. VXT’s version emerged in 
  March 2248 with a cargo capacity of 5,000 tons and a large cargo elevator; A&L’s design carried 
  7,500 tons at reduced endurance; and Thornycroft’s craft was cleared for 3,750 tons, but dedicated 
  to a scouting mission and featuring a range of special sensors and onboard analysis computers, 
  probe deployment chutes, and an advanced navigating suite. Externally the vessels were virtually 
  indistinguishable, with wedgelike hulls that had broad windows for the command deck ahead and a 
  raised stern section for the RMR-500 military-standard antimatter reactor. The two DB-38 solid 
  state nacelles each weighed some 1,500 tons, a heavy price indeed to be paid for the performance 
  increase over spool technology. Out of structural necessity, the engines were slung low to minimize 
  stresses when gravity and integrity systems were idled; landing pads just inboard would ease the 
  craft to the surface, then retract to bring it to rest on the engine nacelles. 
   
  Despite the structural challenges, integration of the modern drive system was achieved to Starfleet’s 
  satisfaction. There were wide performance margins in the design, and a nominal maximum speed of 
  warp four in no way inconvenienced the powerplant. Power could for example be diverted to a 200 
  nm laser emitter covering the forward angles in all flight modes. Shielding was the weak point in 
  the tactical whole, but would suffice for most applications; the level of protection afforded by the 
  military-standard FS series bubble field generator was certainly unprecedented in small craft like 
  this. 
   
  Thanks to the speed and especially range of the new craft, Starfleet satisfied itself with 393 of the 
  all-important Mk I couriers, ten dozen Mk II utility transports with drone control option, and sixty 
  
   
  194
  Mk III scoutcraft, collectively designated the Mission class even though variant names Jgonas and 
  Galileo were sometimes also used. Mk II was also produced in the unarmed Mk IV guise for 
  civilian needs, as promised. In addition to shuttling between starbases, the vessels tailed exploratory 
  assets to systems of interest, assisted in surveys, helped in founding outposts, and generally did their 
  best in maintaining momentum on the exploratory program. Pressure from the Klingons 
  nevertheless largely kept the big starships away from their projected exploration assignments. In 
  their absence, the Mission craft had the opportunity to shine on their own, as the high-tier element 
  of Project Locust. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  A Mk III scout in innocuous livery comes under fire during an infiltration operation at Klingon borderlands. An 
  undisclosed number of the Galileos were at SF Intelligence disposal, and these “X-craft” operated actively against 
  Klingon assets during the border wars of the late 2240s. 
   
  Beginning in 2259, Starfleet procured some 720 additional craft in the series, with emphasis on 
  utility operations. Scouting tasks were moving on to more advanced types, as even modern phaser 
  armament could not guarantee the safety of the Missions on the frontier. Ever-smaller interstellar 
  liaison craft and ever-faster couriers kept emerging as warp technology matured; as the 2270s 
  approached, it was obvious that the two decades of frontline service were not going to be followed 
  by a third. The lion’s share of the more than a thousand Mission craft was sold forward to civilian 
  operators in the 2270s, with only a token handful remaining for starbase support. As the last of 
  these retired in 2285, civilian operation and production of the type was still going strong, and would 
  dominate the market for years to come. 
   
  As the first truly interstellar runabout asset of Starfleet, the Mission class also suffered an 
  unprecedented number of casualties. Almost a hundred craft were registered missing or destroyed, 
  most in transit, although landing accidents also plagued the type. The low-slung nacelle 
  configuration was found disadvantageous, and the follow-on Messina type took the opposite 
  approach. A myriad other examples of technology maturation also prompted Logistics Command to 
  move in different directions in runabout design, and from today’s point of view, the Mission looks 
  awkward and antiquated. Yet few other Starfleet-originated designs have gone to similar UFP-wide 
  commercial success. For the interested hobbyist, a Mission of Starfleet origin (but typically layer 
  upon layer of commercial improvement and upkeep) is one of the easiest vintage starcraft to find. 
  Solar 
  Cutter 
  2250-2280 
   
  Completed: 
  1,619 total: 
   
   
  588 Mk I built in 2250-2 
   
  410 Mk III refitted from Mk I in 2262-68 
   
  621 Mk VI built in 2264-70 
   
  
   
  195
  Length: 
  90.0 m 
   
  Beam: 
  20.2 m (PB-40) 
   
  20.0 m (PB-60) 
   
  Height: 
  12.1 m 
   
  Mass: 
  47,100 tons (Mk I) 
   
  44,100 tons (Mk III) 
   
  46,400 tons (Mk VI) 
   
  Crew: 
  23 
   
  Passengers: 
  6 
   
  Cargo: 
  250 tons 
   
  Cruise speed: 
  w 5 
   
  Max. speed: 
  w 5.7 (Mk I) 
   
  w 7 (Mk III, VI) 
   
   
  Endurance: 
  15 months 
   
  Weapons: 
  Mk I: 
   
  1 laser emitter (200 nm / 600 MW) on lower bow 
  1 laser emitter (200 nm / 600 MW) on lower hull flanks 
  Mk III: 
   
  2 phaser III emitters in twin bank on lower bow 
   
  4 phaser III emitters in 2 twin banks on lower hull flanks (optional) 
   
  Mk VI: 
   
  2 phaser IV emitters in twin bank on lower bow 
   
  4 phaser IV emitters in 2 twin banks on lower hull flanks (optional) 
   
  Shields: 
  1-layer globular forcefield 
   
  Navigational deflector on ventral pod 
   
  Transporters: 
  1 GP (6-pad), 1 small cargo; Mk III 
   
  SOURCES: 
  (D FASA) 
   
  (N FASA) 
   
  (H FASA) 
   
  For the first decade of the Great Awakening, development of compact solid state warp engines 
  approached the underutilized middle from both ends. Corvettes, escorts and skirmishers got their 
  interstellar drives at a tad below hundred thousand tons per coil set, while Chameleon and Mission 
  squeezed warp three cruise performance out of engines massing in at the low four digits. It was PB-
  40, at 15,000 tons per set, that best met the needs of the civilian market, though. The promise of 
  warp five cruising would be kept with the Masterson patrol cutters, Graynet corvettes and Tavares 
  light transports – but only after being put to a test in a craft designed solely for speed. 
   
  The Solar class of fast revenue cutters by VXT was not intended for Starfleet use, despite its large, 
  military-standard engines and relatively heavy armament. Fleet experts nevertheless watched with 
  keen interest as Federation Customs Service put the craft through the paces, running the Moloch A 
  antimatter powerplant at the limits of its performance. The closely spaced engine pair produced a 
  
   
  196
  spindle-shaped warp field for a peak speed of warp 5.7; for maintaining warp five, the reactor had 
  to be surrounded by an array of heat dissipation plates that also helped contain less benign types of 
  radiation. There was little else to the craft, save for an arrowhead crew compartment that clamped 
  onto a shirtsleeves engine monitoring section just forward of the reactor, and a cylindrar pod for the 
  navigational deflector beneath this compartment.  
   
  Faster than the more lavishly equipped Mastersons, the new cutters were ideal for early interception 
  of vessels in need of pilot services or a quick verification of identity and intent. Search and rescue 
  services were another matter. Even though a Solar carried a large transporter with twin rows of 
  three pads, there was little room for evacuees, almost nothing in the way of medical facilities, and 
  only a rudimentary sensor array for sorting out survivors from debris. Three laser cannon were 
  included in most of the 588 craft built, their aiming being burdened on the then-standard L-14 
  central computing unit that had severely limited capacity for such extra duties. Affordable and 
  standardized equipment was nevertheless essential for attaining such procurement numbers, and for 
  equipping virtually every UFP port with a Solar or two. 
   
  The Mk II version for civilian markets was not a sales success, as it offered less than the similarly 
  engined Tavares in virtually every respect, for only slightly lower price. A mere technology 
  demonstrator wouldn’t sell – unless it demonstrated something more impressive. In 2262, the Mk 
  III government and Mk IV civilian refits of the respective originals remedied some of the 
  equipment shortcomings, providing the craft with cargo transporters and phaser armament. More 
  importantly, they introduced the sleek PB-60 engine, which gave warp seven dash speed for the 
  same power costs and weighed only mariginally more.  
   
  The Mk III was also offered for Starfleet, and 24 units were adopted as training craft. Several 
  shortcomings in habitability and spaceframe durability were identified, and the manufacturer was 
  prompted to design remedies. A reinforced structure and a beefed-up armament increased the mass 
  of the special, all-newbuild Mk VI variant by two thousand tons, while crew facilities were 
  rearranged to accommodate three instructors. The option of using the crew compartment as a 
  separable lander was seldom used by other operators, yet Starfleet took the opportunity to carry out 
  various rendezvous and docking training maneuvers with the lander. Introduction of the fully 
  landing-capable Epsilon cutter soon outdated these units, though, and Starfleet sold all 24 of its Mk 
  VI acquisitions forward. 
   
  Production of Mk VI ultimately reached 621 craft, which largely replaced the earlier models but did 
  not spread high speed cutter services to new starports; that was left to the Epsilon class. As fast craft 
  had fast replacement cycles, almost all the original Solars were gone by 2270, and the Mk VI batch 
  was retired by 2280. Despite its lack of longevity and modest contribution to Starfleet, the class 
  retains a prominent place in small craft history for launching not just one but two groundbreaking 
  warp engines. 
  Sulek / Velikovski 
  Prospector 
  2253-2286 
   
  Completed: 
  282 total: 
   
   
  122 Sulek 
   
  160 Velikovski 
   
  Length: 
  18.3 m 
   
  Beam: 
  7.9 m 
  
   
  197
   
  Height: 
  7.6 m 
   
  Mass: 
  2,820 tons (Sulek) 
   
  2,910 tons (Velikovski) 
   
  Crew: 
  3-5 
   
  Cruise speed: 
  w 3 
   
  Max. speed: 
  w 3.2 
   
  Endurance: 
  3 years 
   
  Weapons: 
  None 
   
  Shields: 
  1-layer globular forcefield 
   
  Navigational deflector on bow 
   
  Transporters: 
  None 
   
  Craft of historical interest: 
   
  SS Jefferson Randolph Smith (NAR-29402), SS Lucas Garner (NAR-29611) 
   
  SOURCES: 
  (D John M. Ford “How Much for Just the Planet?”, Jason Lee) 
   
  (N John M. Ford) 
   
  (H John M. Ford, own) 
   
  Starfleet has supported interstellar prospecting operations since its founding. Most of the 
  Exploration Command vessels carry sensors capable of rapidly assessing planetary resources. 
  Through its ‘scientific subsidiaries’ like UESPA, VIS or ACI, Starfleet also offers automated sensor 
  packages to commercial vessels. However, it has seldom deployed specialized prospector vessels 
  under its direct command. 
   
  The Sulek class of the 2250s is a significant exception to this rule. Necessitated by the dilithium 
  revolution of the late thirties and early forties, the class was fielded by the Resources Division in 
  considerable numbers to secure sources of the vitally important crystals for Federation use. Even 
  though most of the vessels operated under NAR registries, their design was based on Starfleet’s 
  trademark military-scientific thinking and represents one of the few commercial successes of this 
  approach. 
   
  Smaller than most Starfleet surveyors, the Suleks required a crew of only three to five to operate. 
  The hull was of anvil shape, with antimatter-powered warp engines semi-recessed in cowlings on 
  the dorsal stern prong, and the single vectorable impulse nozzle between them. The minimal-
  maintenance RMR-404 or RMR-406 reactor in the rounded “foot” of the anvil fed the propulsion 
  units with power for a warp 3.2 maximum speed. There was no fusion or fission backup system, 
  only a series of batteries for auxiliary power – the impulse engine was directly powered by first-
  stage plasma from the warp power system.  
   
  A navigational deflector and high power active sensor array also drew power from the reactor, 
  being mounted directly ahead of it. Main prospecting sensors, some with deploying antennas, were 
  housed in two stub wings on top of the anvil; the wings also provided some lift both in the 
  aerodynamic sense and by virtue of built-in landing antigravs. Four folding legs and a ventral aft 
  ramp catered for planetary forays. 
   
  Internally, the craft was divided into four small cabins, a combined mess/sickbay/social 
  space/staging floor, a flight deck/survey center with two portholes for good visibility forward and 
  down, a hygiene space and a single dorsally firing lifepod. On the lower semi-deck, survey 
  resources included equipment and consumables holds and racks of miniature probes. Survey 
  
   
  198
  systems were generally tailored for only one or two target resources at a time. No weaponry was 
  carried, nor was there a tractor beam available. 
   
  The crew of the Lucas Garner (NAR-29611) is seen loading their vessel at the starport of Starbase 11 for yet another 
  prospecting sortie. The staggering amount of survey gear and supplies the craft could carry is graphically evident here, as 
  each item is neatly piled next to the vessel. On this 2268 mission, the Garner would score big time, staking the iridium-
  platinum asteroids of Beta Vertis for Federation use. 
   
  This minimal craft was optimized for one aspect only: it had an extreme endurance for a vessel of 
  its size. Up to three years’ worth of life support and propulsive power could be coerced out of the 
  design. In practice, every week of those three years was needed, as prospectors tried to maximize 
  their active survey hours and minimize port calls in between. Furthermore, an average of fifteen 
  planetfalls would be performed during a typical prospecting sortie. While dilithium could be sensed 
  from across half a lightyear, non-emitting minerals like topaline or pergium had to be charted from 
  low orbit, and findings verified on the surface. 
   
  The extreme stresses imposed on the ships led to a typical vessel lifetime of about twelve years. 
  Some were able to operate several vessels in succession, but normally a prospector ran down his or 
  her ship in a single bid for success. Nevertheless, between 2253 and 2269, dozens of findings of 
  crucial economic importance to the Federation – and to the prospectors – were made by Sulek and 
  improved Velikovski vessels.  
   
  Federation support was pulled from the last Velikovskis in 2286, as the political situation made 
  government-backed prospecting operations all but impossible. Comparable design ventures have 
  not been directly tackled by Starfleet since, even though the organization maintains a keen interest 
  in the prospecting business. Support of civilian research in the field still remains an important part 
  of Fleet R&D; for example, the ASDB Danube runabout program has recently spun off 
  improvements in commercial prospector design.  
  
   
  199
  Aden 
  Light scoutcraft / support cutter 
  2253-2279 
   
  Completed: 
  57 total: 
   
   
  23 Aden (Mk I) 
   
  62 Malaka (Mk II) 
   
  30 Reval (Mk III) 
   
  Length: 
  21.1 m (Aden)  
   
  24.4 m (Malaka) 
   
  28.4 m (Reval) 
   
  Beam: 
  9.2 m (Aden, Malaka) 
   
  12.0 m (Reval) 
   
  Height: 
  7.1 m (Aden) 
   
  7.2 m (Malaka) 
   
  7.5 m (Reval) 
   
  Mass: 
  700 tons (Aden) 
   
  950 tons (Malaka) 
  1,100 tons (Reval) 
   
  Crew: 
  1-3 
   
  Max. speed: 
  w 2.5 (Aden) 
   
  w 2.7 (Malaka) 
  w 2.8 (Reval) 
   
  Endurance: 
  4 months (Aden, Malaka) 
  7 months (Reval) 
   
  Weapons: 
  None 
   
  Shields: 
  1-layer globular forcefield 
   
  Navigational deflector on bow 
   
  Transporters: 
  None 
   
  SOURCES: 
  D TAS “More Tribbles, More Troubles” (Kris Trigwell) 
   
  (N own) 
   
  (H own) 
   
  As Starfleet Resources Division in 2250 launched its major dilithium-searching endeavor, funds 
  were allocated on all aspects of prospecting. Development of the Sulek and Velikovski prospecting 
  vessels was just one element of the program. In addition, Starfleet hired experts and consults, 
  analyzed and integrated extant mineraological data, developed new types of sensors, organized a 
  prospecting support infrastructure complete with a system of permits and grants – and purchased a 
  number of civilian vessels. Among these were dormitory and depot ships for mining communities, 
  light transports for coversion to assay use, and existing low performance prospector vessels. 
  
   
  200
   
  A starcraft type widely used by prospectors in the 2250s-2280s was something of an antithesis to 
  the Sulek class. The Cirian Vey family of scoutcraft was neither Starfleet-designed nor optimized 
  for endurance and internal volume. Rather, the various models of this Centauran design featured 
  economical GT/T 237 or 247 warp engines and a basic fusion powerplant for short range 
  operations, carried a powerful sensor cluster at the bow, and required only a single pilot for efficient 
  surveys of asteroid swarms, moons and other potential sources of mineral wealth. 
   
  The basic configuration was common to all Cirian Veys. An egg-shaped forward hull housed the 
  single combined control and habitat cabin with an adjoining hygiene space and underfloor 
  machinery spaces. Also underfloor were the tripod or quadrupod landing gear and the gravitic lift 
  engine or engines. Aft of the cabin, the ‘egg’ was elongated into a tail containing the fusion reactor 
  and the relatively pedestrian impulse engine. Fuel tanks for deuterium extended into two 
  aerodynamic strakes flanking the aft body; a tritium tank was mounted centrally. Short pylons held 
  the lightweight cigarlike nacelles above the aft hull. 
   
  Access to the cabin was through a ramp below the tail, practical for surface forays but rather 
  awkward for dockings. Compatibility with other spacecraft wasn’t one of the strong suites of the 
  Cirian Vey family in any case. Only relatively large ships could hope to carry the scoutcraft aboard, 
  and such vessels were not standard prospector hardware. The refueling, recharging and maintenance 
  access ports for the scouts were arranged for easy ground access, not clustered for the needs of a 
  starship hangar refueling arm. 
   
  Despite these incompatibilities, Starfleet felt the design met its requirements. An initial purchase of 
  23 Model L resource scouts under the Aden class designation in 2253 was followed by Fleet 
  production of improved variants. The Malaka class introduced a three-meter hull plug and a 
  military-standard fusion powerplant, and could carry 5 tons more sensor gear. The improvements 
  proved largely superfluous, though, and did not compensate for the added costs. A further off-the-
  shelf purchase of 30 somewhat larger Model V craft as the Reval class was a cost-effective move 
  that met Resources Division needs and concluded the first stage of the prospecting project. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Patience is the keyword when an Aden replenishes in space. Up to thirteen different umbilicals may need to be manually 
  connected to transfer power, data, fuel and consumables to the scoutcraft – a laborious task on a starship or starbase, let 
  alone alongside a tender vessel not equipped with large hangar facilities. 
   
  Out of the 62 Malakas built, some thirty were in 2267-68 configured as hybrid resource/sigint 
  scouts, capable of both mapping planets and monitoring certain key transmission types. Three-
  person crews were sent to mingle with prospecting parties and to keep watch on competing Klingon 
  survey teams. The original Adens were modified as well. Some became range support vessels for 
  Starfleet’s various weapon and sensor testing areas. Others were used in starbase perimeter patrol, 
  employing special scanners or soot dispensers to ferret out any cloaked vessels that might lie in 
  ambush whenever a starship deployed from the base. 
   
  
   
  201
  In the end, though, the Cirian Vey variants still were clumsy, slow and short-ranged craft that 
  utterly lacked growth potential. They were practical only in the sense of being commercially 
  available at a reasonable cost; even then, only the dilithium prospecting program prompted Starfleet 
  to purchase them. At other times, scoutcraft procurement has not involved commercial purchases; 
  instead, the civilian market often has benefited from Starfleet R&D performed on scoutcraft-sized 
  vehicles. 
   
  The last Reval resource scouts were paid off in the late 2279, and briefly replaced by early Messina 
  scouts in the dilithium-hunting role. A thorough core space resource mapping completed by Darwin 
  light surveyors in the 2290s ended Starfleet’s need for light prospecting vehicles, however. In the 
  24th century, vehicles in the shuttlecraft category handle the other, less demanding aspects of Aden 
  or Reval operations with ease. 
  Benares 
  Hopper 
  2257-2269 
   
  Completed: 
  2,410  
   
  Length: 
  6.0 m 
   
  Beam: 
  4.9 m 
   
  Height: 
  2.3 m  
   
  Mass: 
  35 tons (troop transport) 
   
  37 tons (gunship) 
   
  Crew: 
  1 (troop transport) 
   
  4 (gunship) 
   
  Passengers: 
  14 (troop transport only) 
   
  Max. speed: 
  0.005 c 
   
  Endurance: 
  2 days 
   
  Weapons: 
  1 phaser III emitter at bow 
  2 phaser III emitters in single dorsal turrets (gunship) 
   
  1 phaser III emitter in ventral turret (gunship) 
   
  Shields: 
  1-layer conformal forcefield 
   
  Transporters: 
  None 
   
  SOURCES: 
  D TAS 
   
  (N SotSF) 
   
  (H SotSF, own) 
  
   
  202
   
  Generally, the hopper is not included in works describing small spacecraft. Rather, this vehicle type 
  is classified as ground equipment, considering its limited spatial or even transatmospheric 
  capabilities. The Benares class is an interesting exception, having forged its reputation primarily as 
  a starship auxiliary of sorts. 
   
  The through-deck cruisers of Coronado class were versatile vessels, not structurally optimized for 
  any single type of mission. In practice, their operational flexibility hinged on two factors: the ability 
  to support the widest possible variety of small craft, and the availability of such craft. Both the 
  requirements put demands on the craft rather than on the ships. Efforts to create the craft types 
  needed came a step or two behind Coronado development, forcing the ships to initially sail out with 
  nonoptimal mixes of pre-existing hardware.  
   
  The Benares troop deployment hopper was the only craft dedicated to Coronado operations that 
  could be fielded in time for the ship class inauguration. Essentially a suborbital, aerodynamic 
  vehicle adapted for orbit-to-surface operations, the Benares carried neither impulse nor warp 
  propulsion systems. Like its civilian counterparts, the hopper relied on gravitics and thermal 
  thrusters alone. The modest propulsion was the greatest strength of the design, as it allowed for 
  lightweight and compact construction wherein most of the interior of the ovoid hull was available 
  for troop accommodation. The sub-impulse hoppers could perform the tactical mission of assault 
  shuttles thanks to the nature of their mothership: a Coronado could literally drop them atop the 
  enemy from low orbit, while simultaneously providing firecover. This deployment mode led to the 
  Benares type sometimes being dubbed a ‘jumpship hopper’ or a ‘jumpship’ for short. 
  
   
  203
   
   
  The final N in the registry of Fighting Vehicle 536 marks her as capable of orbital deployment, there being little to tell her 
  apart from her suborbital sisters otherwise. The contrast to other hopper designs from the mid-23rd century is minor as 
  well, although typically the lifting body aerodynamics yield more to the need to maximize interior volume. 
   
  A single pilot could control the vehicle, enjoying direct forward view through a single small 
  viewport that had armored shutters. The troop accommodation was arranged with six seats on the 
  centerline, facing outward, and four on each side facing inward. Each seat featured a basic 
  communications hookup and a gooseneck retina projector for situational awareness. The orbital 
  deployment models had life support umbilicals as well, with the machinery stowed under the center 
  seats. In either version, the troops could disembark rapidly and safely through a wide rear 
  hatch/ramp that operated effortlessly in vacuum as well as under external atmospheric pressure; the 
  pilot would wear a pressure suit for all orbital and orbit-to-surface operations, even though the 
  troops seldom donned full spacesuits if the intended mission was on the ground. 
   
  Apart from duty aboard the through-deck cruisers and troopships, the Benares was widely utilized 
  as a battlefield hopper, and thus produced in four-digit numbers. The main suborbital variants 
  typically carried a more austere navigation suite and lacked the replenishment ports for personal life 
  support systems, but were otherwise identical to their spaceborne sisters. The squat little vehicles 
  could maneuver into and out of tight spots, and be easily hidden between or even inside buildings, 
  or covered in adaptive camouflage nets. Active defenses were not their forte, though. The troop 
  transports were never given shield generators of credible combat standard, and their armament was 
  limited to a single Type III emitter at ventral bow, lighter than assault shuttle standard and badly 
  positioned to protect the craft from pursuit or surprise attack. 
   
  To protect the hoppers against hostile forces, Starfleet hoped to field an impulse or subimpulse 
  fightercraft of similarly compact dimensions. When development was delayed beyond the start of 
  Benares operations, special gunship variants of the hoppers themselves filled the gaps. Three 
  turreted phaser III assemblies were added, each requiring a gunner. These units never saw combat 
  action, being replaced by Tycho fightercraft in the early sixties. The regular troop hoppers in turn 
  served through several low-intensity campaigns in the restless Dilithium Belt sectors in 2262-68, 
  mainly in support of peacekeeper and police forces. 
   
  The Benares survived in battlefield use in limited numbers until the 2290s. Starfleet withdrew its 
  final units from starships in 2269, however, briefly substituting the faster, slightly less capacious 
  Coronet hopper. Later assault starships kept embarking hoppers, yet generally not in the orbital 
  deployment role: a Steamrunner would typically carry some sixty to eighty such vehicles, but 
  
   
  204
  deliver them to the battlefield via heavy assault barges alongside skimmers, rollers and other ground 
  equipment. Direct deployment was deemed too risky in the threat environment of the 2290s already, 
  with increasing medium range phaser activity all across the battlefields. 
  Questor 
  Runabout 
  2259-2286 
   
  Completed: 
  149  
   
  Length: 
  16.0 m 
   
  Beam: 
  7.7 m 
   
  Height: 
  4.9 m 
   
  Mass: 
  511 tons 
   
  Crew: 
  1 
   
  Passengers: 
  1-3 
   
  Max. speed: 
  w 3.0 
   
  Endurance: 
  15 months 
   
  Weapons: 
  None 
   
  Shields: 
  1-layer globular forcefield 
   
  Navigational deflector on bow 
   
  Transporters: 
  None 
   
  Craft of historical interest: 
   
  SY Cybil Mae (NDG-22821) 
   
  SOURCES: 
  D TAS “The Survivor”, “Mudd’s Passion” (refinements Kris Trigwell) 
   
  (N own) 
   
  (H own) 
   
  Among the first small warp-driven Federation craft that were truly suited for interstellar operations 
  was the Questor class warp yacht. The extremely compact Class H commercial design featured a 
  small one-man cockpit with six angled windows at the bow of a main body of oval cross section, 
  and was propelled by two impressive-looking PNG-2 warp coil assemblies on sturdy side-by-side 
  dorsal pylons. The ratio of drive system volume to habitable volume was exceptionally high, but 
  this alone did not yet allow such a small craft to break the barriers of interstellar flight. 
   
  
   
  205
  The craft gained its interstellar legs through the adoption of a military-standard RMR-400 
  antimatter reactor, a simple and reliable design relying on a pulsed antimatter feed and a gas vortex 
  containment and cooling system. Second-stage plasma chargers added power to the design. An 
  impulse nozzle peered from atop the main hull, between the nacelles and above the main 
  powerplant. Ram air intakes on both sides of the hull and large skid-type landing pads were the 
  other significant protrusions from the geometrically simple hull. A speed of warp three could be 
  maintained for more than a year if necessary, allowing a determined pilot to reach a wide range of 
  interstellar targets. 
   
  Naturally, fifteen-month cruises were full of hardships for a one-man crew, and onboard conditions 
  could become unbearable in far shorter time. It took special courage for a pilot to venture that deep 
  into space aboard such a small craft. In addition to guts, special competence in warp engine repair 
  and antimatter technology was required for obtaining a master’s license for a Questor, not to 
  mention the considerable wealth needed to purchase the vessel in the first place. Typical customers 
  were corporations that utilized the vessels in short interstellar or insystem liaison operations; in 
  these less arduous journeys, up to three passengers in addition to the pilot could be semi-
  comfortably accommodated in the simple bunk compartment amidships and the central social space 
  and entry foyer forward of it. Access to and from the interior spaces was through side doors with 
  integrated one-man airlocks, or a dorsally deployed docking tube. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  A corporate Questor touching down on Mars, displaying the simple but efficient landing gear to advantage. Gas-heating 
  atmospheric engines handle precision guidance at final approach and touchdown, negating a need for powerful lateral 
  gravitics. 
   
  Some lone eccentrics in possession of sufficient resources did buy the vessels for personal use, be it 
  simple pleasure or more altruistic goals. Of the latter, the Australian-Denevan dilithium zillionaire 
  and philanthropist Carter Winston is a good example. Tragically, this colorful if controversial 
  researcher perished while exploring space on his own, in search of ancient, alien arts of healing. His 
  battered vessel Cybil Mae, recovered near the Romulan border by USS Enterprise, was in 2270 
  brought to display on the Winston memorial grounds in Canberra. 
   
  While theoretically stowable aboard starships, the Questor design did not quite meet Starfleet’s 
  needs for an advanced starship auxiliary. There were obvious shortcomings in the design from the 
  military point of view, like the lack of combat shielding or long-range communications or sensor 
  gear, or incompatibility of refueling and resupply systems. Much of the warp performance was 
  superfluous for a starship auxiliary, whereas onboard spaces were optimized for habitation, not 
  cargo and passenger volume and efficient ingress/egress. Still, an evaluation period in 2261-63 
  established the value of the craft in outpost liaison missions, and Starfleet purchased some 149 
  Questors for use as runabouts. These were mainly distributed across the administrative outposts of 
  the colonization zone, as well as a number of embassies and consulates on non-Federation worlds. 
   
  The last Questors were drawn from Fleet service in 2286, at which time comparable types of long-
  range shuttlecraft were already in regular use on starbases and being deployed on large starships as 
  well. Still, the Questor design had whetted Starfleet’s appetite for modern runabouts, and directly 
  
   
  206
  prompted the development of the Juneau class in the 2280s. Unofficially, several distant outposts 
  retained Questors for liaison tasks well into the 2320s. 
  Archer 
  Light scout 
  2261-2289 
   
  Completed: 
  40 
   
   
  Length: 
  45.5 m 
    
  Beam: 
  27.2 m 
   
  Height: 
  9.0 m 
   
  Mass: 
  9,100 tons  
   
  Officers: 
  4 
   
  Crew: 
  10 
   
  Cruise speed: 
  w 3 
   
  Max. speed: 
  w 5.1 
   
  Endurance: 
  5 months 
   
  Weapons: 
  2 phaser IV emitters on dorsal primary hull port/stbd 
   
  1 light fwd probe tube on dorsal primary hull w/10 probes 
   
  Shields: 
  1-layer globular forcefield 
   
  Navigational deflector on pod below primary hull bow 
   
  Transporters: 
  1 GP (1-pad); Mk III  
   
  Craft of historical interest: 
   
  USS Bowman (NCC-I884), USS Sagittarius (NCC-I894) 
    
  SOURCES: 
  (D Masao Okazaki & David Mack “Vanguard”) 
   
  (N David Mack “Vanguard”) 
   
  (H David Mack “Vanguard”) 
   
   
   
   
  
   
  207
   
  At the very lower limit of what Starfleet would acknowledge as ships, the two score tiny Archer 
  class scouts were both a technology demonstration and a potential solution to a pressing operational 
  problem. Due to their compact nature, they are described in the small craft section of this work, the 
  first heralds of the benefits of miniaturization in high performance warp propulsion.  
   
  The Sawyer light scouts had been retired at a time when the Federation had its hands full 
  maintaining its existing borders. Half a decade on, expansion was to commence again, spearheaded 
  by fast, far-ranging starships. Simple geometrical concerns dictated diminishing returns from the 
  increased procurement of such expensive assets, though; in addition to spearheads, Starfleet needed 
  lesser vessels to fill the gaps in between. Project Locust tried to address this concern with massive 
  numbers of small craft configured specifically for exploration, but the Mission and Chameleon units 
  had low endurance and were virtually defenseless in face of military threats. Starfleet wanted a 
  more survivable light scout of its own, a dual mission design capable of handling both resources 
  scouting and military reconnaissance. 
   
  The Prospecting And Reconnaissance Integrated Scoutship would have little in common with her 
  ‘civilian’ counterparts and their blocky construction. Rather, she would resemble a small starship in 
  appearance, with a compact saucer hull, a separate engineering section housing a RMR-600 
  miniature antimatter reactor and mounting two large CWD PB-39 engines for warp 5 dash 
  performance, and a life support system capable of providing for 14 people for up to five months. 
  The tiny ship would not haul extensive supplies for a survey base or pallets of sensors in a large 
  multipurpose hold, like Mission or Chameleon had done. The sensor payload would be packed into 
  a cluster of combat and navigation instruments in a ventral pod. Survey gear, including an all-
  terrain vehicle or two, would be carried in a tiny stern hold less than half the size of the Chameleon 
  cargo compartment. Space and resources would be dedicated instead to a probe launcher, a dorsally 
  
   
  208
  installed system with a magazine for 10 versatile reconnaissance drones or up to 50 smaller 
  sounding devices. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  A PARIS-High and a PARIS-Low join in a demonstration of comparative capabilities, with Starfleet representatives 
  aboard both vessels. The demonstration would secure contracts for M’Yengh on both Archer scouts and Karekh 
  prospectors, although not in the expected quantities. 
   
  The layout of the hull grew out of the simple need to pack these systems in as small a space as 
  possible. Crew berthing in the saucer required one deck only, with three-shift hot bunking for 
  twelve in four single cabins, and a small communal space serving as both a mess/galley and a 
  briefing room. Two slightly more private cabins were provided for the commanding and executive 
  officers, although the latter facility was reconfigurable as a miniature sickbay, while the former 
  often did double duty as a laboratory of sorts. The four-person bridge between the officer cabins 
  completed the crew-accessible spaces in the saucer; support systems were packed in a ventral bulge, 
  with slight ventral protrusions for a portside gangway and a starboard escape pod berth, and a 
  ventral stern hatch-ramp for accessing the cargo hold.  
   
  Main power generation was compartmentalized into a secondary hull which also extended forward 
  in a continuous spine atop the saucer. This forward part housed a single-pad transporter amidships 
  and the Mk 13P probe launcher at the bow. Single phaser IV turrets flanked the launcher, sharing 
  targeting resources and power loops. Level with the saucer aft rim was the impulse propulsion 
  system; warp power components, including the fully ejectable core and fuel pod, dangled behind the 
  saucer. Ladderways provided access to the transporter alcove and to the engineering spaces, and 
  allowed internal maintenance to be performed on the bow ventral sensor pod as well. 
   
  Simple horizontal pylons supported the nacelles so that the 3,000 ton coils in the aft sections 
  enjoyed an unobstructed view of each other, while the ramscoops of slightly larger diameter peeked 
  just above the main hull. The flat, closely spaced configuration gave commendably high speed at 
  the expense of maneuverability. The generously sized scoops in turn boosted deep space endurance, 
  compensating for up to 70% of fuel consumption in ideal cruising circumstances. 
   
  Despite being optimized for spatial operations, the PARIS was an adequate atmospheric performer, 
  and was cleared for landings and takeoffs in a variety of Class M environments. Unlike the clumsy 
  Missions, the PARIS had maneuvering power to spare for complex surface support operations. And 
  unlike Chameleon, the craft could perch itself on rough terrain thanks to an ingenious three point, 
  long stroke landing gear arrangement. 
   
  In 2260, the project had reached sufficient maturity for Starfleet to decide that it be split in two. 
  Many of the advanced features created for the program would be superfluous in the prospecting 
  mission. Exploration Command thus procured a parallel low-end craft in a more austere 
  configuration, in turn freeing the high-end design from some compromises inherent in the dual role. 
  In 2261, the PARIS-High was put into production as the Archer class of scouts. Initial plans called 
  for attaching of one Archer unit at every frontier starbase to expand their situational awareness 
  
   
  209
  horizons. To this end, twenty scouts were procured by 2264 and shipped to their assignments 
  aboard suitable large transports. Twenty more followed in 2269, differing from the first batch solely 
  in terms of naming practices – the theme of archery masters and hunting gods had been quickly 
  milked dry, and a more diverse range of vaguely militant names was opened up for future needs, 
  beginning with USS Nairobi (NCC-I900). Yet plans for deploying a further batch of forty in support 
  of rimward resource hunts were halted by a cost-efficiency analysis that favored the lighter Karekh 
  (PARIS-Low) craft on one hand, the more capable Garneau derivatives on the other. Despite 
  retaining the ability, Archer was never to assume a prospecting role; the thoroughbred spyship 
  remained an expensive if capable toy of frontier intelligence chiefs.  
   
   
  The Rama (NCC-I905) makes good use of local resources to extract herself from yet another misadventure. 
   
  The scout never quite gained a clear-cut successor, either. While Karekhs were eventually refitted 
  with linear-excitation warp engine technology, and as the result attained propulsive parity with the 
  original Archers, there was no interest in re-engining the military scouts in the same manner, for no 
  tangible gain. In the seventies, Starfleet Intelligence readily switched over to the improved Karekhs 
  which accommodated slightly larger crews and bigger cargo holds, even if they did omit the handy 
  probe launcher and (as far as is known) the defensive armament. Towards the end of the decade, the 
  Archers began showing signs of their age. Unit after unit was removed from frontline duty, not the 
  least because Klingon aggression was ramping up. By the eighties, Archers no longer dared operate 
  in contested space, enjoying neither the protection of sufficient escape speed nor the cover of 
  adequate stealth. 
   
  Yet in the thirty years of active operations, the tiny scouts had proved their worth many times over. 
  Many of their intelligence victories went unannounced, of course, but their role in filling the gaps in 
  exploration in the sixties was widely acclaimed. Some vessels like the Kyūdō (NCC-I889) and 
  Bowman (NCC-I884) even scored combat victories against pirates, earning the gratitude of frontier 
  
   
  210
  traders and colonists. In contrast, the Sagittarius (NCC-I894) was involved in the cover-up that 
  exposed the colony of Gamma Tauri IV to alien attack, with fatal consequences. 
   
  Currently, some half a dozen Archers are maintained as museum pieces on Starfleet installations 
  across the Federation. Only one remains spaceworthy, however: the Flidais (formerly NCC-I887) 
  has been fitted with a modern powerplant and continues warp operations for recreational purposes 
  at Hanuman. 
  Karekh 
  Prospector 
  2261-2339 
   
  Completed: 
  125 
   
  Length: 
  35.0 m 
   
  Beam: 
  26.1 m 
   
  Height: 
  6.9 m (original) 
   
  7.0 m (refit) 
   
  Mass: 
  9,140 tons (original)  
   
  14,530 tons (refit) 
   
  Crew: 
  5-9 (original) 
   
  6-9 (refit) 
   
  Cruise speed: 
  w 3 
   
  Max. speed: 
  w 4 (original) 
   
  w 5 (refit) 
   
  Endurance: 
  1 year 
   
  Weapons: 
  None (original) 
   
  1 fwd phaser IV emitter (refit, possibly intelligence scouts) 
   
  Shields: 
  1-layer globular forcefield 
   
  Navigational deflector on ventral bow 
   
  Laboratories: 
  1 mineralogy (prospector) 
   
  1 sigint (intelligence scout) 
   
  Transporters: 
  1 GP (2-pad); Mk III 
   
  Craft of historical interest: 
   
  SS Alexey Stakahanov (NAR-31473), USS Ariel (NCC-I904) 
    
  SOURCES: 
  (D FASA) 
   
  (N FASA) 
   
  (H FASA) 
  
   
  211
   
  When Starfleet in 2259 launched the Prospecting And Reconnaissance Integrated Scoutcraft 
  program, the blatantly spelled-out intent was to procure just a single type of craft for both resource 
  hunting and military scouting. Yet the challenges of improving upon the performance of the 
  Mission scoutcraft were quickly found too great, and the conceptual dream of a warp 3/5+ light 
  prospector gave way to mundane warp 3/4 reality. This was still an improvement over the Sulek 
  family of prospecting vessels, and in 2260, Starfleet agreed to bifurcating PARIS to the high-end 
  Archer scouts and the Karekh series of prospectors. 
   
  Karekh held on to some Mission concepts, such as low-slung, solid state nacelles trailing behind the 
  center of aerodynamic lift, extremely lightweight hull construction, and a ventral hatch for effortless 
  equipment loading and offloading. Internally she was a prospector through and through, however: 
  the two decks in the sleek, circular hull 19 m in diameter were optimized for long term habitation 
  for a multitasked crew of five to nine. Versatile analysis systems were compacted and automated so 
  that the powerful L-14 computer could turn the single humble assay room into a university-standard 
  laboratory.  
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Service in Starfleet Intelligence does not always entail covert excitement and mortal danger. This publicity photo of USS 
  Ariel (NCC-I904) is from a pre-contact survey mission where the only party kept in the dark was the native population of 
  Beldan II. Note the extensive forward dorsal viewport and its two ventral counterparts, invaluable aids at landing the 
  vessel. Also obvious are the separation lines that allow jettisoning of the propulsion systems in emergencies, leaving a 
  smooth, aerodynamically stable saucer as the survival section for the crew. 
   
  
   
  212
  Spinoff technology from the Archer program further improved on the basic capabilities. A modern 
  Mk III transporter was something of a luxury item aboard the fully landing-capable vessel. A 
  ventral garage just aft of the saucer hull, in the engineering structure that also supported the engine 
  booms, provided additional access by housing a pair of surface vehicles and full survey gear. The 
  prospector was secured for underwater operations, and accepted a variety of fuel grades for both the 
  main m/am reactor and the two small fusion backups integral in the impulse systems of the booms. 
   
  With the 21 m, 4,100 ton DB-40 engines at 60% power, warp 4 could be achieved and maintained 
  for some 12 hours. Extra power could be channeled to powerful shields, but no armament was fitted 
  on any of the 125 craft procured. Unlike Archer, the prospector was supposed to steer clear of 
  trouble, even if the missions took the type much farther out than the lesser Sulek and Velikovski 
  vessels. The vast majority of the vessels were delivered to civilian prospecting enterprises, with 
  Starfleet initially only taking possession of 12 hulls for SF Intelligence needs.  
   
  As prospecting operations wound down in the 2280s, surprisingly many of the Karekhs were still 
  spaceworthy. In an attempt to re-enact the success of Project Locust, Starfleet purchased 85 of the 
  survivors and engaged in a refitting project that would give the vessels linear-excitation engines and 
  a modest phaser armament. In functional terms, the project was a disaster, resulting in a grossly 
  overweight design of poorly defined operational concept. Space within the range of the improved 
  vessels was already thoroughly charted in mineralogical terms, and Exploration Command 
  attempted in vain to find a meaningful deep space role for the type. The eventual niche for the 
  upgraded Karekh class, dutifully filled until the late 2330s, was as pathfinders for colonization 
  missions in low-risk regions. 
   
  The upgraded Karekh prospector Alexey Stakhanov (in Starfleet hull paint but without the associated pennants, indicating 
  her recent adoption by a private operator) banks away from an Enterprise heavy cruiser at the beginning of a pre-
  colonization survey in a system declared safe by the starship. The prospector-scouts also ran liaison missions between 
  
   
  213
  colonization parties and Starfleet, and acted as the eyes and ears of the military at a time when even regions deep within 
  UFP borders could be penetrated by cloaked Klingon raiders. In November 4th, 2291, the Stakhanov did not survive her 
  Klingon encounter. 
  Tycho 
  Light sublight fightercraft 
  2262-2289 
   
  Completed: 
  720  
   
  Length: 
  4.8 m 
   
  Beam: 
  4.4 m (wings extended) 
   
  2.8 m (wings folded) 
   
  Height: 
  1.7 m (wings extended) 
   
  1.3 m (wings folded) 
   
  Mass: 
  42 tons w/o work pod 
   
  Crew: 
  1 
   
  Max. speed: 
  0.8 c 
   
  Endurance: 
  4 days 
   
  Weapons: 
  2 phaser IV emitters on ventral bow 
   
  Shields: 
  1-layer conformal forcefield 
   
  Transporters: 
  None 
   
  SOURCES: 
  (D Brian Thomas) 
   
  (N Diane Carey “Dreadnought!”) 
   
  (H Diane Carey “Dreadnought!”, own) 
   
  The much-needed compact escort craft for troop hoppers and assault shuttles was finally created out 
  of modular elements. The basis for the sublight escort design was the ubiquitous Patterson-Massey 
  PFD-200 series work pod design, the most recent representative of the pod category commonly 
  known as the ‘workbee’. The barebones pressurized control cabin had already been fitted onto a 
  variety of space cranes, cargo module trains and waldoes in several imaginative ways. It was also a 
  more or less standard feature aboard all starships in the 2260s, and as such a practical life support 
  module for the projected fightercraft. 
   
  At Starfleet request, an impulse engine for space propulsion, a pair of wings for atmospheric 
  maneuverability, a gravitic system for deck handling and landing, and a shield generator were 
  clustered by Daewoo into a single module massing just 42 tons despite the driver and shield coils. 
  The workbee cabin would latch onto the bow of the module, cradled on the lower flanks by a 
  structure that extended the shield grid over the cabin. The cradle also mounted compact phaser IV 
  emitters, to give sting to the ‘hornet’, as the modular mini-fighter fondly was called. 
   
  The more official designation for the craft was Tycho Class Five sublight fightercraft. Up to eight 
  Tycho kits were carried aboard select heavy cruisers and twelve aboard some heavy frigates from 
  2262 onwards. The workbees could be turned into Tychos at a moment’s notice, the moment being 
  somewhat shorter on the frigates (20 minutes) than on the cruisers (40-50 minutes) due to the more 
  accessible stowage arrangements and the roomier processing spaces. Coronado through-deck 
  cruisers now routinely carried preassembled Tychos, rather than Torches or Talions, for troop 
  transport escort, although these came too late to protect the vulnerable first generation of Benares 
  hoppers whose withdrawal from the ships began in 2265. Folding wings allowed for very compact 
  stowage even when assembled. 
  
   
  214
   
  The Polliwog, a kit assigned to USS Enterprise as of 2270, cradles a workbee, but not of the PFD-200 series. The kits 
  were compatible with a range of work pod cabin models; a pilotless command capsule was also proposed but found 
  inferior to the use of dedicated combat drones. 
   
  The Tycho cabin/engine combination was flawless in technological execution, but suffered from 
  several shortcomings nevertheless. Onboard typical multipurpose vessels, the process of assembling 
  or disassembling the craft was found disruptive to normal operations. What some strategists 
  dismissed as a minor nuisance, the captains of these ships considered a price not worth paying, not 
  for the minuscule tactical value of the Tycho. Planetary assault escort was the only plausible task for 
  the craft; attacks against starships would have been suicide, and defense of mothership an equally 
  untenable position. Low endurance (four days at economic flight mode), low acceleration (200 g at 
  best) and limited onboard avionics further reduced the space combat value of the Tycho; they were 
  the direct result of using the cramped, sparsely equipped and fragile work pod as the structural core. 
   
  As a tactical concept, the sublight escort fighter remained a contested issue. The actual operational 
  record of the Tycho class played a far smaller role in the debate than century-old doctrinal views 
  did. No true combat victories could be scored in Tycho operations between 2263 and 2282, due to 
  the overcautious deployment tactics employed. On the other hand, losses were light, mostly limited 
  to noncombat failures of navigation or life support systems, or the rare reactor explosion. Cabin 
  separation via an explosive severing of the cradle structure was a theoretical emergency bailout 
  option, yet was never successfully performed in an operational situation. 
   
  After the end of active operations in early 2280s, the Tycho was flown in the basic trainer role at 
  Starfleet Academy. In a sense, this came naturally for the craft since, among other things, the work 
  pod had recently been harnessed as a shipboard flight simulator cabin. The ‘retirement job’ did not 
  last long, however. Having nongeneric control qualities and performance, yet not corresponding to 
  any operational craft either, the Tycho was a nonideal trainer in every respect. By 2289, only a 
  couple of dozen craft were still flying, mainly for nostalgic reasons. In the final burst of escalation 
  before the Khitomer peace, nostalgia did not carry far, and the Gadfly light impulse fightercraft was 
  substituted as the basic/lead-in trainer. 
  Epsilon 
  Cutter 
  2263-2290 
   
  Completed: 
  805 total: 
   
   
  461 Mk I built in 2263-65 
   
  344 Mk II built in 2266-68 
   
  Length: 
  86.0 m  
  
   
  215
   
  Beam: 
  18.0 m (landing gear stowed) 
   
  28.2 m (landing gear extended) 
   
  Height: 
  12.0 m 
   
  Mass: 
  43,925 tons (Mk I) 
   
  51,975 tons (Mk II) 
   
  Crew: 
  25 (Mk I) 
   
  28 (Mk II) 
   
  Passengers: 
  10 (Mk II) 
   
  Cargo: 
  250 tons (Mk II) 
   
  Cruise speed: 
  w 6 (Mk I) 
  w 5 (Mk II) 
   
  Max. speed: 
  w 8.0 (Mk I) 
  w 6.0 (Mk II) 
   
  Endurance: 
  15 months 
   
  Weapons: 
  2 phaser IV emitters on port/stbd stub wings 
   
  2 phaser III emitters on port/stbd stub wings 
   
  Shields: 
  1-layer globular forcefield 
   
  Navigational deflector on bow 
   
  Transporters: 
  1 GP (6-pad), 1 small cargo; Mk III 
   
  SOURCES: 
  (D FASA; inconsistent three-way divided into the two variants listed) 
   
  (N FASA) 
   
  (H FASA) 
   
  The Epsilon was in 2261 drafted as a twofold improvement on the Solar class of cutters. It was to 
  introduce the PB-60 warp engine for higher performance, as well as provide the configuration with 
  full transatmospheric, landing and takeoff capabilities. In the end, customers also opted for 
  reengining their Solars and refurbishing their fatigued hulls, thus yielding PB-60 -propelled cutters 
  in 2262 already. Yet the first Epsilons of 2263 represented such a concentration of capabilities that 
  nearly all government acquisition programs on revenue cutters from then on opted for this design, 
  despite its higher unit cost. 
   
  The propulsion section of the Epsilon was from the start optimized for the PB-60 engine, featuring 
  swept-back pylons that distributed the weight of the nacelles better than the straight Solar ones 
  originally built for DB-2250 / PB-40. There was no radiator-clad reactor section now, as the newer 
  
   
  216
  engines could run on lower reactor output levels; the antimatter powerplant was neatly housed 
  within the aft end of a smooth hull of ovoid cross section. Various support system appendages did 
  project through the dorsal side, though, and there was a ventral canoe fairing for antimatter tankage 
  and for mounting the central, non-retractable landing leg that also featured the main ground 
  accessway. Two other legs would hinge out horizontally on their long, angled struts, stabilizing the 
  craft on the ground. 
   
  The hull tapered as it extended forward, featuring a bow undercut in which an Arkenis D20 
  navigational deflector was housed. Atop were two saddle mounts for communications systems and 
  sensors, as well as a small dome for the three-person flight deck. 
   
  Weaponry was mounted on stub wings that would fold out from the lower hull flanks, and 
  comprised twin phaser mounts on each wing: one Type IV for antiship applications, and one Type 
  III for atmospheric use and possible ground combat support duties. A gangway hatch was located 
  on the port side of the hull just above the port weapons wing, and was equipped with forced entry 
  tooling to enable boarding of uncooperative vessels, be it in law enforcement or rescue duty. 
   
  Some 460 units were produced in 2263-65. These saw widespread service in the starports of the 
  outer colony worlds where the landing capability simplified maintenance considerably. Few were 
  assigned as direct replacements of Solars, though: refurbished older craft and late production 
  versions of Solar held on to the core starport assignments for the time being. They’d soon need a 
  successor for their sheer fatigue, however. VXT thus conducted careful analysis on the desired 
  characteristics of the follow-on design. 
   
  As the result, the next Epsilon variant was configured with large side sponsons for carrying of cargo 
  and passengers (or in the typical case, impounded goods and incarcerated wrongdoers). Both 
  sponsons now featured gangway hatches and associated tractor cranes for moving the cargo. The 
  nose profile of this Mk II cutter was trimmed down to keep the center of mass close to the original 
  location atop the ventral takeoff engine, which was in turn swapped for a more powerful type. In 
  contrast, the warp engines were downgraded for affordability: significant savings came from the 
  adoption of the older DB-2243 familiar from Argon transports. Performance was accordingly 
  reduced to warp 5/6, and some seven thousand tons were added to total mass, yet satisfied 
  customers eagerly bought some 340 craft to replace their Solars. 
   
  Starfleet Training Command ended up purchasing just four Mk I craft for basic training and later 
  adding two ex-FCS Mk II craft for support duties. These were retired in 2290. 
  Ranger 
  Scout / courier 
  2264-2324 
   
  Completed: 
  264 total: 
   
   
  102 Mk I in 2264-2268 
  3 Mk II refitted from Mk I and 105 built in 2269-71 
  54 Mk III built in 2272-74 
    
   
  Length: 
  68.0 m 
    
  Beam: 
  43.5 m 
   
  Height: 
  16.0 m 
   
  Mass: 
  81,300 tons (Mk I) 
   
  85,150 tons (Mk II) 
  
   
  217
   
  89,300 tons (Mk III) 
   
  Officers: 
  4 
   
  Crew: 
  19 (Mk I) 
   
  23 (Mk II, III) 
   
  Passengers: 
  10-50 
   
  Cruise speed: 
  w 5 
   
  Max. speed: 
  w 7.1 
   
  Endurance: 
  18 months 
   
  Weapons: 
  2 phaser III emitters in single banks on bow port/stbd of deflectors (Mk I) 
   
  4 phaser IV emitters in 2 twin banks on dorsal hull port/stbd (Mk II, III) 
   
  1 fwd light torpedo tube on ventral hull w/10 photorps (optional) 
   
  1 aft light torpedo tube on dorsal hull w/10 photorps (optional) 
   
  Shields: 
  1-layer globular forcefield 
   
  Twin navigational deflectors on primary hull bow 
   
  Transporters: 
  2 GP (1-pad), 1 emergency evacuation (padless); Mk III  
   
  Auxiliaries: 
  2 shuttlepods (Mk I) 
   
  Craft of historical interest: 
   
  USS Strider (NCC-7141), USS Francis Marion (NCC-7168) 
    
  SOURCES: 
  (D FASA, dimensions altered) 
   
  (N FASA) 
   
  (H FASA) 
   
   
  VXT wasn’t the only company interested in making use of the new PB-60 engine, and Federation 
  Customs Service wasn’t the only organization interested in purchasing the resulting vessels. Yet the 
  market niche remained a narrow one in the 2260s, as antimatter powerplants remained expensive to 
  operate. People capable of securing a private warp five yacht could well be assumed to have 
  powerful backers of possibly shady repute, and to utilize their high speed craft for dubious 
  purposes. Larger vessels with more obvious utility value were the safer bet for the designers and 
  marketers, and in 2263, Panastris took on the challenge. 
   
  The market Panastris aimed at was not the generic warp five transport, since PB-40 was already 
  giving maximum performance for the Tavares class, and the newer engine would only generate 
  deadly field gradients if semi-internally mounted onto the compact vessel. A higher-performing 
  vessel would need to mount the engines on long pylons, in such a configuration as to rule out 
  
   
  218
  landing capability. So a thoroughbred starcraft was built instead, with a clean 36 meter saucer hull 
  that mounted a powerful deflector and sensor array at centerline bow and twin impulse engines on 
  the trailing edge. The reactor sat in the very middle, atop an IMRF crystal that completed the 
  propulsive ensemble of the craft. Reactor control spaces and the flight control center were 
  combined into a compact facility just ahead of the reactor, atop the bow arrays. 
   
  The bow quarters of the hull were left for crew and passengers, with wraparound window slits and 
  shutterable dorsal and ventral portholes. The spaces could be configured for various purposes, 
  including separate cabins, communal areas or various functional facilities. A single transporter pad 
  was provided on each side, and the initial model also featured compact dorsal berths for three-
  person shuttlepods. The discerning customer could add centerline launchers for light torpedoes and 
  two phaser III emitters on the lower corners of the bow array. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  A rare Ranger to Ranger meeting in deep space. The craft often operated in groups of three in local defense missions, but 
  courier or scouting tasks were handled solo. These Mk I craft fire their original bow phasers to good effect. Note also the 
  field constrictors and modified ramscoops on the PB-60s, optimized for the rare high endurance role of the engine here. 
   
  More than a hundred of these large craft were sold as couriers to various Federation customers; 
  Panastris was unable to secure rights to offer the PB-60 to foreign markets, and there would have 
  been no point in offering the craft with a lesser engine. Government orders followed after a more 
  heavily armed and provisioned Mk II variant was introduced. The most visible change was 
  replacement of pod berths with twin Type IV phasers, giving the model serious firepower for 
  gunboat missions. A final batch of fifty was added in the early seventies, before the benefits of 
  linear excitation warp drives began to trickle down to this size range of starcraft. 
   
  Starfleet Training Command made use of fifteen of the craft (NCC-T6000-T6014), gradually selling 
  them forward to the civilian market in a stripped-down configuration until just three were left. 
  These soldiered on until 2324, providing practical training in high speed astrogation and allowing 
  for extended missions involving large numbers of trainees. Forty more saw brief service in armed 
  light scouting and courier duty, with regular registries in the NCC-7140-7179 range. These were 
  attached to border starbases and outposts, and continued the work of the smaller Archer scouts 
  under their commercial class name Ranger, despite name conflict with the frontier cruisers from the 
  beginning of the century. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  A different kind of Ranger to Ranger encounter. In theory, USS Ibn Rustah of Pytheas subclass kept the cruiser class name 
  Ranger in active Starfleet use till the 2290s, creating terminological overlap with the small craft. In practice, confusion 
  was unlikely in every respect. 
  
   
  219
   
  Up to thirty Mk II and III craft are also known to have been operated by Starfleet Intelligence at 
  various times, presumably also taking part in corsair operations. A corresponding number were 
  dedicated to combat tasks in regional fleets and mercenary organizations, both of which met with 
  federal disapproval in the early 24th century and had to downscale their operations. 
   
   
  USS Strider in distress.The offensive action taken by the scout against the Klingon Empire in 2273 was never given a 
  satisfactory public explanation, nor was the timidity of the Klingon response. The mysteries are typical of the era of 
  clandestine operations and counteroperations that was supposed to culminate in open war. 
  
   
  220
  Tai / Sait 
  Light courier 
  2265-2357 
   
  Completed: 
  183 sleds total: 
   
  111 Tai 
  72 Sait 
   
   
  468 pods total: 
   
   
  170 Atai 
   
  78 Fikaru 
   
  180 Manasu 
   
  40 Chisu 
   
  Length: 
  48.0 m (Tai sled) 
   
  50.2 m (Sait sled)  
   
   
  18.7 m (Atai pod) 
   
  28.3 m (Atai pod w/ warp engines) 
   
   
  19.5 m (Fikaru pod) 
   
  29.2 m (Fikaru pod w/ warp engines) 
   
   
  13.8 m (Manasu pod) 
   
  20.1 m (Manasu pod w/ warp engines) 
   
   
  10.0 m (Chisu pod)  
   
  Beam: 
  25.6 m (Tai, Sait sled)  
   
   
  11.1 m (Atai pod) 
   
  15.0 m (Atai pod w/ impulse engines) 
   
  22.3 m (Atai pod w/ warp engines) 
   
   
  8.2 m (Fikaru pod)  
   
  11.2 m (Fikaru pod w/ impulse engines) 
  18.6 m (Fikaru pod w/ warp engines) 
   
   
  7.8 m (Manasu pod) 
   
  9.6 m (Manasu pod w/ impulse engines) 
  16.1 m (Manasu pod w/ warp engines) 
   
   
  5.6 m (Chisu pod)  
   
  6.4 m (Chisu pod w/ impulse engines) 
   
  Height: 
  8.5 m (Tai sled) 
   
  10.8 m (Sait sled) 
   
  4.4 m (Atai pod) 
  22.3 m (Atai pod w/ warp engines) 
   
  4.2 m (Fikaru pod) 
  4.6 m (Fikaru pod w/ warp engines) 
   
   
  3.5 m (Manasu pod) 
  5.3 m (Manasu pod w/ warp engines) 
   
  3.1 m (Chisu pod) 
   
  Mass: 
  48,800 tons (Tai sled) 
   
  72,800 tons (Sait sled) 
   
  88 tons (Atai pod) 
  182 tons (Atai pod w/ impulse engines) 
  524 tons (Atai pod w/ impulse and warp engines) 
   
   
  122 tons (Fikaru pod) 
  211 tons (Fikaru pod w/ impulse engines) 
  843 tons (Fikaru pod w/ impulse and warp engines) 
   
   
   
  72 tons (Manasu pod) 
   
  124 tons (Manasu pod w/ impulse engines) 
  
   
  221
   
  355 tons (Manasu pod w/ impulse and warp engines) 
   
   
  59 tons (Chisu pod) 
   
  89 tons (Chisu pod w/ impulse engines) 
   
  Crew: 
  None (Tai, Sait) 
  4 (Atai) 
   
  5 (Fikaru) 
   
  2 (Manasu, Chisu) 
   
  Passengers: 
  14 (Atai) 
   
  38 (Fikaru) 
   
  6 (Manasu) 
   
  2 (Chisu) 
   
  Max. speed: 
  w 4.1 (Tai) 
   
  w 4.9 (Sait) 
   
  W 5 (both sleds, adopted after 2309) 
   
  w 2.0 (Atai w/ warp engines) 
   
  w 2.1 (Fikaru w/ warp engines) 
   
  w 1.9 (Manasu w/ warp engines) 
   
  Endurance: 
  3 weeks (w/ warp sled) 
   
  5 days (w/ impulse or warp engines) 
   
  Weapons: 
  2 phaser IV emitters atop main hull of pod (all pods) 
   
  2 phaser IV emitters on ventral bow of pod (select Atai, Fikaru, most Manasu) 
   
  1 phaser IV emitter on ventral bow of pod (most Chisu) 
   
  2 phaser V emitters on warp sled mid-hull 
   
  Hardpoints provided for 4 weapons pods on the warp sled 
   
  Shields: 
  1-layer conformal forcefield (all pods) 
   
  1-layer conformal forcefield (Tai, Sait) 
   
  Navigational deflector at midhull (Tai, Sait) 
   
  Transporters: 
  Normally none 
   
  1 emergency evacuation (2-pad); Mk III or IV (some Atai) 
   
  SOURCES: 
  D TMP/Andrew Probert (Jackill, Reeves-Stevenses “Ashes of Eden”) 
   
  (N Jackill, own) 
   
  (H own, Reeves-Stevenses “Ashes of Eden”) 
   
  One of the most important light courier types of Starfleet in the late 23rd century was the Tai/Sait 
  class. These couriers were actually two-component craft, and the class names Tai and Sait refer to 
  the two models of the warp propulsion component, an unmanned sled featuring two or three warp 
  nacelles, respectively. Unlike in the contemporary Richtofen class, each of the long, slender nacelles 
  formed a self-contained propulsive module, with sensors at bow, warp coils and ramscoops 
  amidship, and reactors, fuel pods and impulse engines astern. The nacelles hung below a flat 
  structure that housed docking mechanisms, shield and deflector systems and various other 
  navigation subsystems. For planetary landings, the warp section was left in orbit, while a small, 
  wedge-like shuttlepod performed the actual planetfall. 
   
  There was a large family of shuttlepod designs available for use with the Tai and Sait warp sleds. 
  For courier duty, the most widely used type was the Atai shuttlepod, an 88 ton, 18.7 m vehicle 
  capable of carrying up to 14 passengers in relative comfort, or smaller diplomatic parties in 
  significant luxury. The crew of four enjoyed a completely synthetic view of the outside from a 
  flight deck situated behind a flat-plate atmospheric shield. Below the deck was the main cabin area, 
  with a portside entry door with a small ramp for ground access, and sets of windows to port and 
  starboard. Beyond these lay a sectioned passenger/cargo compartment with a standard configuration 
  for two large and two small cabins. At the extreme stern, an airlock with a standard docking collar 
  and two to six spacesuits provided exterior access and interfacing with other spacecraft or 
  installations. A ventral iris hatch catered for the rare situations where access to and from the warp 
  sled was needed, while a corresponding dorsal hatch was for emergency use only. 
   
  
   
  222
  Most engineering facilities, small in size due to the nonindependent nature of the craft, were 
  conveniently mounted above the habitat area. Thanks to standardized interface arrangements, the 
  main power systems could be directly coupled to those of the warp sled whenever the craft was 
  attached to one. Latching was handled by two large gravitic plates at the bottom; four smaller 
  gravitic emitters facilitated soft landing. Propulsion was limited to RCS thrusters at the corners of 
  the spaceframe, but the craft had integrated shielding systems and even sported two phaser IV 
  emitters atop the hull. Some Atai models also featured additional emitters at ventral bow, offering a 
  field of fire forward and down even in attached flight mode. 
   
  Four principal variants of the shuttlepod were in Starfleet service. In addition to Atai, a stretched 
  heavy cargo version dubbed the Fikaru class could be operated from the Tai and Sait platforms. The 
  Fikaru had broad side doors and ramps and a dorsal rolling door for cargo loading and offloading, 
  and sported a relatively austere one-deck crew area, but carried essentially the same systems as the 
  Atai. Two compact liaison vessels, the Manasu and Chisu classes, were seldom operated from 
  aboard the warp sleds, although they, too, sported the required interfaces. Instead, the smaller craft 
  were used as starbase and starship auxiliaries, mainly by the Vulcans but to some degree by 
  Starfleet as well – they were for example adopted for the Akula class PA ships which had no hangar 
  facilities for other types of craft. 
   
  Each shuttlepod came with accessories that could turn it into an independently operable shuttlecraft. 
  There were lateral impulse engine packs available for all four types, and combined impulse and 
  warp packs for Atai, Fikaru and Manasu. Propulsive performance was comparable to standard 
  shuttlecraft of the time, save for limited endurance. Accessorizing also included lateral and dorsal 
  weapon packs and extension modules for the pressurized volume, yet Starfleet had little use for 
  these. Indeed, the necessity of stockpiling add-on modules made the shuttlepod family generally 
  unattractive for starship auxiliary applications. A typical starship would need both Manasu 
  personnel and Fikaru cargo craft, and separate impulse and/or warp-plus-impulse packs for each, 
  there being extremely few situations where the pods would be useful in unboosted configuration. 
   
  Yet even as wholly integrated shuttlecraft of other types were purchased for starships, Starfleet’s 
  inventory in the late 2260s grew to include 111 Tai and 72 Sait sleds and nearly five hundred 
  compatible pods of various kinds. The three-nacelled Sait variants initially enjoyed a top speed 
  advantage and later served as executive long range shuttles for UFP officials and Starfleet 
  Admiralty, while the standard two-engined Tai craft performed more general courier duties. Vulcan, 
  the original manufacturer of the type, remained a principal operator, with more than seven hundred 
  sleds and thousands of pods. The design also saw extensive service among Andorians (as the Vasej 
  class) and Vegans (where the name Lzzak, or Javelin, was adopted). 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
   
  223
   
   
  Still decelerating toward SB 72, a Sait sled releases an Atai courier pod and prepares to receive a fully laden Fikaru in a 
  largely automated touch-and-go maneuver. Interestingly, this Fikaru also sports lateral impulse packs, suggesting an 
  independent interplanetary mission at the other end. This combination was a rarity in normal courier duty, as the warp 
  sleds were by no means in short supply and could be assigned to deliver their pods to the very doorstep of the customer. 
  Note the characteristic pink paint scheme of Vulcan Diplomatic Service on the Atai, and the contrasting beige of the sled 
  and the Starfleet Fikaru. 
   
  Starfleet retired most of the two-engined vessels in 2331, as new Peregrine light craft offered 
  greater flexibility and their heavier Condor sisters carried more cargo, both at greater warp speeds 
  than the Tai/Atais or Tai/Fikarus. But many of these craft continued in UFP diplomatic service, 
  offering high passenger comfort as well as starship-like speeds. Some Sait/Atai or Sait/Fikaru craft 
  also continued in Starfleet service until the late 2340s. Vulcan still operates the type in civilian 
  roles, and provides Federation customers with a wide range of evolved models as well. However, 
  Vulcan input in Starfleet small craft design and production is diminishing, despite continuing 
  cooperation on theoretical propulsion studies. Apparently, the logic of constantly striving to 
  increase the speed and range of small craft evades the Vulcans, who are perfectly satisfied with the 
  current selection of liaison vessels. 
  Leonardo / Rogge / Carbonare 
  Corsair 
  2268-2307 
   
  Completed: 
  180 total: 
   
  116 Leonardo 
  28 Rogge 
  36 Carbonare 
   
  Length: 
  86.4 m (Leonardo) 
   
  89.0 m (Rogge, Carbonare) 
   
  Beam: 
  30.2 m 
   
  Height: 
  17.8 m 
   
  Mass: 
  176,000 tons (Leonardo, estimated) 
   
  202,000 tons (Rogge, estimated) 
   
  216,500 tons (Carbonare, estimated) 
   
  Officers: 
  2 (ship operations) 
   
  1 (boarding operations) 
   
  Crew: 
  8 (ship operations, Leonardo) 
   
  10 (ship operations, Rogge, Carbonare) 
   
  30 (boarding operations) 
   
  Cruise speed: 
  w 3 
   
  Max. speed: 
  w 4.5 (estimated) 
   
  Endurance: 
  5 months (estimated) 
   
  Weapons: 
  2 phaser IV emitters on dorsal hull 
   
  2 phaser IV emitters on ventral hull (Carbonare) 
   
  Additional special weapons assumed carried 
   
  Shields: 
  1-layer globular forcefield 
   
  Transporters: 
  4 assault (2-pad); Mk III (Leonardo) 
   
  4 assault (2-pad); Mk IV or V (Rogge, Carbonare) 
   
  Craft of historical interest: 
   
  
   
  224
  USS Rockefeller (NCC-R045) 
   
  SOURCES: 
  (D SRC) 
   
  (N SRC) 
   
  (H own) 
   
  Certain aspects of Starfleet covert operations have always bordered on the illegal. While there is 
  little evidence that SF Intelligence played anything but a loyalist role in the coup attempts of 2270, 
  2293 and 2372, several operations have involved gross violation of the sovereignty and rights of 
  targeted political entities or persons, both within and outside the UFP. Still, strict safeguards 
  supposedly are in place to prohibit SFI from participating in assassinations, kidnappings, mind 
  altering and torture, which are standard procedure for many other intelligence agencies. In light of 
  this, it is rather curious that Starfleet in late 2260s would have mandated operations amounting to 
  piracy. Yet from the 24th century viewpoint, there are few other ways to describe the corsair 
  operations that took place during the Organian peace.  
   
  As soon as SFI realized what disastrous effects the peace would have on its ability to directly gather 
  intelligence on the Klingon Empire, arrangements were made to start gathering it in a more 
  circumspect manner. The Empire was far from independent economically. Even though scores of 
  conquered planets and subject races labored to keep the highly centralized core of the Empire fed 
  and armed, trade relationships and bilateral pacts with outsiders were equally vital to the survival of 
  the Empire and the stability of the seat of the Chancellor. They were also the Empire’s greatest 
  weakness, and SFI was determined to exploit it. 
   
  In order to infiltrate the flow of traffic to and from the Empire, SFI needed inconspicuous vessels 
  crewed by reliable agents. It soon became evident that the latter could not be drafted from within 
  the Empire, which was at the peak of its expansionist period and thus also of its self-assurance. In 
  November 23rd, 2267, an alternative approach was taken: operatives deployed from corvette Lyra 
  (NCC-723) surprised the crew of Barolian transport Ditima and commandeered her into the Empire, 
  using her regular cargo run to H’atoria and back as a cover for signals intelligence gathering and 
  covert mapping. The crew was released from custody two weeks later, suffering from amnesia – 
  whether due to drugs, telepathic manipulation or generous payment, records do not tell. 
   
  Obviously, such foolhardy operations could not continue without significant risk of politically 
  disastrous exposure. Yet the commandeering of mercantile vessels was a potent weapon by itself, 
  and the undeniable success of the Ditima raid seemed to prove that Organians would turn a blind 
  eye on such a practice. The Empire certainly was in no position to condemn privateering, being an 
  active practitioner of the art itself. Starfleet was far less experienced, yet an immediate effort was 
  begun to give Fleet forces the necessary skills and hardware for ‘commerce interception 
  operations’. 
   
  A prime requirement was the fielding of a vehicle capable of carrying a boarding party of thirty and 
  deploying it via warp transporters to a mercantile vessel traveling at speeds up to warp 4. Stealth 
  was essential, yet even more so was affordability: raiding hordes numbering in the hundreds would 
  guarantee victory better than a small silver bullet fleet. The Thornycroft and Hiemdahr-Gan yards 
  were contacted by SF Logistics Command for production of some 150 ‘small craft’ of externally 
  relatively inconspicuous design for undisclosed transport duties. These 86.4 m vessels would be 
  
   
  225
  propelled by two semi-recessed WD-1 solid state warp engines and a complex Kostas vectoring 
  impulse assembly of surprising power, and for unspecified reasons also mounted a General Systems 
  B-12 heavy tractor beam emitter astern. They would carry some thirty ‘passengers’ and their 
  ‘baggage’ under the supervision of an operating crew of ten. Four independently acting two-pad 
  transporter units immediately adjacent to the central passenger compartment would be standard 
  equipment. The crew spaces and command facilities at the bow would primarily be accessed via 
  lateral docking ports, but a docking tube equipped with versatile ‘emergency’ power tools could 
  also be deployed dorsally, from the aft end of the passenger area. 
   
  Two lower decks would feature spacious lateral cargo and equipment holds, with planetfall ramps 
  deploying between the drooping warp engine cowlings. A central access corridor would connect the 
  aft engineering spaces to the forward sensor and power distribution rooms. Landing legs and 
  gravitic engines would cater for planetary landings and takeoffs. A rather unconventional 
  requirement was set for the ability to completely depower the ship within two minutes of planetfall, 
  and to include numerous external storage compartments for rapidly deployable protective covers. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  A picture of a Leonardo lying in wait on a planetary surface, carefully camouflaged with multispectral covers, may not be 
  the most impressive way to demonstrate the vessel in action. Yet apart from standard tarmac shots, this is as close as one 
  gets to a visual recording of an actual corsair operation. Even this picture of USS Colombo was taken during exercises 
  right next to the Korvat III homeport of the vessel. 
   
  Thornycroft was happy to deploy the first eight craft, from USS Leonardo (NCC-R025) through to 
  USS Bonnano (NCC-R032), in just four months. It was equally happy to receive payment 
  disproportionate to the engineering effort, and disinterested in asking unnecessary questions. 
  Logistics Command received nearly forty of the craft within 2268, and operations began in late 
  September of that year, although under the authority of a different Starfleet branch. 
   
  Several questions about the Leonardo class still remain open as of this writing. Official 
  performance figures have never been published, for example. And although the mass of the WD-1 
  engines is known to be 80,000 tons apiece, exact structural mass and mission load for the craft 
  remain a matter of guesswork. These technical details are still easier to come by than records of 
  Leonardo operations. While Starfleet never engaged in full-scale privateering operations against the 
  Klingon Empire, a dozen cases of commandeering are documented from the late 2260s, and 
  sporadic records throughout the 2270s total some fifty incidents. Little in the way of details can be 
  found, however, beyond dates and vessel names. Apparently, the operations did produce desired 
  results, as Starfleet continued Leonardo procurement until 2274, and ordered the evolved, LN-80C-
  engined Rogge and Carbonare subclasses in 2281 and 2289, respectively. 
   
  
   
  226
  The total number of these ‘small craft’ fluctuated between 200 and 300 during the Organian 
  impasse, featuring a motley collection of civilian purchases in addition to the purpose-built craft. 
  Starfleet consistently referred to the vessels as light transports until the 2289 Jatyin-Rockefeller 
  incident, in which a raid against a supposed topaline transport turned into a bloodbath. As an open 
  state of war existed between the UFP and the Empire at that point, even from the UFP viewpoint, 
  Starfleet was found fully justified in eliminating the transport crew of twenty and freeing the true 
  cargo of some sixty Orions. The status of the cargo as ‘slaves’ was challenged somewhat when the 
  Orions killed seven of their liberators, then demanded extradition back to the Empire. The public 
  and the media thereafter commonly referred to the Rockefeller and her sisters as ‘corsairs’, 
  overdramatizing several aspects of the incident. 
   
  In reality, privateering was but a minor part of the ‘corsair’ mission profile in the 2280s. The vessel 
  type was found quite ideal for a number of special operations applications, and saw extensive 
  service in operative insertion and extraction missions. On the other hand, these missions only 
  involved a small part of the corsair fleet. The activity status of the rest followed the temperature 
  changes of cold war, never quite reaching the all-time high of 2269 again. Production of Carbonare 
  units continued until 2294, and supposedly some Pakokku transports were also modified for high-
  end corsair duties. 
   
  Peace with the Klingons spelled an end for privateering. The other duties of the corsairs kept the 
  ship type busy for another fifteen years, yet only a few dozen vessels stayed in active service. The 
  rest remained in inactive reserves till 2302, when sales to civilian and foreign military operators 
  began. The latter were soon discontinued, when the morals of weapon sales were brought to general 
  review. It took longer for Starfleet to decide that privateering was in fact contrary to Federation law, 
  even during declared wars. Perhaps driving the decision was the pragmatic fact that neither the 
  Romulan nor Cardassian foes were as vulnerable to this type of warfare as the Klingons had been. 
  Or perhaps it was realized that the Federation was at the greatest risk of all in this respect, were the 
  tables ever to be turned. 
  Wasp / Dragonfly 
  Light interceptor 
  2274-2318 
   
  Completed: 
  1,080 total: 
   
   
  639 Wasp 
   
  441 Dragonfly 
   
  Length: 
  8.9 m 
   
  Beam: 
  2.6 m 
   
  Height: 
  1.9 m  
   
  Mass: 
  220 tons (Wasp) 
   
  249 tons (Dragonfly) 
   
  Crew: 
  2 
   
  Max. speed: 
  w 2.2 
   
  Endurance: 
  1 week 
   
  Weapons: 
  2 phaser IV emitters flanking cockpit 
   
  2 phaser VP emitters between nacelles (Dragonfly) 
   
  Shields: 
  1-layer conformal forcefield 
   
  Transporters: 
  None 
  
   
  227
   
  SOURCES: 
  (D Mike Rupprecht/Mark Wilson) 
   
  (N Mike Rupprecht/Mark Wilson) 
   
  (H own) 
   
  The adapting of linear coil warp engines for small craft warp propulsion was a breakthrough for 
  tactical craft operations as well. If a modern medium shuttlecraft could reach warp two, a craft built 
  around the same engine but omitting the hull and substituting a substantially lighter cockpit would 
  be capable of the same – and of impressive impulse performance as well. The packaging of a warp 
  combatant into shuttle dimensions would make possible a tactical practice long forgotten: equipping 
  of starships with their own organic fightercraft protection.  
   
  There were relatively few situations where Starfleet doctrine of the 2270s called for fightercraft use. 
  Usually, these involved the shipping of hundreds of such craft aboard formations of large carrier 
  vessels. With smaller fightercraft, stacked aboard standard starships, Starfleet could immediately 
  come up with concepts of greater operational flexibility. The modern Avenger and Miranda heavy 
  frigates were built to feature fightercraft ‘shelves’ that would allow several such craft to be carried 
  on a regular basis; thus, small-scale planetary assault operations could be mounted at a moment’s 
  notice, or a decisive tactical presence could be left behind if the mothership was suddenly called 
  away. 
   
  The first light warp fighter to be put to mass production was Martin DefenseLine‘s Wasp class, a 
  truly compact craft barely nine meters long. The two crew sat in tandem beneath a single-piece 
  canopy at bow. The narrow hull, shaped much like an atmospheric glider’s, was accompanied by 
  equally slim 8.4 m warp nacelles of Mitsuhirato SC-9 type. Each featured its own intermix chamber 
  at the rear, leaving the aft section of the central hull to house matter and antimatter fuel, twin 
  impulse thrusters, and the single modest shield generator of Arcadia manufacture. 
   
  Overall performance offered by these highly compact systems was best characterized by ‘factor 
  1.5’: this is how much the Wasp outperformed a modern medium utility shuttle in virtually every 
  respect. A dash speed of warp 2.2 as opposed to warp 2, a sustained sublight acceleration of 610 g 
  instead of 400 g, and the power ratios for shielding and for Type IV phaser armament all reflected 
  the ‘half again as much’ prowess of the tactical craft. In tactical terms, the Wasps and Merlin 
  shuttles thus formed a gunship/troopship pair similar to the early Bell 209/205 combat helicopter 
  pairing in Earth’s bloody internal conflicts of the 1960s.  
   
  In terms of engineering, however, little was shared among the pair. The only true commonalities lay 
  in secondary systems such as life support, navigation and gravity control, also shared by several 
  other designs of the era. The losing bidder in the light warp fighter program, Chiokis Corporation’s 
  Mongoose class, would have used Merlin components extensively both in the drive chain and lower 
  hull structures. Being almost twice as beamy as the Wasp, though, the Mongoose would have been 
  carried in significantly smaller numbers, offsetting its lower acquisition price and somewhat greater 
  weapons load. Eight Wasps could be fitted onto the Avenger and Miranda shelves, or up to eighteen 
  carried aboard a standard Coronado or Coventry. A gantry system was also proposed for installation 
  aboard the Coventries, allowing the strike frigates to embark sixteen ceiling-mounted fighters in 
  addition to the regular assault shuttle contingent. However, mere recovering of the craft would have 
  required impossibly detailed orchestration, and actual tactical operations would have been a 
  nightmare. Eventually, the fightercraft were embarked on select Coventries using a shelf-type 
  stowage system. 
   
  From 2286 on, the standard combat auxiliary contingent of an Avenger was four Wasp fighters and 
  four Killer Bee drone/fighter kits. Miranda (II) and Theseus vessels often carried Killer Bees 
  
   
  228
  exclusively; the drones actually offered serious competition to manned fightercraft. They never 
  stood a chance of replacing the Wasps entirely, though, as Starfleet lacked the confidence to put 
  fully autonomous AIs aboard armed drones. Instead, the Wasps assumed the role of drone 
  controllers during detached operations, with up to three drones slaved to the copilot of a crewed 
  fightercraft. At the height of the Klingon crisis, Wasps also were embarked en masse aboard 
  through-deck cruisers. Their good aerodynamics and maneuverability made them rival dedicated 
  impulse craft in planetary assault support tasks – so, funds allowing and tactical situations requiring, 
  the latter were moved to proper carriers and their through-deck ship parking slots filled with dual-
  role Wasps. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Some stacking options for fightercraft and drones aboard late 23rd century starships.  
   
  Light fightercraft operations continued past the turn of the century, but mainly in exploration of a 
  possible anti-shuttlecraft role. Other types of targets were considered too challenging for the craft 
  by the post-Khitomer risk/benefit analysis standards. Starfleet consistently rebuffed the 
  manufacturers’ attempts at selling new light fighter designs. Foreign sales sustained development 
  for a while, until changes in Federation weapon export policy closed down the market. The Wasps 
  were withdrawn from use in 2314, the succeeding Martin Dragonflies in 2318 and the competing 
  Chiokis Meijis in 2319. Of the thousands of light fightercraft built for attrition, only about 500 had 
  seen service, some 200 of them aboard starships. In terms of economy, the wasted expenses had 
  been trivial. Tactically, the presence of the fighters at least had not hindered heavy frigate 
  operations. Part of the flight officer pool had been diverted to a strategically unproductive role, 
  however, and was now in need of retraining and reassignment. 
   
  In recent years, organic fighter support for starships has been revigorated as a concept. The craft 
  used in the role now are significantly heavier than the Wasp class, yet they still typically served 
  aboard Miranda derivatives and other old, small starships during the Dominion conflict. It is 
  possible that future starship designs will take into account the need for agile protection and 
  detached operations, and will accommodate auxiliaries more potent than mere Class Two shuttles. 
  Scorpio 
  Heavy interceptor 
  2274-2317 
   
  Completed: 
  342  
   
  Length: 
  20.3 m 
  22.1 m (w/ spinal tank) 
   
  Beam: 
  14.3 m 
   
  Height: 
  5.3 m (landing gear extended) 
   
  4.4 m (landing gear retracted) 
  7.6 m (w/ spinal tank, landing gear extended) 
  
   
  229
   
  6.7 m (w/ spinal tank, landing gear retracted) 
   
  Mass: 
  1,180 tons 
  1,240 tons (w/ spinal tank) 
   
  Crew: 
  4 
   
  Max. speed: 
  w 3.9 
   
  Endurance: 
  2 weeks 
   
  Weapons: 
  2 phaser IV emitters on ventral bow  
   
  1 fwd minitorpedo tube w/ 26 photorps 
   
  Shields: 
  1-layer conformal forcefield 
   
  SOURCES: 
  (D FASA, dimensions corrected) 
   
  (N FASA) 
   
  (H FASA) 
   
  When the story of Battleaxe corvettes wound to an end in the 2270s, Starfleet lost a valued anti-
  assault type. Modern vessels in the corvette category were larger and more capable than the 
  Battleaxes, and their successors would be larger still. They would oppose planetary invasions at the 
  outer system perimeter, not in low orbit or down in the atmosphere. Yet as long as the Klingon 
  threat loomed over Federation borderlands, there was a demand for multilayered defenses. In 2274, 
  Starfleet agreed to field a torpedo-armed, short range warp interceptor type to meet the demand, 
  most vocally expressed by the Andorian Self-Defense Force. Design was trusted on Chiokis, 
  construction on Morena and Salazaar. 
   
  In terms of size and capacity, the Shavipyo (‘Scorpio’) patrol boat fell between smallest corvettes 
  and largest fightercraft to date. Although a light corvette designation was initially pondered, the 342 
  craft that eventually saw active service did so under the heavy fightercraft identity. The defining 
  characteristics of the Scorpio certainly agreed with the designation. Transatmospheric agility was 
  ensured by conservative use of large triangular wings of 14.3 m wingspan on lower hull flanks. 
  These gave the craft a quaintly antiquated look, which belied the high performance of the impulse 
  package at extreme stern, or the twin sets of warp coils embedded side by side in mid-fuselage. A 
  competent dogfighter at sublight, the Scorpio could dash to warp 3.7 for insystem intercepts, or 
  reach warp 3.9 with plasma recharging of its Shuvinaaljis engines, designated LN-45 in Starfleet 
  service. 
   
  
   
  230
   
   
  A classic three-times-two-pair formation of Scorpios brings a dozen torpedo tubes to bear on a Tholian intruder near 
  Omicron Ceti. No spinal tanks are carried here. Twin cheat lines and two-tone silver-blue finish denote 1st Andorian 
  Pursuit Group. 
   
  Smoothly joining the engine section was a cabin for a crew of four, separated in the Andorian 
  tradition from the rest of the universe by heavy duranium armor that was only punctured by a 
  narrow portside entry door and a single forward viewport. Ahead of the cabin was a conical sensor 
  and deflector array that completed the streamlining of the fuselage. Primary mission gear consisted 
  of a ventral minitorpedo launcher and two phaser IV emitters just below the crew cabin. Support 
  systems were neatly packaged into the wings, which held main gravitics inside trailing, fuel and 
  retractable landing gear in middle, and IDF units and navigational sensors in leading sections, 
  respectively. RCS clusters at trailing edge roots and below the bow added to maneuverability; a 
  javelin-tailed dorsal fuel tank spine increased endurance when fitted. 
   
  Omitted from the tightly packed whole were heavy shield generators or broader tactical awareness 
  instrumentation. Although the torpedo launcher packed considerable punch for a craft of this size, 
  the phaser armament was insufficient even for self-defense, especially as field of fire was limited to 
  forward angles only. A lone Scorpio would be relatively helpless, despite its powerful sting. 
   
  This in mind, the preferred tactical deployment mode was swarming. Groups of 12 craft, usually 
  flown in formations no smaller than four-ships, were operated out of starbases ranging from SB10 
  
   
  231
  along the antispinward border all the way down to SB 27. The 25 operational Groups were 
  accompanied by three training formations and a reconnaissance unit, which operated partially 
  probe-armed Scorpios alongside Messina scoutcraft. One Pursuit Group in five was nominally 
  under ASDF control, as was one of the Training Groups. As it was patently impossible to deploy a 
  Scorpio aboard a starship, strategic mobility of the units was extremely limited. 
   
  Although technically rather successful, the Scorpios did not quite meet the tactical reality of the 
  2270s or 2280s. Last-ditch defenses were falling in disfavor, and so were centrally commanded 
  fightercraft formations. The Scorpios could not easily be adapted for networked operations, and 
  their technologically more refined Raptor successors took over the defenses of strategic hot spots 
  when introduced. In the 2290s and 2300s, the rugged older craft were moved to more wayward 
  locations, where the infrastructure-dependent Raptors could not follow. As doctrinal changes 
  continued, all heavy fightercraft operations were eventually discontinued, and the last Scorpio 
  Groups were disbanded in 2317. 
  Meiji 
  Light fightercraft 
  2279-2319 
   
  Completed: 
  290  
   
  Length: 
  8.9 m 
   
  Beam: 
  4.5 m 
   
  Height: 
  1.9 m  
   
  Mass: 
  270 tons  
   
  Crew: 
  2 
   
  Max. speed: 
  w 2.3 
   
  Endurance: 
  1 week 
   
  Weapons: 
  2 phaser IV emitters below cockpit 
   
  2 phaser VP emitters flanking aft hull 
   
  Shields: 
  1-layer conformal forcefield 
   
  Transporters: 
  None 
   
  SOURCES: 
  (D own) 
   
  (N SotSF) 
   
  (H own) 
   
  The Chiokis bid for an escort fighter in 2274 was to have been an easy victory, based as it was on 
  technological solutions proven by three years of field operations. Any vessel operating medium 
  shuttles could swap one or more for a combat-oriented variant that mounted phaser IV and VI 
  cannon and carried a shield generator as a permanent fixture. Service infrastructure would remain 
  85% common with Chiokis’ Merlin/Type 1 shuttlecraft, mainly because the fighter itself was some 
  70% common by component count. The secondary phasers of the fighter would even be installable 
  onto the shuttle as such. 
   
  None of this qualitative high ground helped against the simple quantitative advantage of the 
  competitor, though. The Martin Wasp was only 2.6 meters wide, as opposed to the 4.5 meters of 
  Chiokis Mongoose – just narrow enough to allow two of the Martin craft into a single shuttle shelf 
  aboard the modernized heavy frigates. Perhaps also influencing the decision was Starfleet’s 
  fascination with the high technology that allowed Martin to pack warp 2.2 into the compact 
  
   
  232
  spaceframe. Compared to the advanced Mitsuhirato engine, CWD’s LN-101 was admittedly 
  conservatively massive, and even packaged in an unappealingly angular nacelle… 
   
  There was no question that the Mongoose was the better fighter, of course. The heavy armament 
  alone made the one fighter count for two. When the medium shuttle cabin was compacted into a 
  two-pilot cockpit, pressurized volume was left for numerous and sizeable systems, such as the most 
  modern targeting and navigation sensors or secure communications. A notably more powerful 
  shield generator could be carried aboard a Mongoose than aboard a Wasp, too. As soon as the 
  Starfleet turndown became official, Chiokis began a marketing campaign highlighting the inherent 
  virtues of the design. 
   
  By 2275, campaign feedback had created a refined warp fightercraft the company had named the 
  Meiji. Further slimming of the spaceframe had bolstered impulse performance while leaving just 
  enough space for the systems chosen by the so far narrow customer base. Warp speed had been 
  hiked up to w 2.3, and the pulse phaser units were now mounted on steerable barbettes for greater 
  field of fire. Total mass had grown to 270 tons, exceeding Starfleet criteria for heavy frigate 
  auxiliary combatant. Yet towards the end of the decade, there was renewed Starfleet interest in the 
  craft for a different set of applications. Certain fixed installations, mainly outposts and colonies 
  close to the contested parts of Klingon border, but also vulnerable mining communities facing the 
  wrath of the now relentlessly hunted pirates, were in need of additional defenses. The Meiji was 
  considered a nearly ideal solution: as long as the installation to be protected had the capacity to 
  operate Merlin shuttles, it could support Meijis as well. 
   
  Deliveries of Meijis to outpost defense use began in 2279. Modest twin orders of 180 and 110 craft, 
  respectively, were a bitter pill to Chiokis which had counted on being able to secure the heavy 
  frigate fightercraft order of much greater magnitude. Yet a higher unit price somewhat offset the 
  corporation’s financial disappointment. On the other hand, the price, in combination with the 
  conservative technology of the craft, meant that the purchasing of further Meiji units was dropped 
  from consideration during the height of escalation in the late 2280s.  
   
  The craft still played an active role in the final years of anti-Klingon operations, being embarked 
  aboard select latest-model frigates in place of the smaller craft of the Wasp family. This return to 
  the original concept allowed Chiokis to prove the validity of its design in graphic detail. The Meijis 
  provided powerful fire support in the raids conducted throughout Charlie and Delta sections of the 
  Klingon border by Chandley units, and kept the frigates safe from retaliation during the time their 
  Marine contingents were operating on the surface. In the Amar raid of 2291, it was a formation of 
  Meiji craft, operating at the very limits of their range, that finished the demolition of an Imperial 
  lithium refinery after a SFI surface action team had failed in the task. The four craft, launched from 
  aboard the special operations support ship USS Sumter (NCC-1898), were flown solo, embarking 
  extra fuel in jettisonable tanks for the outward leg and taking aboard two SFI operatives each for the 
  return leg of the mission. The craft were abandoned shortly before the border and allowed to 
  exhaust their remaining fuel in a diversive automated flight, while two transporter-equipped heavy 
  shuttlecraft from the Sumter retrieved the personnel. 
   
  It was largely in preparation for special operations like this that some 40 Meijis were kept in active 
  status until 2319. Outpost defense units were disbanded in the early 2300s as part of a policy 
  change; succeeding protective measures were typically not implemented in these newly pacified 
  locations. Craft similar to the Meijis could of course have been deployed on the outer colonization 
  zone, where they would have suffered from fewer maintenance infrastructure shortcomings than the 
  modern, complex Raptor units. Yet the Meijis lacked range and power for such an independent role. 
  
   
  233
  Despite their ruggedness, they also still decidedly required a starship-type support environment, and 
  would have needed extensive modifications for a more frontier-friendly set of support requirements. 
  Messina / Juneau / Annapolis 
  Scoutcraft/runabout 
  2277-2371 
   
  Completed: 
  418 total: 
   
   
  150 Messina 
   
  98 Juneau 
   
  170 Annapolis 
   
  Length: 
  21.3 m 
   
  Beam: 
  17.8 m (Messina) 
  15.3 m (Juneau, Annapolis) 
   
  Height: 
  8.0 m (Messina) 
  5.9 m (Juneau) 
   
  5.7 m (Annapolis) 
   
  Mass: 
  1,311 tons (Messina) 
   
  2,580 tons (Juneau) 
   
  2,610 tons (Annapolis) 
   
  Crew: 
  4 (Messina) 
   
  3 (Juneau) 
   
  2 (Annapolis) 
   
  Cruise speed: 
  w 3  
   
  Max. speed: 
  w 4.8 (Messina) 
   
  w 4.1 (Juneau) 
   
  w 4.7 (Annapolis) 
   
  Endurance: 
  3 months (Messina) 
   
  5 months (Juneau, Annapolis) 
   
  Weapons: 
  2 phaser IV emitters on dorsal bow (Messina, Annapolis, some Juneau) 
   
  2 phaser IV emitters on dorsal stern (Annapolis) 
   
  Shields: 
  1-layer conformal forcefield 
   
  Navigational deflector on ventral bow 
   
  Transporters: 
  Normally none (Messina) 
   
  1 GP (2-pad); Mk IV (Juneau, some Messina) 
   
  Select craft refitted with Mk V, VI and VII units 
   
   
  1 GP (2-pad); Mk V (Annapolis) 
   
  All later refitted with Mk VI and VII units 
   
   
  SOURCES: 
  D TNG/DS9 (Juneau/Annapolis own) 
   
  (N SotSF, own) 
   
  (H SotSF, own) 
  
   
  234
   
  The proliferation of compact high performance warp drives in the 2260s provided many starships 
  and outposts with auxiliary craft that in fact outperformed the small starships of the preceding era. 
  Many of these craft had trouble finding a suitable niche, though. Mere propulsive excellence did not 
  give the small auxiliaries independence from their motherships. On the other hand, the speed and 
  range were often wasted on missions performed from aboard starships that already possessed both 
  qualities in abundance. Only two applications at the time called for long range, high speed craft 
  fitting inside a starship hangar: scouting and survey/assault team support. 
   
  The sixties answer to this demand was the Class G3 shuttlecraft, a warp 2.9 vehicle of somewhat 
  ungainly dimensions. For the seventies, Starfleet hoped for something either more compact or more 
  potent. It soon became clear that even the new linear warp coil technology would not allow for 
  substantial compacting, and sights were set at increased performance. Key to this would be LN-88, 
  a novel solution built out of independent modules. Already in use on several types of small 
  freighters in clusters of three to five, the engine had not originally been intended for small craft 
  applications. Yet a slightly downscaled variant, the LN-88S, could easily be devised. Still bulky for 
  a shuttle at thirteen meters and 600 tons, it would provide speed to match its menacing looks – warp 
  four with two modules, or close to warp five with four. 
   
  The two sets of propulsion options offered two potential mission profiles. The faster, heavier craft 
  was eminently suited for reconnaissance, the two-module one for liaison; the Messina and Juneau 
  classes were officially defined in 2276 as scoutcraft and runabout, respectively, and production 
  commenced in accordance with the plans of Chiokis Corporation. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  An unusual load for any starship, let alone one this small: two Messinas aboard a Knox frigate compensate for the 
  otherwise limited sensing capabilities of the vessel. The assigning of Knoxes to exploration and survey duty during lulls of 
  military action was among the first experiments on extending the use of ‘active reserves’ to civilian tasks, a practice that 
  
   
  235
  would later become the cornerstone of Starfleet doctrine. The scoutcraft could be considered ‘mission modules’ for the 
  ships, and indeed palletized research gear was sometimes embarked in their place in the Knox or Daran shuttlebays. The 
  typical mission suite for an ‘active reserve’ Knox was one Messina, one medium shuttle, a thirty-ton research pallet – and 
  a twenty-ton service and support pallet for the finicky scoutcraft. 
   
  Hull form for the two craft was nearly identical. For runabouts, the criteria had been established 
  during the seventies already, in the form of user-requested improvements on the already well 
  received Questor craft. The bow of the 7 m by 19 m by 3.5 m aerodynamic hull was dedicated to a 
  spacious three-person flight deck with a single panoramic viewport and multiple control stations, 
  the opposite of the Questor case. Behind the bow compartment was an entry foyer with two exterior 
  doors, but without the cumbersome docking tube; instead, compact Mk IV transporters were 
  carried. Aft of the foyer lay the main cargo/passenger area, now equipped with the most significant 
  of the desired modifications, a loading hatch at the extreme stern. Support systems were clustered 
  both dorsally and ventrally, with a navigational deflector under the bow and paired shield 
  generators above the aft compartment. The nacelles were supported by short pylons of significant 
  chord, at 45 dihedral, and resulted in fifteen meters of total beam and six meters of height – 
  displacing six utility shuttles on a hangar deck! 
   
  The scoutcraft yielded to runabout hull demands, placing survey and analysis systems in the aft 
  compartment (from which the loading hatch was omitted) and adding prominent sensor domes 
  below the hull. On select craft, twin microprobe launchers were added to nacelle front ends. A 
  fourth crew member was required to tend to the mission equipment. Twin berths just below the 
  forward viewport were fitted with phaser IV modules on all Messinas. As the external dimensions 
  were greater even than on the Juneaus, it was rarely that the scoutcraft were deployed aboard 
  frontline starships. Yet it was quite possible to operate a Messina efficiently from a heavy frigate or 
  through-deck cruiser hangar (after the installation of some craft-specific support gear), and both 
  types of vessels embarked the craft one time or another. Light and medium frigates on scientific 
  survey missions also depended heavily on such a force multiplier; border patrol frigates in turn 
  benefited from the use of the scouts as patrol boats. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  A Juneau going to warp. The rear view showcases the access ramp and the flanking impulse engines on the sloping stern, 
  trademarks of modern utility shuttles yet a first for runabout-sized craft. The significant improvement in utility offered by 
  the ramp was lost again in the next two generations of runabouts, a price paid for improved propulsion. 
   
  Starbase operations still swallowed most of the production run. Their less rigid support 
  infrastructure allowed for a rapid re-equipping, and would no doubt have accommodated another 
  scoutcraft swap twenty years later had the normal pattern been followed. However, the Messinas 
  and Juneaus proved exceptionally popular and practical, and a continuation design combining the 
  best of both worlds was fielded in 2299. The Annapolis craft mounted two propulsion modules, 
  
   
  236
  featured the aft ramp, could embark a modular sensor suite or carry passengers or cargo with equal 
  ease, and were compatible with modern navigation networks and support systems.  
   
  Starships with markedly larger hangar bays began to appear after the turn of the century; Juneau 
  and Annapolis deployments on Ambassador, Niagara and later starships were commonplace, 
  although the design was somewhat cumbersome compared with the later Kilauea and Danube 
  classes. The introduction of the latter design finally spelled the end of the Juneau deployments in 
  2371. In starbase applications, the craft had already been retired in the mid-2360s in favor of 
  Kilauea units. Various civilian and foreign users still keep the class going strong, though. Stretched, 
  chopped, re-engined and re-fuselaged versions serve in a menagerie of roles throughout the 
  Federation and beyond. 
  Killer Bee / Gadfly 
  Light sublight attack craft / drone 
  2279-2314 
   
  Completed: 
  2,828 total: 
   
   
  1,422 Killer Bee 
   
  716 Gadfly 
   
  690 Super Bee 
   
  Length: 
  9.5 m (Killer Bee) 
   
  5.3 m (Gadfly) 
   
  7.4 m (Super Bee) 
   
  Beam: 
  2.3 m (Killer Bee, single stinger)  
  1.5 m (Gadfly) 
   
  2.5 m (Killer Bee, twin stinger, Super Bee) 
   
  Height: 
  2.8 m (Killer Bee, Super Bee) 
   
  1.4 m (Gadfly) 
   
  Mass: 
  103 tons (Killer Bee, single stinger, w/o work pod) 
  192 tons (Killer Bee, twin stinger, w/o work pod) 
   
  62 tons (Gadfly, w/o work pod) 
   
  199 tons (Super Bee, w/o work pod) 
   
  Crew: 
  None (w/o work pod) 
  1 (w/ work pod) 
   
  Max. speed: 
  0.80 c (Killer Bee) 
  w 2.3 (Killer Bee, jump mode) 
   
  0.80 c (Gadfly) 
   
  0.85 c (Super Bee) 
  w 2.2 (Super Bee, jump mode) 
   
  Endurance: 
  1 week 
   
  Weapons: 
  Killer Bee: 
  1 or 2 phaser V / piercing deflector stingers on ventral hull 
  2 phaser IV emitters on lateral pylons (optional, interchangeable with minitorpedoes) 
  2 fwd minitorpedo tubes on lateral pylons (optional, interchangeable with phaser IV) 
  2 fwd minitorpedo tubes on lateral pylons (optional, interchangeable with phaser IV) 
  Gadfly: 
  2 phaser IV emitters on nacelle bows 
  Killer Bee Plus, Super Bee: 
  2 phaser V / piercing deflector stingers on ventral hull 
  1 fwd phaser VIP emitter on ventral module 
  1 aft phaser VIP emitter on ventral module 
   
  Shields: 
  1-layer conformal forcefield  
   
  1 or 2 piercing deflectors on ventral stingers 
   
  SOURCES: 
  (D aridas sofia/Mike Rupprecht/Mark Wilson) 
   
  (N Mike Rupprecht/Mark Wilson) 
   
  (H own) 
  
   
  237
   
  The introduction of organic fightercraft protection for heavy frigates and cruisers meant such a 
  change in tactics that it took Starfleet several years to adjust. Fine-tuning of the concept had to 
  proceed on several fronts simultaneously. One of these was the reduction of overall risk by 
  substituting drones for manned interceptors and attack craft. The initial TED-A and TED-B series 
  of escort drones by torpedo specialist Selenia suffered from insufficient autonomy of control 
  systems, however; limitations imposed in the aftermath of the M-5 debacle were crippling all 
  autonomous weapon system development. 
   
  In response to the question of autonomy, Starfleet set a requirement for on-theater remote control. 
  The combat drones would receive commands either from suitably equipped manned supervisor craft 
  via datalink, or then from onboard crew. A tried and true way of adding this crew was implemented: 
  a socket for the Patterson-Massey work pod was fitted at the bow of the drone body. The resulting 
  MaTED series received favorable evaluations and was approved for operational use in August 2276. 
   
  The MaTED drones came in two basic variants, impulse and warp jump. The former was 
  comparable to the Tycho sublight fighters in many respects, but lacked aerodynamic control 
  surfaces and featured a much more powerful impulse sled. The sled, in combination with a highly 
  capable inertial damping system, made possible accelerations up to 790 g, and gave the craft true 
  tactical significance even during crewed operations. The impulse nacelles were self-contained units 
  each; at the bows were phaser IV emitters and their rather austere, short range targeting systems. 
  The control cabin sat amidships, in a position facilitating simple plugging in without a need for the 
  sort of wraparound latchings used on the Tychos. Directly abaft were the shield generator, flight 
  control computer and life support systems. Due to the rather pedestrian AI routines, the Gadfly 
  fightercraft actually wasn’t very effective as a drone, and was usually flown crewed. 
   
  The warp version resembled the Wasps to a degree, but was flown by a single pilot and a versatile 
  combat AI, featured a much more powerful reactor, and carried a ventral podded armament of 
  impressive firepower, with phaser V cannon integrated to a specialized deflector system that could 
  disrupt enemy shielding sufficiently to let the phaser blast penetrate. The ventral ‘stinger’ also 
  housed a Vickers XS-I ‘Haruna’ warp coil assembly that could provide brief bursts of warp 2.3 
  when the primary weapon system was not draining all power. During normal operations, the coils 
  would negate inertial mass to provide high sublight maneuverability. Phaser IV emitters similar to 
  those on the Gadfly could be carried on lateral pylons just abaft of the pod/hull joint, with excellent 
  arcs of fire in every direction except down.  
   
  An upgunned variant of the Killer Bee soon emerged, with twin stingers and a powerplant booster 
  pack. The type was capable of carrying a phaser VIP pod between the stingers; an alternate fit was a 
  cluster of minitorpedo tubes for three dozen new 300 mm dia. fire-and-forget, short range m/am 
  projectiles. Targeting was by onboard systems rather than by complicated and vulnerable external 
  arrangements, and engagement ranges of less than a hundred kilometers were assumed. The even 
  more powerful Super Bees were configured with XS-II nacelles, placed farther aft than the -I units 
  and fitting completely below the extended hull. This improved deck handling, yet did not quite 
  allow for a greater number of craft to be stacked aboard. Eight was the operational maximum 
  aboard Avenger or Miranda vessels, the primary platforms for the type. In 2283, modified Texas 
  light cruisers began embarking even larger contingents of drones, and some were assigned to 
  Chesapeake and Achernar vessels as well. 
   
   
   
  
   
  238
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  The upper starboard shelves of USS Antrim groan under the weight of twin-stingered Killer Bees, those in the 
  compartment closer to hangar doors being of the Super Bee variant. In addition, a Merlin medium utility shuttle and an 
  Aladdin heavy auxiliary can be seen on the lower shelves. More than a percent of the operational mass of a fully stocked 
  Avenger heavy frigate could consist of the warp coils of her auxiliaries. The diversity and versatility of such an auxiliary 
  contingent would not be matched by even significantly larger 24th century starships. 
   
  Drone operations undewent another conceptual re-evaluation soon after the operational introduction 
  of the Killer Bees. The drone/fighters were good phaser combatants at close quarters, and perfect 
  escorts for shuttles performing assault runs. In contrast, the effectiveness of these virtually 
  sensorless craft in the independent power projection or defensive interception roles was limited, be 
  they manned or not; atmospheric performance was also low. Mixed wings of manned Wasps and 
  combat drones thus became the preferred approach in the mid-2280s. With the mothership present, 
  just the drones would be flown; in the frigate’s absence, the copilots of the Wasps could control the 
  drones, which had superior agility and power thanks to omitting the ‘dead weight’ and fragility of 
  the crew.  
   
  The changes in operating rules were indicative of a more general disappointment with the organic 
  fighter cover concept. Killer Bee deployments aboard heavy cruiser vessels never proceeded past 
  experimental stage. Towards the end of the 2280s, the kits were withdrawn from Endurance and 
  Soyuz units as well. The Gadflies, intended for planetary assault support, usually served in a more 
  limited fire controller and forward scout role; rather than be distributed aboard all frontline 
  starships, they ended up being embarked almost exclusively on Coronado and Advance through-
  deck cruisers and Ariel carriers. 
   
  Neither the sterling service of the Super Bees in the Gorn intervention of 2294 nor the Gadfly 
  operations at the Sunplain disaster zone in 2296 swayed Starfleet post-Khitomer attitudes towards 
  fightercraft an iota. The decrease of planetary assault and system defense commitments thanks to 
  the Klingon peace meant cessation of all regular escort fightercraft deployments. Starfleet stood 
  down from fighter operations with such eagerness that by 2298, the only starships still embarking 
  Killer Bees were the deep-ranging dreadnoughts and defenders. A year later, even the last 
  Ascensions would be gone; the some 160 Super Bees aboard Defenders would soldier on with their 
  motherships till 2314, but no reassignments to Excelsior or Apollo vessels were to be effected.  
   
  Space combat drones more or less died out as a Starfleet concept when the Killer Bees did. Among 
  the leading reasons was the introduction of rapidly multitargeting, strip-type phaser armament that 
  both did the job of the drones better, and promised to defeat any attempt by an enemy to utilize 
  drones against Starfleet vessels. A number of adversary cultures still persist with drone weaponry, 
  and Starfleet continues to study the technology accordingly. Yet it is highly unlikely that a 
  drone/crew pod combination similar to the Killer Bee concept will ever again see Starfleet use. 
  Falcon / Raptor 
  Scoutcraft / heavy interceptor 
  2286-2337 
   
  Completed: 
  280 total: 
  
   
  239
   
  70 Falcon 
  210 Raptor 
   
  Length: 
  22.8 m 
   
  Beam: 
  20.4 m 
   
  Height: 
  5.3 m (landing gear extended) 
   
  5.1 m (landing gear retracted) 
   
  Mass: 
  1,270 tons (Falcon) 
   
  1,610 tons (1-seat Raptor) 
   
  1,615 tons (2-seat Raptor) 
   
  Crew: 
  2 (Falcon) 
   
  1-2 (Raptor) 
   
  Max. speed: 
  w 4.0 
   
  Endurance: 
  5 weeks 
   
  Weapons: 
  1 phaser IV emitter on ventral bow  
   
  2 triple nanoprobe dispensers, port/stbd of cockpit (Falcon) 
   
  2 phaser IV emitters on inner wings (Raptor) 
   
  1 fwd minitorpedo tube w/ 40 torpedoes on ventral hull (Raptor) 
   
  Shields: 
  1-layer conformal forcefield 
   
  Transporters: 
  None 
   
  SOURCES: 
  (D LA Graf “War Dragons”, own) 
   
  (N LA Graf “War Dragons”) 
   
  (H LA Graf “War Dragons”, own) 
   
  It is obvious that Klingon threat was the principal driving force in the development of Starfleet 
  technologies and tactics in the 23rd century, yet the solutions Starfleet came up with seldom 
  resembled their sources of inspiration. The raiding battlecruiser flotilla was a uniquely Klingon 
  concept, met on the Federation side of the border not by its peers but by packs of perimeter action 
  ships and by lone but deadly dreadnoughts. The light Bird of Prey commerce raider had no direct 
  counterpart in Starfleet, either. Some saw this as a fatal shortcoming, but the fact of the matter was 
  that Starfleet could not fight this particular fire with fire. The design, construction and installation 
  of a cloaking device on a small starship remained a challenge beyond its means. 
    
  There was, of course, a definite demand for stealth and deception in Starfleet operations also. 
  Captured foreign cloaking devices were sometimes used in penetration missions, with varying 
  degrees of success. Yet Klingons were distressingly adept at penetrating Romulan cloaks, and vice 
  versa – and Starfleet was far from understanding the nuances of the technology well enough to 
  create its own, working cocktail of characteristics. This was not as major a problem for Starfleet as 
  its inability to see through foreign cloaks, though. Both Klingon and Romulan devices had their 
  minor idiosyncracies, but these did not amount to true tactical weaknesses. 
   
  The earliest and most primitive cloaking countermeasure Starfleet had implemented was the 
  dispensing of aerosols on the supposed path of cloakships, so that density variations could be 
  observed. By the 2280s, this technology had been refined somewhat: inert soot was replaced by 
  ‘smart’ nanoprobes that, if given the chance to come to contact, could cling to the target hull and 
  keep on transmitting its location. The basic limitation of the original technology remained, though: 
  it only worked if the position of the target was known more or less accurately to begin with, as the 
  nanoprobes could only cover very small volumes of space. There was thus no point in using the 
  technology blindly and passively.  
   
  
   
  240
  The first successful active cloak-hunters were devised in the 2280s. The Falcon scoutcraft of 
  Berengarian Lei&Salak Starcraft manufacture combined high pursuit speed with the ability to lie 
  low in wait, to absorb situation data from passive onboard and active offboard sensors, and to 
  process the data into an educated guess of enemy location and movement. The speed was provided 
  by twin Vickers LN-98 ’Kittiwake’ engines, powered by an antimatter reactor and supercharged for 
  a dash speed of warp four. The long nacelles, massing 486 tons apiece, were mounted at the kinks 
  of a gullwing structure, and Nanchang CC-770 impulse engines at the aft wing roots. The outer 
  sections of the wings housed antigrav repeaters for liftoff and maneuvering. 
   
  The powerful propulsive systems were incompatible with traditional stealth, so Starfleet went for 
  more active protective measures. A Sadra-Maktis multispectral sensor countermeasure suite 
  installed at the bow produced false images and holographically obscured the real ones. While 
  nowhere near the effectiveness of the far larger perimeter ship or strike cruiser SCM suites in hiding 
  the existence or presence of the craft, the system excelled at keeping the enemy from scoring hits. 
  The Falcon in turn would lash out with nanoprobes fired from two triple dispensers flanking the 
  two-person cockpit. Below the crew, a Type IV phaser provided light offensive and defensive 
  punch in case the SCM system failed. The emitter was equally well positioned for firing forward 
  and aft. Shields erected by the single Reflexe FS generator could repel a pulse or two from a BoP 
  wing cannon, although a full volley would still be quite fatal. 
   
  The cramped conditions aboard were the major endurance limiter. Both the forward-facing pilot and 
  the aft-facing tracking system operator enjoyed excellent situational awareness through curved, 
  panoramic windows and multiple viewers, and could eject the cabin in emergencies. The most 
  important member of the crew had no bailout option, though: the Eristaffe-Zynn main computer 
  was thoroughly integrated to the ship structures. The system could track up to thirty potential 
  contacts and consolidate them into a cloakship position by using onboard sensors alone. Linking to 
  external sensors or sister craft would double the capacity. Starfleet was confident that a Ch’ing BoP 
  could be exposed within fifty to sixty seconds of first indication, and a battlecruiser within two to 
  five minutes, depending more on the power and quality of their cloaks than on their attempts at 
  evasive maneuvering. In fact, a maneuvering opponent would now be easier to spot than a standstill 
  one. 
   
  The craft had a single obvious shortcoming: near-prohibitive price. An interceptor equipped to 
  Falcon standards would have frightened most enemies to inaction if deployed in sufficient numbers. 
  The Falcon could never play that role, however. For scouting missions, seventy units could be 
  produced during the spending spree of 2286. A structurally similar interceptor, the Raptor, was 
  produced concurrently with the scoutcraft, omitting the tracking suite and featuring a much more 
  modest SCM system to allow 210 units to be built. Two forward-firing phaser IVs were added to 
  the wing roots, a minitorpedo launcher embedded in place of ventral sensors, and in 195 of the craft, 
  the tracking system operator and much of the computer volume were removed and the cockpit for 
  the remaining pilot moved aft and down and its window size reduced. The remaining fifteen had 
  dual cockpits but lacked the tracking system. None of the changes made the craft truly affordable 
  for the interceptor role, though.  
   
  Although potent combatants at short ranges, the Raptors represented poor acquisition politics. To 
  their detriment, they were technologically half a century ahead of their times. A somewhat less 
  poetic limitation also reduced Raptor (and Falcon) usefulness: built for independent action, they 
  were too large to fit into starship shuttlebays, up to and including the uniquely spacious ventral 
  stern bay of USS Excelsior (NCC-2000). Most of the craft saw service along the Klingon Neutral 
  Zone between 2288 and 2293, and then on the Romulan Neutral Zone from 2298 to 2327, operating 
  
   
  241
  out of fixed installations. The ability to challenge cloaked intruders suffered from the introduction 
  of modern cloak-compatible shields that prevented the nanotrackers from making contact. On the 
  other hand, fixed sensor nets were becoming more capable and, in theory, had less to do anyway, 
  thanks to the Klingon alliance and Romulan isolation. Reassignment of the craft to frontier outposts 
  was a difficult and expensive process, due to the extensive maintenance and support requirements 
  of the craft. Starfleet gave up the attempt in 2337, and thus fought the border wars in the following 
  decades essentially without the support of fightercraft.  
   
  This was by very deliberate choice, however. Even if a successor to the Raptors had been 
  developed, it would not have been fielded under the 2340s-50s doctrine that placed a greater value 
  on the life of an individual than ever before. If the only way to victory was through the brutality of 
  craft-to-craft combat, the Fleet would choose defeat. The borderlands were expendable, the colonies 
  there evacuable, the loss of face of no real consequence – and in the end, the Fleet heavy starships 
  invincible, making the point moot.  
  Storn 
  Assault craft 
  2289-2325 
   
  Completed: 
  165 
   
  Length: 
  11.2 m 
   
  Beam: 
  5.2 m 
   
  Height: 
  8.5 m (sails folded) 
   
  24.3 m (sails extended)  
   
  Mass: 
  852 tons 
   
  Crew: 
  2 
   
  Passengers: 
  8 
   
  Max. speed: 
  w 3.0 
   
  Endurance: 
  3 weeks 
   
  Weapons: 
  2 phaser IV emitters on wings 
   
  Shields: 
  1-layer conformal forcefield 
   
  Transporters: 
  None 
   
  SOURCES: 
  (D Lawrence Miller, dimensions corrected) 
   
  (N SotSF) 
   
  (H SotSF, Lawrence Miller) 
  
   
  242
   
  Gradual advances in small craft warp propulsion whetted Starfleet’s appetite. When warp 
  interceptors had been miniaturized enough for shipboard operations, and on the other hand 
  endurance and firepower increased in detached applications, the next logical step was to strive and 
  combine the two. A request for proposals was put forth in 2286 for a shipborne assault craft capable 
  of warp 3 delivery of Type IV phaser firepower or a boarding squad. Multi-week emergency 
  endurance and the ability to operate in atmospheres raised the stakes, until only three competitors 
  remained. Victory went to Tamerlane Starcraft and its TS-675 ‘Storn’ design, a versatile 
  multipurpose machine that transcended its original deployment plans. 
   
  To provide the required high speed in the compact dimensions dictated, Tamerlane abandoned early 
  on the use of conventional nacelles. Instead, a semi-open ring drive was chosen, with 2.6 m solid 
  state excitation elements to port and starboard and two field reflectors in sails extending up and 
  down from the hull. The sails featured four segments each, for accordion folding when the craft was 
  to land or edge itself into a starship hangar. The powerplant was packed in the aft dorsal part of the 
  hull, with three impulse nozzles above the reactor core. Forward of this, the hexagonal hull 
  accommodated eight troops in extremely cramped conditions in two face-to-face rows of four. At 
  the very bow of the 11 m hull was a control cabin for the two crew, with the pilot sitting forward 
  beneath an acutely slanted flat-plane viewport and the navigator seated aft.  
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
   
  243
   
  A gaggle of Storns clings on to the mothership USS Hornet, while another craft hovers nearby, wings partially folded and 
  with the apparent intent of entering the maintenance hangar of the auxiliary carrier. While other types of starship could 
  process the assault craft, recovery and deployment from a classic hangar was a far clumsier affair than from the purpose-
  built external berths of a Hornet. 
   
  The forward cabin was hinged so that it could swing up to allow the amidships docking adapter to 
  pierce the hull of the vessel to be boarded, or then entirely jettisoned in an emergency escape 
  maneuver that would leave the assault squad stranded. Not all missions called for the presence of 
  the squad, however: interception or interdiction duty would see the aft cabin fitted with an 
  additional fuel tank, and the two heavy Phaser IV units near the tips of the sails would become the 
  primary firepower of the craft. 
   
  Starfleet began deploying Storns aboard Coventry class vessels in 2288, packing two in each 45 x 
  25 x 10 m bay for assault missions. Strike cruiser deployments followed the next year, with two 
  craft fitting side by side in the 22 x 20 x 9 m bay and still leaving just enough room for shuttlecraft 
  operations. While some Chandley frigates also embarked these craft, multipurpose or exploratory 
  starships generally had no room onboard. Starbases and surface installations received a small 
  number of Storns, yet could also operate dedicated and uncompromising interception and assault 
  types, and generally did. 
   
  For maximum flexibility of tactical deployment, Starfleet at first suggested the use of through-deck 
  cruisers, but then found the ideal mothership in the Hornet auxiliary carrier. The Hornets would 
  carry ten of the assault craft in external berths for anti-piracy work, a highly successful endeavor for 
  the 2290s – but also the last hurrah for the craft, which would see very little action past the first 
  decade of the 24th century, and be retired from all deployments by 2325. 
  Mockingbird 
  Light scout 
  2290-2338 
   
  Completed: 
  20 
   
  Length:  
  50.2 m (original) 
  52.4 m (refit) 
   
  Beam: 
  16.8 m 
   
  Height:  
  9.0 m 
   
  Mass: 
  93,000 tons (original) 
   
  99,000 tons (refit) 
   
  Max.speed:  
  w 8.0 (original) 
  W 9.5 (refit) 
   
  Endurance: 
  2 years 
   
  Officers:  
  3 + up to 4 specialists 
   
  Crew:  
  5 
   
  Weapons: 
  1 phaser V emitter on dorsal main hull 
  1 fwd light torpedo tube w/ 10 photorps on ventral main hull 
   
  Shields:  
  1-layer conformal forcefield 
  Navigational deflector on ventral hull 
   
  Laboratories:  
  1 GP 
   
  Transporters:  
  1 GP (6-pad), 1 cargo; Mk V 
  
   
  244
   
  Auxiliaries: 
   None 
   
  Ships of historical interest: 
   
  USS Mockingbird (NCC-4630), USS Seagull (NCC-4647), USS Tanager (NCC-4632) 
   
  SOURCES:  
  (D LUG) 
  (N LUG) 
  (H LUG, own) 
   
  As is well known, the introduction of the Excelsior class did not spawn an immediate or complete 
  refit of Starfleet with the new technology. Reliance on components, systems and engineering 
  solutions introduced in the 2270s refit programs was a common factor for most of the designs of the 
  final decades of the 23rd century. Yet detailed plans for more advanced elements had been made 
  during the Organian stalemate; once they found political and technological acceptance and funding 
  in the high profile Excelsior and Komsomolsk programs, their application to lesser starship types 
  was inevitable. Getting the new technology to work on a smaller scale was still an uphill struggle, 
  however. The necessary if faltering first steps up the steep slope were taken with the humble 
  Mockingbird class light scout. 
   
  Broadly based on the saucer of the Excelsior, a spectrum of common-design primary hulls was 
  again gradually established, the fourth such family in Starfleet use. Saucer size would eventually 
  range from Class 1D for the projected battleships, explorers and a number of fixed installations to 
  Class 5D for small support craft. The model most suited for light scoutship use, and the one to first 
  be perfected, was Class 4D, a two-deck, 16.8 m dia. saucer that offered dorsal and ventral 
  connections for the mounting of m/am reactors, warp engines and secondary hulls as needed; a rear 
  cutout for impulse systems of desired performance and size; a dorsal socket for a bridge module; 
  and two weapons berths and eight sensor berths. 
   
  This type of hull would nicely serve a scouting vessel without requiring major secondary structures. 
  Systems familiar from the older Nairobi and Archer light scouts could be brought aboard in 
  sufficient quantity to give the Mockingbird a tactically and scientifically meaningful role. Internal 
  laboratories would again have to be kept to a minimum and the heaviest long range instruments 
  omitted, but modern high speed propulsion would bring short range instrumentation to bear on 
  targets at the new deep frontier. Advanced automation would allow for crew size to be pared down 
  even from the Archer standard, to as low as eight in austere mode, although space would be set 
  aside for four researchers or intelligence specialists. For fighting, the ships could be given a balance 
  of Type IV phasers or a single heavy-hitting Type V bank and an external torpedo assembly.  
   
  This was as far as the plans made during the forced truce had been allowed to proceed, until the 
  mid-2280s. At this point, the program for the new standard Class 4 saucer was officially launched, 
  and the search began for components that would equip the hull into an operational light scoutship. 
  Type IV phasers were liberated from surplus stock, a few heavier cannon set aside in corvette 
  procurement, sensors scraped together from left and right, and even a Mk 28 corvette torpedo 
  launcher installed on the largish ventral bulge that housed the new scoutship’s deflector and the 
  KR05-PTA main reactor. An acutely aft-swept T-pylon structure was fitted on the dorsal 
  strongback, and two affordable WD-1 engines mounted on its opposite tips, to an almost comical 
  effect for all their bulk in comparison with the primary hull. 
   
  The generally uninspiring results were unveiled in 2290, with the launch of USS Mockingbird, 
  NCC-4630. Standardization of hull components did not mean immediate compatibility of the 
  plugged-in systems, and the inaugural vessel suffered from many teething troubles. Yet she was a 
  prototype in the most abstract sense only: alongside her, five other scouts of the class had already 
  
   
  245
  been launched, and keels for all fifteen of the remaining production run were laid down long before 
  the Mockingbird embarked on her first test flights. Starfleet was determined to make best possible 
  use of the opportunity for mass production, and considered an approach similar to the one it was 
  taking with modern corvettes. A new batch of twenty light scouts would be fielded as soon as the 
  current one reached maturity, and a new one after that, with incremental upgrades. The initial 
  shortcomings of the “early birds” thus didn’t matter much. The important thing was that the future 
  battlefield of the inevitable Klingon war be kept well stocked in reconnaissance assets, and 
  frequently replenished in case of losses. 
   
  This fine and commendable doctrine came to a sudden end with the Khitomer peace. No scout 
  losses had been suffered yet, and now it seemed that none were immediately forthcoming. 
  Investment in a second batch of Mockingbirds was indefinitely postponed. Instead, the existing 
  vessels, plus the ones under construction, were subjected to a performance audit, and several 
  improvements were ordered on their sensor suites, computing systems and the ability to perform 
  scientific rather than military reconnaissance. 
   
  Defense Command concentrated on modern scouts of higher quality, better versatility and greater 
  size, to better cope with the requirements of the peace. It fell on Exploration Command to take the 
  Mockingbirds under its wing – a welcome turn of events, as this division of Starfleet now had 
  greater resources to spend on the task. Mockingbirds quickly began to achieve exploratory fame. 
  Even as relations with the Romulans took a nose dive, the suitably inoffensive USS Tanager (NCC- 
  4632) was able to exploit a previously secured permission to map the Retiklon Cluster in 2292. USS 
  Seagull (NCC-4647) finished a similar solo survey in the ironically more welcoming direction of 
  Klingon space in 2299, returning with data on no less than five unclaimed and uninhabited Class M 
  worlds ripe for picking. 
   
  Hobbled by its substandard warp engines and modest endurance, the class was nevertheless deemed 
  unsuitable for rescuing Starfleet from its new predicament: the urgently needed scientific 
  assessment of the Khitomer Treaty Exploration Zone, a vast expanse of previously inaccessible 
  space. Even the large Amerinds had to bow in face of the daunting task, and then to bow out: twin-
  engined medium scouts more resembling light cruisers were constructed in their place. For the new 
  century, the Mockingbird flock was given assignments close to home space, often in concert or 
  competition with the Antares corvettes that had paralleled their construction doctrine and 
  technological solutions. Also, in renunciation of that doctrine, the original group of scouts was 
  given a desperately needed performance boost with the installation of multiphasic WF-6 engines in 
  2301. 
   
  The attractive new silhouette finally established the class as a worthy member of the Excelsior 
  family, paving way for a number of scout, transport and surveyor designs with Excelsior-influenced 
  primary hulls and propulsion systems. By 2340, Starfleet had finally been built anew to the 
  Excelsior standard – and it was again time for a new generation of starships. The last song of the 
  Mockingbird had already been sung, though. The succeeding Moscow design was a heavier unit 
  with a better claim to the full starship title, and struggled to find a working niche in an environment 
  saturated with high performance small craft; the next design down the line, the Paladin, had to 
  settle for special operations scraps. In many respects, the Mockingbird was the last of the light 
  scoutships, closing the book on adventures begun with the Archer class. 
  
   
  246
  Peregrine 
  Light courier / fightercraft 
  2330-2367 
   
  Completed: 
  213 total: 
   
   
  50 light couriers 
   
  160 light couriers/interceptors 
   
  3 special operations craft 
   
  Length: 
  23.2 m 
   
  Beam: 
  25.4 m 
   
  Height: 
  5.2 m (landing gear retracted) 
   
  6.2 m (landing gear extended) 
   
  Mass: 
  1,240 tons (courier) 
   
  1,290 tons (courier/interceptor) 
   
  Crew: 
  1-2 
   
  Passengers: 
  2-4 
   
  Max. speed: 
  W 5.0 
   
  Endurance: 
  4 months 
   
  Weapons: 
  Wingtip phaser V emitters  
  1 fwd minitorpedo tube w/20 photorps (interceptor only) 
    
  Shields: 
  1-layer conformal forcefield 
   
  Navigational deflector on dorsal bow 
   
  Transporters: 
  1 emergency evacuation (2-pad); Mk VI (some vessels) 
   
  SOURCES: 
  D TNG, DS9, VOY 
   
  N DS9 (Oku’day own) 
   
  (H own) 
   
  The Ju’day transatmospheric, multiphasic transport introduced by the Bolian manufacturer Ardep in 
  the 2320s immediately proved so versatile that civilian and military sales across the Federation were 
  assured. However, the clientele soon specified a need for a smaller vessel, one capable of small-
  scale VIP and priority freight runs yet still at speeds comparable to those of the larger 
  transatmospheric transports. Ardep was candid about not being able to offer performance beyond 
  that of the existing Starfleet light couriers. However, multiphasic improvements did allow this 
  performance to be packaged in a much more compact form. Instead of riding on a warp sled fifty 
  meters long, the courier could be a self-contained unit capable of atmospheric operations, very 
  similar to the Ju’day save for scale. 
   
  The Oku’day light yacht, fielded in 2326, was barely the size of a scoutcraft. At a bit more than 23 
  meters of length and some 25 meters of beam, she consisted of little beyond two 280 ton Chasin-
  Ardep warp engines with six broad and flat coils each, two Merak Model 23 impulse engines, a pair 
  of wings and a narrow pressure compartment eight meters long and two meters tall and wide. At the 
  bow of the pressure hull was the control cabin, with five small but strategically placed flat windows 
  
   
  247
  for a reasonably good all-around view, and side-by-side seating for the flight crew of two. A single 
  pilot could control the craft if needed; the maximum number of people carried was two crew plus 
  four passengers, the latter accommodated in an amidships compartment that held foldaway bunks 
  plus a hygiene center. More normally, the compartment was used to store cargo, while the crew 
  berthed in the control cabin. Between the control cabin and the passenger/cargo area were twin 
  pressure doors that sealed off a utility area with storage lockers, support systems access and a dorsal 
  airlock hatch. This hatch was but a secondary accessway, the main passage being down a planetfall 
  ramp stowed below the passenger/cargo compartment. 
   
  Primary power came from an antimatter reactor aft of the passenger cabin, inside the pressure hull, 
  with primary plasma leads branching off to port and starboard, and expanders for the secondary 
  loop angled aft. Impulse accelerators of the familiar triangular Merak design were flanked by IMRF 
  repeaters, providing the Oku’day with superb impulse and warp agility. Auxiliary power systems 
  consisted of batteries arranged in the bow compartments surrounding the control cabin. These were 
  accompanied by a selection of navigational sensors and communications gear, plus a deflector on 
  dorsal bow, but there was also room and power for user-selectable extras. Naturally, at the top of 
  the wish list of most clients were weapons. 
   
  Starfleet quickly saw the advantages of the Oku’day over its closest comparable designs, the Tai 
  and Sait modular couriers. Despite the extremely cramped interiors, the Oku’days could also 
  perform some general liaison duties, enjoying a marked top speed advantage over all Starfleet 
  runabout designs. Furthermore, the provision for weapons could serve Starfleet interests in local 
  defense and law enforcement duties. In 2330, fifty of the light starcraft were purchased, under the 
  Peregrine class light courier designation. In addition to medium range navigational sensors, the 
  bow compartment held secure commlinks, self-protection jammers and a combat-strength Halle-
  Mansfeld BFF shield generator. Of the four wing mounts available, the tip stations were fitted with 
  Type V phaser emitters, while the wing root ones were left empty. 
   
   
   
  A colonial starport at Salva II hosts three Oku’day variants, protected from the harsh winds by forcefield bubbles. To the 
  left is a civilian craft of austere equipment standard, unmarked like many vessels in the outer colonization zone tend to be. 
  The middle craft carries wingtip sensors and grapple guns, and appears to be a prospector vessel serving Salvan mining 
  enterprises. Some distance away sits a Starfleet Peregrine courier, distinguishable by its added impulse engines even 
  through the static-speckled tarmac shield. 
   
  Positive operational experiences throughout the medium and outer colonization zones led to a 
  further purchase of 163 units in late 2351. About half of the second-batch vessels were later 
  configured specifically for a trefoil courier/defense/attack mission, complete with pursuit sensors 
  and a lightweight minitorpedo launcher at the bow. Cabins now featured modern instrumentation, 
  and touchball controls were replaced by flat-panel interfaces and advanced combat autopilots. All 
  
   
  248
  second-batch craft also received additional Merak Model 21 impulse units outboard of the primary 
  engines – an option that only gained in commercial popularity after Starfleet had first ordered it. In 
  fact, Starfleet’s adoption of the design promoted civilian sales in general, and Ardep soon became 
  the primary provider of liaison vehicles and light transports in the coreward and spinward colony 
  zones.  
   
  Starfleet officially abandoned the Peregrine class in 2367, although in practice the courier mission 
  had been dropped half a decade earlier, along with direct Starfleet involvement in colonial affairs. 
  The craft in Starfleet service between 2362 and 2367 operated almost solely in the defensive 
  interceptor or attack-trainer role. Tactically highly useful, yet technologically rather outdated, they 
  prompted the development of a dedicated modern fightercraft. The Kestrel attack fighters, described 
  in detail later, had no secondary role as light couriers. Instead, reconnaissance or police operations 
  were part of the alternate Kestrel mission profile; some of the Peregrines ended up serving in such 
  roles for their final years as well. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  A comparison between original 2330s Oku’day controls and a 2350s Peregrine cabin showcases the major advances in 
  Federation interface technology. A completely hands-off cockpit is next on the wish list of small craft manufacturers and 
  purchasers, although holographic controls are likely to be an intermediate step. Interestingly, the Oku’days have a full set 
  of manual electromechanical backup controls for atmospheric operations. Most starcraft would be completely 
  uncontrollable in atmospheric entry without a flight computer, and manual backups are thus extremely rarely provided. 
  The Oku’day is passively stable in most flight regimes, and the backup controls access the RCS thrusters and gravitics 
  almost directly, via a simple control logic circuit only. 
   
  While Starfleet generally disposed of its old Peregrines by scrapping them, several were merely 
  disarmed before resale. A handful of these, as well as some originally civilian units, later found 
  their way to the hands of Maquis insurgents, and proved quite deadly in low-intensity warfare in the 
  Cardassian Demilitarized Zone. Armed with two to four wing-mounted disruptors and sometimes 
  also a bow torpedo launcher, formations of these craft could deliver heavy punishment on poorly 
  defended orbital and surface targets, and easily escape to warp. 
   
  Strict limitations have now been placed on sales of Oku’days (which no longer remain in 
  commercial production) and comparable craft. However, there is no stopping the proliferation of 
  compact high speed vessels of this kind, capable of outrunning many kinds of pursuit and operating 
  from austere forward bases and hideouts. For now, all Starfleet can do is rethink its threat scenarios. 
  No countermeasure has been found so far against hit-and-disperse raids by such craft, except for 
  pursuit by multiple similarly nimble warp vessels. This conclusion will probably ensure continuing 
  Starfleet interest in craft of this category. 
  Kilauea 
  Runabout 
  2339- 
   
  Completed: 
  110 
   
  Length: 
  19.0 m 
  
   
  249
   
  Beam: 
  9.4 m 
   
  Height: 
  5.0 m 
   
  Mass: 
  930 tons 
   
  Crew: 
  2 
   
  Passengers: 
  12 
   
  Cruise speed: 
  W 4 
   
  Max. speed: 
  W 4.8 
   
  Endurance: 
  9 weeks 
   
  Weapons: 
  Normally none  
   
  Fuselage hardpoints provided for 2 phaser IV emitters 
   
  Shields: 
  1-layer conformal forcefield 
   
  Navigational deflector under bow 
   
  Transporters: 
  1 GP (2-pad); Mk VI 
   
  SOURCES: 
  D TNG “Skin of Evil” 
   
  (N own) 
   
  (H own) 
   
  The time of the LN family of warp engines was far from being over when the WF engines of 
  Excelsior descent took over the high performance starship propulsion market. The LN engines 
  would continue to be utilized well into the 2330s, seeing use aboard Renaissance and 
  Mediterranean vessels and their even later outgrowths. Yet the WF series did steadily increase its 
  market share, and by the 2330s already included lightweight models suited for liaison craft use. 
   
  Positive experiences on the Juneau long range runabouts encouraged Starfleet to order a modern 
  WF-engined successor, now both for starbase and starship liaison duties. The compact 12 m, 420 
  ton WF-9 offered sufficient performance for an equally minimal spaceframe. At just 19 meters of 
  total length and, more importantly, less than 10 meters of beam, the Kilauea runabout could fit 
  within the shuttlebays of explorers with ease. Yet significant capabilities, quite on par with the 
  Juneau ones, could be built into the small craft. A separate cabin for two crew and forward and aft 
  passenger compartments for up to twelve people provided good comfort and a high level of 
  protection against threats and environment. Communications systems were virtually starship level, 
  and navigation sensors were comparable to courier ones. Instrument layout in the Kilauea control 
  cabin was later commonalized with Type 7 and 9 shuttles for maximum practicability in explorer 
  auxiliary operations. 
   
  Some aspects of the craft were still short of ideal. A centrally mounted powerplant hindered access 
  between the forward habitat area and the aft lounge, and made it virtually impossible to include a 
  large cargo hold. Ingress was via two side doors on the forward habitat compartment, while the aft 
  area only had a panoramic aft window. Plans to create a cargo version complete with a rear hold 
  similar to that of the Juneaus or the Type 9 shuttles were repeatedly shelved. Yet the types of 
  payload the runabout did carry enjoyed unprecedented access to all types of destinations. A two-pad 
  Mk VI transporter was provided, and the craft had excellent atmospheric handling and landing 
  qualities despite the low mounting of the rather massive WF-9 units. In emergencies, nacelle 
  jettison would be a simple operation, and the craft had flight control protocols to keep her stable in 
  nacelleless mode as well. 
   
  
   
  250
   
   
  The unfortunate aftermath of a ballistic impact. Contact velocity in this 2364 incident at Vagra II was close to six 
  kilometers per second, sending the spaceframe halfway into igneous rock despite full inertial masking at impact moment. 
  Both crew aboard survived with minor injury only. Cause of the accident was believed to be remote tampering by alien 
  intellect, although forensic evidence was evaporated in subsequent orbital bombardment of said hostile lifeform. 
   
  The craft carried little or no armament, and their onboard computing systems were quite insufficient 
  for scientific study. Nor were there provisions for extra or swappable sensors. A Kilauea thus 
  wasn’t a multipurpose vehicle, although few earlier liaison craft had enjoyed the flexibility or the 
  nearly warp 5 performance. On certain types of assignments, Ambassador, Niagara, Nebula and 
  Galaxy vessels carried the craft as standard auxiliaries in the 2350s and early 2360s, making them 
  independent of courier services within ten lightyears of starbases or outposts. 
   
  Yet the Kilaueas weren’t a perfect solution to starship auxiliary duty. In many ways, their 
  performance was excessive and their bulk in comparison with warp 2 shuttles unjustified. The 
  luxury courier role was often better handled by dedicated interstellar courier ships, even if these 
  could not be stored or handled shipboard. More mundane interstellar runs could be performed by 
  heavy shuttles, lately of Type 9 with GN series warp engines. Since the most recent variants of 
  Type 9 are capable of sustained warp 4, they pose serious competition to the Kilaueas in the 
  starship auxiliary role. Subsequently, most Kilaueas have been reassigned to starbase liaison duty, 
  and only a handful continue to serve aboard frontline explorers. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  The cavernous main shuttlebay of USS Yamato holds two Kilaueas side by side, with Type 9 cargo shuttles to the left and a 
  row of Type 7 medium shuttles on the background. Commonalities in design are obvious, even though each auxiliary 
  sports engines of different type. 
  
   
  251
  Aerie 
  Prospector 
  2348- 
   
  Completed: 
  120 
   
  Length: 
  90.3 m 
   
  Beam: 
  58.9 m 
   
  Height: 
  14.6 m 
   
  Mass: 
  177,000 tons  
   
  Crew: 
  3-12 
   
  Cruise speed: 
  W 5 
   
  Max. speed: 
  W 6.2 
   
  Endurance: 
  5 years 
   
  Weapons: 
  None 
   
  Shields: 
  1-layer globular forcefield 
   
  Navigational deflectors on port/stbd bows 
   
  Laboratories: 
  2 mineralogy/geology 
   
  Transporters: 
  1 GP (3-pad); Mk VI 
   
  Craft of historical interest: 
   
  SS Raven (NAR-32450) 
   
  SOURCES: 
  D VOY  
   
  (N Decipher, Armada II computer game) 
   
  (H Decipher, Armada II computer game, own) 
   
  Two factors conspired in the late 23rd century to limit Starfleet’s role in the field of prospecting. In 
  the 2280s, peaking of the Klingon crisis made it withdraw its prospector units from disputed 
  territories. Soon thereafter, breakthroughs in dilithium recrystallizing all but collapsed the demand 
  for the natural commodity, at least in starship propulsion applications. 
   
  Withdrawal of Starfleet resources from the prospecting business meant hard times indeed to private 
  prospectors and small to midsize corporations. To be sure, there remained a host of precious 
  minerals, pharmaceuticals and other chemicals to be hunted. Few of these were as lucrative or as 
  easily locatable as dilithium, though. An entire industry came close to collapse in the first decades 
  of the 24th century. Unlike was the case in Earth’s final oil crisis in the 2020s, however, the society 
  could make do without the industry. In fact, the synthesis techniques that had nearly killed 
  prospecting would soon bring general prosperity that once again made practical the profession of 
  the private resource hunter. 
   
  The successful prospector ship of the 2330s was quite different from her 2250s-60s sisters, despite 
  still being a high endurance, medium speed, low crew requirement vessel capable of planetary 
  landings. Emphasis now was on a broad sensor suite capable of detecting a diverse selection of non-
  
   
  252
  emitting resources, and on versatile onboard laboratories suited for in situ analysis of the most 
  complex of findings. The required higher expertise (along with the new economic reality) sculpted a 
  new kind of prospector as well, often a highly educated, highly driven individual seeking 
  recognition more than financial gain. 
   
  Individualism clashed with one aspect of the prospecting field, however. With the core space 
  already thoroughly mapped, resource hunters would have to penetrate to relatively deep space, 
  where single-person prospecting craft had low odds of success. A hefty degree of government 
  sponsorship was required to mount a successful expedition now, and the government expected a 
  return for its investment. In 2340, a set of minimum requirements for prospecting vessels was 
  established; concurrently, shipbuilders across the Federation were contacted for offers. 
   
  Star Fleet Division presented a package that for once met the commercial expectations – if only by 
  virtue of the government dictating the said expectations. In essence, the bow structures of a Deneva 
  light transport were merged to a survey payload housed within a new four-deck midhull section. 
  Low-power Halland B navigational deflectors on lower bows replaced the original centerline Edan 
  unit. A wholly new life support system was also installed on the lowermost deck, along with 
  assorted stowage and utilities, and a new forward landing leg and tractor beam emitter in an 
  underfloor compartment. The starboard docking port was replaced by an (exceptionally awkwardly 
  placed) surface access hatch. The vessels retained a three-pad transporter system on the former top 
  deck, but the flight control facilities were moved one deck up into an all-new superstructure with 
  three broad space windows forward and sensors atop and abaft. In place of the Deneva bridge area 
  were berthing spaces for part of the maximum crew of twelve.  
   
  The midhull structures were far more distinct from their transport forebears. Propulsion was by two 
  FN-14 engines, welded to a single slablike, perfectly horizontal pylon box that extended through the 
  equally boxy hull. The structure could easily take the stresses of planetary landings, and also 
  mounted the impulse and gas-heating propulsion systems and gravitics needed in such operations. A 
  sturdy, retractable landing skid was also fitted on each pylon half, with a third beneath the forward 
  secondary hull. The somewhat stubby bypass-flow warp core was fitted vertically in the midpoint of 
  the box, accompanied by three armored fuel tanks both forward and aft. 
   
  The warp core and its power utilities extended a deck and a half above the pylon box, and a deck 
  below. The upper decks held various support systems, the lower deck in turn supplies and 
  workshops. Below the lower deck pressure floor were spaces for e.g. tractor beam machinery and 
  antimatter jettison systems. A further pressure bulkhead separated the engineering area from an 
  amidships bay for the main flight computer – a single large and fast E-Z optical unit to optimally 
  support the research activities. The lower deck aft of the core was dedicated to the prospecting 
  function, with smallish equipment holds and a cluster of assay laboratories. Above these, the single 
  rear shuttlebay was given a low ceiling yet a wide accordion-type space door, optimal for 
  supporting light shuttlecraft operations and carrying a broad variety of survey gear. This allowed 
  the ship to perform prospecting operations from orbit via her auxiliary craft, while also enabling her 
  to efficiently load and offload samples and equipment while on surface. For the latter, an integrated 
  lift and tractor system was installed on the deck below the shuttle landing area. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
   
  253
   
   
   
   
  Another starport comparison shot allows for the identification of an Aerie surveyor in faded Starfleet markings and two 
  Aberdeen colonization vessels in the green livery of Alithonas SHG. The latter lack some of the sensor emplacements of the 
  Aerie, and also feature additional egress doors on the lowermost deck and portholes around the uppermost one. Not 
  visible to the exterior is the removal of the bulky main computer core from the colonizers, the main step in providing 
  increased internal volume for the up to a hundred passengers. 
   
  The resulting vessel wasn’t an all-around commercial success story. The Aerie class originally 
  operated under Exploration Command auspices but was soon transferred to the Federation Science 
  Council and re-registered with NAR codes. Sixty systems were built for FSC as well, bringing the 
  total number of operational ships to 140. The rest of the production went to the private sector with 
  Armada BLK warp engines, under the overall class name Rio Tinto. In addition, some 120 vessels 
  were manufactured to this propulsive standard but with much simplified interiors and pressed to 
  duty as Aberdeen light colonizers, a fairly popular competitor to the older Osprey and the later 
  Erewhon. 
   
  Aerie operations in the 2350s and 2360s closed many gaps in Oberth coverage, helped by the higher 
  speed of the design. The Aerie sensor payload was significantly lighter, of course, and the type was 
  mainly favored in missions calling for extended surface operations. Apart from deep space 
  mineraological or biological prospecting, the surveyors engaged in anthropological and general 
  ethological research, archaeology and migration studies. On the latter fields, their sorties greatly 
  expanded Federation knowledge of the local star empires of yore, enabling later missions to finally 
  track down the original Romulan migration patterns, the near-mythical Iconian homeworld, the 
  elusive Duthulhiv, and scores of other enigmas of the past.  
   
  Five of the FSC-controlled ships fell casualty to extended missions of this nature: the five-year 
  endurance and operational independence of the vessels enabled them to get rather thoroughly lost in 
  the vastness of barely charted or uncharted space. In theory, mission sponsors set strict limits to the 
  risks to be taken. In practice, flight plans were seldom followed for more than a few months, as 
  there was no stopping a ‘mystery hunter’ who had sensed the stale scent of his or her ancient prey. 
   
  The private prospectors pursued no safer a lifestyle, yet only two have been lost to date, both to 
  landing mishaps in highly demanding conditions. The vessels have belatedly gained the grudging 
  admiration of the prospector community, being more rugged and forgiving than their similarly sized 
  purely commercial competitors. No further production is expected, but the remaining vessels have 
  at least six decades of estimated service life left – a rather significant improvement over preceding 
  designs. 
  Kestrel 
  Fightercraft 
  2362- 
   
  Completed: 
  2,242+ 
   
  Length: 
  17.1 m 
   
  Beam: 
  16.4 m (outer wings extended) 
   
  12.9 m (outer wings stowed) 
   
  Height: 
  5.6 m (outer wings extended) 
   
  3.2 m (outer wings stowed) 
   
  
   
  254
  Mass: 
  1,620 tons (w/o weapon pods) 
   
  1,740 tons (5 torpedoes, 2 Type VI phaser pods) 
   
  Crew: 
  2 
   
  Max. speed: 
  W 5.3 
   
  Endurance: 
  5 weeks 
   
  Weapons: 
  1 phaser V emitter on ventral bow  
   
  1 phaser V emitter on dorsal amidships 
   
  2 phaser VIP emitters on warp cowlings p/s (optional) 
   
  Bow tube for up to 16 minitorpedoes (attack type) 
   
  Two ventral bays for up to 4 torpedoes (antiship type) 
  Fuselage hardpoints provided for 3 weapons pods  
   
  Shields: 
  1-layer conformal forcefield 
   
  Transporters: 
  1 emergency evacuation (padless); Mk VI 
   
  SOURCES: 
  D DS9 
   
  (N own) 
   
  (H own) 
   
  While the border wars of the 2350s resulted in few if any changes in Starfleet doctrines and major 
  equipment, some refinements were made for example in the field of small craft operations. The 
  withdrawing of corvettes from colonial protection duty had left frontier worlds ill prepared to cope 
  with even light raiding forces. Such raids were a distressingly common part of Cardassian strategy. 
  And whereas even a large number of corvettes couldn’t do much about a heavy assault by several 
  destroyers or cruisers, the Cardassians often also sent strike teams on light vessels to harass low-
  population UFP colonies, counting on the impossibility of rapid response by the thinly spread 
  Starfleet starship forces.  
   
  Furthermore, field commanders of Marine units were concerned that the insufficient starship 
  resources would deprive surface forces of orbital support. Some sort of force multiplication on low 
  level was needed, of a type that could be effected more swiftly than the major shipbuilding 
  programs.  
   
  One answer to the quandary was obvious, yet almost all parties initially refused to see it: armed 
  small craft could be permanently and inexpensively be deployed to deter light raids, and to provide 
  surface teams with fire support. For the colonists, the permanent deployment aspect was intolerable. 
  For the Marines, inexpensive atmospheric craft meant fatal exposure to enemy fire, as well as being 
  tied down to the speed of the craft instead of being free to use transporters for rapid tactical 
  movement. And for Starfleet in general, the word ‘fightercraft’ was synonymous with atrocities of 
  past wars, with cannon fodder tactics and fighting from a position of weakness. 
   
  
   
  255
  Yet several things had changed since the last massed use of fightercraft. By the 2360s, a light 
  combat spacecraft could be given potent shielding, precision-fire phaser armament and sufficient 
  atmospheric, sublight and even warp speed for survival. For colonial operations, the craft could be 
  made more appealing by building in modular features and secondary mission options. And a 
  fightercraft of the 24th century could be made virtually self-sufficient, requiring only a rudimentary 
  frontline refueling base. As light Cardassian offensives continued past the end of the 2350s, 
  Starfleet was given the go-ahead to convert its Peregrine couriers to offensive-defensive 
  fightercraft, and to procure a small number of modern successors. 
   
  Following the Peregrine courier/fighter guidelines, the Kestrel class of fast attack craft featured 
  Fkaadja’s newest-standard F-500 broad, flat warp coils, powerful Tumanskii impulse engines, full 
  atmospheric flight and landing capacity boosted by aerodynamic shapes and sub-impulse thrusters, 
  and a small cockpit equipped with advanced crew support systems, including a compact replicator. 
  The overall configuration was based on two booms housing warp coils and mounting impulse 
  engines at the rear; a central section housing the crew on a longitudal and the quadruple-chambered 
  warp powerplant on a transverse superstructure; and two canted trapezoid wings similar to the 
  Peregrine ones, containing cooling machinery, shield generators and fuel and joining the other parts 
  together. 
   
  The central section bow featured a deflector and navigational sensor assembly on the upper surface. 
  Two possible uses could be provided for the spaces underneath: in the ground attack variant, a 
  minitorpedo launcher with magazines for 16 shots dominated the volume, and had a prominent bow 
  muzzle, while in the antiship version the volume was filled with fire control equipment. 
   
  Aft of this, the cockpit had the crew of two sitting side by side, with adequate visibility provided 
  through the forward part of the reinforced canopy. There was room for two more personnel or 
  assorted cargo behind the pilots in the basic model, but this room would typically be filled in by 
  augmentation packages in improved models or by end users. Typical packages included additional 
  processing systems for fire control, an improved shield generator, and life support endurance 
  boosters. This complicated service access to machinery already installed behind the cockpit; ingress 
  and egress as such was not hindered, as this was via gullwing hatches aft of the transparent canopy 
  part. 
   
  The quadruple-chambered warp powerplant straddled the central hull and booms, and the plasma 
  feeds went through the wings to the inboard warp coil assemblies. Secondary EPS circuits extended 
  to the inner wings to power the landing gravitics and the optional countermeasures or sensors on the 
  outer wing sections. These were power-hinged upward for landing and compact stowage; they 
  would be extended for maneuvering both in and out of atmospheres. 
   
  These extremely fast, remarkably compact ships could reach warp 5.3 or maintain warp 4 for 
  several days. The warp cowlings served a double function: inboard of the coils, there were ventral 
  doors providing access to weapons bays inside the cowlings. Full-sized photon torpedoes could be 
  carried there in the antiship variant of the craft, or ground ordnance could be loaded into the attack 
  variant which lacked the fire control systems for managing the larger torpedoes. A third weapons 
  hardpoint was available at ventral centerline; although this was intended mainly for a 
  reconnaissance sensor package, anything from particle accelerators to heavy phasers could be 
  bolted on with a little ingenuity. Also, there were Type VI phaser emitters on the forward corners of 
  the cowlings, typically firing at pulsed mode for devastating direct attack capacity. 
   
   
  
   
  256
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  A formation of Kestrels swoops towards a Dominion cruiser, supported by two Miranda light cruisers. In impulse combat, 
  attack craft were an indispensable companion to elderly starship types throughout the Dominion conflict, providing 
  protection through counterstrikes and screening maneuvers that often broke the targeting locks of Jem’Hadar capital 
  ships. The old warhorses in turn carried the fighters to battle, and opened way for their attacks with standoff torpedo 
  volleys. 
   
  The Kestrels saw service as starbase and colonial patrol/reconnaissance craft and civilian police 
  vessels. In times of war, the ships were intended to be used as insystem and planetary attack craft, 
  using their steerable nose and back phaser V emitters for self-defense, their forward phaser VI 
  mounts for hitting soft targets, and the contents of their weapons bays for inflicting damage on 
  hardened planetary or spaceborne targets; advanced flight training was also practiced on these craft 
  in preparation for the mission. As many as seventy were provided for civilian-commercial users, 
  armed with the self-defense phaser V turrets only. But in 2370, some ships of this class found their 
  way to the group of disgruntled colonists calling themselves the Maquis. Organized against alleged 
  Cardassian hostility towards colonies near the Cardassian border zone established in 2369, the 
  Maquis gathered an arsenal of light and medium ships equipped with anything they had access to. 
  Phasers, missiles, mini- and microtorpedoes and even Type VIII cannon were available through 
  former Bajoran resistance fighters, Ferengi traders, Breen privateers – and Starfleet officers. Several 
  of these dissatisfied officers joined the movement, providing tactical training, organizing weapons 
  transactions and helping arm the small craft to provide guerrilla warfare weaponry for the Maquis. 
   
  Heavy Klingon, Romulan or Breen disruptors could also be fitted to the hardpoints, the engines 
  tinkered with, the shields remodulated, and the Maquis eagerly tried their mettle on all this. 
  Accompanied with Bajoran light craft, the interceptors mounted several attacks on Cardassian 
  warships during 2370-72. An attempt was also made to use modified Kestrels to attack a Cardassian 
  planetary outpost suspected of being a supply post for an upcoming Cardassian attack, but this was 
  successfully prevented by swift Starfleet action. Less successful were the Starfleet attempts to 
  infiltrate the organization, where more than twenty agents were exposed or ‘went native’. Direct 
  military confrontation was attempted by Starfleet when political situation changed with Cardassia’s 
  downfall, leading only to the disabling of two Starfleet starships and minimal damage to the Maquis 
  organization.  
   
  The Maquis continued military operations out of bases in the Badlands anomaly region until hunted 
  down by the allied Cardassian and Dominion forces in 2373. While the movement has officially 
  now been abandoned, the stubbornly independence-minded survivors still have stern backing from 
  the nearby colonies, among coreworld idealists – and, it is suspected, within Starfleet. 
   
  The Kestrels have also fought to serve the Federation, taking part for example in the massive fleet 
  action to retake station DS9 from Dominion and Cardassian forces in early 2374. In this role, their 
  main weaponry consisted of antiship torpedoes, and both the phaser V and VI emitters became 
  
   
  257
  superfluous. They still saw use in planetary assault, however. A typical role for the craft was 
  impulse escort of planetary assault formations, followed by close support of the assault forces 
  themselves, although some fleet outrider duties at medium warp speeds could also be handled by 
  the versatile fighters.  
   
  Starfleet had originally procured just 200 of the craft, but readily completed two thousand more in 
  2373-75 as the Dominion threat escalated. The high-volume production could barely cope with 
  attrition, though, as the Kestrels weren’t up to the task of confronting Jem’Hadar attack ships, even 
  in 3:1 engagements. 
   
  Currently, Starfleet is planning on bringing Kestrel strength up to 600 craft. The basic design 
  warrants no major changes, at least not in the planetary assault mission. For interception of small 
  starships, a much more potent class is clearly needed, and mere glorified starship auxiliaries cannot 
  be used as the basis. 
  Tempest 
  Fightercraft 
  2365- 
   
  Completed: 
  411+ 
   
  Length: 
  26.2 m 
   
  Beam: 
  7.5 m 
  10.1 m (w/ combat module) 
   
  Height: 
  7.4 m (nacelle extended) 
   
  5.3 m (nacelle retracted) 
  8.4 m (w/ module, nacelle extended) 
   
  6.3 m (w/ module, nacelle retracted) 
   
  Mass: 
  1,346 tons 
  1,862 tons (w/ module)  
   
  Crew: 
  4 
   
  Max. speed: 
  W 5.7 
   
  W 5.0 (w/ module) 
   
  Endurance: 
  10 weeks 
   
  Weapons: 
  4 phaser VIP emitters on bow 
   
  4 fwd phaser VIP emitters on weapon module pylons 
   
  4 aft phaser VIP emitters on weapon module pylons 
   
  1 fwd minitorpedo tube w/200 torpedoes on weapon module centerline 
   
  Shields: 
  2-layer conformal/globular forcefield 
   
  Transporters: 
  1 emergency evacuation (2-pad or padless); Mk VII 
   
  SOURCES: 
  (D Jim Martin Defiant pre-design) 
   
  (N own) 
   
  (H own) 
   
  The grudging acceptance of the Kestrel class for limited attack roles did not mean that experts in all 
  Starfleet arms now believed in the level of protection offered by modern technology. On the matter 
  of offensive fightercraft use against spatial adversaries, even the staunchest proponents admitted 
  that heavier shielding was an absolute necessity. Yet advances in offensive technologies, especially 
  pulse phaser and small-caliber torpedo armament, made fightercraft applications extremely 
  attractive. In 2362, simultaneously with the Kestrel program, Starfleet initiated the design of a 
  fightercraft capable of trading blows with starships – fully knowing that the challenge might be too 
  great to ever be successfully met. 
  
   
  258
   
  The Tempest strike fighter was a valiant attempt. Using medieval knights as their inspiration, 
  experts at Martin designed a ‘rider/mount’ combination mating a powerful shield and weapon 
  platform onto a fast, sleek warp and impulse starcraft. The former would ride to battle only for 
  missions of extreme risk; the latter would have multiple roles even without the combat module, 
  ranging from perimeter patrol to reconnaissance. 
   
  The core of the Tempest measured some 26 meters in length but had a hull only 7.5 meters wide. 
  With the single ventral F-400 nacelle retracted, the tops of the Kestrel-like Tumanskii impulse/sub-
  impulse engine assemblies nicely cleared most shuttlebay ceilings at 5.3 meters. The small cross-
  section was achieved by tucking the two sublight propulsion units and the nacelle in around the 
  narrow ‘panhandle’ stern, leaving just the bow to flare out into an aerodynamically smooth 
  pressurized shape. The forward section housed the crew in a centrally mounted cabin, the four Type 
  VI pulse phaser emitters cowled into the bow flanks, and the shield generator directly behind the 
  cabin. Amidships hid the main reactor, strongly armored and ready to feed primary stage plasma to 
  the shield generator forward, to the sublight propulsion units above and aft, and to the warp nacelle 
  below. 
   
  Onto a further interface directly atop the reactor section would clip the combat module, an arch 
  straddling the impulse units and curving down to pulse phaser pods mounting no less than eight of 
  the Type VI units. On module centerline lay a minitorpedo launcher, beefing up its up to 200 
  projectiles of 300 mm diameter and 700 mm length with antimatter from the reactor section, and 
  spitting them out at a devastating rate of fire. In addition, each wing of the arch housed a Sylvanesti 
  shield generator for erecting an additional globular forcefield around the craft. A communications 
  and datalink array atop the module helped coordinate operations with fellow Tempests, lesser craft, 
  starships or external aids of other types. 
   
   
   
   
  
   
  259
  Motie Mauler, a fully armed Tempest from USS Pournelle (NCC-73602), rides shotgun to light transport Dinai (NDV-
  4623), the nacelle already retracted up and aft in preparation for atmospheric entry. Unlike the dedicated Kestrel attack 
  craft, Tempest omits aerodynamic surfaces and outriggered gravitics, and is thus a trickier beast to handle “down in the 
  soup”. 
   
  The ‘horse’ part of Tempest performed well without the burden of the combat module ‘rider’, too. 
  Top speeds of warp 5.7 were expected to be commonly reached, even if single-nacelle 
  maneuverability remained meager at best. The craft possessed sufficient sublight muscle to stay 
  apace with Kestrels, although again there were agility issues due to the long hull and the aft-
  mounted nozzles. Two of the four crew, sitting forward behind narrow but well-placed portholes, 
  were dedicated to navigation and targeting. One served as tactical analyst and one as flight 
  engineer, seated farther back. Interior access to the lateral spaces and aft into the shielding and 
  power systems was possible via protected access tubes; stores could be stowed there for extended 
  missions, up to ten weeks in length. 
   
  These formidable craft were introduced slowly and hesitantly, not because of technical problems 
  but because there was significant doctrinal resistance to their mode of operations. Striking at 
  starships was still considered a desperation move, and such desperation was unthinkable in the 
  afterglow of the past victories. Practical considerations first suggested operating Tempests from the 
  large hangars of explorers and strike carriers only, but this made very little sense in terms of the 
  mission profiles of these starships. A cruiser or a frigate would benefit far more from the presence 
  of the fighters, even if this meant disembarking most of her shuttle complement. Interestingly, the 
  first Tempest deployments took place aboard the lithe Bradbury corvettes, whose hangars could just 
  barely accommodate two of the craft side by side. The Tempests would have to be eased in stern 
  first; the combat modules would slide onto the craft from behind on ceiling rails and clamp on, but 
  not without the hands-on help of at least two deck crew. In practice, the flight engineers and pilots 
  of the craft would take to that task themselves. 
   
  The Dominion War saw many a Kestrel launched on hopeless missions, and many a field 
  commander calling for better protected and armed replacements. Some 400 Tempests were indeed 
  produced during the conflict, but most of these did not reach the battlefields in time. Outclassed in 
  agility by their primary prey, Jem’Hadar attack ships, they turned out to be less than ideal space 
  combat weapons after all, and were mainly used in planetary assault support. Their pulse phasers 
  were devastating weapons in such warfare, delivering more than thrice the firepower of a fully 
  armed Kestrel and easily shredding the shields of surface troops and vehicles. They also proved 
  themselves as recovery craft, whisking to safety downed pilots or surrounded ground units; their 
  dual shields and emergency transporters could be operated in concert by experienced crew, and 
  there was surprising capacity for accommodating refugees onboard. 
   
  In planetary assault missions, many Tempests were flown without their ‘riders’. From 2375 on, new 
  shield generators were installed to compensate for the preferred weapon of the Jem’Hadar, the 
  frighteningly penetrating phased polaron beam. These more or less negated the need for the 
  additional globular shielding, which in any case was not easily modifiable to withstand polaron 
  beams. Combat experiences overall were so positive that current efforts concentrate on adding to 
  the firepower of module-less Tempests. Succeeding designs optimized for the assault role, such as 
  the Valkyrie, or for escort and interception, such as the Scarab, are also emerging. In good and bad, 
  the manned fightercraft or light gunboat seems to be back in Starfleet arsenal for the foreseeable 
  future. 
  
   
  260
  Danube 
  Runabout 
  2366- 
   
  Completed: 
  209+ 
   
  Length: 
  23.1 m 
   
  Beam: 
  13.7 m 
   
  Height: 
  5.4 m 
   
  Mass: 
  1,956 tons (original, standard habitat module) 
   
  1,982 tons (upgraded, full torpedo module load) 
   
  Crew: 
  2 (original) 
   
  3 (upgraded, tactical missions) 
   
  Passengers: 
  18 (standard habitat module) 
   
  up to 60 (troop transport/cargo module) 
   
  Cruise speed: 
  W 4 (original) 
   
  W 5 (upgraded) 
   
  Max. speed: 
  W 4.7 (original) 
   
  W 5.4 (upgraded) 
   
  Endurance: 
  2 months 
   
  Weapons: 
  2 phaser VI emitters flanking the cockpit 
   
  2 phaser VI emitters on nacelle ends 
   
  2 phaser V emitters on aft cabin 
   
  Hull modules for up to 2x4 torpedoes or 3x8 mines available 
   
  Ventral launcher for 20 microtorpedoes available 
   
  Dorsal fwd module for phaser VI available 
   
  Shields: 
  1-layer conformal forcefield 
   
  Transporters: 
  1 GP (2-pad); Mk VII 
   
  SOURCES: 
  D DS9 
   
  (N Omnipedia) 
   
  (H Chronology) 
   
  The generation of starships based on warp technology first introduced in the New Orleans class was 
  no different from its predecessors in generating spinoff technologies for use in small craft and 
  shuttles. The GN coil system was gradually refined into an efficient shuttlecraft warp drive, and 
  utilized in the Type 8 and 12 light, Type 7 medium and late-model Type 9 heavy shuttles. However, 
  a natural intermediate step in the miniaturization process was the creation of an engine for use in 
  runabouts. Such an application posed few challenges, as runabouts did not require the cruise 
  performance or top speed of couriers. 
   
  On the other hand, Starfleet in the fifties did not really require runabouts. There was virtually no 
  growth of the liaison craft fleet during the border war years. Withdrawal of colonial liaison forces, 
  combined with the increased presence of starships in the outer colonization zone, left little for warp 
  four craft to do. Leeding, the primary contractor for GN engines, tried in vain to push for a warp 4.7 
  sled design that would carry a Shintoi lifting body hull with seating for up to 30 passengers. The 
  military had no use for such a space bus, the inter-colonial traffic had largely ceased, and starship 
  liaison needs beyond shuttle operations were perfectly met by the Kilauea class. 
   
  The situation changed rather drastically with the onset of peace. The former battlefield between the 
  40 ly colonization zone and Cardassia Prime was strewn with politically ambivalent systems in a 
  state of disarray, and Starfleet had to tread carefully there. No major exploration programs 
  
   
  261
  involving fleets of starships could be initiated in the region. Yet the sectors around Kalandra and 
  Bajor were rife with targets of scientific interest, targets whose proper surveying would also help 
  develop the economies of the local systems. Starfleet chose not only to deploy Oberth surveyors 
  farther out than usual, but also to order the development of new exploration hardware, including a 
  wholly new exploration-oriented runabout design. Leeding was ready with the GN-208, and 
  dropped Shintoi from the partnership at a moment’s notice. 
   
  The first Danube class exploration support runabout floated off the production lines in 2365. The 
  craft met Fleet Requirement 2364-12-B448X for a versatile outpost auxiliary, yet was for all 
  practical purposes an off-the-shelf item dating back to a detailed independent study by the ASDB in 
  2363. Leeding’s input, a pair of GN-208 mod 2 warp coil assemblies, was mounted on curved 
  supports; the carefully cowled propulsive compartments beneath the support trusses also held 
  ramscoops, impulse engines and their fuel tanks. The warp powerplant was carried longitudally atop 
  the craft, so that the engine assembly as a whole formed an arch-like frame that embraced various 
  modular crew and cargo compartments. Although modeled on the original warp sled concept, the 
  configuration was not separable. Rather, the hull itself featured detachable sections of differing 
  functions. 
   
  The control compartment at the bow was an outgrowth of the original Shintoi design work, with 
  deeply inset windows and overhead systems compartments. Only two flight crew were required, 
  although the flight deck offered seating for two mission specialists. Directly adjoining the flight 
  deck was a two-person transporter, as well as two doorways with forcefield airlocks to give access 
  out of the craft. Aft of the flight deck was a smaller general-purpose compartment often utilized for 
  storage, but with dataways and power connections for mounting varied hardware. Most science 
  missions would require extensive instrumentation, and their controls and computing systems would 
  be housed here; several of the more involved configurations in fact called for full-height racks 
  mounted on floor rails, nearly filling the space. 
   
   
   
   
   
  This picture only shows half a dozen of the scores of possible interior configurations of Danube runabouts. 
   
  The aft bulkhead of the room was also the aft end of the forward hull module, which could be 
  separated in an extreme emergency (indeed, it shared many components with prominent lifeboat 
  designs of the day). The door in the middle of the bulkhead could be fitted with a corridor extending 
  
   
  262
  to the rear of the vessel. Here, a berthing compartment provided bunks for four, plus a replicator, a 
  computer workstation and a dining table. As the runabout was intended to serve as a base for 
  medium-duration detached operations in addition to its basic liaison mission, the extra crew 
  comforts were deemed necessary in nearly all interior configurations. 
   
  For various missions, the midsection of the craft could be fitted with different modules, turning her 
  into a veritable Vulcan field tricorder. These containers could attach around the central corridor, 
  forming an array of U cross section; side doors on the corridor would give access to modular cargo 
  holds, passenger compartments, laboratories, power generators or extra living quarters. Typically, 
  four small modules were carried, although double-length and double-width packages were also 
  available, the latter also in a configuration that eliminated the need for the central corridor element. 
  For personnel or bulk cargo transfers, a full-size module also existed, filling all the module berths at 
  once. 
   
  Among the original module options were a torpedo drop-launcher with magazines for eight full-
  sized photon torpedoes (four torps per each magazine module, plus a guidance module and a power 
  module); a relay buoy layer (sixteen buoys per module, plus a control/test module); and a minelayer 
  (eight anti-ship mines of varying types per module, plus a control module). From 2373 onwards, 
  drop-launcher modules compatible with quantum torpedoes also became available. Further 
  equipment could be mounted atop the hull: two different sensor/communications packages and a 
  towing/repair kit were available, with associated hull modules for power and control. All craft were 
  also equipped with pop-out microprobe or microtorpedo launchers below the cockpit, requiring no 
  adjoining hull modules and thus adding to the offensive power of the ship without extra cost. There 
  were also various equipment berths available for customizing: some users opted for a dorsal phaser 
  VI emitter atop the crew compartment, while others chose extra sensors on the upper aft hull, or an 
  additional tractor beam emitter below the crew cabin. 
   
  Efficient weapons control necessitated the installation of an additional tactical station to the cockpit, 
  mounted on a mid-floor pedestal; some 40% of the later models were provided with this feature, 
  plus increased-capacity computers, to improve their battleworthiness. Passive protection was also 
  increased, consisting of window shutters, additional internal pressure walls, improved firefighting 
  automation and upgraded shields that could withstand the phased-polaron fire of Dominion attack 
  vessels.  
   
  The extra armament modules were in fact rarely carried, however, since the craft already mounted 
  two potent phaser VI emitters on small fins flanking the bow compartment, plus two more phaser 
  VIs on nacelle forward ends and two phaser Vs on aft hull. These had an excellent field of fire 
  forward, to the sides, aft and up, but the lower aft sectors were blocked by the engines and the hull. 
  This problem could be overcome by the extreme maneuverability of the ships, however: the impulse 
  engines were fully vectorable, and RCS clusters were mounted on various hull corners. 
   
  The Danube class craft were initially named after terrestrial rivers, although naming conventions 
  have now branched off to Bolian mountain ranges and the hundreds of Vulcan names for various 
  winds on that planet. This is merely an official suggestion, however; the fact that runabouts (like 
  most support craft) often get named by the commanders of the starbases or other installations that 
  employ them for liaison and SAR duty has created additional diversity. As usual, Starfleet provides 
  a centralized database for coordinating the naming while offering maximal flexibility for the 
  operators. 
   
  
   
  263
  Especially valuable to small frontier outposts with no large starships available for exploration or 
  defense needs, the craft often transcended their passenger/cargo carrier mission. The design was 
  significantly upgraded in 2372 to incorporate the above passive protective measures as well as 
  improved transporters for the widening range of runabout applications. In addition to the original 
  130 units, some eighty craft of the modernized standard have been built to date, with no end in 
  sight. There are enough Earth rivers, Bolarus mountain ranges and Vulcan winds to support 
  hundreds more, if need be! 
  Talon 
  Scoutcraft 
  2373- 
   
  Completed: 
  76+ 
   
  Length: 
  24.1 m 
   
  Beam: 
  15.9 m 
   
  Height: 
  4.9 m 
   
  Mass: 
  2,510 tons 
   
  Crew: 
  1-2 + 1-2 mission specialists 
   
  Cruise speed: 
  W 5 
   
  Max. speed: 
  W 6.1 
   
  Endurance: 
  6 weeks 
   
  Weapons: 
  2 phaser VI emitters flanking the cockpit 
   
  2 phaser VI emitters on engine cowlings 
   
  Launcher for 6 torpedoes or 18 minitorpedoes available 
   
  Shields: 
  1-layer conformal forcefield 
   
  Navigational deflector on lower fwd hull 
   
  Transporters: 
  1 GP (1-pad); Mk VII 
   
  SOURCES: 
  D ST:INS 
   
  (N LUG) 
   
  (H LUG) 
   
  The Fleet Requirement to deploy the Danube runabouts did not come as a surprise to ASDB. The 
  bureau had long foreseen a growing need for relatively heavily armed and protected, medium-warp 
  vessels that could give frontier outpost and starbase commanders greater control of the surrounding 
  space. The runabouts met some aspects of that need, and clearly provided an optimal spectrum of 
  features for an operator who had no other vessels at his disposal. However, certain border space 
  operations called for a more heavily protected, faster and stealthier vessel, one that would stand in 
  for starship long range sensors in probing regions of unrest. 
   
  The Fleet Requirement for the reconnaissance craft was less public than that for the Danubes. 
  Nevertheless, all ASDB resources were made available for the project. Those resources had grown 
  formidable indeed during the past three decades, and by 2367, a prototype scoutcraft was prepared 
  for impulse and low warp flight tests at Arcturus. The impulse engines, rather oversized on the 
  prototype already, would soon be changed to an even more powerful design; the aerodynamics of 
  the forward hull would also be refined. But in most respects, the virtually designed and tested vessel 
  was ready for service from the moment the first real tests began. 
   
  
   
  264
  The scout’s main powerplant was located atop the main hull, as with several other modern small 
  craft designs. However, this time the central hull sections below the powerplant spine were not 
  reserved for accommodation or carrying of multipurpose hardware. Instead, they housed well 
  protected armored fuel tanks – and a pair of plasma rechargers. Supercharged plasma, fed into a set 
  of DDK-Ashanti coils carefully protected within lateral cowlings, would propel the craft to warp 6 
  and perhaps beyond, still with a minimal emission footprint. The impulse engine emissions were 
  shrouded with similar efficiency. 
   
  A narrow corridor flanked with bunking for a maximum of two permanent crew and four 
  passengers did extend from the forward control cabin to the aft boarding hatch. In addition, standard 
  dorsal and ventral hatches were available for docking access. Furthermore, the corridor offered 
  direct maintenance access to all systems for the flight engineer, throughout the flight envelope. The 
  control cabin in turn was optimized for operations by a single pilot, with full AI assistance.  
   
  The ventral equipment bays were to hold a range of exchangeable sensor pallets. Within the engine 
  cowlings resided the permanent, medium range passive and active sensors. Onboard analysis 
  facilities were more powerful than aboard any previous or contemporary craft of this size range, yet 
  still not sufficient for realtime evaluation of the full influx of sensor readings. Every effort was 
  made to create a secure datalink; failing this, the craft could clandestinely deploy recorder markers. 
   
  Basic weaponry was available in the form of six short phaser VI strips and optional underbelly 
  launchers for light torpedoes (with a magazine for up to six shots) or minitorpedoes (up to 18 
  carried). The low-emission targeting scanners and modest fire control systems meant the craft was 
  far from a potent combatant, at least when compared with modern interceptors. Still, the 
  combination of power, speed and stealth provided the craft with virtual impunity from conventional 
  threats. 
   
  Despite these ominously military capabilities, the scoutcraft also had some qualities useful in 
  expanding the range of a scientific survey team. Unlike a runabout or a heavy shuttle, the scout was 
  quite at home within an atmosphere, inside dangerous radiation zones, or if needed, underwater. Her 
  onboard analysis facilities were admittedly of a fixed and inflexible type, yet still an order of 
  magnitude more powerful than those a runabout would carry. Basically, though, scientific studies 
  formed a vanishingly small part of the operational profile of the new scoutcraft. 
   
  A 2368 official launch of series production for the craft also included the traditional assigning of a 
  name for the class. This time, it was to be a somewhat awkward affair, as the intelligence 
  community had already assigned a number of less than politically correct names to its new tool, and 
  some of them had already leaked to the public. The last in a short and rapid succession of ‘final’ 
  official names was Talon. Even though the name stuck, this did not alter the fact that most Talons 
  remained unnamed and often also unregistered. 
   
  At the time of this writing, the existence of sixteen Talons has been confirmed, although at least 
  thrice that many are suspected to have been built during the war. Several variants of this high 
  performance design have also been tentatively identified. Production is known to continue at a low 
  rate. 
  Orca / Valkyrie / Valor 
  Fightercraft 
  2374- 
   
  Completed: 
  572+ total: 
  
   
  265
   
   
  122 Orca 
  340 Valkyrie 
   
  210+ Valor 
   
  Length: 
  19.4 m (Orca) 
  18.1 m (Valkyrie) 
   
  Beam: 
  13.5 m (Orca) 
   
  15.6 m (Valkyrie) 
   
  Height: 
  6.3 m (Orca) 
  5.1 m (Valkyrie) 
   
  Mass: 
  1,130 tons (Orca) 
   
  1,620 tons (Valkyrie) 
   
  3,740 tons (Valor) 
   
  Crew: 
  1-2  
   
  Max. speed: 
  W 6.0 (Orca) 
   
  W 6.2 (Valkyrie) 
   
  W 7.0 (Valor) 
   
  Endurance: 
  5 weeks 
   
  Weapons: 
  Orca: 
  1 phaser V strip on bow 
  2 phaser V strips on wings 
   
  2 fwd microtorpedo tubes w/ 26 photon microtorps flanking bow 
   
  Ventral hardpoint for 1 or 2 torpedo modules w/ 10 minitorpedoes each 
   
  Valkyrie: 
  1 phaser V strip on bow 
  2 phaser VIP emitters on wings  
   
  1 fwd ventral torpedo tube w/ 10 (standard) or 20 (optional external magazine) photon or quantum minitorpedoes 
   
  1 aft mine dispenser w/ 10 gravitic mines (added in 2377) 
   
  Valor: 
  2 phaser VIP emitters on bow 
  2 phaser VIP emitters on nacelle fwd ends  
   
  1 fwd ventral torpedo tube w/ 10 (standard) or 20 (optional external magazine) photon or quantum minitorpedoes 
   
  1 aft mine dispenser w/ 10 gravitic mines (added in 2377) 
   
  Various field refits with Hur’q weaponry performed in 2377 
   
  Shields: 
  1-layer conformal rotating forcefield 
   
  Navigational deflector at bow 
   
  Transporters: 
  1 emergency evacuation (padless); Mk VI 
   
  SOURCES: 
  (D Invasion computer game/Tarlochan Randhawa) 
   
  (N Invasion computer game/Tarlochan Randhawa) 
   
  (H Invasion computer game/Tarlochan Randhawa) 
   
  
   
  266
   
  At the start of the Dominion conflict, relatively few construction programs were launched, as 
  Starfleet had scant knowledge of the strategic and tactical requirements for facing the Jem’Hadar. 
  Yet from the first weeks of the conflict already, it became clear that the prime requirement was to 
  be quantity and immediate availability – so badly had the strength of the beachhead force now 
  nesting at Cardassia been underestimated. Lacking the ability to conjure entire starships out of 
  vacuum in the time allotted, Starfleet decreed the design and construction of tactical fightercraft to 
  meet the strategic need of the day. 
   
  To avoid wasting time, ASDB launched a series of parallel programs, with each design team 
  concentrating on a different way of improving the fighting abilities of the modern Talon scoutcraft. 
  Two of the designs would retain the internally mounted warp engine concept, while several others 
  would add successively larger and more potent powerplants, nacelle-mounted drives and heavy 
  weapons to the common central spaceframe. 
   
  The first version to be produced was created by a merciless process of cutting and trimming. The 
  Orca fightercraft retained familiar bow features such as the overnose Arkenis deflector dish 
  (somewhat compacted), angled-windshield cockpit (elongated for accommodating a weapons 
  officer and more extensively glazed for situational awareness) and dorsal docking hatch, but the 
  side cowlings and ventral equipment bays were left ashore. The arrowhead shape narrowed down to 
  a minimalist stem just aft of the docking hatch, exposing the DKK warp engine with wraparound 
  field windows, dorsally projecting IMRF crystal and centerline m/am reactor core. Impulse engines 
  were perched atop the hull, flanking the docking hatch which also marked the aftmost section of the 
  craft accessible by internal means; there were no bunking spaces or other internal amenities, and all 
  the volume of the remaining winglike cowlings was dedicated to fuel (replenishable with lateral 
  ramscoops) and shield generators. Twin microtorpedo launchers flanked the nose; there were three 
  short phaser V strips covering mostly the forward angles. 
  
   
  267
   
  The Orca. Very little of the original Talon visually remains in this trimmed-down development, but adherence to the 
  underlying technological solutions helped Starfleet field the fightercraft on short notice – unfortunately with some 
  performance shortcomings. 
   
  The Orca proved to be superbly agile for close combat, but no better shielded than the older Kestrel 
  craft, and suffered mightily in its first operational engagements at Bor Manya and Kendra VI. It was 
  quickly relegated to training duties only, and the definite Valkyrie craft was fielded in its stead.  
   
  This heavier fightercraft was also based on trimming down the Talon, but retained more of its initial 
  bulk, reallocating rather than removing. The bow was remodeled, with a smaller deflector in a 
  shorter bow fairing but with an undernose Type V phaser cannon plus an underbelly warp launcher 
  for twenty heavy projectiles of various sorts. The warp engines with their close-tucked ramscoops 
  were ventrally exposed with the removal of all the former spying gear, and the original scout 
  impulse engines gained in prominence and power. The wings held Type VI pulse phasers on their 
  outer segments, fuel and shield generators on the inner fairings. Despite the larger overall volume 
  (but shorter length due to the remodeled nose), there were even fewer internal spaces than in the 
  Orca version, as the centerline was now occupied by the main powerplant. A minelaying chute was 
  also added, in place of the original aft entry hatch. 
  
   
  268
   
  The Valkyrie. Very similar to Talon in both overall size and shape, the craft nevertheless carried barely half the bulk of the 
  reconnaissance-oriented forebear.  
   
  Alas, this version was not completed in time to see significant action in the Dominion War. The 
  first examples appeared in 2375, and served mainly in attack duties from which the vulnerable 
  Kestrels were being retired en masse. There would have been some demand for the Valkyrie in the 
  escort fighter role as well, especially considering its superior warp capabilities in comparison with 
  Kestrel, but production volumes were limited, and barely adequate craft had to serve in each of the 
  respective roles till the end of the conflict. 
   
  Immediately after the war, other branches from the original design tree began to bear fruit. Giving 
  the common central hull a pair of externally nacelled heavy LF-60 engines for unprecedented warp 
  7 performance and trimming off the entire stern resulted in the Valor heavy fighter. Two competing 
  designs for high speed fighters or gunboats, the Gryphon penetrator with cowled GN-90 engines 
  remniscent of the Defiant escort design, and the Scarab interceptor with more prominently 
  outriggered LF-74 nacelles, were no match in terms of compactness, despite a slight performance 
  edge (better shielding in the Gryphon case, better speed and agility for Scarab, with corresponding 
  deficiencies), and were not adopted for mass production. 
  
   
  269
   
  The Valor. All that remains of the original now is the bow and cockpit area, and the immediate lateral spaces for support 
  systems. The massive high performance, long endurance nacelles come to the fore, literally as well as figuratively. 
   
  The Gryphon. Conceptually something of an enlarged Type 10 shuttlecraft or massively downscaled Defiant escort, with a 
  crew of three, this heavily armored type has not found its niche in modern Starfleet, at least not as of this writing. 
   
  
   
  270
   
  The Scarab. This long range escort fighter or system defense interceptor is propulsively superior to the Gryphon, and if 
  necessary operable by a crew of just one even though four to six is a more typical complement.Current escort needs do not 
  support mass production for the moment.  
   
  In 2377, Valkyrie and later also Valor craft deployed on USS Typhon encountered bellicose forces 
  apparently associated with the ancient Hur’q. In lack of starship support, fierce small craft fighting 
  ensued, and a few weeks into the conflict, several Valkyrie and Valor craft were modified with 
  captured weaponry. Ever-innovative engineers provided top Red Squad pilots with every advantage 
  imaginable, ultimately including all-new warp engines confiscated from the Kam’Jatae opponents 
  and bolted on to Valor hulls. As production of Valkyrie and Valor has ceased, speculation abounds 
  on whether this “Mk III” design of superior performance will be adapted as the next production 
  model, or whether mere conversions of Valor will suffice. Other postwar interest in fightercraft is 
  predictably waning, and there are no major projects currently under serious study. 
   
  
   
  271
   
  An action shot of a baseline Valkyrie and a heavily field-modified Valor. 
   
  III Shuttlecraft, shuttlepods and other auxiliary craft 
   
  Ever since the earliest days of space exploration, there has been a need for small craft that can move 
  personnel and material between planetary surfaces and orbiting spacecraft. Few starships are 
  capable of landing by themselves; those that cannot have virtually all been equipped with shuttles or 
  shuttle-compatible docking systems. Even after the introduction of transporters, few starship types 
  have been constructed that completely lack shuttle capacity. Exploration ships especially maintain 
  large shuttle fleets, featuring spacious hangars and carrying many different types of auxiliaries. 
  Shuttlecraft 
   
  Until the Romulan wars, most Earth starship auxiliaries were simple surface-to-orbit craft with 
  atmospheric maneuvering capacity but virtually no interplanetary, let alone interstellar capabilities. 
  With the founding of the UFP Starfleet, the situation changed, and a classification system for 
  various shuttle types was adopted. In its final form, it encompassed the following classes, not all of 
  which are necessarily logically classifiable as shuttlecraft: 
   
  Class A: 
  light intership/transatmospheric craft 
  Class B: 
  heavy intership/transatmospheric craft 
  Class C:  
  special environment craft 
  Class D: 
  light interplanetary craft 
  Class E: 
  heavy interplanetary craft 
  Class F: 
  light interstellar craft 
  Class G: 
  heavy interstellar craft 
  Class H: 
  independent interstellar craft 
   
  Note that Class C should not be confused with the contemporary starship designation pertaining to 
  unmanned cargo pods, nor Classes F and G with those of manned freighters and droneships, 
  respectively. The classification scheme for shuttles was a separate construct from the starship 
  classification and registration system. Nevertheless, the starship designations Class S (technology 
  testbed) and Class T (training) have been applied to shuttlecraft as well.  
  
   
  272
   
  The system was sometimes of rather limited use, since advances in technology soon elevated most 
  shuttles first to categories D and E, then to F and G. Within each class, there were various ‘types’, 
  ‘marks’ or ‘makes’ of shuttles, which made identification by class designation rather imprecise. 
  Classification of this kind was finally abandoned in the 2270s, as the proliferation of compact warp 
  drives and weaponry made it possible to equip craft of virtually any size with ‘Class A to G’ 
  capabilities. In this chapter, shuttles will be listed in chronological order, but the classification in the 
  old system will be included in the data charts of older shuttlecraft. In addition, a selection of 
  alternate and colloquial names will be provided, since the reader is just as likely to encounter some 
  of these names as the ‘official’ designations in reference materials.  
   
  Current classification simply divides the craft into light, medium and heavy shuttles, gives a unique 
  type number to each design, a chronologically sequential mark number to each sub-design within 
  the type, and shunts many previous light shuttlecraft to the category of shuttlepods. Even this is by 
  no means an intuitively clear system, however, since the type numbers aren’t necessarily 
  chronologically arranged. 
   
  Despite the extensive standardization of Starfleet shuttle maintenance and replenishment gear, it is 
  still common to design specific auxiliary types for each starship class or grouping. Small ships tend 
  to receive multi-purpose, somewhat compromise-ridden designs, often utilizing the kind of 
  hardware solutions typical of the mothership. Larger starships carry a wider variety of more 
  specialized types, ranging from light ‘flying boxcars’ like the current Type 6 and 8 light shuttles to 
  complex high speed craft like the Type 12 light shuttle, or huge landers like the Type 27 
  atmospheric barge. 
  Class D1 Light Atmospheric/Spatial Shuttle 
  2136-2179 
   
  Alt. names: 
  SP-36 
   
  Completed: 
  1,852 
   
  Length: 
  6.1 m 
   
  Beam: 
  2.2 m (wings folded) 
   
  4.5 m (wings extended) 
   
  Height: 
  1.7 m 
   
  Mass: 
   tons 
   
  Crew: 
  1 
   
  Passengers: 
  4-5 
   
  Cruise speed: 
  Sublight 
   
  Max. speed: 
  Sublight 
   
  Endurance: 
  12 days 
   
  Weapons: 
  Normally none 
  2 light plasma cannon (various) on bow and lower hull flanks (optional) 
  2 Type D phase cannon (20 GJ / 60 MW) on lower hull flanks (optional) 
  Lateral missile racks (optional) 
   
  Shields: 
  None 
   
  Transporters: 
  None  
   
  SOURCES: 
  D ENT 
  
   
  273
   
  (N own) 
   
  H ENT (own) 
   
  Three technologies revolutionized Earth-to-orbit access in the 21st century. Semi-Newtonian 
  reaction propulsion came first, courtesy of purely indigenous innovation (even if great effort was 
  sometimes needed to forget the notorious identity of the innovators). Advanced gravitics gradually 
  followed, although the conceptual leaps from simple inertia dumping to controlled gravitic 
  polarizing required extraterrestrial input to happen. Finally, mastery of subspace fields allowed the 
  creation of true impulse engines, capable of sustained thrust across a broad range of specific 
  impulses and accelerations. 
   
  The hypervelocity exhaust of an impulse engine was not very practical in lower atmospheric 
  operations, but even a smallish vehicle could be equipped with this drive, and would then become a 
  capable interplanetary craft. On the other hand, gravitics would best benefit small craft as well. By 
  the end of the century, the combination of technologies had transformed Earth’s insystem fleet, as 
  large spacebuses gave way to hordes of shuttlecraft generally massing less than fifty tons. Such 
  vehicles needed little in the way of starport support, and could be extensively customized for a 
  variety of roles. As a result, there was if possible even less commonality and standardization in 
  Earth’s sublight craft than in her warp fleet at the turn of the century.  
   
  One of the first measures taken by Starfleet was to standardize its auxiliaries and liaison vessels. 
  Varioflight immediately grabbed the lion’s share of the auxiliary contracts with its range of 
  composite lifting body designs. The SP-90 light transatmospheric pod was produced in the 
  hundreds, and embarked on Messier and Cosmos exploration vessels as well as assorted transports 
  and support ships. The succeeding SP-05 made an even greater market impact, with a thousand craft 
  produced by 2110. Most served in liaison duties on Earth and Mars, although again a handful were 
  delivered to exploration ships when these came within practicable replenishment range. Yet 
  ultimately, it was the SP-36 variant that in the 2130s went to interstellar fame through its 
  deployments aboard Earth’s first deep space exploration and power projection vessels. 
   
  Built to match the mission profile of its motherships, the SP-36 was the first auxiliary-sized craft to 
  mount a full impulse drive capable of independent interplanetary flight. Such a ‘minimum 
  spaceship’ had so far been an elusive goal, the projected benefits never quite matching the costs of 
  miniaturization. Yet Earth’s plans for political independence required a potent auxiliary for a potent 
  fighting vessel, and risks were taken. The massive SEMT accelerator coil and GE microfusion 
  reactor were packed so tight and tuned so near the limits of their performance that an emergency 
  jettison mechanism was deemed necessary. The classic Varioflight stern airlock had to be relocated; 
  moved amidships and tilted 90 degrees, it now mated to other spacecraft via a dorsal docking 
  adapter. Practical ground access thus required exposing the entire cabin interior to outside 
  atmospheric conditions by opening a portside gullwing door. 
   
  The cabin featured short term life support and seating for five to six people, although a single pilot 
  could operate the craft, and a crew of three was the preferred team for week-long exploratory 
  forays. Assorted equipment could, with some difficulty, be substituted for passenger seats. 
  Correspondingly, the airlock could be removed to increase internal capacity, an option utilized in 
  non-auxiliary applications only. With its pop-out wings, the SP-36 was capable of extended 
  atmospheric operations, and served UESF as a high-tier planetary liaison craft. It was rather too 
  narrowly optimized for the auxiliary mission to attain wider popularity planetside, though. Bulky, 
  armored and full of sensor and support systems, it lacked the grace of a skimmer or a flitter, and 
  indeed featured only minimal gravitics as a landing and hovering aid. 
   
  
   
  274
  The design nevertheless met the maintainability and durability standards UESF had set for its 
  interstellar exploration program. The risk of hypermodern, tightly packed technology was offset by 
  multiple redundancies. Generously overengineered computing and power distribution frameworks 
  allowed for last-minute addition of systems the early 2130s engineers could only have dreamed of. 
  By 2150, the craft were operating from aboard Triton cruisers with nose plasma cannon and lateral 
  missile racks; by 2155, pods flying from Enterprise vessels all had phase cannon armament and 
  augmented combat aerodynamics. The ‘glorified turbolifts’ had evolved into veritable Vulcan field 
  tricorders capable of close fire support, troop insertion and extraction and detached survey mission 
  support. 
   
  Still, SP-36 in the fifties was hopelessly outdated in almost every respect. Heavier armoring, more 
  practical impulse drives and more agile gravitics were being introduced for all Starfleet auxiliaries, 
  and there was little practical chance of upgrading the SP-36 any further. Although surface 
  installations retained various models of the type into the late 2170s, shipboard service in practice 
  ended by 2156, when the pods still persisting aboard USS Union were swapped for the Martin-built 
  SP-50 during a minor predeployment overhaul of the cruiser. 
  Class A3 Light Atmospheric Shuttle 
  2176-2207 
   
  Alt. names: 
  LSA(P)-19 
   
  ‘Little Sioux’ 
   
  Completed: 
  2,425 
   
  Length: 
  6.0 m 
   
  Beam: 
  4.3 m 
   
  Height: 
  2.0 m 
   
  Mass: 
  1.6 tons 
   
  Crew: 
  2 
   
  Passengers: 
  2 
   
  Cruise speed: 
  Sublight 
   
  Max. speed: 
  Sublight 
   
  Endurance: 
  2 days 
   
  Weapons: 
  2 laser emitters (200 nm/5 MW) on wingtips 
   
  2 hull hardpoints for missiles 
   
  Shields: 
  None 
   
  SOURCES: 
  (D Matt Jeffries for War of the Worlds) 
   
  (N own) 
   
  (H own) 
   
  
   
  275
   
   
  Towards the end of the 22nd century, the increasing capabilities of the transporter were eating away 
  the resupply role of shuttlecraft, and improved sensors reduced the need for in situ survey shuttles. 
  As the result, more and more interest was directed at perfecting a liaison shuttle that would 
  concentrate on moving personnel between ships, or between the starship and a surface location, at a 
  speed competitive with the swiftness of transporters. 
   
  There were several obvious targets for improvement, some of them contradictory. Ingress and 
  egress had to be made rapid and comfortable, calling for large access hatches and efficiently 
  arranged seating. On the other hand, atmospheric agility and ease of handling in hangars called for 
  as compact a design as possible. Solutions gravitated towards small, bulletlike craft with their entire 
  forward hull dedicated to passenger accommodation and accessible via large gullwing doors. 
  Propulsion was of microfusion type, with full-size wings for aerodynamic lift and with minimal 
  gravitics for coping with accelerations. Interplanetary performance was downplayed for the time 
  being. 
   
  The most popular type built on this formula was the Little Sioux, the smaller of Yondercraft’s 
  contributions to the Starfleet exploration effort. With a minimal deck footprint of six by four 
  meters, and a mass of just 1.6 tons, the craft could be carried in significant numbers aboard frontline 
  starships. While wing folding was no longer an option due to the winglet tips forming the aft part of 
  the three-point landing gear, a packing density similar to that of mid-century shuttlepods could 
  easily be achieved by alternate nose-tail parking. 
   
  The Little Sioux was propelled by two atmospheric jets on the upper corners of the engine section, 
  and by a single Tumanski impulse engine at lower tail. Radiators for the fusion pile covered the tail 
  in between the three propulsion elements. Gravitics assisted in vertical or short takeoff and landing. 
  Lifting capacity was modest, allowing for two pilots and two passengers seated in pairs behind a 
  single broad portside gullwing door. Once airborne, the Little Sioux could perform formidable 
  aerobatics, however, and could be lightly armed with lasers and missiles for aggressive 
  reconaissance or basic interception or fire support tasks. 
   
  In space, the Little Sioux was an underperformer. Life support only allowed for two-day trips, which 
  didn’t translate to practical interplanetary ranges with the impulse performance and fuel reserves of 
  the craft. There was no shielding for high speed operations or against unusual radiation 
  environments, and the craft could sometimes get uncomfortably hot in direct starlight unless the 
  heat exchange surfaces were properly oriented. Yet none of this mattered much in the primary role 
  of the light auxiliaries, and the craft achieved popularity as Class A3 starship personnel mover and 
  
   
  276
  general liaison. Thousands were built for planetside applications as well, as the craft was superbly 
  affordable in manufacturing and maintenance alike. 
   
  Gradual improvements on the basic model emerged during the three decades of service, but 
  Starfleet largely skipped over all of these when in the 2200s going for the Class A6 Sauk, arguably 
  the ultimate in this line of shuttlecraft development.  
  Class A6 Light Atmospheric Shuttle 
  2196-2249 
   
  Alt. names: 
  LSA(P)-44 
  Sauk class 
   
  ‘Shook class’ 
   
  Completed: 
  1,295 
   
  Length: 
  8.8 m 
   
  Beam: 
  4.5 m 
   
  Height: 
  2.1 m 
   
  Mass: 
  2.1 tons 
   
  Crew: 
  1 
   
  Passengers: 
  4-5 
   
  Cruise speed: 
  Sublight 
   
  Max. speed: 
  Sublight 
   
  Endurance: 
  8 days 
   
  Weapons: 
  2 laser emitters (200 nm/10 MW) on wingtips (later replaced by phaser III) 
   
  4 hardpoints for missiles 
   
  Shields: 
  Navigational deflector under bow 
   
  Transporters: 
  None  
   
  SOURCES: 
  (D Matt Jeffries for Phase II) 
   
  (N own) 
   
  (H own) 
  
   
  277
   
  The sleek Class A6 light atmospheric shuttle was the direct descendant of the lifting-body, lifting-
  wing personnel and utility craft of the 22nd century, and in many ways the culmination of that 
  technology. The mechanisms and software that kept the aerodynamically highly unstable and thus 
  highly maneuverable craft under control were on the verge of transcendence. As the A6 (also called    
  Starswift by the manufacturer, and LSA(P)-44 in the systematic Starfleet listing) completed its test 
  flight series in early 2196, engineers were already tackling the problem they curtly defined as 
  “flying a brick through an aerobatic routine”. 
   
  Indeed, the limitations of the aerodynamic form were well recognized on the issues of utilizable 
  volume, accessibility and footprint. It would have been difficult to accuse the Starswift of low 
  utility value, though. In its basic configuration, the tiny craft could carry six people between an 
  orbiting starship and a planet of 1-2 Earth gravities. Trititanium-aluminum alloy was used for the 
  tubular pressure hull, which seated the pilot in the front, four passengers or palletized cargo in the 
  middle, and a sensor operator/passenger in a rear seat. Wide gullwing doors opened on both sides 
  for excellent access, while the pilot had superb view from behind a bulbous cockpit window. 
   
  Antigravs were provided for landing, while main propulsion was by a microfusion pile powering 
  either jets of atmospheric gases or rockets feeding from an onboard tank. The pile took up most of 
  the aft hull, along with the cylindrar fuel/propellant tank. RCS nozzles were located on wingtip 
  pods, although main attitude control was by antigravs. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
   
  278
   
  Four color schemes belie the presence of four starships, as liaison craft line up on the tarmac of Starbase 11. In the early 
  23rd century, regulations still called for shuttlecraft rather than transporters when a Captain’s party was to attend a 
  planetside function. The actual risks of personnel transport were mostly history at the time of this line-up in 2237, but 
  tradition lingered well past the retirement of the A6. 
   
  The wings extended from the rear hull to provide atmospheric lift, with winglet control surfaces at 
  the tips. The wing leading edges also housed engine coolers. For defensive needs, rapid-fire laser 
  units were mounted on the wingtips. Main sensors were located under bow and stern in special 
  cutouts; the forward cutout also featured a low-power deflector, the aft one a palletized jammer 
  suite for self-protection. For combat missions, four missiles could be mounted underwing. 
   
  Type 6 shuttles were officially designated the Sauk class, following the contemporary theme of 
  North American tribal names, but the harrowing flight characteristics readily explained the more 
  usually used name ‘Shook’. The craft were deployed aboard light and heavy cruisers to replace 
  antiquated A3 and A4 (‘Little Sioux’ and ‘Big Sioux’) atmospheric craft. Due to their limited 
  spaceborne performance, they were almost exclusively used as alternatives to transporters when 
  deploying landing parties on planets featuring transporter-disrupting phenomena. Typically, a 
  Horizon cruiser would carry two of these craft in addition to Class B and C craft, although a dozen 
  could easily be accommodated aboard – more if the wings were removed for stowage, a nontrivial 
  operation calling for at least an hour of reassembly. 
   
  The rapid development of multi-purpose shuttles soon led to the abandoning of this special type, 
  and also the whole classification system. Most units had been withdrawn by early 2249. Some 
  examples of these robust shuttles still serve as space-certified hovercars in many worlds, though, 
  and are sought-after collector items. 
  Class B5 Heavy Atmospheric/Spatial Shuttle 
  2197-2259 
   
  Alt. names: 
  HSA(P/C)-20 
  ‘Chippewa class’ 
   
  ‘Heavy Howler’ 
   
  Completed: 
  120 
   
  Length: 
  12.2 m 
   
  Beam: 
  8.6 m 
   
  Height: 
  4.1 m 
   
  Mass: 
  13.1 tons 
   
  Crew: 
  2 
   
  Passengers: 
  6-10 
   
  Cruise speed: 
  Sublight 
   
  Max. speed: 
  Sublight 
   
  Endurance: 
  16 days 
   
  Weapons: 
  2 laser emitters (200 nm/40 MW) on wingtips (later replaced by phaser III) 
   
  Shields: 
  Navigational deflector under bow 
   
  Transporters: 
  None  
   
  SOURCES: 
  (D Matt Jeffries for “War of the Worlds”) 
  
   
  279
   
  (N own) 
   
  (H own) 
   
  A companion design was fielded for the Class A6 light shuttles in 2197, intended almost 
  exclusively for deployment aboard the Horizon and Advance heavy cruisers. No lesser vessel could 
  have embarked the heavy Class B5 cargo hauler, nor would they have needed its capabilities. The 
  winged bullet design generally resembled the A6, but at notably larger scale. The shuttle offered 
  seating for 6-10 passengers, two tons of water-equivalent cargo, or a combination thereof, 
  depending on the seating configuration. A separate flight deck could be provided for the flight crew 
  of two by installation of a modular bulkhead, but this was seldom the choice of shuttle crews. 
  However, a permanent bulkhead separated the aft compartment which featured a toilet, an 
  equipment locker and an airlock with top and bottom hatches.  
   
  Aft of the pressurized compartments was the fusion pile, powering atmospheric jets on the upper aft 
  corners or impulse engines with a linear nozzle arrangement at extreme stern. Fuel was stored 
  within the winglet-tipped wings, which also contained cooling inlets and internal mountings for 
  various sensors. The underhull landing antigravs also had repeaters in the wings. For storage in 
  starship hangars, the winglets folded up against the wings, and the wings against the hull, so that 
  four of the craft could fit within a Horizon hangar. Two was the standard contingent, however, 
  leaving room for a reconnaissance cutter. Later starship designs would still make use of the design, 
  supplanting quality with quantity: the early Mirandas, Suryas and Coventries carried four B5 craft 
  in peacetime, only embarking more modern types when needed, while Coronados often featured six 
  standard models and two special assault variants. 
   
   
   
  
   
  280
  An action shot of Shuttle 5 from USS Meteor (NCC-1012) exhibits the wingtip phaser III emitters of the type. The 
  white/dayglo finish is typical of the 2210s; twin forward windows and oval side portholes help distinguish the type from the 
  smaller A6 at a glance. 
   
  The B5 could be configured for orbital mapping, planetary surveys or simple freight hauling, and 
  was the vehicle of choice for landing parties that were planning to extend their stay beyond one day. 
  Even though far less nimble than the corresponding Class A craft, the heavy shuttle offered a proper 
  airlock, a gullwing cargo door to port side and a narrower passenger door to starboard, and enough 
  internal room to avoid the cramps inevitable aboard smaller craft on long missions. 
   
  Advancing technology was overtaking the craft already, though. The aerodynamic design was 
  becoming unnecessary, given the recent advances in compact gravity generator, propulsion and 
  deflector technology; the bullet hull was highly wasteful of useable interior volume, and a boxier 
  alternative was being sought. In 2249, the last Class B5 (officially ‘Chippewa class’, but more often 
  known as the ‘Heavy Howler’ due to the characteristic combination of engine and aerodynamic 
  noise) atmospheric shuttles were drawn from starship service in favor of either the smaller Class F 
  or slightly larger Class G ‘flying boxcars’. Active service continued in planetary assignments, 
  though, and the type was the mainstay of outpost operations well into the 2250s. 
  Class G1 Heavy Warp Shuttle 
  2210-2274 
   
  Alt. names: 
  HSI(U)-1 
   
  HSI(U)-1B 
   
  HSI(PT)-1 
   ‘Banshee’ 
  Comet class 
   
  Completed: 
  203  
   
  Length: 
  15.3 m  
   
  Beam: 
  11.5 m  
   
  Height: 
  3.5 m (landing gear retracted) 
   
  3.8 m (landing gear deployed) 
   
  Mass: 
  103.7 tons 
   
  Crew: 
  3 
   
  Passengers: 
  3-7 
   
  Cruise speed: 
  w 1 
   
  Max. speed: 
  w 1.6  
   
  Endurance: 
  2 weeks 
   
  Weapons: 
  None (G1, G1B) 
   
  1 phaser III emitter on dorsal midhull (G1S) 
   
  Shields: 
  Navigational deflector under bow 
   
  Optional 1-layer globular forcefield 
   
  Transporters: 
  None 
   
  SOURCES: 
  (D Matt Jeffries TOS predesign) 
   
  (N own) 
   
  (H own) 
  
   
  281
   
  The first warp-capable starship auxiliary craft could have been expected to revolutionize Starfleet 
  operations and the tactics used. Indeed, nothing less was the goal when VXT set out to design and 
  construct the Comet, later to become the Class G1 heavy shuttlecraft. By itself largely an 
  operational and technological underperformer, this shuttle would spawn two distinct lineages that 
  would each improve on one aspect of the design's dual strengths of speed and compactness. 
   
  Key to warp power lay in combining new coil materials with an ion cascade powerplant, a 
  technology the engineers were still struggling with. Only 'medium' applications were achievable 
  with the state of the art, but Starfleet considered it reasonable to attept the construction of an 
  auxiliary that would dedicate more than half the interior to power generation. Pleshun was given 
  access to data on alien engineering solutions regarding ion powerplants, and was able to devise a 
  reactor 24.8 tons in empty weight and approximately two by three by ten meters in size. VXT 
  worked from these parameters to create a flattened-teardrop hull where the powerplant would 
  occupy the aft three-fourths of a fifteen-meter hull. A broad cabin at the bow had seating for up to 
  ten people, including two pilots and an engineer. Gullwing doors were provided on both sides, and a 
  wide windshield-type viewport forward. There were no airlocks, cargo holds or other complications 
  in the design, which was aerodynamically very clean and stable. 
   
  Ion power was translated to FTL propulsion via DB-20 nacelles, outriggered as in the old Montcalf 
  runabouts on pylons whose downward kink served as the forward landing supports. An extensible 
  aft leg completed the landing gear. Sublight propulsion comprised twin sets of nozzles on the 
  trailing edge of the hull, venting out the exhausts of the main powerplant through impulse-type 
  accelerators. No fusion reactor was carried, and batteries were of moderate performance since they 
  were not needed for starting the CID reactor. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
   
  282
   
  An early Comet prototype resting on the tarmac of VXT factory starport hides her broad shoulders in side view. Another 
  example in test paint streaking across the sky reveals the true extent of a Comet’s deck footprint, and explains why the type 
  was not an immediate solution to Starfleet’s auxiliary craft needs. Also noteworthy are the clumsy gullwing hatches high 
  above the ground, incompatible with the loading and offloading of landing party mission gear or bulky cargo, let alone 
  small vehicles. The succeeding G3 design would handle all three with ease. 
   
  The Comet was a more or less immediate engineering success, reaching warp 1.6 with ease. The 
  practical performance of this bulky vehicle as a starship auxiliary was another matter. Only single 
  examples could be carried by any given ship, usually at the expense of all other auxiliary 
  contingent. In simple orbit-to-surface missions, the shortcomings of the low-ceiling, high-mounted 
  cabin compounded the unwieldiness of the massive vehicle. However, Starfleet was determined to 
  see a new era ushered in. The Comet would be the first step in an inevitable path of evolution; the 
  type was pressed to active service as the Class G1 heavy shuttle, and crews of two dozen cruisers 
  began honing their skills in flying a warp-capable vessel from a starship hangar. 
   
  Rapid development of CID systems soon allowed for miniaturization, and for hull shapes more 
  conductive of auxiliary operations. On the other hand, dilithium-regulated antimatter power was 
  evolving as well, and became the favored means of propelling runabout-sized liaison craft. The 
  heritage of Class G1 was thus split in two, spawning the similarly powered medium and light warp 
  auxiliaries and the similarly shaped true interstellar craft. Two direct modifications emerged as 
  well: the lengthened G1B survey cutter with a dorsal observation pod, and the G1S scout armed 
  with a Type III dorsal phaser. Both saw starship service from the 2230s to the early 2260s, but in a 
  constantly diminishing capacity as the smaller successor designs gained in capabilities. 
   
  The last G1 craft ceased flying from aboard USS Indus in 2274, and adopted local patrol and law 
  enforcement roles outside the UFP – testament to the realization that cascade ion power was a dead 
  end, ill suited for the smallest and largest applications, of pedestrian performance on medium craft, 
  and unnecessary for a civilization in possession of major natural dilithium resources. 
  
   
  283
  Class G2 Heavy Warp Shuttle 
  2215-2278 
   
  Alt. names: 
  HSI(U)-2 
  Greyhound class 
   
  Completed: 
  276 total:  
   
   
  142 Mk I 
   
  22 Mk II 
   
  63 Mk III 
   
  49 Mk IV 
   
  Length: 
  13.6 m 
   
  Beam: 
  7.3 m  
   
  Height: 
  6.9 m (landing gear retracted) 
   
  7.3 m (landing gear deployed) 
   
  Mass: 
  63.4 tons 
   
  Crew: 
  2 
   
  Passengers: 
  12 
   
  Cruise speed: 
  w 1 
   
  Max. speed: 
  w 1.5  
   
  Endurance: 
  2 weeks 
   
  Weapons: 
  None 
   
  Shields: 
  Navigational deflector at bow 
   
  Optional 1-layer globular forcefield 
   
  Transporters: 
  None 
   
  SOURCES: 
  (D FASA) 
   
  (N FASA) 
   
  (H FASA, own) 
   
   
   
   
  The three practical shortcomings of the pathfinding Comet warp shuttle were obvious to Starfleet 
  from the very beginning. The solution readily presented itself as well: the cost, horizontal footprint 
  and mass of the craft would be halved by omission of one warp nacelle. Whether such a craft would 
  retain sufficient performance to work as a starship auxiliary was never truly in question. Yet 
  whether one could be designed to conform to operational demands was debatable from the very 
  beginning. 
   
  Conceptual studies by VXT confirmed what common sense already suggested: a centerline 
  mounting would leave the craft without utilizable payload volume. Furthermore, installing the ion 
  cascade powerplant ahead or astern of the warp coils would result in a vehicle of impractical length. 
  As the warp propulsion aspect of the Comet design was deemed more important than the ability to 
  operate from aboard starships, Starfleet soon agreed that it would be best to concentrate on creating 
  
   
  284
  a compact and affordabe warp transport for surface and starbase applications, and to leave the 
  revolution of warp-capable starship auxiliaries for the next generation of craft. The single-nacelled 
  Greyhound was thus adopted as the Class G2 warp shuttle in a form that was inherently 
  incompatible with most starship hangar decks. 
   
  Mounting the warp coils above the hull solved the footprint problem, maximized payload volume, 
  and trivialized the issue of ingress and egress. The Greyhound was configured with the DB-20 
  riding on a dorsal pylon that also housed the impulse propulsion system, and with the CID 
  powerplant at the pylon stem. The control cabin was mounted ahead of the reactor, giving the single 
  pilot an excellent view forward and down, and the single aft-facing engineer an equally direct 
  access to the power systems. The payload of 10 tons of water-equivalent cargo or 12 passengers 
  was carried in the wide lower part of the craft, entering through a forward door beneath the cockpit. 
  The forward leg of the tripod landing gear doubled as the ingress ramp when deployed; a trio of lift 
  engines was arranged in the reverse pattern, with two in front straddling the forward leg and one 
  between the aft pair of legs. 
   
  The stack reached a total height of 7.7 meters, making operations from aboard even the largest 
  starship hangars cumbersome. Also, the high mounting of the warp coils and the reactor presented 
  some stability problems at landing. On the other hand, the horizontal footprint of 12.8 m times 7.3 
  meters was quite reasonable for a craft of such performance. Warp 1.5 could be achieved without 
  field gradient hazards to the crew or the cargo, and impulse performance was found perfectly 
  acceptable. 
   
  For some fifteen years, the G2 enjoyed primary warp liaison vessel status and also saw planetary 
  assault service, evolving into four variants: the original Mk I received improved passenger interiors 
  to become Mk II, lost these but gained armoring to become the Mk III assault type, and had the 
  holds reconfigured for maximum cargo capacity in Mk IV. It was only in the 2230s that advancing 
  technology provided the means for further compacting of ion power drives and allowed the 
  production of boxy high volume craft such as the ones adopted as Class F2 and G3 utility shuttles. 
  The former offered no propulsive advantages over the Greyhound but had vastly improved 
  utilizability as a starship auxiliary, while the latter outperformed the single-naceller so significantly 
  in every respect that it swiftly took over the starbase and surface assignments. 
   
  The Greyhounds persisted much like the Comets, serving in secondary roles till the late seventies. 
  The complexity and cost of the pathfinding technology precluded long post-Starfleet careers, 
  though. Only the Mk IV saw small goods delivery service in UPS colors until superseded by 
  commercial dilithium-powered designs. 
  Class F1 Medium Shuttle 
  2224-2285 
   
  Alt.names: 
  MSI(U)-1 
   
  ‘Heavy Lander’ 
   
  Completed: 
  693 
   
  Length: 
  11.6 m 
   
  Beam: 
  6.4 m 
   
  Height: 
  3.6 m 
   
  Mass: 
  112.3 tons 
   
  Crew: 
  2 
  
   
  285
   
  Passengers: 
  10 
   
  Max. speed: 
  w 1.6 
   
  Endurance: 
  9 weeks 
   
  Weapons: 
  2 phaser IV emitters forward of the cockpit  
   
  Shields: 
  1-layer globular forcefield 
   
  Navigational deflector on bow 
   
  Transporters: 
  None 
   
  SOURCES: 
  D TAS “Mudd’s Passion” 
   
  (N own) 
   
  (H own) 
   
    
   
  A decade into Class G warpshuttle operations, miniaturization of the involved technologies was 
  well underway. By 2220, the propulsive performance of G1 and the logistical worth of G2 were 
  being squeezed into a slightly more compact, significantly more conveniently laid out form. Thanks 
  to the improvements, warp-capable auxiliary craft would finally begin to be embarked on frontline 
  starships. While a lot remained to be done before a truly optimized auxiliary could be fielded, 
  Starfleet confidently started mass production of Class F1, a pleasant-looking construct of both aero- 
  and warp-dynamic merit. 
   
  Unlike the Class G warpcraft, F1 was supposed to perform the tedious but vital task of hauling 
  crews and supplies from an orbiting starship down to a target planet and back. Indeed, despite the 
  presence of a warp drive, the project was primarily intended to result in a lander, not a warp-
  optimized scout or liaison. While a lighter counterpart design was cancelled early on, the ‘Heavy 
  Lander’ designation stuck with F1 – not in an entirely complimentary way, considering the 
  difficulty of easing the weight of the warp coils onto a planetary surface. 
   
  Key to the design was a one-and-a-half-deck configuration where equipment was stowed both 
  below main floor and in front of and behind the cabin. This cut down on total length, allowing the 
  craft to be stowed in quantity and moved around on starship landing decks, still without increasing 
  the height to an unmanageable degree. A length of 11.6 meters (including a high-power deflector 
  and FTL sensor dish that folded open from a bow boom) was still too much to be handled by the 
  standard shuttle elevators and turntables of the time. However, it was at least within the realm of 
  possibility that new lifts in this size range be installed on most vessels, whereas a lift retrofit 
  accommodating the Class G heavyweights clearly was an unrealistic prospect. 
   
  The 50-ton warp nacelles sat low for stability under gravity and for ease of maintenance, yet well 
  protected from ground contact by a three-point skid landing gear. A top speed of warp 1.6 could be 
  maintained by the PB-698 engine and the DH-4 ion cascade powerplant which also fed the impulse 
  
   
  286
  engines at extreme stern. The curved nose of the craft housed crucial flight instrumentation and 
  modular sensing gear behind a wide sensor-transparent, anti-glare cover, although the space could 
  alternately be configured for utility or casevac duties by removing any less than vital instruments. 
  Overlooking the nose was a wide, low windshield-type viewport that provided good visibility 
  forward, up, to the sides and even down, thanks to the well thought out curvature of the protruding 
  bow. Two crew sat behind the windshield; behind the portside seat was a ladderway down to a side 
  embarkation hatch, behind the starboard one a compact galley. The aft part of the deck, situated 
  above the powerplant, could be configured for high-standard habitation. Alternately, up to seven 
  people could be seated for short-term missions. 
   
  Obviously, loading of outsize items onto the raised deck of the F1 was not practical, so Starfleet 
  kept studying even more simplified designs, boxier hull forms and squatter, easily ground-
  accessible layouts. Thankfully, giving warp propulsion to dedicated cargo haulers was not a priority 
  matter, and the F1 soon proliferated across the exploration and defense fleets alike, proving to be a 
  mediocre lander at best, but an ideal liaison craft for shipboard applications. Its smoothly curved 
  silhouette remained a familiar sight throughout the 2260s on any but the most privileged frontline 
  vessels as well. 
   
  However, technology kept improving, and the promise of even more compact auxiliaries made 
  Starfleet postpone and then abandon the fleetwide lift size increase. Class F craft were indeed soon 
  drastically reduced in size, resulting in the F2/F3, F4 and F5 types until a further step of 
  miniaturization allowed the capabilities of all three to be compacted into just one design. By that 
  time, the still perfectly serviceable F1 craft were being retired en masse. Few buyers emerged for 
  the by 2280s standards awkwardly configured shuttles, and most were scrapped by the turn of the 
  century. 
   
   
   
   
  A divergent path was taken by the Galactic Trailways Corporation, which in 2268 chose to equip F1 
  hulls with the large DB-20 engines familiar from the Greyhound. At raised positions, and in 
  combination with a modern powerplant, the veteran coils gave greatly improved performance up to 
  warp 3. The sensor spaces at the nose were replaced by a slim and flat basic navigation array, 
  allowing the installation of forward portholes to the lower deck as well. Up to 16 passengers could 
  be accommodated aboard the variant, which acquired the commercial name Pulsar. Starfleet 
  Training Command made some use of the type, modified with various Fleet issue systems and in 
  the Mk II version even re-equipped with side-mounted phaser emitters. The type lacked 
  compatibility with all starship designs but was operable from most outposts. 
  
   
  287
  Class F2 Light Shuttle 
  2231-2268 
   
  Alt.names: 
  MSI(U)-2 
   
  ‘Matchbox’ 
   
  Completed: 
  993 
   
  Length: 
  11.6 m 
   
  Beam: 
  6.4 m 
   
  Height: 
  3.6 m 
   
  Mass: 
  112.3 tons 
   
  Crew: 
  2 
   
  Passengers: 
  6 
   
  Max. speed: 
  w 1.1 
   
  Endurance: 
  9 weeks 
   
  Weapons: 
  2 phaser IV emitters forward of the cockpit  
   
  Shields: 
  1-layer globular forcefield 
   
  Navigational deflector on bow 
   
  Transporters: 
  None 
   
  SOURCES: 
  D STXI 
   
  (N own) 
   
  (H own) 
   
  Starfleet’s earliest efforts to procure a lighter counterpart to the F1 officially stumbled on problems 
  of miniaturization. Yet lack of vision could be cited as well, for the light shuttle had rather lenient 
  design requirements: it was intended to haul no more than eight people from orbit to surface and 
  back while also possessing the ability to take them to minimum warp. Contractors struggled on 
  trying to mount a warp drive onto a smaller version of the aerodynamically smooth and graceful F1 
  design, attempting for example a design where a single nacelle was ventrally embedded and the 
  passenger compartment straddled the engine, with four seats per side, while a forward cockpit 
  featured a classic rounded nose. Deck footprint issues flunked most such designs outright, yet the 
  utilizability of the interiors was of low 22nd century standards as well. 
   
  A complete paradigm change on lander design had to be forced on Starfleet in the final design 
  competition of 2229. Pitted against each other were the VXT lifting body craft with twin PB-424 
  engines on the upturned winglets – and a graceless Chiokis flying brick with its PB-730 engines 
  nonchalantly utilized as landing pontoons! Yet the flyoff of the two craft favored the aerodynamics-
  free design that used sheer maneuvering power, gravitics and deflector fields to bend the 
  atmosphere to its will. The Chiokis C31 design became the long-awaited MSI(U)-2 personnel and 
  liaison craft, and rounded aerodynamic shapes were abandoned for good. 
   
  The MSI(U)-2 ‘Matchbox’ packed her ion cascade powerplant in the aft third of the hull, 
  channeling power along protected conduits on pylons that branched out laterally from hull 
  centerplane and then kinked down twice to meet the nacelles. Impulse systems fed directly from the 
  main powerplant, their coils and vents cowled at the stems of the warp engine pylons. 
   
  A single portside door opened to the level-floored main cabin. A two-crew cockpit to the left of the 
  door could be separated from the main space with telescoping doors if necessary, but typically only 
  some privacy curtains were installed. Underfloor spaces held key subsystems that could be accessed 
  
   
  288
  either externally from the ground, or internally in flight through floor hatches. Additional support 
  systems and communications gear was stowed on the roof. A forward flat-plate window provided 
  for manual flying, but offered no side or ground vision; piloting was mostly done via 
  instrumentation and synthetic views. Workload on the early models was high, but constant upgrades 
  soon allowed single-pilot operations. 
   
  Special models were also added to the inventory, as the small deck footprint of the design made it 
  possible for a single starship to carry multiple subtypes for multiple tasks. Exploration versions 
  featured extra stowage and more rugged landing gear (most later models had three-point underhull 
  pads in place of the quadruple nacelle pad arrangement of the first production batch), casevac craft 
  carried medical gear and integrated stretcher/operating table arrangements, and there was even a 
  dedicated flying workshop called Tesla for repair work, featuring an airlock and external 
  manipulators. 
   
   
   
  Two light shuttles abandon the doomed USS Kelvin (NCC-O514) in 2233 and begin their long voyage to safety. Warp 
  propulsion drastically increased the odds of survival for those fortunate enough to fit into the warp shuttlecraft their 
  starship might be carrying. Yet only certain special missions saw starships embark more than half a dozen of such craft, 
  leaving most survivors in traditional sublight survival craft unless a warp towing scheme could be implemented. 
   
  The Class F2 shuttle was gradually replaced by the more elegant F3, also a Chiokis product. By the 
  late sixties, the F2 was all but gone, and Starfleet surplus yards filled with terminally fatigued hulls 
  – and minimally worn warp engines, standing testimony to the limited role of warp travel in light 
  starship auxiliary operations. 
  Class B8 Heavy Atmospheric/Spatial Shuttle 
  2237-2279 
   
  Alt. names: 
  HSA(P/C)-25 
  Type 25 
  Rhino class 
   
  Completed: 
  2,219 
   
  Length: 
  14.7 m 
   
  Beam: 
  11.6 m 
   
  Height: 
  3.8 m 
   
  Mass: 
  16.7 tons 
   
  Crew: 
  3 
   
  
   
  289
  Passengers: 
  10-36 
   
  Cruise speed: 
  Sublight 
   
  Max. speed: 
  Sublight 
   
  Endurance: 
  21 days 
   
  Weapons: 
  None 
   
  Shields: 
  1-layer globular forcefield 
  Navigational deflector under bow 
   
  Transporters: 
  None (standard) 
   
  1 or 2 GP (2-pad) or 1 small cargo installable for special missions; Mk II or III 
   
  SOURCES: 
  D STXI 
   
  (N own) 
   
  H STXI (own) 
   
   
   
   
  The Chiokis line of angular auxiliaries soon grew to include several models of medium warp 
  shuttles, all of them too unwieldy to serve as general starship auxiliaries. Carriers and strike vessels 
  embarked such craft on a regular basis, but it was difficult to find an operational role for them. 
  Delivery of supplies was better handled by conventional barges or fast, non-embarkable couriers. 
  On the other hand, insertion of troops or survey teams did not really call for the sort of mediocre 
  warp drive that the Chiokis craft could carry. Hence, atmospheric barges persisted – but modern 
  technology could at least allow them to discard their confining aerodynamic shells and concentrate 
  on utilizable volume. 
   
  In 2237, Chiokis homed in on the ideal military barge, with straddling shots from the slightly too 
  small C36A and the overtly clumsy C37. The 15 m long, 17-ton C37C Rhino was aerodynamically 
  semi-stable at supersonic entry, could fly more or less straight at the transonic and subsonic regimes 
  on her two high-mounted fusion-heating engines and low-mounted wings, and would rely on 
  gravitics to achieve proximity maneuvering and a soft landing. Commonalized flight controls kept 
  the bulky barge controllable by two pilots, although one would suffice in an emergency and a third 
  would be required for loadmaster on most missions. The control cabin could be separated from the 
  cargo area by a variety of door and bulkhead configurations, one of which included a miniature 
  airlock to allow the cargo section to be kept unpressurized throughout the mission. 
   
  There were four access routes into the cargo area. Personnel ramps on both sides were the primary 
  means of ingress and egress in normal operations. Bulky cargo could be brought onboard through a 
  ventral hatch, although the minimal clearance offered by the four landing legs meant that such 
  loading would usually have to take place in hover, or on special scaffolding. The hatch was more 
  commonly used for gravidrop or paradrop delivery of troops or supplies, and was provided with a 
  matching gravitic crane on the ceiling. Finally, there was an aft maintenance accessway that could 
  double as an airlock, with supply lockers and sanitation spaces on both sides, plus a collection of 
  
   
  290
  emergency exit blowaway panels to ensure that even the maximum number of embarked personnel 
  could leave the craft in a matter of seconds.  
   
   
  This early model Type 25 is distinguished by the single-piece cockpit side windows and lack of portholes aft of the side 
  doors. 
   
  Up to 36 fully equipped combatants or 18 litter patients could be accommodated, although the 
  flexibly configurable interior more typically left room for equipment and rapid egress. A dozen 
  people could ride in great comfort and enjoy an outside view through six large and two smaller 
  lateral portholes. The flight crew had large triangular side windows to help in maneuvering the craft 
  in confined spaces, and a multi-segment forward viewport with armored shutters; situational 
  awareness still largely hinged on display screens. 
   
  Adopted as a Class B8 auxiliary, the barge quickly achieved backbone status both as a support craft 
  for medium and large starships, and as a liaison and transport vessel for outposts and installations. 
  Despite falling below the shielding and armoring levels of a typical hopper, it also often ended up 
  serving in battlefield transport roles. For four decades, the type remained a frontline troop transport 
  asset, competing evenly with clumsier heavy assault barges. By the late seventies, though, 
  miniaturization enabled warp-capable general purpose shuttlecraft to deliver comparable numbers 
  of troops with much greater flexibility: two such craft could be shipped for the same deck footprint, 
  and could move their loads with greater speed and agility while offering the output of a warp 
  powerplant for support weapons and shielding. The Rhino, or Type 25, was finally retired in 2279 
  and relegated to reserves en masse. 
  Class G3 Heavy Shuttle 
  2251-2277 
   
  Alt. names: 
  HSI(U)-3 
   
  Tigris class 
   
  Completed: 
  212 
   
  Length: 
  17.2 m 
   
  Beam: 
  5.8 m 
   
  6.3 m (w/ typical side sponsons) 
   
  Height: 
  3.7 m (landing gear retracted) 
   
  4.0 m (landing gear deployed) 
   
  Mass: 
  126.3 tons (basic equipment load) 
   
  Crew: 
  2 
   
  Passengers: 
  6-12 
   
  Cruise speed: 
  w 2 
  
   
  291
   
  Max. speed: 
  w 2.9 
   
  Endurance: 
  8 weeks 
   
  Weapons: 
  Normally none 
   
  Bow lateral mounts available for 2 lasers or phaser III or IV emitters 
  Shields: 
  Navigational deflector under bow 
   
  Optional 1-layer globular forcefield 
   
  Transporters: 
  None 
   
  SOURCES: 
  D TAS “Slaver Weapon” (Mark Wilson, own) 
   
  (N own – SotSF Class 3 and Tigris) 
   
  (H own) 
   
  The 2230s had brought sharp contrast between the troop transport barges and the agile warp 
  auxiliaries. Hybridizing the two seemed anathema to both concepts: there appeared to be little 
  doctrinal need for a compact troop barge or a spacious warp liaison boat. Yet the technological 
  breakthroughs of the 2240s made it plausible and tempting to offer a bit more space and endurance, 
  a bit less deck footprint, and a lot of additional power for the high end of starship auxiliaries. 
   
  The Arbin&Lidde craft that would be adopted as the Class G3 showed little in the way of advanced 
  equipment or design to the outside. A long coffin shape about two thirds the width of the Class B8 
  hull supported two PB-820 or PB-821 warp nacelles on its upper corners, and featured full-width aft 
  access, suggesting an emphasis on bulk cargo handling. To facilitate this, power generation and 
  propulsion hardware was housed within the lower half of the craft, providing a level (if 
  inconveniently high) floor for ease of loading and offloading cargo. The constant cross section 
  cabin could be segmented into up to four functional compartments by extending collapsible 
  bulkheads from the walls. Behind the aftmost of these airtight curtains, the upper part of the stern 
  section was hinged to act as a combined ramp and elevator for personnel and cargo transfer.  
   
  The underfloor assembly also featured large fuel tanks, a pair of plasma rechargers and a proper 
  mass reduction crystal. Through these improvements over previous warp auxiliaires, warp 
  performance was significantly increased, with warp 2.9 available for brief moments, and warp 2 
  cruising assured in all conditions. Life support was boosted to match, providing up to two months of 
  safe operations for two crew and six passengers – or up to twelve if comfort did not count! Spartan 
  fold-out bunks and seats in the walls, combined with the partitioning bulkheads, did in theory 
  
   
  292
  provide sufficient accommodation standards for such extended missions, although more typically 
  the craft would be fitted with dedicated comforts that would hinder generic cargo missions. 
   
  Only the principal power and propulsive systems as well as the main elements of the life support 
  system could be stowed underfloor. An extended nose cone was introduced to accommodate the 
  rest. A versatile selection of navigation sensors was provided there on a permanent basis; 
  specialized mapping and surveillance sensors or twin energy weapons could be added to the suite as 
  needed. For detached science operations, the craft could be fitted with laboratory/data-gathering 
  pallets carried inside the cabin, and side sponsons could be mounted for external carriage of 
  instrumentation or weaponry. Routine tasks still centered on cargo hauling and long range 
  deployment of away teams, however, since the shuttle was the most compact craft capable of such 
  missions. 
   
  These potent craft were embarked only aboard the largest of starships. Heavy cruisers, mainly the 
  Constitution variants dedicated to exploration, were able to carry one at best; some heavy frigates 
  could accommodate two. Certain Achernar class cruisers experimented with carrying two craft as 
  well, but this meant using G3 exclusively, as there was no room for handling other auxiliaries when 
  two heavy shuttles were stowed in the landing bay. Stowage on the lower hangar deck was naturally 
  out of the question, due to lift size limitations. 
   
   
   
  A look into the cavernous interiors of a G3 through the full-width rear opening. Only the cockpit area is partitioned off in 
  this case; the rest of the collapsible bulkheads can be seen stowed on cabin walls, while the aftmost one (with transparent 
  midsection) is still rolling into the stowed position in this shot. Two ‘jump seats’ (six provided per section) and one bunk 
  (four per section) can be glimpsed stowed as well. 
   
  Starbases quickly adopted these craft for liaison duties, however, as hangar space was not a limiting 
  factor there. While the shuttle could hardly be considered an independent interstellar vessel, it was 
  very practical in connecting widely dispersed outposts within a star system, or hauling personnel 
  and cargo across the Kashishowa perimeter in warp-hostile systems. Also, the intelligence 
  community dabbled in the merits of the craft in operative insertion missions. 
   
  Despite the wide usership, no colorful nicknames emerged for the type, although sometimes the 
  designation Tigris class was applied to the craft when they acted in detached scientific survey roles. 
  The class never ruled sovereign in its primary cargo hauling and long range away team deployment 
  mission, and quickly got replaced by the more refined G4 in the 2260s. On the other hand, its 
  secondary tasks were only partially relegated to this type; the older craft had never made itself 
  invaluable enough to call for immediate filling of the vacuum left behind. Still, the users of this 
  craft remember it as a dependable and for its time well-muscled workhorse. 
  
   
  293
  Class G4 Heavy Shuttle 
  2257-2279 
   
  Alt. names: 
   
   
  Completed: 
  429 
   
  Length: 
  13.8 m 
   
  Beam: 
  5.2 m 
   
   
  Height: 
  3.8 m  
   
  Mass: 
  104.2 tons 
   
  Crew: 
  2 
   
  Passengers: 
  6-22 
   
  Cruise speed: 
  w 2 
   
  Max. speed: 
  w 2.9 
   
  Endurance: 
  8 weeks 
   
  Weapons: 
  None 
   
  Shields: 
  Navigational deflector under bow 
   
  Optional 1-layer globular forcefield 
   
  Transporters: 
  None 
   
  SOURCES: 
  D STXI 
   
  (N own) 
   
  H STXI (own) 
   
   
   
  From outside appearances, the Chiokis Class G4 heavy shuttle design was just an inverted version 
  of the preceding and still competing Arbin&Lidde Class G3 craft. The PB-850 nacelles on stub 
  wings on the lower corners were not markedly more powerful than their predecessors, nor did they 
  offer improved endurance. 
   
  There were important changes pointing towards the future of starship warpshuttles, however. The 
  ion cascade powerplant was further compacted and mounted on the roof of the craft, while impulse 
  
   
  294
  engines moved to sponsons at the upper corners of the stern; fuel was stored in flat lateral tanks. As 
  the result, the full-length flat floor now resided much closer to ground level, regardless of whether 
  the craft rested on its engine nacelles or the four landing pads. Added ingress/egress options now 
  became available: there were side doors just aft of the cockpit, with folding ramps reaching ground 
  level. The stern again consisted of a powered ramp that would hinge down for loading or offloading 
  of bulky items or small vehicles, but additionally featured two assault doors for rapid egress of 
  personnel without the need to lower the ramp. The doors were ideally positioned and tilted for both 
  exo- and endoatmospheric gravidropping, too.  
   
  Internally, the cockpit area got more ergonomic, and the extended nose gave way to a smoothly 
  contoured bow with six large, unshuttered windows. Protection against small arms fire, debris or 
  shrapnel could rather be obtained by carrying a forcefield generator in an underfloor compartment, 
  in exchange for some fuel. A navigational deflector beam emitter was always carried under the 
  bow, next to an array of sensors and landing lights. There was no provision for weaponry in this 
  type, although non-modular phaser turrets were sometimes added for dedicated special operations 
  craft.  
   
  Cabin interior in the new type could be partitioned off, although not as flexibly as in the 
  Arbin&Lidde craft. Only the cockpit area was separated by a permanent bulkhead. The payload 
  cabin featured long, narrow portholes and fold-out seats and bunks, but not in the sort of diversity 
  and quantity as installed in the G3, which had been designed more with independent survey and 
  VIP transport sorties in mind. 
   
   
   
  The G4 saw service as a starship auxiliary more often than the somewhat longer and clumsier G3. 
  Such operations paved way for the merging of F and G capabilities in the 2270s; for the time being, 
  G4 and F3 served side by side on the largest starships, while an intermediary type, the F4, was 
  introduced by Chiokis to help out the aging F1 aboard smaller vessels. 
  Class F3 Light Shuttle 
  2260-2272 
   
  Alt. names: 
  LSI(U)-3 
  S3 
   
  ‘Crate’ 
   
  ‘Flying Brick’ 
   
  Completed: 
  820  
   
  Length: 
  6.2 m  
   
  Beam: 
  4.0 m  
   
  Height: 
  2.1 m (landing gear retracted) 
   
  2.2 m (landing gear deployed) 
   
  Mass: 
  72.4 tons 
   
  
   
  295
  Crew: 
  1 
   
  Passengers: 
  6 
   
  Cruise speed: 
  w 1 
   
  Max. speed: 
  w 1.5  
   
  Endurance: 
  2 weeks 
   
  Weapons: 
  None 
   
  Shields: 
  Navigational deflector under bow 
   
  Optional 1-layer globular forcefield 
   
  Transporters: 
  None 
   
  SOURCES: 
  D TOS 
   
  N TOS (own) 
   
  (H own) 
   
   
   
  When Starfleet underwent a wave of modernization in the 2250s, corresponding upgrades of the 
  shuttlecraft fleet dragged behind. The fleetwide introduction of second- and third-generation 
  transporters had been expected to decrease the need for auxiliary craft drastically, and the older 
  craft were considered capable of serving through the transition period. The operational 
  shortcomings of the transporters soon became rather obvious, upsetting these projections. Yet only 
  the introduction of duranium-tritanium compositing techniques made it economically viable to 
  provide all ships of the expanding fleet with new auxiliaries. 
   
  A boxlike hull, two lightweight 45-ton PB-750 warp nacelles on the lower corners of the box, a 
  two-ton SPCR-48 ion cascade powerplant packaged into the stern, a basic RCS system of small 
  thrusters and gyroscopes, and minimal sensors and communication gear – the ingredients for the 
  Class F3 light shuttle were simple enough. The duranium-tritanium hull in all its simplicity was an 
  excellent load-carrying structure, an adequate atmospheric lifting body and an optimally shaped 
  crew/small cargo compartment. Three-point landing gear was available for use in difficult terrain, 
  but seldom necessary: the duranium-titanium pylon assemblies could easily support the full weight 
  of the relatively light craft on even surfaces. 
   
  A navigational deflector was installed in the centermost of three equipment bays under the bow. A 
  low-power shield generator could also be fitted in the aft systems compartment for operations in 
  regions of high mass density. No combat shields were available for craft this small at the time, nor 
  was any weaponry permanently carried. Various phaser mounts could be jury-rigged to the bow 
  equipment bays with enough engineering ingenuity, however. 
   
  Pilot workload was low, thanks to the touchball controls that allowed effortless one-hand flying and 
  operation of all key systems. Goosenecked or hinged retina projection displays were originally 
  installed for additional info feed, but later replaced by simple flat-panel info screens. 
  
   
  296
  Instrumentation not related to actual piloting was minimal, consisting of simple magnetometers, 
  proton spectrometers and subspace gradiometers for rudimentary mapping use. Special survey 
  packages displacing up to 70% of passenger space were available, but installing them into the cabin 
  was an awkward affair due to the narrow doorway. Subspace communications were limited to a 
  single narrow-band transceiver with 2 ly range. 
   
  Thanks to the wonderfully compact yet capable design, the Class F3 shuttle (no official class name 
  given, although unofficial ones were a legion) soon became the standard starship warp auxiliary. 
  These craft were mass-produced and widely deployed aboard starships between 2262 and 2272. 
  Large cruisers sometimes carried as many as four, despite having transporters and carrying other, 
  more specialized auxiliary craft. The lack of a cargo door in the F3 usually meant that dedicated 
  heavy shuttles had to be carried as well. The small doorway and absence of proper weapon 
  hardpoints also precluded planetary assault missions, but the cruisers weren’t tasked with these 
  anyway. If need be, a Benares class hopper or four could be embarked for assault, keeping up the 
  tradition of multiple narrow-scope auxiliary types even when the F3 already paved way towards 
  true multifunctionality. 
   
  The admirable low-warp performance and reliability of the Class F3 craft led to their use in 
  demanding detached exploration operations, even though the life support systems were primitive by 
  today’s standards. Current Starfleet operational rules would limit the operations of such craft to a 
  maximum of two days, but several multi-week missions were performed in the mid-23rd century. 
  Class F4 Medium Shuttle 
  2264-2276 
   
  Alt. names: 
  MSI(U)-4 
   
   
  Completed: 
  340  
   
  Length: 
  8.4 m 
   
  Beam: 
  5.4 m  
   
  Height: 
  2.8 m 
   
  Mass: 
  89.2 tons 
   
  Crew: 
  1 
   
  Passengers: 
  7-9 
   
  Cruise speed: 
  w 1 
   
  Max. speed: 
  w 1.6 
   
  Endurance: 
  2 weeks 
   
  Weapons: 
  None 
   
  Shields: 
  Navigational deflector under bow 
   
  Optional 1-layer globular forcefield 
   
  Transporters: 
  None 
   
  SOURCES: 
  D TAS “Mudd’s Passion” 
   
  (N own) 
   
  (H own) 
   
  
   
  297
   
   
  By 2264, the cargo-carrying shortcomings of the light basic Class F3 were well acknowledged. 
  Although transporters still were the principal means of moving equipment to and from planetary 
  surfaces, and although shuttlecraft hardly offered sufficient range and speed for independent cargo 
  operations, there would always be a need for moving objects larger than a standard humanoid – say, 
  crucial spares or ground action weapons – in transporter-hostile conditions. 
   
  The only real requirement for the cargo auxiliary was an access door of 200 by 140 cm or better. 
  Thus, it was simple enough to apply basic Class F3 components in somewhat increased quantity or 
  dimensions. The hull box was stretched to 8.42 by 5.30 by 2.41 meters, the nacelles lengthened by 
  1.2 meters for carriage of extra fuel (but not extra field coils, so mass increase with respect to F3 
  was minimal), and one impulse nozzle added to the original eight. All nozzles could be individually 
  shuttered to facilitate outdoors stowage of this Class F4 craft, a strongly discouraged procedure for 
  the tenderer F3. Four landing pads were used, in hull corners inboard of the nacelles in the style of 
  the corresponding G craft. 
   
  Only a minor performance increase was attempted, as the F4 was intended to provide utility 
  services at low cost, not to compete directly with the fast and long-ranged G3. Warp 1.6 could be 
  coerced out of the engines mainly thanks to improved intercooling capacity – the longer nacelles 
  also provided 120% more radiator surface area. 
   
  Actual service life of the type proved to be short. First starship deployments came in 2267, but not 
  in support of the F3s as originally envisioned. Instead, the craft were paired with the older F1, the 
  complex multi-level layout of which was even less suited for bulky cargo handling. There was 
  understandably very little interest in the utility shuttle beyond the odd cargo run. The craft were 
  seen as nuisances that took up deck space, and there were increased demands for a proper utility 
  type, one that would replace F3, F4 and the old F1 at one stroke. 
   
  For the technology of the 2270s, this certainly wasn’t an impossible goal. And ultimately, the 
  engineering concepts that solidified into this single all-purpose type did so in a form that resembled 
  the F4 more than anything else. 
   
  
   
  298
   
  Class C2A/C2B and Type 30 Aquashuttle 
  2265-2318 
   
  Alt. names: 
  AQS-2A/B 
   
  ‘C-monster’ 
   
  Seahay/Seabee class 
   
  Completed: 
  103 total: 
   
   
  40 Class C2A 
   
  42 Class C2B 
   
  28 Type 30 refitted from Class C2B and 21 built 
   
  Length: 
  16.2 m (C2A/B) 
   
  17.4 m (Type 30) 
   
  Beam: 
  10.4 m 
   
  Height: 
  4.1 m 
   
  Mass: 
  246.2 tons (C2A) 
   
  247.0 tons (C2B) 
   
  340.8 tons (Type 30) 
   
  Crew: 
  2 
   
  Passengers: 
  2-6 
   
  Cruise speed: 
  w 1 
   
  Max. speed: 
  w 1.9 (C2A/B)) 
   
  w 3.0 (Type 30)  
   
  Endurance: 
  2 weeks (C2A) 
   
  4 weeks (C2B, Type 30) 
   
  Weapons: 
  2 phaser IV emitters forward of the cockpit (C2A/B only) 
   
  Shields: 
  None (original) 
   
  1-layer globular forcefield (upgrade 2273, Type 30) 
   
  Transporters: 
  None 
   
  SOURCES: 
  D TAS “Ambergris Element” (Howard Weinstein “Deep Domain”) 
   
  (N own) 
   
  (H own) 
   
  For exploring the oceans of newly discovered planets with maximum efficiency, Starfleet in 2261 
  ordered from Bruce-Partington SCW the development of a special environment craft utilizing some 
  Class G3 components coupled with a streamlined hull and magnetohydrodynamic underwater 
  propulsion. The challenges of combining the contradictory requirements of a short-range warp 
  spacecraft, a transatmospheric vehicle and a submarine into a single spaceframe were immense. 
  
   
  299
  Nevertheless, after four years of development, two designs emerged: one for starship and one for 
  research outpost use. Both were classified under the letter C, as Types 2A and 2B. The initial 
  unflattering nickname ‘C-monster’ eventually got moderated as oceanic exploration personnel 
  gained an appreciation of the very special proficiency of these craft. 
   
  Class C2A shuttles were deployed aboard exploration starships only in special cases, i.e. when 
  exploration of a water-covered area was expected to be part of the starship’s mission. This was 
  understandable, since a single craft would occupy the entire landing deck and more or less preclude 
  the use of all other types of auxiliaries. The C2A craft were capable of carrying six research crew, 
  and generally required two pilots to operate – one for atmospheric entry and one specializing in 
  underwater piloting – although pilots eagerly competed for double proficiency. The C2B usually 
  operated a smaller researcher contingent, having a more restrictive internal arrangement typically 
  optimized for local conditions and research needs. 
   
  Propulsion was fourfold. To expedite systemwide operations from a single base of operations, both 
  types were equipped with PB-900 series warp nacelles. Although major nuisances for their aero- 
  and hydrodynamic drag and more than 100 ton mass, they offered warp 1.9 performance, enough 
  for short interstellar sorties if need be. For atmospheric entry maneuvering, small impulse units 
  were housed astern, and a full range of thrusters provided in the catamaranlike, downcanted sides of 
  the hull. The shape of the main body provided aerodynamic lift in a nose-up attitude, and also 
  enabled the shuttle to skim on surface effect across the oceans with minimum energy expenditure. 
  In these modes, the impulse engines were turned off; the thrusters were augmented by magnetic 
  drives in sea-skimming mode. As the craft settled into water and entered diving mode, the magnetic 
  drives became the primary propulsion method.  
   
  Even though the atmospheric system could be tied to emergency water displacement and flotation 
  systems, no physical ballast was needed for normal diving. The craft had a very slight positive 
  buoyancy in moderately saline water; in horizontal cruise diving, this was offset by the hull shape 
  which created a downward force vector, as well as by trimming gravs, and at slow diving speeds, 
  main gravs were used to hold the craft down. Landings on dry land or flight decks were controlled 
  by the same main gravs, on reverse mode. The duranium-titanium hull required no special landing 
  pads on approximately level ground, although quadruple pads could be deployed from under the 
  main hull in difficult landing conditions.  
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  The partially wrecked Cousteau (NCC-1701/20, representing the Type 30 upgrade) is recovered from the inhospitable 
  shores of Akkalla on SD 7829.3. Remarkably resilient to damage, the ‘C-monster’ saw use not only in oceanographic and 
  biological research, but also in assorted rescue and insertion/extraction missions. 
   
  The passenger compartment formed a sleek protrusion atop and below the catamaran-like hull. Two 
  wide curved windows provided excellent underwater view both up and down, although sonar and 
  mass-pointer information played through traditional retina-projection displays was essential in the 
  murky conditions common in most bodies of water explored. Perfect situational awareness was 
  important for aquashuttle pilots above the surface as well. Mere negotiating of shuttlebay doors 
  
   
  300
  with the sluggish giants was a challenge requiring more than a passing familiarity with autopilot 
  overrides. In atmospheric handling, an inconvenient nose-up attitude had to be adopted to keep the 
  craft under aerodynamic control. Final approach and water contact could be tricky as well, due to 
  the dynamic nature of the landing surface.  
   
  Only a synthetic view down was available to the forward stations, however; the lower part of the 
  cabin was partitioned off into a separate observation crawlspace. Numerous floor hatches on the 
  upper deck could be opened for desired crawlspace access, although normal passage was through 
  the sternmost openings that also served general ingress and egress. The 2A model featured small 
  single-person airlocks with simple inner forcefield curtains and outer mechanical doors. Class C2B 
  introduced a single large airlock with a proper all-mechanical system for reliability and ease of 
  maintenance. The 2B variant always carried a variety of watersuits, while Class C2A usually relied 
  on simple masks, airsacks and life support fields. The C2B sacrificed some thrusters and impulse 
  fuel tanks for a greater range of underwater sensors and tools. Both types had a pressure limit of 60 
  MPa, translating to a maximum diving depth of 6000 meters on a typical Class M planet. Dedicated 
  submarines were required in deeper waters, like the 44.2 km Divider Trench on the southern 
  hemisphere of Pacifica.  
   
  Modular mounts for phaser III or IV units were initially provided on both types. In addition, 
  underwater probes, stun darts and autonomous harpoons could be carried. A deflector shield was 
  introduced in 2273 both for the existing craft and for the upgraded Type 30, of which 28 were 
  manufactured from existing C2B hulls and 21 more built from keel up. Typical of the 2270s 
  refitting spree, Type 30 mounted LN-46 improved linear-excitation warp engines in neat lateral 
  cowlings and a new twin-chamber reactor in an extended aft hull, and was capable of warp 3.0 top 
  speed. With navigational sensors substituted for the phaser mounts, the type was suited for semi-
  independent interstellar missions. As the craft retained the 10.4 m beam of the original design, 
  though, it could be operated from aboard starships as well. 
   
  A typical deployment for Class C2B craft was on a research outpost circling a waterworld, although 
  some planetside outposts also obtained these craft instead of dedicated submarines – after all, the 
  sea-skimming and rudimentary flight and spaceflight capabilities of the type were a major bonus for 
  planetwide exploration. The boosted Type 30 could perform the same mission profile from more 
  distant bases if needed. The lower endurance and degree of sophistication of Class 2A made it the 
  chosen starship auxiliary during the first decade of operations, until wear and tear prompted 
  transition to the newer Type 30 units. 
   
  The 2B craft seldom visited more than one planet in their lifetime, while the 2As were circulated 
  between various outposts and starships, and also visited planets outside Class M parameters. The 
  craft were especially useful in the thick atmospheres of midsize Class I and J gas planets, exploring 
  these depths for possible gas mining operations. After the turn of the century, operations of both the 
  older types had been spun down and Type 30 craft ruled sovereign, having found more spacious 
  homes aboard the new Excelsior and Apollo cruisers. The versatility of the shuttle-submarines 
  proved their ultimate undoing, though: by dropping the warp and impulse propulsion aspects, 
  Vulcans had been able to miniaturize the remaining capabilities into a shuttlepod hull dubbed the 
  Ballard class in Starfleet use. This category of craft would form the core of Starfleet underwater 
  exploration effort in the 24th century; the ‘C-monsters’ would all be sold forward to civilian 
  operators by 2319. 
  
   
  301
  Type 1 Medium Shuttle 
  2271-2358 
   
  Alt. names: 
  MSM(U)-1  
   
  Merlin class 
  MSM(AU)-1 
  Martel class 
  MSM(S)-1 
   
  Marco Polo class 
   
  Completed: 
  870 total: 
   
   
  730 MSM(U)-1 
   
  92 MSM(AU)-1 
   
  48 MSM(S)-1 
   
  Length: 
  7.6 m 
   
  Beam: 
  4.4 m 
   
  Height: 
  2.5 m (standard and assault variant) 
   
  2.8 m (survey variant) 
   
  Mass: 
  124.8 tons (standard) 
   
  181.1 tons (assault variant) 
   
  Crew: 
  2 (standard and assault variant) 
   
  4 (survey variant) 
   
  Passengers: 
  10 (standard) 
   
  6 (assault variant) 
   
  None (survey variant) 
   
  Cruise speed: 
  w 1.1 
   
  Max. speed: 
  w 2.0 
   
  Endurance: 
  6 weeks 
   
  Weapons: 
  Normally none 
   
  Nacelle hardpoints available for 2 phaser III or IV emitters 
   
  Shields: 
  Navigational deflector on top of hull (standard and assault variant) 
   
  Navigational deflector on ventral bow (survey variant) 
   
  1-layer conformal forcefield (assault variant) 
   
  Transporters: 
  None 
   
  SOURCES: 
  D STV:TFF (Marco Polo Eric Kristiansen) 
   
  (N own, Eric Kristiansen) 
   
  (H own) 
  
   
  302
   
   
  The Type 1 medium utility shuttle was a direct descendant of the latest Class F and G designs of the 
  previous decade, and the first to abandon the confusing class letter system. Despite maintaining the 
  compact dimensions of Class F, the basic hull form was economically refined to improved lifting-
  body shape resembling the G4. Also, engine systems were packaged more efficiently: impulse 
  engines into two slightly protruding cowlings, fuel into lateral sponsons, and the main reactor 
  snugly into an underfloor compartment. This all left room for a rear exit equipped with a powered 
  ramp/hatch, and enabled the loading and offloading of outsize cargo, as well as quick disembarking 
  of landing parties in combat situations.  
   
  Warp performance was increased to maximum warp 2.0, stretching the power output capacity of the 
  tiny onboard reactor to the utmost. The 60-ton LN-101 engines of CWD manufacture represented 
  true linear-coil technology in every respect, including the full plasma recycling loop that made the 
  craft both more economic and stealthier. A corresponding downscaling of ramscoop systems was 
  effected, since there would have been little point in increasing the propulsive endurance of the craft 
  beyond the six-week limit of the onboard life support systems.  
   
  Pilot awareness was increased with the addition of virtual-focus perimeter sensors, feeding ‘third-
  person’ imagery that greatly assisted in maneuvering in cramped spaces. The multiple cockpit 
  windows of previous classes were joined into a single wide-angle window, and the mechanical 
  shutters replaced by a simple electrochemical shading system. The navigational deflector system 
  was moved from bow to a rooftop mount, and the ventral lift gravitics were liberated of their former 
  mechanical shutters; the resulting changes in profile were quite minimal. 
   
  Starships earlier equipped with the F1 or F3 designs and their accompanying aft-loading cargo 
  hauler counterparts converted gradually to an integrated fleet of Type 1 craft in the early 2270s. In 
  
   
  303
  many cases, any heavy shuttles aboard were simply offloaded since the improved cargo doors, 
  range and speed of the medium craft made them redundant. While the confessed aim of the Type 1 
  project had been to replace as many different types of starship auxiliary as possible on one stroke, 
  special variants of this type were in turn now introduced. Combat shields were an option for a 
  special assault variant, eating considerably into the cabin volume and increasing total mass. Two 
  phaser III or IV units could be attached to the nacelle front ends for special operations, a capacity 
  eventually extended to standard utility models as well. Two such craft put one Rhino assault barge 
  out of work; no Rhinos were shipped from 2270 on. The manufacturer promoted the name Martel 
  for the attack craft, in distinction from the Merlin utility type. 
   
  While only dedicated strike vessels carried the assault variant, a special survey auxiliary was fielded 
  aboard various cruisers and frigates on exploration or patrol missions. The Marco Polo model 
  featured a reshaped forward hull where the starboard pilot’s station was replaced by a sensor array, 
  the viewport changed to a long vertical slit, and the rooftop decorated with a large subspace 
  antenna; the navigational deflector was moved to beneath the bow. Additional sensors were 
  clustered astern, and the aft ramp omitted altogether. A crew of three was needed in addition to the 
  pilot to operate the sensor gear in missions ranging from covert surveillance to planetary resources 
  mapping. 
   
  In the 2340s, the Type 1 craft were joined and later largely succeeded by Types 5 and 6. Some of 
  the older shuttles still continued as secondary starbase or outpost auxiliaries, however. A number 
  were refitted with LN-208 engines that reintroduced large ramscoops for improved propulsive 
  endurance, but few received corresponding upgrades in life support systems. In the late fifties, non-
  Starfleet operators eagerly purchased the retiring craft for general utility applications. Their 
  technology is still far from outdated, and the large production numbers (nearly 900 craft completed) 
  also provide longevity for the type. 
  Type 20/27 Atmospheric Shuttle 
  2273- 
   
  Alt. names: 
  MBA-20/27 
  Lifter class 
   
  Completed: 
  420 total: 
   
   
  300 Type 20 
   
  120 Type 27 
   
  Length: 
  26.1 m 
   
  Beam: 
  12.0 m 
   
   
  Height: 
  7.3 m 
   
   
  Mass: 
  72.4 tons (Type 20 standard) 
   
  81.0 tons (Type 20 ground assault variant) 
   
  298.2 tons (Type 27 standard) 
   
  Crew: 
  3 
   
  Passengers: 
  6-48 
   
  Cargo: 
  120 tons (Type 20) 
   
  100 tons (Type 27) 
   
  Cruise speed: 
  Sublight (Type 20) 
   
  W 1.4 (Type 27) 
   
  Max. speed: 
  Sublight (Type 20) 
   
  W 2.6 (Type 27) 
   
  
   
  304
  Endurance: 
  1 week 
   
  Weapons: 
  None 
   
  Shields: 
  Navigational deflector on ventral midhull 
   
  1-layer conformal forcefield (ground assault variant and general upgrade in 2321) 
   
  Transporters: 
  1 emergency evacuation (2-pad); Mk III (original) 
   
  1 emergency evacuation (6-pad); Mk VI (upgrade in 2342) 
   
  1 GP (2-pad) Mk VI (some Starfleet craft) 
   
  SOURCES: 
  D ST6:TUC, ST:GEN 
   
  (N own) 
   
  (H own) 
   
  Despite the maturing of transporter technology, both Starfleet and various civilian operators still 
  needed heavy atmospheric shuttles for ground-to-orbit movement of passengers and cargo. In the 
  mid-2270s, after two fruitless requests for proposals from civilian contractors, Starfleet decided to 
  develop a modern version of the venerable Rhino class (from 2275 on dubbed “Type 25”) ground-
  to-orbit barges which were showing definite signs of geriatric troubles. New technology allowed for 
  much more efficient packaging of both impulse and thruster systems; also, compact transporters 
  could now be installed in the larger auxiliaries for emergency evacuation purposes. Most 
  importantly, the gravitic landing techniques refined for use in starship auxiliary craft could now 
  replace the clumsy and primitive gas-heaters used for lifting the Rhinos off the ground. 
   
  A conservative Shintoi lifting hull was chosen as the basis of the design. A single deck with a level 
  floor extending from the very bow to the aft engine block enabled a variety of internal 
  configurations to be used. For passenger transport duties, eight rows of six seats were usually 
  installed, although luxury interiors for 12 persons were also used for ferrying Starfleet command 
  personnel or civilian dignitaries. Doorways were provided on both sides of the cabin, with ground 
  access ladders folding out from the lateral airfoil segment the doorway intersected. A wide 2.2 m by 
  3.6 m cargo door was installed on the cabin ceiling, allowing the loading of large machinery or 
  palletized cargo via offboard means. Combi versions were also frequently used, with 6-18 seats 
  
   
  305
  provided in a partitioned-off pressure compartment at the stern and cargo stored forward under the 
  loading door. 
   
  Apart from the main fusion reactor and the ten-nozzled impulse engine, all major machinery was 
  installed below the main deck floor. Most of the lower mid-hull was dedicated to fuel tanks and 
  support systems. Short-span wings ran the length of the hull, their aft segments housing lift engines 
  combining fusion heating of air and direct gravitics, compact and elegant compared with the huge 
  lifting rockets of the Rhino design. Additional, more conventional lift nozzles were provided under 
  the forward mid-hull and laterally amidships. Emergency transporter emitters were fitted on both 
  sides of the lower forward heatshield, and an enclosed navigational deflector housed centrally under 
  the bow. The sides of the lower hull were protected by aerodynamic cowlings, but the deflectors 
  provided additional protection and manipulated the primary airflow for optimal atmospheric 
  performance. 
   
  A crew of three was needed to pilot the craft in normal operations. The flight deck was separated 
  from the main deck only by a thin pressure wall and a simple set of doors. Three large windows 
  provided excellent view forward and up, while virtual-focus perimeter sensors were now standard 
  and allowed for full crew awareness in docking and landing.  
   
  Some 220 of these Lifter class (‘Type 20’ in the new system that hoped to distinguish broad mission 
  categories by the first digit of a two-digit code) craft were distributed to various UFP space 
  transport services between 2275 and 2284. Additional units were ordered by Starfleet for starbase 
  support duties, and some 40 craft configured for ground assault support, complete with shield 
  generators installed within the cabin. The latter were deployed exclusively aboard carriers, since 
  cruiser or dreadnought hangars were far too cramped for the bulky craft. 
   
  In the early 2320s, Starfleet began deploying the Type 20 atmospheric craft aboard its large 
  explorer starships. At around the same time, suitably compact technology was developed to allow 
  the introduction of Type 27, a warp-capable variant that otherwise was basically identical to the 
  original. Thanks to the new main power source, mass increase from the ventral mounting of warp 
  coils could be totally compensated for, and impulse acceleration actually improved as the result. 
  Since the reactor ate into cargo hold volume, though, maximum load went down by almost ten 
  percent. 
   
  By 2350, more than 130 of the heavy lifters were in deep space duty aboard explorers and modern 
  heavy cruisers, although only one or two per starship were carried. The craft were typically of Type 
  20, and mainly used as personnel and cargo transports for colonization or evacuation missions. The 
  type still serves in this role, with completely overhauled computer systems and engines, and is 
  supposed to soldier on at least until the mid-2380s. The niche for barges where no cargo or 
  passenger room is needlessly sacrificed for FTL propulsion still exists both in Starfleet and civilian 
  applications. The supposedly more advanced Type 27 has succumbed to modern competition due to 
  its quickly outdated propulsion systems, though. 
  Type 31 Aquashuttle 
  2274-2348 
   
  Alt. names: 
  AQSP-31 
   
  Ballard class 
   
  Completed: 
  54 
   
  Length: 
   m 
   
  
   
  306
  Beam: 
   m 
   
  Height: 
   m 
   
  Mass: 
  76 tons 
   
  Crew: 
  2 
   
  Passengers: 
  2 
   
  Max. speed: 
  w 1.2 
   
  Endurance: 
  4 weeks 
   
  Weapons: 
  2 phaser IV emitters on dorsal hull 
   
  Shields: 
  1-layer globular forcefield 
   
  Transporters: 
  None 
   
  SOURCES: 
  (D FSIC/Mark Wilson) 
   
  (N Mark Wilson, own) 
   
  (H own) 
   
  Type 2 Light Shuttle 
  2283- 
   
  Alt. names: 
  LSM(P)-2 
   
  Leprechaun class 
   
  Completed: 
  180 
   
  Length: 
  7.4 m  
   
  Beam: 
  3.7 m  
   
  Height: 
  2.2 m 
   
  Mass: 
  66 tons  
   
  Crew: 
  2 
   
  Passengers: 
  2 
   
  Cruise speed: 
  W 1.2 
   
  Max. speed: 
  W 2.0 
   
  Endurance: 
  8 weeks 
   
  Weapons: 
  None 
   
  Shields: 
  1-layer conformal forcefield 
   
  Transporters: 
  None  
   
  SOURCES: 
  (D Eric Kristiansen) 
   
  (N Eric Kristiansen, own) 
   
  (H own) 
   
  
   
  307
   
  As the Type 1 utility craft asserted their role as jack-of-all-trades auxiliaries, there were concerns 
  among both manufacturers and operators that Starfleet would stop procuring special types of 
  shuttlecraft. The somewhat out-of-proportion alarm took the form of many requests for such types, 
  including special environment craft, tactical craft and various sensor platforms. After a swift 
  analysis and selection process, Starfleet could inform the concerned parties that at least two types 
  would get the go-ahead at earliest convenience. A heavy, long range shuttle would be part of the 
  inventory soon enough – and a light personnel mover would be offered as an alternative to 
  transporters for missions of rapid insertion and extraction. 
   
  This latter type may be seen more as a response to manufacturer concerns than as a true operative 
  requirement. The time to prepare a Type 1 for launch was certainly not excessive, nor did the type’s 
  signature make it unsuitable for tactical insertion work. Moreover, the special type ultimately 
  offered, the Leperchaun by Chiokis, had basically the same deck footprint as the company’s Merlin. 
  Yet this ‘light’ shuttle at least lived up to its name by having a total mass of only 66 tons for a top 
  speed of full warp two. 
   
  Two relatively awkward side entry doors over the nacelles allowed the two crew and two 
  passengers in and out of the spacious craft. Six-element gravlifts gave good maneuverability at 
  landing and takeoff and in ground effect flight, and a six-nozzle impulse drive combined with an 
  aerodynamically sleek nose catered for good linear velocity and sonic boom reduction in horizontal 
  atmospheric flight. These qualities were put to use mainly in classic reconnaissance work, perhaps 
  
   
  308
  more in demand during the tumultuous 2280s than usual. It was typical for a frigate or a cruiser to 
  swap one of its Merlins for a Leperchaun, and for through-deck cruisers on special intelligence 
  missions to stock several of the light craft. 
   
  However, user experiences very quickly tilted the opinion in favor of generic utility types, and most 
  Leperchauns vacated the frigate and cruiser decks by the mid-2290s already. They found more use 
  planetside, becoming VIP transports of sorts for outposts that operated multiple shuttles and 
  regularly moved personnel across planets or interplanetary distances. Aspirations of greater 
  importance remained, and Chiokis as well as competing manufacturers kept on devising means of 
  giving faster response time, greater speed and a greater range of available onboard equipment to 
  light shuttlecraft. Ultimately, Type 12 would come to feature all these abilities and complement the 
  contingent of utility types on 2370s starships. 
  Type 3 Heavy Shuttle 
  2288-2363 
   
  Alt. names: 
  HSM(U)-3 
   
  Aladdin class 
   
  Completed: 
  396 
   
  Length: 
  15.3 m  
   
  Beam: 
  5.7 m  
   
  Height: 
  3.0 m 
   
  Mass: 
  162.4 tons 
   
  Crew: 
  3 
   
  Passengers: 
  6-14  
   
  Cruise speed: 
  W 1.2 
   
  Max. speed: 
  W 2.1 
   
  Endurance: 
  8 weeks 
   
  Weapons: 
  Normally none 
   
  Nacelle hardpoints provided for 2 phaser IV emitters 
   
  Shields: 
  1-layer conformal forcefield 
   
  Transporters: 
  None (original) 
   
  1 emergency evacuation (2-pad); Mk VI or VII (upgrade 2358) 
   
  SOURCES: 
  (D Eric Kristiansen) 
   
  (N Eric Kristiansen, own) 
   
  (H own) 
  
   
  309
   
  When the large Class G4 shuttlecraft were withdrawn from service aboard starships in the late 
  2270s, a successor type was not immediately available. After all, the withdrawal had been largely as 
  the result of the unwieldy deck footprint of the older type, not due to a performance shortcoming or 
  an outdated aspect of engineering. Modern starships were little better than the 2240s ones in terms 
  of auxiliary craft handling facilities, and the role of large, long range transport shuttles was still a 
  niche one.   
   
  Yet even small niches warranted filling eventually. The direct heir to G4 was built with the 
  principal limitations of the predecessor in mind: the Type 3 heavy shuttle was ten centimeters 
  narrower and trimmed a whole meter from total height when landed, essentially without sacrificing 
  any payload volume. Bow instrumentation was further compacted and distributed under the forward 
  cabin floor and above the main hull box. The concept of a continuous aft payload volume was 
  retained, with a flat cargo floor extending to a powered aft ramp with a pair of assault doors, and 
  with collapsible sectioning bulkheads to divide up the volume as needed. The bow cabin was 
  separated by a more permanent bulkhead just aft of an entry foyer which featured a portside 
  boarding hatch, a starboard sanitation compartment, aft access to the payload area, and forward 
  door to a three-person cockpit. 
   
  The pilot and copilot faced forward under an acutely slanted windshield that had almost 8 m2 of 
  adjustable-transparency area. To starboard was the cargomaster station from which various onboard 
  systems could be monitored and controlled. This was readily configurable for the operating of 
  modular payloads in the cargo area, including just about anything from sensor packages to probe 
  racks to individually packed gravitic mines. Passenger count was somewhat reduced from G4, 
  
   
  310
  though, as the life support systems could only be compacted so far before capacity was lost: 
  fourteen people in the aft compartment was the maximum permitted load for the up to eight-week 
  missions. Extension packages could of course be carried to provide life support for much longer 
  missions, but at the expense of passenger space and comfort, and long sorties were typically flown 
  with at most five people aboard. 
   
  Speed was another aspect downgraded from G4, as the closely tucked engines were run at relatively 
  modest power levels and only rated for warp 2.1 top speed. In practice, it was possible to crank up 
  the propulsion system to warp 2.9, provided that power to shielding was increased as well and no 
  personnel needlessly prolonged their stay in the aft compartment – a useful feature for the scouting 
  missions that Type 3 often ended up performing. 
   
  The heavy shuttle was usually only seen singly, aboard those frigates and through-deck cruisers 
  with enough deck space to comfortably operate the type. Even Constellation cruisers typically 
  settled for more compact types, as two Type 1 craft could be stowed in place of a single Type 3. It 
  was only with the introduction of Excelsior and Apollo cruisers for frontline exploration duty that 
  Type 3 began to see widespread use. Up till the 2360s, the craft remained a primary heavy cargo 
  mover for the largest exploration starships, receiving all-new impulse engine accelerator coils in 
  2340 and onboard emergency transporters in 2358. Transition to Type 9 was smooth enough, 
  although many crews grumbled about the primitive and complex flight controls and navigation 
  systems that never were properly updated during the seven and a half decades of operations. 
   
  The ’official nickname’ for the design was Aladdin class. As with the supposed ‘Tigris class’, 
  though, nicknames never truly caught on in the user community – perhaps because heavy shuttles 
  have typically been considered standby hardware, only to be broken out for infrequent special 
  missions. The somewhat more somber practices prevalent in Starfleet today have ensured that the 
  successor Type 9 remains anonymous officially as well as unofficially. 
  Type 4 Medium Shuttle 
  2329- 
   
  Alt. names: 
  Jericho class 
  MSM(P/U)-4 
   
  Completed: 
  525 
   
  Length: 
  10.3 m  
   
  Beam: 
  6.4 m  
   
  Height: 
  3.1 m 
   
  Mass: 
  5.7 tons plus nacelles  
   
  Crew: 
  2 
   
  Passengers: 
  8  
   
  Cruise speed: 
  W 1.7 
   
  Max. speed: 
  W 2.0 
   
  Endurance: 
  8 weeks 
   
  Weapons: 
  Phaser IV emitter on ventral bow 
   
  Phaser IV emitter on dorsal stern 
   
  Shields: 
  1-layer conformal forcefield 
   
  2 navigational deflectors on ventral bow 
   
  
   
  311
  Transporters: 
  None (original) 
   
  1 emergency evacuation (1-pad); Mk VI or VII (upgrade 2358) 
   
  SOURCES: 
  (D Shane Johnson) 
   
  (N Shane Johnson, own) 
   
  (H own) 
   
   
  For more than half a century, the Type 1 medium shuttle offered the best possible balance of 
  features for a starship general utility auxiliary. There was little hope of coercing more speed out of a 
  craft intended to fit on a hangar deck, and little need to carry greater quantities of cargo or 
  passengers or to embark more diverse onboard equipment.  
   
  For certain applications, however, special craft still were a necessary evil. Administrative 
  auxiliaries, small craft specializing in transport of key personnel and their immediate belongings, 
  did continue to evolve. This was partially due to the fact that such craft would operate from 
  
   
  312
  starbases and outposts more often than from aboard cramped starship hangars. Slightly more 
  performance and luxury could thus be packed into the craft, and limitations on external dimensions 
  could be relaxed. Conversely, many of the modern starships could embark these larger shuttles and 
  runabouts, even when there was no actual desire to field such types for regular shipboard use. This 
  in mind, Star Fleet Division in the 2310s and 20s produced a range of designs capable of carrying 
  up to ten passengers in comfort that included individual seating, onboard galley and shower and 
  toilet facilities, a separate luggage compartment, and a full airlock. These utilized WF series warp 
  engines capable of multiphasic operations, and generally enjoyed a sustained cruising speed of warp 
  1.7.  
   
  The model chosen for deployment aboard large frontline starships was in 2329 designated Type 4 
  medium shuttle, also known as the Jericho class. This 5.7 ton hull mass craft was configured for 
  two crew and eight passengers, accommodating these in a separate side-by-side control cabin 
  forward and a single-aisle, two-row compartment amidships, with an airlock in between opening 
  starboard (via standard planetfall door) and up (via FI2/L standard light docking hatch). To port of 
  the airlock was a sanitary space, and forward of it an entry foyer to the control cabin with a compact 
  galley to port and an equipment locker to starboard. Aft of the passenger space was a broad luggage 
  compartment, separated by a centerline door. These accommodations were all enclosed in a 
  traditionally boxy pressure hull little different from the Class F or Type 1 shape, with 
  conservatively small viewports. 
   
  Outside the pressure hull extended a propulsive section of more flowing shapes. The WF-23 
  nacelles were faired smoothly so that only their forward ends protruded from under the broad 
  shoulders of deuterium tanks. The warp core was located between the nacelles, with antimatter 
  ejection hatches and plasma expander panels in a shallow centerline indentation that ran from the 
  dorsal docking hatch all the way aft and down. In this indentation were the antennas of the versatile 
  communication system, the four nozzles of the impulse drive, and the up- and aft-facing phaser IV 
  emitter that provided major defensive firepower. A similar emitter was located at the lower bow, 
  and there were twin navigational deflectors underneath it. Shielding was of exceptionally good, 
  cutter or runabout standard. The personnel to be ferried in this manner thus enjoyed a level of 
  protection unprecedented in small auxiliaries. 
   
  Typical assignments for Type 4 were Ambassador explorers, Excelsior and Apollo cruisers and 
  Joshua command ships. Smaller vessels in the cruiser category seldom embarked the craft, due to 
  their somewhat excessive beam, similar to that of a scoutcraft or an assault shuttle. Star Fleet 
  Division strove to address such concerns, pursuing engine technologies that would allow further 
  compacting while retaining the overall configuration of laterally faired power and propulsive 
  systems. The results would ultimately be adopted as the Type 7 medium shuttlecraft, a slightly more 
  utilitarian and significantly less beamy liaison design that still could meet the requirements of an 
  administrative auxiliary. The Jericho type was withdrawn from starship service in the 2360s, but 
  continues a successful career as starbase support craft and VIP transport. 
  Type 5/6 Medium/Light shuttle 
  2353- 
   
  Alt. names: 
  MSM(P/U)-5 / MSM(U)-5A /  LSM(P/U)-6 
   
  “Shoebox” 
   
  “Widowmaker” 
   
  Completed: 
  9,342 
   
  Length: 
  7.6 m (5/5A) 
   
  6.0 m (6) 
  
   
  313
   
  Beam: 
  4.3 m (5/5A) 
   
  4.4 m (6) 
   
  Height: 
  2.7 m 
   
  Mass: 
  73.7 tons (5/5A) 
   
  63.4 tons (6) 
   
  Crew: 
  2 
   
  Passengers: 
  6-10 (5/5A) 
   
  4-6 (6) 
   
  Cruise speed: 
  W 1.2 
   
  Max. speed: 
  W 2.0 
   
  Endurance: 
  8 weeks 
   
  Weapons: 
  Normally none 
   
  Nacelle hardpoints provided for 2 phaser IV emitters 
   
  Shields: 
  1-layer conformal forcefield 
   
  Transporters: 
  None (original) 
   
  1 emergency evacuation (1-pad); Mk VI or VII (upgrade 2356) 
   
  SOURCES: 
  D TNG 
   
  N TNG 
   
  (H own) 
   
  Advances in material technology and warp propulsion were incorporated in the Type 5 and 6 
  shuttlecraft. Basically, they retained the spaceframe of the venerable Type 1, but pure duranium 
  structure reduced weight and increased strength. Structural integrity fields could be applied over 
  nacelle assemblies, and more power was available for weapons mounts or other special gear. Type 5 
  retained the Type 1 external contours, but added a larger window for the control cabin, made 
  possible by new materials. Type 5A added side windows for the aft cabin as well. Type 6 was 
  shortened to 6.0 m length so that it could be carried in greater numbers – an old Miranda hangar, 
  previously housing just three medium shuttles plus one heavy and one light craft, could now 
  effortlessly carry seven Type 6 craft plus one heavy shuttle. 
   
  Warp coils in Type 6 were out of necessity repackaged to stubbier nacelles that also omitted nacelle 
  ramscoops, saving some ten tons of weight. Warp 1.8 could be coerced out of the shortened engines 
  nevertheless, and two-month endurance was provided by standard fuel tanks. Yet operational 
  evaluations soon led Starfleet to go for a Leeding offer of all-new FF-22 engines that quite matched 
  the performance of the LN-101 in the smaller dimensions desired. Packaged in hexagonal nacelles 
  with eight full-diameter coils and two end constrictors each, these engines featured modern annular 
  ramfield generators and a truly miniature acquisition window, leaving space for a retractable phaser 
  IV mount and a medium range navigational scanner that directly exploited the ramfield for FTL 
  scanning.  
   
  Miniaturization allowed for the installation of other useful extra features including a ventral 
  equipment bay, internal partitioning forcefields, integrated charging stations for personal life 
  support systems and weapons, and a rack of miniature marker buoys. In later models, space in the 
  ventral bay was used for the installation of emergency transporters. These, as well as the optional 
  weapons, prompted the addition of search and targeting sensors in two pallets directly above the 
  forward viewport. 
   
  
   
  314
   
  The modernized central console is shown displaying warp drive components, including the main fusion reactor offset to 
  starboard at lower stern. 
   
  After 2361, flat-panel interfaces replaced the conventional touchball controls, robbing the pilots of 
  some of the glamour of shuttle flying: tactile feedback was diminished, and the intricacies of full 
  six-degrees-of-freedom control were relegated to the computer. Piloting a shuttle was now little 
  different from running a hovercar, or so the frequent complaint by ace shuttle pilots went. 
  Alarmingly, accident rates of Type 6 soared as hotshot pilots attempted manual-override approaches 
  and landings. Disciplinary action and modifications to the control laws of the override mode solved 
  this problem, only to reveal that there still was a statistically significant handicap to the design. 
  Apparently, the shortened hull wasn’t as aerodynamically stable as hoped. The continuing control 
  problems in adverse weather approaches led to Type 6 receiving the infamous Tsibliyev award of 
  the Flight Control School cadets six times in a row; the type thus became the latest in the long series 
  of craft to carry the”Widowmaker” nickname. The last time the title had been held by a light shuttle 
  had been in the early 23rd century. 
   
  Both Type 5 and 6 craft were carried on almost all starships, although the more compact Type 6 fit 
  better to the confined spaces of some smaller types. These shuttles still serve as the primary 
  auxiliary craft of most starships. Type 5 suffers from having failed to receive an engine refit, 
  however, and is unlikely to get one in the future, either. Retirement of the type is expected before 
  2380, as more modern designs have been created both for general use and special missions. Type 6 
  still offers a good overall balance of performance and economy for most starship auxiliary duties, 
  and may continue service beyond that date. 
  Type 7A1/A2 Medium Shuttle 
  2357- 
   
  Alt. names:  
  MSM(P)-7A1 / MSM(P/U)-7A2 
  “Turtle” 
   
  Completed: 
  465 total: 
   
   
  141 A1 
   
  324 A2 
  
   
  315
   
  Length: 
  11.5 m 
   
  Beam: 
  3.9 m 
   
  Height: 
  7.1 m 
   
  Mass: 
  108.6 tons 
   
  Crew: 
  2 
   
  Passengers: 
  6-10 
   
  Cruise speed: 
  W 1.75 
   
  Max. speed: 
  W 2 
   
  Endurance: 
  12 weeks 
   
  Weapons: 
  Normally none 
   
  Fuselage hardpoints provided for 2 lateral phaser V emitters 
   
  Shields: 
  1-layer conformal forcefield 
   
  Transporters: 
  1 emergency evacuation (1-pad or padless); Mk VII 
   
  SOURCES: 
  D TNG 
   
  (N TNG TM) 
   
  (H own) 
   
  The Type 7 advanced shuttle was created to provide starbases and modern large starships of the 
  Galaxy generation with longer reach of auxiliary operations. The design builds on the solutions 
  utilized in the popular Type 4, yet improves upon it to offer high sustained warp speed up to warp 2, 
  as well as ramscoops for extended range – still at a fraction of the bulk and operating costs of a full 
  runabout or yacht. Atmospheric handling is superb in comparison with the more angular 
  predecessor design, and the interior can be more readily configured for extended four-person 
  operations. Heavy weapon mounts up to phaser V standard in modules flanking the cockpit area are 
  available, as are various internal and external sensor bays. Onboard computer systems are of high 
  quality and capable of serving as detached analysis centers. Modern light transporter systems have 
  been installed to all craft built after 2368, while earlier specimens may carry older transporter 
  systems on individual basis. All this is contained in a hull massing under ten tons. 
   
  Propulsion systems feature two ten-segment GN-202 warp nacelles, a 2200 mc underfloor warp 
  core, one or two antimatter pods located forward of the core, two matter tanks flanking the aft hull 
  above floor level, plus an impulse drive system utilizing a curious door-mounted nozzle installation. 
  RCS stations are mounted on forward hull rim and aft hull quarters. A warp endurance of six weeks 
  is provided with the two-pod configuration. 
   
  Space is available for a full ten-person away team if necessary, although the cabin is usually 
  configured for two crew and four passengers. In the A1 version of the craft, dedicated for personnel 
  transport, entry ramps are provided at both bow and stern; the latter entrance is equipped with full 
  airlock facilities. The general utility A2 version omits the bow ramp. Depending on the exact 
  model, a starboard cargo door may be fitted, or such doors installed on both sides, allowing for the 
  loading of outsize cargo*. Floor panels offer access to equipment bays housing the gravity 
  generators and the optional phaser V mounts. Finally, a dorsal emergency hatch features the 
  standard Starfleet emergency docking adapter also found aboard other large shuttle vehicles as well 
  as couriers, runabouts and various starships. 
   
  The interior of both models can easily be configured for a variety of uses: for example, the 
  installation of a cockpit pressurization curtain facilitates external access to the main cabin/cargo 
  
   
  316
  compartment regardless of environmental concerns. A VIP kit is also available for the central cabin, 
  featuring extra decor and a combined sleeping and work area for two, as well as a replicator and a 
  personal comm panel. Aft of the main cabin is a small foyer offering sanitation facilities, storage 
  space and access to the underfloor equipment bay housing the warp core. The foyer is flanked by 
  main propellant tanks. At extreme stern, the airlock provides stowage for two environmental suits. 
   
  The cockpit is provided with a window complete with electrochemical shuttering; so are those walls 
  of the cabin not blocked by a cargo door. The bow ramp can be replaced by a simple window panel 
  in the A2 models if no special module is required there; this is the preferred configuration for many 
  surface-to-orbit liaison craft. Virtual-focus cameras naturally offer a good all-around view for 
  landing and docking. Touchball controls were still provided for the two pilots as an optional method 
  of control input in the early models, although recent craft have been built with strictly flat-panel 
  interfaces. 
   
  Unfortunately, the Type 7 shuttles suffer from two problems. First, the higher-performance impulse 
  and warp propulsion systems take up a lot of space at the rear of the craft, precluding the 
  installation of a wide stern ramp. The side utility doors are somewhat awkward, since they are 
  obscured by the nacelles and require a complex folding ramp system to clear the obstacle. They also 
  provide little protection for disembarking troops in combat situations. Thus, the craft cannot fully 
  meet the tactical needs of starships, and lighter, less well protected and armed low-endurance 
  models which nevertheless possess proper stern ramps have to be carried instead. 
   
  Also, the advanced warp coil system of the Type 7 shuttle is so tightly integrated that shipboard 
  repairs or component replacement become extremely difficult, unless the mothership possesses 
  advanced service facilities. Thus, small ships are usually provided with light shuttlecraft only, and 
  the some 400 examples of the medium Type 7 are mainly deployed aboard explorers, heavy cruisers 
  and various outposts and starbases.  
   
  * The original Type 7 configuration never reached production status, and no Type 7B or 7C exists or is projected, so the letter code is 
  generally omitted in connection with this shuttle type. Variants A1 and A2 are thus usually specified as “mark 1” and “mark 2”. 
  Type 9/9A/9B Heavy Shuttle 
  2359- 
   
  Alt. names:  
  HSM(C)-9 
   
  Completed: 
  283 total: 
   
   
  120 Type 9 
   
  580 Type 9A 
   
  583 Type 9B 
   
  Length: 
  17.0 m 
   
  Beam: 
  6.8 m 
   
  Height: 
  5.3 m (Type 9//9A) 
   
  5.2 m (Type 9B) 
   
  Mass: 
  112.8 tons (Type 9/9A) 
   
  132.9 tons (Type 9B) 
   
  Crew: 
  3 
   
  Passengers: 
  20 
   
  Cruise speed: 
  W 2 
   
  Max. speed: 
  W 2 (Type 9) 
  W 2.2 (Type 9A) 
  
   
  317
   
  w 4 (Type 9B) 
   
  Endurance: 
  6 weeks (Type 9/9A) 
   
  18 weeks (Type 9B) 
   
  Weapons: 
  Normally none 
  Nacelle hardpoints provided for 2 phaser V emitters/strips (Type 9A/B) 
   
  Shields: 
  1-layer conformal forcefield 
   
  Transporters: 
  1 emergency evacuation (2-pad); Mk VII or VIII (Type 9/9A) 
   
  1 GP (2-pad or padless); Mk VII or VIII (Type 9B) 
   
  SOURCES: 
  (D TNG TM) 
   
  N VOY 
   
  (H own) 
   
  The unsuitability of Type 7 shuttles to the carriage of bulky cargo did not really present a problem 
  for Starfleet. Ever since the early 2350s, a type of cargo shuttle had been under development in 
  parallel with Types 5 and 6, with large side and stern hatches. This craft featured aspects of both 
  Type 5/6 and 7 designs, combining FF-24 series nacelles of hexagonal cross section with an 
  aerodynamically smooth hull. However, this vessel was not optimized for the deployment of away 
  teams or routine liaison and replenishment flights between starships. The Type 9 heavy shuttle as it 
  appears today is a dedicated heavy-lifting craft capable of carrying large machinery, including 
  surface vehicles and habitats. 
   
  The forward half of the craft is similar in configuration to the forward two-thirds of a Type 7 
  shuttle. A two-person cabin with side-by-side seating, touchball controls, full interstellar navigation 
  gear and a large electrochemically shuttered window can be separated by a bulkhead from a 
  cargo/passenger cabin that is equipped with two side hatches, of the fold-down type familiar from 
  Type 7. Underfloor are several subsystems, but not the main powerplant. This time, the m/am core 
  is housed on the roof of the shuttle, in an arrangement very similar to that of the Danube runabouts. 
  Plasma leads down to the nacelles go along the aft wall of the passenger cabin, with a small airlock 
  and a workstation for a loadmaster in between them. 
   
  Beyond the airlock lies a cavernous cargo hold, the floor of which is some 80 centimeters lower 
  than the floors of the forward compartments. Variable gravity facilitates easy loading and 
  offloading of equipment, or the rafting down of wheeled or hovering vehicles. A ramp door the size 
  of the entire aft wall gives exterior access to the hold. 
   
  Between 2359 and 2361, some 120 shuttles were constructed to this configuration, and deployed 
  routinely aboard explorer-size starships, plus aboard lesser vessels on a mission-by-mission basis. 
  In 2361, a modified craft (Type 9A) was created, with a 35% increase in lifting capability provided 
  by uprated impulse engines. Also, hardpoints for Type V phasers were added, and computer 
  systems modernized. Given the ever-increasing strength of the starship fleet and the needs of the 
  border conflicts, five hundred and eighty craft of this definitive model were added to the force.  
  
   
  318
   
  In 2370, the Type 9B modification introduced new, sleeker CWD-built GN-206 nacelles, adding 
  larger ramscoops similar to the Type 8 light shuttlecraft units and also significantly increasing the 
  speed and range of the craft. Speeds up to warp 4 can be reached on light load. These craft omit the 
  port cargo hatch and have flat-panel controls instead of touchballs. They also carry shield 
  generators of increased performance. Whenever an away team has to be left behind for an extended 
  period of time, a Type 9B shuttle is the craft of choice to provide both independent mission capacity 
  and interstellar access to the mothership. 
   
  Production of Type 9B was expected to reach 740 craft, but was halted at 583 units in 2374 in favor 
  of a modern successor. The Type 14 heavy cargo shuttle is similar in configuration, yet features 
  folding aerodynamic surfaces and further improved warp performance and range. This type will in 
  time be fielded aboard all modern deep space explorer and cruiser starships in place of Type 9, 
  which will be relegated to duties closer to home. So far, however, procurement of Type 14 has been 
  slow, and Type 9 continues service across the Fleet. 
  Type 8 Light Shuttle 
  2365- 
   
  Alt. names: 
  LSM(P)-8 
   
  Completed: 
  2,480+ 
   
  Length: 
  6.6 m 
   
  Beam: 
  4.4 m 
   
  Height: 
  2.8 m 
   
  Mass: 
  83.6 tons 
   
  Crew: 
  1-2 
   
  Passengers: 
  6 
   
  Cruise speed: 
  W 2 
   
  Max. speed: 
  W 2.4 
   
  Endurance: 
  10 weeks 
   
  Weapons: 
  2 phaser III strips on nacelle bows 
   
  2 phaser III strips on pylons 
   
  Fuselage hardpoints provided for 2 lateral phaser IV strips 
   
  Shields: 
  1-layer conformal forcefield 
   
  Transporters: 
  1 emergency evacuation (padless); Mk VII or VIII 
   
  SOURCES: 
  D VOY 
   
  (N VOY) 
   
  (H own) 
   
  
   
  319
  The medium shuttle of Type 7 was suited mostly for use from aboard large vessels with advanced 
  support facilities. To equip its lighter starships with modern multipurpose shuttlecraft, Starfleet in 
  2364 ordered an extensive revamping of the Type 6 design. All-new engines were to be mounted to 
  a Type 6B hull, on modified and considerably strengthened pylons. Significant advances in 
  technology could now be exploited: each GN-204 engine nacelle featured a modern lightweight 
  ramscoop system, providing greatly extended range. The powerplant was also upgraded, and new 
  cowlings installed to accommodate the changes. Thanks mainly to plasma handling breakthroughs, 
  warp performance was brought up to warp 2.4 dash speed and warp 2 cruising, without having to 
  sacrifice internal volume or resort to large, complex and tightly integrated systems of the Type 7 
  kind. 
   
  In addition, forward hull contours were altered for better atmospheric handling, utilizing lessons 
  learned from the Type 7, and the window slightly reshaped. Inside the cockpit, flight controls were 
  simplified and computer systems upgraded. Defenses were improved by adding four Type III phaser 
  strips for all-around coverage. The upgrade proved a considerable success, and some 480 newbuilds 
  have been fielded to date and a thousand more intended to follow. Some Type 6 craft are also 
  projected to receive the new nacelle type and some hull streamlining, but not the new powerplant 
  nor the full bow revamping. This is expected to yield warp speed improvements up to warp 2.2 at 
  somewhat lower cost. 
   
  The Type 8 craft is now in service aboard all modern small starships including e.g. the Bradbury 
  heavy corvettes, Nova surveyors and Intrepid light cruisers. Aboard older small ships, the craft 
  often serves in mixed wings with Type 6 light shuttles. 
   
  Advanced equipment is available for the craft. Strip-emitter Type IV phasers can be installed in 
  berths flanking the cabin, far outperforming the point-emitter units of earlier models. Navigational 
  AI is improved to the point of being capable of handling combat maneuvers and complex docking 
  tasks. One crew is thus sufficient now for most types of missions. Despite the proven reliability of 
  the design, emergency transporters are regularly carried aboard Type 8, as are two environmental 
  suits and full surface survival gear.  
   
  Plans for a similar revamping of the medium Type 5/5A were put on hold in 2368, as it was found 
  there was no specific need for the extended-length cabin in standard applications. 
  Type 10 Light Shuttle 
  2374- 
   
  Alt. names: 
  LSC(P)-10 
  “The Tank” 
   
  Completed: 
  66+ 
   
  Length: 
  9.6 m 
   
  Beam: 
  5.8 m 
   
  Height: 
  3.4 m 
   
  Mass: 
  18.9 tons 
   
  Crew: 
  2 
   
  Passengers: 
  2 
   
  Cruise speed: 
  W 2 
   
  Max. speed: 
  W 2.2 
  
   
  320
   
  Endurance: 
  5 weeks 
   
  Weapons: 
  1 phaser IV strip forward of the cockpit 
   
  2 phaser IV strips on nacelle cowlings 
   
  Shields: 
  1-layer conformal forcefield 
   
  Navigational deflector below cockpit 
   
  Transporters: 
  1 emergency evacuation (padless); Mk VIII 
   
  SOURCES: 
  D DS9 
   
  (N DS9 TM) 
   
  (H own) 
   
  The Type 10 light combat shuttle was created for use aboard the Defiant class escorts, intended for 
  high-risk landing operations in combat situations where the standard Type 18 shuttlepod would not 
  suffice. To this end, it features heavily shielded warp engines and an impulse system exceptionally 
  powerful for a shuttlecraft, all clustered at the upper aft hull for best possible protection. The lower 
  forward hull is heavily armored and shielded, and incorporates a deflector dish for extra protection 
  (a rare sight indeed in a low-warp craft like this). The main cockpit window is tilted back so that 
  only weapon fire from almost directly up is likely to hit it. Finally, the only exit door lies at the 
  stern, protected from the sides by the warp engine cowlings. 
   
  The heavy armoring naturally comes with a heavy price. Total mass of the craft is nearly 20 tons, 
  and personnel capacity is limited to two crew and two uncomfortably squeezed-in passengers. On 
  the other hand, versatile systems ranging from emergency transporters to Type IV phaser strips and 
  a stern-mounted tractor beam are available. A more capable, much larger variant is being 
  considered for production to meet the need for a proper planetary assault auxiliary for the strike 
  carrier fleet; the Type 10 light combat shuttle as such suffers from severe limitations on its external 
  dimensions, having to fit into the tiny impromptu shuttlebay of the Defiant class. Considering these 
  limitations, the shuttle is an engineering triumph, but mass production for other ship types is highly 
  unlikely. 
  Type 12 Light Shuttle 
  2370- 
   
  Alt. names:  
  LSM(PS)-12 
  “Speedboat” 
  “MOB boat” 
   
  Completed: 
  714+ 
   
  Length: 
  8.5 m 
   
  Beam: 
  4.6 m 
   
  Height: 
  2.3 m 
   
  Mass: 
  84.2 tons 
   
  Crew: 
  1-2 
   
  Passengers: 
  2 
   
  Cruise speed: 
  W 2 
   
  Max. speed: 
  W 2.8 
   
  Endurance: 
  6 days 
   
  Weapons: 
  1 phaser IV strip on ventral bow 
   
  2 phaser IV strips on nacelle pylons 
   
  2 phaser III strips on nacelle bows  
  
   
  321
   
  Shields: 
  1-layer conformal forcefield 
   
  Transporters: 
  1 emergency evacuation (padless); Mk VIII 
   
  SOURCES: 
  D VOY 
   
  (N Rick Sternbach) 
   
  (H own) 
   
  Created specifically for missions requiring rapid response, speed and maneuverability instead of 
  crew carrying capacity, the Type 12 serves aboard many modern ships as the “launch” or 
  “speedboat” of the vessel. The small, streamlined shuttle can be housed inside a cargo bay or drop-
  launch berth and requires minimal maintenance or pre-launch checks. Still, its modern warp engines 
  can propel it to warp 2.8 if necessary, and phaser IVs and advanced sensors are carried in 
  permanent mounts instead of modular additions. Transporters are standard gear as well. The design 
  has also been dubbed a “MOB boat”, since this rapid-response craft is frequently deployed to 
  extract stranded away teams from dire situations.  
   
  The high top speed of the craft requires the addition of a good-sized navigational deflector to the 
  bow. At high speeds, two crew are usually needed for proper handling, despite the application of 
  navigation AI routines similar to those used aboard Type 8 craft. Also, fire support missions against 
  planetary and orbital targets are postulated for the well-equipped craft, and require a crew of two as 
  well. Embarkation is via a set of doors astern, between engine support booms; the outer two-section 
  doors provide a planetfall ramp, while the inner pocket doors turn the space in between into a 
  cramped airlock if necessary. Forcefield compartmentalization is the more usual procedure for 
  dealing with hostile or absent atmospheres, however. Furthermore, standard equipment includes a 
  versatile padless transporter that simplifes spacewalk access. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  A ventral view of a Type 12 at speed reveals the ejection mechanism for the ‘pancake’ underfloor warp core, flanked by 
  compact transporter emitters. Miniaturization is also evident in the twin impulse drives at warp engine pylon trailing 
  edges and the narrow yet potent phaser strip below the bow. 
   
  Starfleet plans to deploy the type aboard nearly all hangar-equipped starship designs within the 
  decade. Some modern ships are to be provided with drop bays for even faster deployment. Also, the 
  drop bays would vacate the shuttlebay for more capacious medium shuttle types, many of which 
  have external dimensions similar to Type 12. Despite the higher performance of Type 12, carrying 
  it would not be reasonable if it meant losing even one hangar slot that could be used by a Type 8 
  light shuttle. 
  Type 11 Medium Shuttle 
  2374- 
   
  Alt. names:  
  MSM-11 
   
  Completed: 
  48+ 
   
   
  Length: 
  16.2 m 
   
  Beam: 
  8.7 m 
  
   
  322
   
  Height: 
  3.9 m 
   
  Mass:  
  112.1 tons 
   
  Crew: 
  2 
   
  Passengers: 
  4-10 
   
  Cruise speed: 
  W 4 
   
  Max. speed: 
  W 5.4 
   
  Endurance: 
  7 weeks 
   
  Weapons: 
  1 phaser IV strip on dorsal bow 
  1 phaser IV strip on ventral bow 
   
  Shields: 
  1-layer conformal forcefield 
   
  Transporters: 
  1 GP (2-pad); Mk VIII 
   
  SOURCES: 
  D ST:INS 
   
  (N Sternbach) 
   
  (H own) 
   
  All modern explorer ships are slated to receive a brand new liaison craft design between 2375 and 
  2378. Initial experiments with operating runabout-sized craft from starship hangars proved that a 
  niche for a small number of such heavy auxiliary craft still exists in frontline operations. However, 
  Danube runabouts as such are too complex and unwieldy to be carried aboard starships, and a 
  simplified, more compact craft was designed in 2374 for these needs. The Type 11 medium shuttle 
  design represents a bridge of sorts between the runabout and shuttle categories, despite being 
  intended solely for use as a starship auxiliary. 
   
  The new shuttle features an LF-207 warp propulsion system capable of sustained warp 4, and 
  carries Mk VIII transporters, tractor beams and phaser V emitters as standard gear. Hull form 
  derives from lessons learned in four years of Type 12 light shuttle operations, and mounts the warp 
  nacelles farther aft than in previous designs. Seating for two crew and up to four mission specialists 
  is provided in the forward cockpit, and a full ten-person away team can be effortlessly carried by 
  making use of a cabin aft of the centrally mounted, highly capable transporter machinery. 
  Drawbacks include a still relatively large bulk, as well as lower performance-to-weight ratio for the 
  warp propulsion system than in smaller shuttles. Also, criticism has been directed at the insufficient 
  dimensions of the exits, limited to dorsal and ventral hatches and an aft door only 2.1 m high and 
  1.1 m wide. The installation of a larger door is precluded by the stern-mounted, exceptionally 
  powerful impulse units that flank the doorway. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  There is significant fighting potential in the Type 11 design, not just in the form of its multiple potent phaser strips and 
  their advanced fire control, but also in less openly offensive systems. A shuttle from USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-E) 
  demonstrates here the use of the aft tractor beam emitter for firing a disruptive tetryon pulse. The combination of the 
  tractor beam and the large impulse engines in evidence in this view is also a formidable weapon by itself. 
   
  
   
  323
  Because of the limitations, the design is not supposed to replace the standard heavy shuttles of Type 
  9A/B in starship duty, but rather serve in the general medium liaison role. A dedicated cargo variant 
  of the Type 11 design is on the drawing boards, with an extended hull and large side and/or aft 
  doors. However, development has met with problems, and prototype stage is not expected to be 
  reached before late 2377. An entirely different craft with a boxy aft cargo hold and deployable 
  aerodynamic surfaces, the Type 14, may end up taking the general cargo role aboard most vessels, 
  even though it is primarily intended for the transportation of modular habitats, bulky survey gear 
  and surface vehicles for long-duration away mission teams.  
   
  Diversification of Type 11 roles beyond starship and starbase liaison duty is not yet in sight, 
  although one would assume that special operative insertion and extraction, medical evacuation and 
  reconnaissance roles be adopted to comply with immediate post-war requirements. 
  Type 14 Heavy Shuttle 
  2375- 
   
  Alt. names:  
  HSM(C)-14 
   
  Completed: 
  50+ 
   
   
  Length: 
  20.1 m 
   
  Beam: 
  m 
   
  Height: 
  4.0 m (wings folded) 
   
  7.4 m (wings extended) 
   
  Mass: 
  145.3 tons 
   
  Crew: 
  2 
   
  Passengers: 
  4 (standard) 
   
  24 (troop configuration) 
   
  Cruise speed: 
  W 4 
   
  Max. speed: 
  W 4.4 
   
  Endurance: 
  7 weeks 
   
  Weapons: 
  None 
   
  Shields: 
  1-layer conformal forcefield 
   
  Transporters: 
  1 GP (2-pad) Mk VIII 
   
  SOURCES: 
  D ST:NEM 
   
  (N own) 
   
  (H own) 
   
  The main driving force behind the introduction of Type 14 heavy cargo shuttles was the need to 
  support ground action teams in medium duration military and scientific operations. Much as 
  Starfleet would have liked to believe that starship presence sufficed for covering most away action, 
  there still remained many a support task that could not be handled by orbital transporters, sensors or 
  weapons – especially in a time of military crisis. From 2372 on, the Type 9A and B heavy shuttles 
  and assorted runabouts had to double as assault barges in high-risk troop insertion missions. The 
  latter at least enjoyed relatively good shielding. The former were torn to pieces by light ground 
  defenses. 
   
  Pressures of the Dominion war were not the only reason behind the creation of Type 14, however. 
  For some time, science teams deployed on explorers had expressed dissatisfaction at having to use 
  
   
  324
  shuttles sized for considerably smaller starships. Thanks to studies conducted to meet their 
  demands, Starfleet could in 2372 immediately begin final design and production of Type 14. 
   
  Key improvements are aimed at various aspects of survivability. Twin shield generators are carried 
  in the bow section, which now features a sharply canted windshield that is well protected from 
  ground fire. Stealth in atmospheric entry and agility in maneuvering are increased by adding fold-
  out aerodynamic surfaces. Warp performance is boosted by adopting LF-227 coils, faired directly to 
  the hull and equipped with relatively large ramscoops. 
   
  Cargo capacity remains basically similar to Type 9, however. A slightly wider aft compartment 
  caters for a respectively broader selection of vehicles or equipment to be carried. Cabin space is 
  only slightly increased by the addition of three meters to total length. External height is actually 
  reduced, as power systems, fuel and other machinery have been moved from the roof to amidship 
  fairings above the warp coils, and the coils in turn tucked closer to the hull. There no longer are side 
  hatches available for cargo operations, but onboard mechanical and gravitic cargo handling systems 
  have been improved in compensation. The cargo area can be rapidly configured for 20 additional 
  passengers, but less emphasis is based on this functionality than previously, and the pop-up seats 
  are reputed to be quite a bit less comfortable than their Type 9 predecessors. 
   
  Currently, Type 14 is being distributed to explorers and some heavy cruisers, but only modest 
  numbers have been built. Much like Type 11, the heavy shuttle suffers from some inherent design 
  limitations and excesses, and may require further refining to become a practical starship auxiliary. 
  The characteristics of the upcoming cargo version of Type 11 are likely to define the path the Type 
  14 redesign will take. 
  Shuttlepods 
   
  After the old shuttle classification system was abandoned in the 2270s, the until then liberally 
  applied name ‘shuttlepod’ was clarified to denote the smallest starship auxiliaries only.  
   
  This category includes simple transatmospheric craft, intership boats without landing capacity, 
  general-purpose pods with landing and interplanetary capacity, and even some later advanced 
  designs with warp propulsion. The common factor is availability of impulse propulsion, a capability 
  lacking from assorted inspection and work pods of even smaller size. Also common to all 
  
   
  325
  shuttlepods is a primary liaison mission, even if certain designs transcend such vocational 
  expectations by possessing advanced tools, sensors or even armament. 
   
  All craft in this category are less than 2 tons in hull mass, although subspace coil mass for the 
  impulse and sometimes warp propulsion systems naturally represents a considerable addition.  
  Type 10/11 Shuttlepod 
  2291- 
   
  Alt. names:  
   
   
  Completed: 
   
   
   
  Length: 
  m 
   
  Beam: 
  m 
   
  Height: 
  m 
   
  Mass: 
   
  Crew: 
  1 
   
  Passengers: 
  1-2 
   
  Speed: 
   
   
  Endurance: 
  7 weeks 
   
  Weapons: 
   
   
  Shields: 
  1-layer conformal forcefield 
   
  Transporters: 
  None 
   
  SOURCES: 
  D ???  
   
  (N) 
   
  (H) 
   
  Type 12/13 Shuttlepod 
  2328- 
   
  Alt. names:  
   
   
  Completed: 
   
   
   
  Length: 
  m 
   
  Beam: 
  m 
   
  Height: 
  m 
   
  Crew: 
  1 
   
  Passengers: 
  1-2 
   
  Speed: 
   
   
  Endurance: 
  7 weeks 
   
  Weapons: 
   
   
  Shields: 
  1-layer conformal forcefield 
   
  Transporters: 
  None 
   
  SOURCES: 
  D ??? 
   
  (N) 
  
   
  326
   
  (H) 
   
  Type 15/16 Shuttlepod 
  2359- 
   
  Alt. names:  
   
   
  Completed: 
  1,244 total: 
   
   
  839 Type 15 
   
  405 Type 16 
   
   
  Length: 
  3.60 m (Type 15) 
   
  4.81 m (Type 16) 
   
  Beam: 
  2.42 m 
   
  Height: 
  1.76 m 
   
  Mass: 
  3.11 tons (Type 15) 
   
  3.22 tons (Type 15A) 
   
  4.50 tons (Type 16) 
   
  Crew: 
  1 
   
  Passengers: 
  1-2 
   
  Speed: 
  0.005 c (Type 15) 
   
  0.008 c (Type 16) 
   
  Endurance: 
  5 weeks 
   
  Weapons: 
  2 phaser IV emitters on nacelle bows 
   
  Shields: 
  1-layer conformal forcefield 
   
  Transporters: 
  None 
   
  SOURCES: 
  D TNG 
   
  (N TNG TM) 
   
  (H own) 
   
  Content of text depends on what the previous model should look like… 
   
  Type 16 in this interpretation is indeed longer, contrary to the TNG TM picture, and has longer 
  nacelles. Performance figures in TNG TM are nonsensical anyway, and supposedly Type 16 is the 
  higher performer (since the added mass doesn’t increase payload or anything). 
   
  Type 17 Shuttlepod 
  2362- 
   
  Alt. names:  
   
   
  Completed: 
  78 
   
   
  Length: 
  5.5 m 
   
  Beam: 
  4.1 m 
   
  Height: 
  2.3 m 
   
  Mass: 
  7.1 tons 
   
  Crew: 
  1 
   
  Passengers: 
  1-3 
  
   
  327
   
  Speed: 
  0.01 c / W 1.0 
   
  Endurance: 
  7 weeks 
   
  Weapons: 
  None 
   
  Shields: 
  1-layer conformal forcefield 
   
  Transporters: 
  None 
   
  SOURCES: 
  (D Rick Sternbach Type 6 shuttle study model) 
   
  (N TNG TM) 
   
  (H own) 
   
   
   
  The exercise of stretching Type 15 to Type 16 dimensions opened up intriguing possibilities for 
  new internal gear. Among the forerunners was a powerplant large enough for warp propulsion. In 
  2361, Lei&Salak made the first serious proposal for a warp speed auxiliary of shuttlepod size, based 
  on FF-24 engines and a hull combining Type 16 structural solutions with greater beam and a new, 
  aerodynamically and ergonomically advantageous bow. Starfleet eagerly accepted the proposal, and 
  five prototypes were ready for testing by the end of the year. 
   
  The craft that would become Type 17 mounted her warp core in the aft half of a hull 5.5 meters 
  long, flanking it with fuel tanks and adding two impulse nozzles astern. Between the nozzles 
  loomed the ominous round endcap of a core ejection system, making graphic the risks involved in 
  the compact configuration that was virtually inaccessible to maintenance in flight. Replenishment 
  umbilicals were clustered practicably astern, but several key subsystems were installed atop the hull 
  in a cowling that was slightly more difficult to reach. Crews had better reasons to complain, 
  however: ingress was via two side hatches barely one meter high, and involved stepping on the 
  nacelles and crawling over the aft couch to reach the two forward pilot seats. Since single-pilot 
  operations were a Starfleet requirement anyway, the very first modification requested by the would-
  be purchaser was the allocation of one forward seat for a passenger and rearrangement of aft seating 
  for better access while still retaining full 1+3 seating capacity. 
   
  The craft was provided with basic shielding and navigation sensor systems, but featured no 
  armament nor hardpoints or sockets for its later installation. The inflexibility was not considered a 
  fatal shortcoming in the shuttlepod mission, and Starfleet ordered 80 units to be completed in the 
  first batch. Yet the organization was quickly disenchanted with the meager warp 1.0 performance 
  and problems with cabin utilizability: only fifty craft were ever deployed, chiefly on modern 
  medium starships already sporting the compatible umbilical systems. 
  
   
  328
   
  Type 17 was a good conceptual lesson for Starfleet. The advantages of warp propulsion on a 
  compact starship auxiliary would not manifest best in simple liaison missions, not unless the liaison 
  pod were capable of warp 2 at the very least. Instead, a rapidly deployable and compact platform for 
  basic reconnaissance and defense would be a practical asset for small starships that had difficulty 
  operating a complex craft like a full warp shuttle. Type 17 was thus abandoned in favor of a design 
  that would emphasize field-ruggedness and a maximally flexible modular installation of weapons 
  and sensors. 
  Type 18 Shuttlepod 
  2369- 
   
  Alt. names:  
   
   
  Completed: 
  359+ 
   
   
  Length: 
  5.0 m 
   
  Beam: 
  3.5 m 
   
  Height: 
  1.8 m 
   
  2.0 m (w/ microtorpedo module) 
   
  Mass: 
  9.8 tons (w/o modules) 
   
  Crew: 
  1 
   
  Passengers: 
  1 
   
  Speed: 
  0.012 c / W 1.2 
   
  Endurance: 
  7 weeks (standard) 
   
  14 weeks (w/ extension module) 
   
  Weapons: 
  None (standard) 
   
  Fuselage berths provided for 2-6 phaser IV emitters 
   
  Modular dorsal launcher, 2 fwd tubes w/20 microtorpedoes (optional) 
   
  Shields: 
  1-layer conformal forcefield 
   
  Transporters: 
  None (standard) 
   
  1 emergency evacuation (padless); Mk VIII (optional) 
   
  SOURCES: 
  D DS9 
   
  (N DS9 TM) 
   
  (H own) 
   
  The shuttlepod design amending all the flaws of of Type 17 required some five years of additional 
  development work. Early on, the R&D division of Lei&Salak decided on an external skirt of 
  instrument berths that would expand the basic Type 16 hull without actually increasing the 
  pressurized internal volume. Two side-by-side berths at the bow could receive weapons or sensors, 
  while two slightly larger ones at bow corners and a further pair flanking the midhull were plumbed 
  and wired for the carriage of anything ranging from extra fuel or consumables to deployable probes 
  or sample containers. Aftmost within the cowlings were the subspace coils, capable of both simple 
  mass reduction and warp 1.2 propulsion. 
   
  As with Type 17, most of the hull interior was taken up by the warp core and associated systems, 
  including impulse propulsion. The forward cabin had side access hatches on both sides for one pilot 
  and one mission specialist or passenger, duplicating the meager liaison capabilities of Type 15 
  while introducing the all-new light combatant and scout mission. Up to three pairs of phaser IV 
  emitters could be plugged in, on the lateral berths and one of the bow sockets - the other one being 
  left for fire control computing and the corner berths for targeting systems. In addition, a dorsal 
  
   
  329
  module could be attached, providing extended life support (an option rarely chosen) or a twin-barrel 
  microtorpedo launcher (eagerly requested by frontline commanders, even if seldom seeing practical 
  use). 
   
  The process of Starfleet acceptance was somewhat more prolonged this time, the experiences of 
  Type 17 still fresh in the minds of the Fleet evaluators. Yet the new craft proved favorable in all 
  respects, and soon emerged as the de facto replacement of Type 15: some 360 craft have been 
  delivered to date, and production is expected to resume after a brief pause forced by the 2274-75 
  bombardments of the Amikos and Latosia facilities of Lei&Salak. 
  Starbase auxiliary craft 
   
  In addition to the shuttles and shuttlepods fielded aboard starships, Starfleet operates a variety of 
  craft that mainly serve starbases and other fixed installations and are seldom seen in starship 
  hangars. These range from tiny utility pods to the various transatmospheric shuttles, towships and 
  pilot cutters zigzagging busily around starbases. Some primary types are listed here, although 
  Starfleet also uses a wide variety of civilian designs not included in this list. The craft in this 
  chapter are again listed in chronological order. 
  Class B Work Pod 
  2079-2098 
   
  Alt. names:  
  WP-174 
   
  Completed: 
  35 
   
   
   
  Length: 
  3.40 m (manipulators stowed) 
   
  Beam: 
  4.21 m 
   
  Height: 
  3.22 m 
   
  Mass: 
  4.80 tons 
   
  Crew: 
  2 
   
  Speed: 
  0.00005 c  
   
  Endurance: 
  2 days 
   
  External tools: 
  Two forward-mounted manipulator arms 
   
  One anchoring arm 
   
  Tractor beams: 
  None 
   
  SOURCES: 
  (D SFC) 
   
  (N SFC) 
   
  (H SFC) 
   
   
   
  The first standardized orbital work pod design in UESF use deserves a special mention in this work, 
  despite having been built in low numbers.  
  
   
  330
   
  WP-174 
   
  Class B1 Work Pod 
  2129-2168 
   
  Alt. names:  
  IP-27 
   
  Completed: 
  380 
   
   
   
  Length: 
  ??? m 
   
  Beam: 
  ??? m 
   
  Height: 
  ??? m 
   
  Mass: 
  ??? tons 
   
  Crew: 
  2 
   
  Speed: 
  Manouvering thrusters only 
   
  Endurance: 
  2 days 
   
  External tools: 
  Two laterally mounted manipulator arms 
  Modular installation for welding tools, sensors and samplers at bow 
   
  Tractor beams: 
  None 
   
  SOURCES: 
  D ENT 
   
  (N own) 
   
  (H own) 
   
   
  For their crew-attended manipulation needs, Earth orbital dockyards in the 20th century made use of 
  relatively clumsy conversions of small surface-to-orbit spacecraft, essentially just cutting further 
  portholes into these ballistic pods and bolting on some manipulator arms and spotlights. A range of 
  dedicated designs finally emerged in the early 21st century, lacking bulky reentry heatshields and 
  parachutes but incorporating more versatile tools, lighting rigs and situational awareness systems. 
  There were few modifications to their basic structure for the next hundred years, and the first 
  noteworthy improvement was the IP-27 Class B pod designed in 2129 for carrying aboard 
  interstellar starships. 
   
  The small pod was primarily configured as a spatial personnel transfer and inspection craft, with an 
  ergonomically sized rear docking hatch, comfortable seating for one to four people, plus locker 
  space for small cargo. Yet out of the operational necessity of deep space assignments, IP-27 also 
  featured a pair of laterally stowed manipulators and a bow attachment point for repair and 
  
   
  331
  inspection tools, thus doubling as a work pod for her mothership. Two crew would operate the 
  capsule in this role, although two more could be carried as passengers. Both pilots had seats 
  oriented with floor-normal artificial gravity; the conical shape of the cabin allowed for forward and 
  lateral vision through four viewports and dorsal inspection through a wide overhead port. There 
  were illumination fixtures both above and below the craft, the latter at the end of an extensible and 
  steerable arm. Simple radar provided proximity awareness. 
   
  While more capable “space forklifts” continued operations on Earth’s various orbital outposts, it 
  soon became obvious that the compacting and integrating work performed on the multipurpose IP-
  27 was providing the best bang for the buck. Other manufacturers soon began offering comparably 
  small pods, sometimes with modular engine packages for heavier manipulation tasks. Production of 
  IP-27 was terminated in 2142, and the last units were replaced by 2168. Most were quite worn 
  down; some had even served in exotic combat assignments during the Romulan War, disabling 
  buoys and satellites, infiltrating floating outposts and sometimes breaching enemy hulls at the 
  desperate last stages of engagements where neither side would consider surrender or retreat. 
  Postwar repairs of Earth’s tattered and torn space assets kept repair pod manufacturers in steady 
  business and ensured swift replacement of the IP-27. 
  Class B4 Inspection Pod 
  2210-2282 
   
  Alt. names:  
   
  Completed: 
  534 
   
  Length: 
  7.20 m 
   
  Beam: 
  3.76 m 
   
  Height: 
  2.81 m 
   
  Mass: 
  2.28 tons 
   
  Crew: 
  0-1 
   
  Passengers: 
  1-6 
   
  Speed: 
  Maneuvering thrusters only 
   
  Endurance: 
  2 days 
   
  External tools: 
  None 
   
  Tractor beams: 
  None 
   
  SOURCES: 
  (D Phase II / Mike Minor) 
   
  (N own) 
   
  (H own) 
   
  In all industrial cultures, construction and assembly work has from the very beginning of the space 
  age relied on extensive automation and precise virtual visualization of the items under work. Yet 
  orbital construction facilities have always had a need for nimble pressurized pods in which 
  engineers can zip around their handiwork and see both the minutest details and the ‘big picture’ 
  with their own naked eyes. Besides sheer vanity, such pods also serve the important function of 
  transferring people from a pressurized location to another with minimal effort and infrastructural 
  needs. Such spatial taxi cabs are by necessity much simpler constructs than transatmospheric 
  shuttlepods or interplanetary shuttles, yet they share one important quality with these types: the 
  desire for passenger comfort. 
   
  
   
  332
  While work pods may be optimized for lengthy work shifts, becoming ‘extended spacesuits’ for 
  their users, or perhaps be designed with quick embarking and disembarking in mind, inspection 
  pods have to simultaneously provide both capabilities for multiple personnel, while also offering 
  large viewports for visual inspections and for maneuvering in tight spots. Yet fairly few other 
  demands are placed on the design, and the inspection pods of Starfleet assembly yards have 
  traditionally been of low overall performance and simplistic, boxy construction. 
   
  A typical example would be the C6 pod of the 2210s, mass-produced by Patterson-Massey for 
  Starfleet applications on basis of its commercial UE-4490 series. Equipped with a standard docking 
  adapter astern and a three-faceted, flat-plate viewport forward, the cabin could hold up to six 
  personnel on benches along the side walls. Full gravity was provided onboard, while external AG 
  repeaters could gently attach the vehicle to any nearby surface or push it away from one. Main 
  propulsion was with powerful reaction drives at the four corners, however, giving up to 120 g 
  acceleration or enough thrust to push major structural elements around. A manual control interface 
  to starboard allowed onboard personnel to control the craft, but route point input or full automation 
  could be employed on simple taxi duty. 
   
   
  A small number of the half a thousand pods completed were later equipped with manipulators or 
  external tools. Inspection pods had diverged from the work pod optimum by then, however. They 
  were not nimble enough for precision assembly tasks, and interiors had to be significantly reworked 
  to provide the operator with sufficient control and vision at the same time.  
   
  
   
  333
   
  Class D6 Work Pod 
  2229-2278 
   
  Alt. names: 
   
   
  Completed: 
  2,000+ 
   
   
   
  Diameter: 
  2.41 m (manipulators stowed) 
   
  Height: 
  2.64 m 
   
  Mass: 
  0.84 tons 
   
  Crew: 
  1 
   
  Speed: 
  Maneuvering thrusters only 
   
  Endurance: 
  2 days 
   
  External tools: 
  Ten manipulator arms w/ end tool racks 
   
  Tractor beams: 
  None 
   
  SOURCES: 
  (D Matt Jeffries, aridas sofia) 
   
  (N own) 
   
  (H own) 
   
   
  At the very lowest end of the scale for maintenance spacecraft, the Class D pod was in essence a 
  heavy, rigid spacesuit, albeit endowed with more manipulators and tooling than just the two 
  cybernetically boosted arms of the operator. Between the 2230s and the 2270s, the most popular 
  type in Starfleet use was the D6 model, a design fitting into the standard launching chutes of 
  starships, even if leaving the vision dome and a ring of dexterous manipulators to protrude outside 
  the starship hull. The central cylinder would lie horizontally in the chute, with the lowermost cluster 
  of propulsion units swinging out of the way to allow the operator to crawl in. 
   
  The basic D61-10 variant featured ten tentacle-type manipulators, each with an adjoining miniature 
  airlock that would store end tools and (after proper heating and decontamination) allow the operator 
  direct access to delicate items brought in by the manipulator arm. There was no separate anchoring 
  arm, beam or gravitic grapple, stationkeeping being left to the thruster system and any spare 
  manipulator tentacles. 
   
  As a typical cruiser or frigate design featured four chutes next to the shuttle hangar area, two were 
  typically occupied by a Class D repair pod; one would contain a special sensors pod (itself typically 
  a variant of model D6, found both in crewed and uncrewed variants) and one would be left free for 
  
   
  334
  deploying the wide range of payloads stocked aboard. Chute launch gave extremely rapid reaction 
  capability for time-critical repair and containment work – an operator could dive into the pod 
  without prior preparation, hitting a starter button while entering and performing a clean ejection just 
  four seconds from the securing of hatch seals. Chute venting systems could give optional initial 
  delta-vee, but “swim-out” launching was far more typical. 
   
  Two-day endurance assumed standard life support conditions (i.e. no onboard fires or toxic 
  releases) and moderate use of maneuvering propellant, a crucial resource when gravitic propulsion 
  was lacking. In theory, a hibernation mode was available, with onboard medication to keep the 
  occupant alive for up to eight days without food or water and a minimum of breathing air. Standard 
  beacons were provided to assist recovery of an incapacitated pod. There are some survival stories of 
  ingenious use of personal items for gaining the attention of another vessel, made possible by the 
  access airlocks. At times, the D6 even saw combat use of sorts, with the user’s hand phaser drawn 
  by a manipulator limb! 
   
  Use of chute-launched pods dwindled in the 2270s, and standardized launch chutes were eliminated 
  from most starship designs introduced after 2275; various scientific airlocks, garbage chutes and the 
  like naturally persisted. The D6 still got a range of less well known successors for use aboard older 
  ships, but none of these models remained in use for more than a decade, and none survived past the 
  turn of the century. 
  Class B6 Work Pod 
  2232-2268 
   
  Alt. names:  
   
  Completed: 
  970 
   
   
   
  Length: 
  3.22 m 
   
  Beam: 
  1.58 m 
   
  Height: 
  2.05 m 
   
  Mass: 
  2.02 tons 
   
  Crew: 
  1 
   
  Speed: 
  Maneuvering thrusters only 
   
  Endurance: 
  2 days 
   
  External tools: 
  Two laterally mounted manipulator arms 
  Modular installation for welding tools, sensors and samplers at bow 
   
  Tractor beams: 
  None 
   
  SOURCES: 
  D Gold Key comic #33 “The Choice” / Alberto Giolitti 
   
  (N own) 
   
  (H own) 
   
  
   
  335
   
  A heftier companion for the “augmented spacesuit” pods of the D6 type  
  Bow entry door, space for two. Ventral carousel for tooling, similar to B7 bow slots. 
   
   
  Class B7 Work Pod 
  2245-2279 
   
  Alt. names: 
   
   
  Completed: 
  2,000+ 
   
   
   
  Diameter: 
  21 mm 
   
  Height: 
  24 mm 
   
  Mass: 
  0.96 tons 
   
  Crew: 
  1 
   
  Speed: 
  Maneuvering thrusters only 
   
  Endurance: 
  1 day 
   
  External tools: 
  1-3 heavy manipulator arms and 10 fine manipulators 
   
  Tractor beams: 
  None 
   
  SOURCES: 
  (D Matt Jeffries) 
   
  (N own) 
   
  (H own) 
   
  
   
  336
   
  The most important work pod that Starfleet standardized on after the classic B6 was the ???? by 
  ?????, dubbed B7 in the official sequence of types. This craft retained the handling characteristics 
  of the B6,  
   
  with lots of precision arms in the front slots, and three attachment points for heavy duty arms. 
   
  Class B7 was produced in two main variants, one with a physical operator cabin featuring an 
  aluminum sphere and a hinged aft ingress/egress hatch, the other with a forcefield sphere of the 
  same dimensions. The former offered a true shirtsleeves operating environment, while regulations 
  called for the use of a spacesuit with the latter. The ease of dropping the forcefield (after proper 
  precautions were taken) and leaving the craft made the latter type popular with operators who 
  wanted direct hands-on access to their tasks. 
   
  Class C8 Inspection Pod 
  2230-2282 
   
  Alt. names:  
  Travel pod 
   
   
   
  Completed: 
  647 
   
  Length: 
  4.29 m 
   
  Beam: 
  3.18 m 
   
  Height: 
  2.72 m 
   
  Mass: 
  3.02 tons 
   
  Crew: 
  0-1 
   
  Passengers: 
  1-5 
   
  Speed: 
  0.00005 c  
   
  Endurance: 
  2 days 
   
  External tools: 
  None 
   
  
   
  337
  Tractor beams: 
  None 
   
  SOURCES: 
  D TMP/Andrew Probert 
   
  (N own) 
   
  (H own) 
   
   
  Hiemdahr? 
   
   
   
   
  Type 9 Work Pod 
  2249-2278 
   
  Alt. names: 
   
  Completed: 
  2,000+ 
   
   
   
  Length: 
   m 
   
  Beam: 
   m 
   
  Height: 
   m 
   
  Mass: 
   tons 
   
  Crew: 
  1-2 
   
  Speed: 
  0.00005 c  
   
  Endurance: 
  2 days 
   
  External tools: 
  Two manipulator arms w/ end tool racks 
   
  Tractor beams: 
  None 
   
  SOURCES: 
  (D perhaps Glen Stewart from IDIC Page?) 
   
  (N own) 
   
  (H own) 
   
  Genchi manufacture 
   
  Type 10 Work Pod 
  2259- 
   
  Alt. names: workbee 
   
  Completed: 
  35,000+ 
   
   
   
  Length: 
  4.11 m 
   
  Beam: 
  1.92 m 
   
  Height: 
  1.90 m 
   
  Mass: 
  0.68 tons (typical) 
   
  Crew: 
  1 
   
  Speed: 
  0.00015 c 
   
  Endurance: 
  2 days 
   
  External tools: 
  None; wide variety of modular accessories available 
  
   
  338
   
  Shields: 
  None; wide variety of modular accessories available 
   
  SOURCES: 
  D TMP/Andrew Probert 
   
  (N own) 
   
  (H Ed Sharpe, DS9:TM) 
   
  The Type 10 work pod, originally of the Patterson-Massey PFD-200 series, is one of the great 
  success stories of Starfleet history. By the late 2250s, Starfleet’s shipyard facilities were being 
  served by a bewildering range of general service work pods of differing vintages and design 
  lineages. This was the result of the policy of local design/acquisition for support vessels assigned to 
  starbases and shipyards since the foundation of Starfleet. While most of these craft were variations 
  on a theme due to the limited nature of their remit, the designs in use still represented surprising 
  variance. 
   
  The decision in 2258 to draw up a standard small, general purpose work pod with modular tool 
  packs was taken for two main reasons. First, this would standardize the parts and systems 
  throughout Starfleet’s support facilities. New construction techniques would allow large numbers of 
  work pods to be produced to a common design; the reasons behind the local acquisition policy 
  (difficulty/expense of long range transmission or transportation, regional shipbuilding traditions, 
  and support of local manufacturers) had disappeared or been diluted by the turn of the century. 
  Secondly, the exceptionally small size of the work pod and many of its associated tool packs would 
  allow the new Type 10 to be carried aboard starships in quantity, permitting field repairs to an 
  extent not previously thought possible. A few starships did already embark Type 9 work pods of 
  Genchi manufacture, but the majority had clumsy inspection pods at most, and thus relied on 
  tenders and starbases for any repairs which could not be carried out by personnel in spacesuits. 
   
  The design was rapidly finalized and the first Type 10 work pod came into service on 21st February 
  2259, at the Utopia Planitia fleet yards. The angular, polygonal pressure shell was designed to be 
  self sufficient for up to 10 hours (more modern variants have extended this to 15 hours). Power was 
  provided by fuel cells and a microfusion reactor with an endurance of 50 hours (now 76.4 hours), 
  allowing the work pod to be used for multiple operational runs before being refuelled and 
  recharged. The pilot’s compartment is equipped with variable gravitational controls, although many 
  prefer to work in null-g or close to null-g. Most find this less disorienting, especially when working 
  on large structures and ships or in low orbit. The communications suite is also well equipped; 
  twenty-five separate channels are provided, allowing for the maximum co-ordination on extensive 
  engineering works. Any of these channels may be used as an emergency beacon frequency; since 
  2271 the health of the pilot is monitored by onboard computers. In the event that any of these life-
  signs moves significantly out of normal, the emergency beacon will be activated and the workbee 
  will return to its dock.  
   
  The workbee tool packs were based on surveys of the most commonly used and needed tool 
  systems for exterior repairs, and introduced accordingly. The basic repair pack was the first to see 
  use, together with the cargo tow pack. Other, more complicated and specialised tool packs were 
  introduced over the next few years. By 2265, the Type 10 work pod (now up to model number 240, 
  and already being produced by scores of others besides Patterson-Massey) was equipped with 
  virtually all the tools that were available to previous models; other tool packs continue to emerge to 
  this day, often specialised rigs whose replicator patterns are designed locally and then approved and 
  distributed by Logistics Command. By 2267, the type already was the standard work pod unit used 
  by the UFP Starfleet; only a scattering of specialised units remained in a few yards and starbases.  
   
  
   
  339
  The exact numbers of Type 10 work pods that have been produced is almost impossible to estimate, 
  especially as the advent of replicators has allowed the onboard construction of workbees and small 
  shuttlecraft. Today, almost every Starfleet vessel carries at least two workbees, sometimes many 
  more; tenders may carry as many as twenty. In addition, the vast fleet yards of the UFP employed as 
  many as 1,500 at a time during the crash building programmes of the Dominion War.     
   
  The basic Type 10 has been uprated many times; only the external shell remains of the original 
  design, the other systems having been swapped out so many times that the continued use of the 
  Type 10 designation is really rather misleading. Nonetheless, it appears certain that the type will 
  remain in service into the early 25th century at least.       
   
  Workbee (TNG) 
  Workbee (VOY) 
  Workbee (ST:NEM) 
   
   
  Inspection pod (TNG era own) 
   
  Type 401 Harbor Tug  
  2266- 
   
  Alt. names:  
  Clydesdale 
   
  Completed: 
  1,650 total 
   
   
   
  Length: 
   m 
  Beam: 
   m 
  Height: 
   m 
  Mass: 
   tons 
   
  Crew: 
  2 
   
  Speed: 
  0.15 c max. 
  
   
  340
  Endurance: 
  12 days 
   
  Weapons: 
  None 
  Shields: 
  None 
   
  SOURCES: 
  D ST3:TSfS/Bill George 
   
  (N Jackill III) 
   
  (H own) 
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Harbor tug (TNG era own) 
   
  Pilot cutter (TOS era own) 
  Pilot cutter (TNG era own) 
   
  Insystem auxiliaries 
   
  In addition to the shuttles and shuttlepods fielded aboard starships, Starfleet operates a variety of 
  craft that mainly serve starbases and other fixed installations and are seldom seen in starship 
  hangars. These range from tiny utility pods to the various transatmospheric shuttles, towships and 
  pilot cutters zigzagging busily around starbases. Some primary types are listed here, although 
  Starfleet also uses a wide variety of civilian designs not included in this list. The craft in this 
  chapter are again listed in chronological order. 
   
  
   
  341
  Voltara 
  Cargo drone 
  2229-2288 
   
  Completed: 
  70 
   
  Length: 
  64.5 m  
   
  Beam: 
  23.5 m 
   
  Height: 
  13.5 m 
   
  Mass: 
  4,800 tons (standard) 
   
  5,000 tons (crewed versions) 
   
  Officers: 
  None (standard) 
   
  3 (crewed operations) 
   
  Crew: 
  None (standard) 
   
  9 (crewed operations) 
   
  Cargo: 
  10,500 tons 
   
  Max. speed: 
  0.75 c 
   
  Endurance: 
  5 years 
   
  Weapons: 
  None (standard) 
   
  2 phaser III emitters on dorsal bow (high security models) 
   
  Shields: 
  1-layer conformal forcefield 
   
  Navigational deflector on ventral bow 
   
  Transporters: 
  1 or 2 GP (6-pad), 4 light cargo; Mk I 
   
  All Starfleet units upgraded to Mk III in 2249-51 
   
  SOURCES: 
  (D Daniel Biringer) 
   
  (N Daniel Biringer) 
   
  (H own) 
   
  One of the most prominent sublight cargo drone propulsion systems in the 23rd century was the 
  magnetic gradient engine. Useful in operations around Type 3 or 4 stars and for landing and takeoff 
  at most types of habitable planets, magnetic propulsion gave steady if somewhat ‘weather-
  dependent’ thrust at minimal fuel cost. Incidentally, it was also ideally suited for the sort of 
  duonetic environment that reduced warp and impulse drive performance and hampered transporter 
  operations. Obvious roles in supplying installations, expeditions and fledging colonies in star 
  systems of this type thus existed. Ordered by Starfleet Logistics Command, the Voltara (NCC-
  G400) was designed to cater for them all. 
   
  
   
  342
  In its basic configuration, this advanced drone was a simple box 64.5 by 23.5 by 10.0 meters in 
  dimensions, capable of taking aboard small cargo through twin stern airlocks, pumping in fluids to 
  onboard tanks, and carrying significant loads externally. Its four inboard engine pods were mounted 
  in the corners of the lower deck. A navigational deflector and sensor array sat at bow, and some 
  support machinery at stern. Yet the space requirements of this type of machinery were minimal, and 
  most of the deck was dedicated to cargo, with liquid tanks on both sides and a small control room 
  for crew-supervised operations at forward center. Two pads for the centralized transporter system 
  allowed internal shuffling of cargo, including outsize pieces. There was a turbolift system as well, 
  with a vertical shaft going up from the control room and an open horizontal rail extending aft along 
  the cargo hold centerline.  
   
  The next deck up formed the second open cargo area, served by a third transporter pad and quickly 
  configurable to a variety of needs. The forward one-fifth, provided with viewports, might become a 
  lounge area if the drone were to ferry passengers; the side tanks might hold anything from 
  foodstuffs to industrial waste fluids; and the centerline spaces could be sectioned off or combined 
  into a fabricator flats that would turn the drone into a flying manufacturing center. 
   
  Fixed facilities on the forward half of the third deck up included a bow-mounted personnel 
  transporter platform and thirteen individual holds, each configurable into a passenger cabin if 
  needed. The aft half held the cargo transfer airlocks, the larger two capable of receiving a container 
  five meters on the side, the smaller four ideally suited for work pods and other small craft. Above 
  this deck was a superstructure 19 m long and 5 m wide, holding the flight control computer and a 
  dorsal sensor dome. On some variants, this was surrounded by facilities for extended crew-
  supervised operations, allowing the installation of diverse gear such as laboratories, sensors, 
  airlocks and stores for construction and maintenance work, or self-defense armament.  
   
  The exterior surfaces were provided with clamps for further five-meter containers, 21 on the ventral 
  side and up to 18 on the dorsal (reduced to 12 if the wide superstructure were shipped). Spatial 
  operations with external and fluid cargo only were typically uncrewed; personnel would only be 
  needed for transferring the cargo, often with work pods carried onboard in the four small airlocks. 
  Planetary supply missions in turn typically involved internal cargo only, leaving the drone capable 
  of landing on a prepared surface. 
   
  Seeminly overengineered for any specific application, the standardized drone was still so 
  inexpensive to manufacture that it could be fielded in great numbers and applied on basically any 
  job at hand. Few users ripped out the useful internal divisions altogether; conversions to pure fluid 
  or bulk tankers were rare. Even the simplest supply barges sometimes saw crewed operations. 
  Logistics Command ended up procuring seventy vessels (NCC-G400-469), all of the most complete 
  equipment standard available. Nominally complementing the recently aquired Sherman warp 
  drones, the Voltaras played an important evaluation and training role as Starfleet adopted this new 
  type of logistics operations. Up to 200 hulls of Voltara type were subsequently manufactured for 
  actual commercial use.  
   
  Yet the increasing technological sophistication of drones and barges eventually outmoded this 
  model of operations. In addition to all the bells and whistles of a Voltara, a modern sublight cargo 
  drone of the 2260s would come to sport full impulse engines and atmospheric and rough-field 
  capabilities. A counterpart from the 2280s could have miniature warp drive on board as well. 
  Simple magnetic propulsion remains in use on 'big and dumb' applications such as insystem ore or 
  deuterium carriers. Multipurpose drones have not featured this mode of propulsion for the better 
  part of a century, however.  
  
   
  343
   
  Appendix A: Of Ship Statistics 
   
  Most of the ship entries in this book are accompanied by a statistics chart. Such a chart lists various 
  properties of each starship class, but by necessity, the results are somewhat averaged over the often 
  widely varying properties of subclasses or upgrade standards or even individual ship configurations. 
  When a subclass or variation of the basic design differs sufficiently from the main class, it is either 
  given its own entry, or its properties given in parentheses within the main class entry. 
   
  Let’s examine a typical statistics chart, in this case that of Northampton class strike frigates. 
   
  1) 
  Northampton 
   
   
  -class name 
  2) 
  Strike frigate  
   
   
  -ship type/mission class 
  3) 
  2272-2321 
   
   
   
  -service years 
   
  4) 
  Completed: 
  7 total: 
   
   
  -number of ships 
   
   
   
   
   
    completed to date 
   
   
  3 strike frigates Mk I 
   
   
  1 special operations frigate Mk II 
   
   
  3 strike frigates Mk III 
   
   
   
  5) 
  Length: 
  300.2 m (nacelles lowered for transport) 
   -dimensions in meters 
   
   
  267.2 m (nacelles raised) 
   
   
   
   
  6) 
  Beam: 
  150.2 m 
   
  7) 
  Height: 
  75.0 m (nacelles lowered for transport) 
   
   
  73.8 m (nacelles raised) 
   
  8) 
  Mass: 
  754,600 tons (Mk I, III; Mk II, estimated) 
  -mass in tons (103kg) 
   
  9) 
  Cruise speed: 
  w 6 (nacelles lowered for transport)  
  - basic performance 
  w 8 (nacelles raised)  
   
   figures 
   
  10) 
  Max.speed: 
  w 8.0 (nacelles lowered for transport) 
  w 10.0 (nacelles raised) 
   
  11) 
  Endurance: 
  5 years 
   
  12) 
  Officers: 
  30 (Mk I, III) 
   
   
  -complement 
   
   
  Unknown (Mk II) 
   
  13) 
  Crew: 
  295 (Mk I)  
   
   
  Unknown (Mk II) 
   
   
  298 (Mk III) 
   
  14) 
  Weapons: 
  4 phaser VII emitters in 2 twin banks on dorsal primary hull 
   
   
  2 phaser VII emitters in twin bank on ventral primary hull 
   
   
  3 fwd medium torpedo tubes w/ 40 photorps in aft ventral primary hull extensions (Mk I) 
   
   
  3 fwd medium torpedo tubes w/ 60 photorps in aft ventral primary hull extensions (Mk II, III) 
   
  15) 
  Shields: 
  3-layer forcefields 
   
   
  Navigational deflectors on engine booms 
   
   
  Secondary navigational deflector on ventral primary hull 
   
   
   
  16) 
  Laboratories: 
  None 
  17) 
  Transporters: 
  6 GP (6-pad), 4 assault / emergency evacuation (20-pad), 2 cargo; Mk IV 
   
   
  All ships brought to Mk V standard in 2284-86 
   
  
   
  344
  18) 
  Auxiliaries: 
  6 assault shuttles, 4 work pods (Mk I, III) 
   
   
  Unknown (Mk II) 
   
  19) 
  Ships of historical interest: 
   
   
  USS Bremerton (NCC-2316) 
   
  20) 
  SOURCES: 
  (D FASA) 
   
   
  (N FASA) 
   
   
  (H FASA) 
   
   
  Explanation on various entries in the chart: 
   
  1) Class name is normally the name of the first ship to be commissioned for the class. Sometimes 
  preproduction vessels differ sufficiently from the production models to justify naming the class 
  after the first production vessel instead of the first ship commissioned under the common class 
  name. For example, USS Constitution was commissioned several years after the precursor vessels 
  USS Constellation and USS Republic, but the latter names were not adopted since they represented 
  experimental conversions that differed considerably from the Constitution production standard.  
   
  The Northampton was the first of her class to be laid down, launched and commissioned, a hat trick 
  of scheduling actually rather uncommon in starship procurement. 
   
  2) The designation system for ship types largely stays constant throughout the years covered in the 
  book. However, new designations are at times created to accurately describe new mission profiles, 
  while others die away, and some designations get a new meaning with passage of time. For a 
  complete list of ship types (also known as ‘mission classes’, not to be confused with ship classes), 
  see Glossary. Also note that foreign designations for Starfleet vessels may differ considerably from 
  the official ones, even when there is good general semantic compatibility – Klingons classify many 
  Starfleet scouts as destroyers, heavy cruisers as battle cruisers and explorers as battleships, for 
  example. It is also usual for civilians to use the prefix ‘star’ for full starship types (e.g. ‘star cruiser’, 
  ‘star explorer’, ‘star destroyer’). This is not standard practice in Starfleet, however. 
   
  The Northampton represents a category of starships dedicated to planetary assault operations, 
  earning the ‘strike’ prefix, and her size combined with mission-inflexible equip equates her with the 
  ‘frigate’ category, at least its heavier end from the late 23rd century. 
   
  3) For years of service, two years are given: the year of commissioning of the first production-
  standard ship (the ‘class ship’) for service in the UE or UFP Starfleet, and the year of 
  decommissioning of the last ship of the class. In case of especially distinct variants, two or more 
  sets of variant-specific service years are sometimes given. A continuous string of upgrades is not 
  divided in this manner, however. 
   
  The author understands that the history of a ship class is more complicated than this; however, for 
  simplicity’s sake, further details and important dates are only given in the main body of the entry in 
  question. 
   
  4) The figures on completed ships are divided into subclasses or construction batches if necessary. 
  For brevity, all ships in a given class are not listed in detail – see entry 15 for further information. A 
  plus (+) sign after the figure means there was an undisclosed number of confirmed orders for more 
  ships at the time of the writing.  
   
  
   
  345
  It should be noted that (apart from some early designs in the first chapters of each part of this work) 
  only ships built for UE or UFP Starfleet are counted here, even when the design also sees 
  widespread civilian use. The distinction is especially important in case of transport or auxiliary 
  cruiser designs, for which Starfleet use typically represents just a small fraction of total numbers 
  built. 
   
  Of the Northamptons built, two subclasses were operated by Starfleet’s Defense Command, while a 
  single ship of a slightly different design saw Starfleet Intelligence use. The subcategories are based 
  purely on design differences rather than operator identity ones, however. 
   
  5-7) Ship dimensions are given for the main class. If subclass or variant dimensions differ from this, 
  they are given separately and the variant noted in parentheses. The term ‘height’ is used instead of 
  the traditional naval ‘draft’, since the latter would be as anachronistic and illogical as the term 
  ‘displacement’ would be in mass measurements. 
   
  For the Northampton, two dimensions are provided in length and height, due to her variable 
  geometry design. 
   
  8) Mass is given for a ship fully equipped for her primary mission, fueled and crewed, with IMRFs 
  at idling level. No cargo is assumed carried; if necessary, cargo capacity is separately given. This 
  work does not follow the previously common convention of excluding the mass of the warp coils 
  from the ship mass, and may thus appear confusing in relation to 23rd century and earlier reference 
  works. 
   
  It should be noted that the figures are always approximate, since in practice no two starships sail out 
  with the exact same configuration or gross weight. Furthermore, the mass of modern starships 
  varies considerably throughout a mission, thanks to mass-reducing subspace fields. It has been 
  suggested that future starships be of zero idled mass for more efficient sublight propulsion and take-
  off/landing operations. For now, partial mass reduction and localized antigravity application are 
  more efficient than total mass masking. 
   
  9) Performance figures are a complicated issue. Usually, ‘cruise speed’ means the speed that can be 
  sustained for days, weeks or months, and is operationally used for interstellar cruising. However, 
  for several small ship types, the term is meaningless, since they do not ‘cruise’ at warp speed, but 
  use their maximum speed whenever engaging their warp engines. Also, some deep space 
  exploration vessels tend to cruise at speeds far higher than the given optimal-efficiency ‘cruise 
  speed’ figures due to the immense distances they have to span. 
   
  10) ‘Maximum speed’ is even more complicated. It is theoretically possible to squeeze very high 
  warp speeds out of even moderate-performance coils if enough energy is pumped into them. 
  ‘Maximum speed’ usually gives the speed beyond which the coils or other parts of the engine 
  system begin to suffer irreversible damage from the high energy levels – the first threshold is 
  normally the durability of delicate power system components like dilithium, followed by the 
  durability of the coils themselves, then by ship integrity and finally by theoretical warp engine 
  performance limits. 
   
  The term ‘Maximum sustainable speed’ should only be used in conjunction with an estimate of how 
  long such speeds can be sustained – usually, this refers to 12 hours, but sometimes to time intervals 
  as short as two minutes. Modern warp engine designs can theoretically approach Eugene’s limit of 
  warp 10 indefinitely, if enough power is supplied and warp coils or dilithium crystals do not 
  
   
  346
  disintegrate too soon. The current official record for Federation starships is the USS Enterprise 
  (NCC-1701-D) flight recorder reading w 9.9999923 registered in SD 41263.2 during engine tests, 
  just before the ship reverted to non-warp propulsion methods. Recorder data is incomplete, though, 
  and other equally anomalous readings suggest the ship actually never exceeded warp 1.5 in the 
  tests. 
   
  Note the change from the old ‘convenience scale’ of [speed=warp factor cubed times c] to the 
  newer ‘law of nature’ with nine natural power minima and the warp 10 conceptual limit, effected 
  after 2304. New research, partially augmented by reports from time travelers, indicates that there 
  may exist further power minima at very high input power levels, but the complex structure of the 
  power curve at these extreme levels is not yet fully understood. Perhaps another change of warp 
  scale is due in the future? In this work, figures are in format wX, where X is the speed in warp 
  factors of the old scale, or in format WY, where Y is the speed in warp factors of the new scale. 
   
  Note also that the maximum speed given for solely impulse-powered ships is the total delta-v of 
  their fully fueled propulsion systems; in practice, such a ship can at most achieve half the given 
  speed, allocating the other half of her delta-v for deceleration. However, proper use of gravitic 
  technology in connection with gravity-well maneuvering may affect the figures considerably, and 
  the given delta-v should be taken as a lower approximation for maximum performance only. 
   
  11) Endurance figures assume no fuel replenishment with tankers or in starbases, unless otherwise 
  specified. With various impromptu refuelings often supplementing ramscoop replenishment, deep 
  space exploration vessels may enjoy more than triple the endurance given – in turn, local defense 
  ship types do not profit significantly from ramscoop replenishment, but they seldom operate without 
  tanker support. Few missions of any kind last more than five years without major replenishment in 
  starbase facilities. The use of cryogenics or other stasis techniques may also radically alter 
  endurance. To convert endurance times to maximum endurance distances, one may use the rule-of-
  thumb that 23rd century and newer craft can travel an average of 1,000 ly per year, while 21st and 
  22nd century ships travel 500 ly/y on the average. 
   
  12-13) Crew complement is primarily given for the main class, and is usually the median or average 
  of all the complements used during actual operations of the main class. More detailed information is 
  given in parentheses. Still, the figures should be taken as very rough averages. Note the trend of 
  decreasing crew size per ship volume as computer systems are upgraded and accommodation 
  standards increased; especially interesting are exceptions to the trend. Complement is divided into 
  ‘Officers’, from Ensign grade up, and ‘Crew’, including enlisted and NCO rates. However, a large 
  complement of cadets, civilian specialists and researchers or family members is often carried along, 
  and generally added to ‘Crew’, in parentheses. Also, as life support systems are generally built with 
  1,000% redundancy, e.g. a ship of 450 crew can theoretically accommodate at least 4500 people 
  until consumables exhaustion, internal volume allowing. 
   
  14) Weapon systems are listed according to standard Starfleet categories. Individual weapon 
  systems are not identified by brand name or manufacturer; lasers and particle cannon are given 
  general power figures, while phasers are given Roman numbers in the following scheme: 
   
  type  
  description 
  I 
  handheld unit for concealed carriage and self-defense 
  II 
  high-powered handheld unit for general use 
  III 
  riflelike unit for heavy ground duty, also available in vehicle/craft mounts 
  IV 
  artillerylike unit for heavy ground duty, also available in vehicle/craft mounts 
  
   
  347
  V 
  artillerylike unit for heavy ground duty, also available in craft, ship mounts 
  VI 
  light shipboard unit, aka ‘corvette phaser’ (earlier ‘frigate phaser’) 
  VII 
  medium shipboard unit, aka ‘frigate phaser’ (earlier ‘cruiser phaser’) 
  VIII 
  medium shipboard unit, aka ‘cruiser phaser’ (earlier ‘dreadnought phaser’) 
  IX 
  heavy shipboard unit, also available in ground-defense mounts 
  X 
  heavy shipboard unit, also available in ground-defense mounts 
  XI 
  heavy ground-defense or station-based unit 
   
  If followed by letter P, the unit is optimized for pulse-firing mode that allows for higher momentary 
  power output without overheating. 
   
  Projectile weapons are divided into rockets (sublight unguided weapons with specified warhead 
  type), missiles (sublight guided weapons with specified warhead type) and (photon) torpedoes 
  (warp guided weapons with antimatter warhead unless otherwise specified). The systems for 
  classifying these weapons are not directly based on performance, and are normally omitted here for 
  simplicity. In case of photon torpedoes, the division to microlaunchers for small craft and light, 
  medium and heavy launchers for starships is often made, although the latter three are in practice 
  largely compatible with a common selection of ordnance. 
   
  15) Shield types are divided into EM shields (field strength given in Tesla equivalents) and 
  graviton-based forcefields (type and configuration given). Forcefield systems are not given field 
  strength, since such figures would be meaningless – shields adapt to incoming energy according to 
  energy type within the limitations of the ship’s power or energy supply, whichever limits the output 
  first, and their power functions have a highly complex time dependence. 
   
  16) A starship’s scientific capabilities are even more difficult to sum up than her defensive strength. 
  For example, the spectrum of sensors aboard the ships is broad and constantly changing, making it 
  impossible to list all the instrumentation available. To give at least some indication of the scientific 
  potential of a ship, this entry lists the dedicated laboratories available onboard for data analysis and 
  experimentation. A general purpose laboratory provides facilities for containment and analysis of a 
  wide range of samples, for standard chemical and physical synthesis processes, and for engineering 
  experimentation, and comes equipped with versatile expert systems; it thus is a veritable flying 
  university in compact form. Special purpose laboratories are still often needed e.g. in complex 
  biological studies, in coordination of planetwide survey operations, or in dealing with highly 
  energetic or unstable materials. Even ships without laboratories can gather significant scientific data 
  and either process it with their computers or store it for later analysis by other facilities. 
   
  17) Transporter systems are highly standardized across the Federation. Only the generation 
  (‘mark’), number and configuration of systems are thus given. The standard range is 10 km for 
  emergency transporters, 8,000 km for medium transporter modules and 40,000 km for starship 
  modules unless booster relays are used, while actual performance is highly dependent on local 
  conditions. Currently, standard Federation transporters are in their seventh generation, although Mk 
  VI and even Mk V units are still in common use in civilian and older Starfleet vessels, and Mk VIII 
  units are in experimental use aboard some new cruisers. 
   
  18) Maximum shuttlecraft carrying capacity is given in the form of true operational auxiliary craft 
  complement. Significantly more craft could probably theoretically be squeezed in, but not serviced 
  or efficiently operated. Specific auxiliary craft types are listed according to standard Starfleet 
  category system, when applicable. 
   
  
   
  348
  19) Historically significant ships of a given class are listed here with their registry numbers. E.g. 
  years of service or lists of commanding officers are not given, however – detailed individual ship 
  histories are available through other sources. 
   
  20) For those of you who for some reason wish to distance yourselves from the Trek universe: the 
  degree to which the information agrees with things seen or heard in Star Trek episodes or movies is 
  coded here. Letters D, N and H code properties of the ship; a letter is followed by the source for that 
  property. If any of the sources is in parentheses, that source is not ‘canonical’. If the letter itself also 
  is in parentheses, there is no ‘canon’ source at all for that property (which, of course, does not mean 
  the property hasn’t been well thought out or lacks aesthetic or engineering merit...). 
   
  D means the design or visual appearance of the ship. As Star Trek is principally a phenomenon of 
  the visual media, this is the aspect of ‘canonicity’ most important to a starship fan. Only sightings 
  of actual models, screen readouts, blueprints, voiced-out descriptions or comparable material in 
  episodes or movies qualify as ‘canon’. However, if a ship was barely glimpsed in an episode yet the 
  corresponding model is carefully and correctly presented in ‘noncanon’ source material, the latter 
  presentation naturally qualifies as ‘canon’.  
   
  Ship statistics, other than external dimensions or number and positioning of weapon emplacements, 
  are almost invariably derived from ‘noncanon’ sources. Mass figures generally are determined by 
  taking the mass suggested in the given ‘noncanon’ source (usually based on volumetric analysis and 
  assuming realistic material densities) as the mass of the hull, and adding some hundreds of 
  thousands of tons for each nacelle (assuming superdense coil materials). The main body of the text 
  typically gives warp coil mass for each engine type; a simple deduction then should reveal the mass 
  figures suggested by ‘noncanon’ sources…  
   
  N means the name for the class. Information from episodes or movies that indisputably combines a 
  design with a class name is naturally accepted as ‘canon’, but an extension is made with the most 
  current version of the ST Encyclopedia, the naming schemes of which are also accepted as ‘canon’ 
  until otherwise proven. It has so far mostly been the case that names given in the Encyclopedia are 
  indeed in agreement with onscreen material, even if this consists of obscure background 
  ‘Okudagrams’ only. The assumption is made that Starfleet names its ship classes in the manner the 
  United States Navy currently does, that is, using the name of the first completed ship as the class 
  name. Exceptions abound, though, often reflecting the desire of the source material writers to 
  imitate the exceptions common in the real world. 
   
  H means class history, namely the service years. Very seldom is ‘canon’ info given on this; but if an 
  episode or movie makes it clear in what historical situation the first ship was launched or the last 
  destroyed or retired, then the date for that situation, as given in the current ST Chronology, qualifies 
  as ‘canon’. The details of the actual history of any class are usually about 95% pure imagination and 
  at most 5% dull ‘canonical’ facts. 
   
  Appendix D lists the abbreviations and acronyms used for the various sources. Lamentably, many 
  of these are long out of print and only accessible to the author or the interested reader in partial 
  form via internet. 
   
  Appendix B: Glossary 
   
   
  
   
  349
   
  AC 
   
  Anti-cloak. Describes sensors, weapons and tactics used for exposing and defeating opponents 
  protected by a cloaking device. 
   
  ACB 
   
  See Annular Confinement Beam 
   
  AG 
   
  See Artificial Gravity 
   
  Advanced Starship Design Bureau 
   
  A subdivision of Starfleet Technologies Command, dedicated to research and development of 
  starships and associated technology. One of the many bureaux of Starfleet Research and 
  Development, and responsible for many famous pathfinder projects, including the Galaxy class of 
  explorers. In general, non-revolutionary starship design is handled by various bureaux of the 
  Engineering Division, which is also responsible for most of the actual construction of hardware as 
  well as its maintenance. Starfleet Corps of Engineers also constructs and maintains orbital and 
  planetary starbases, outposts and other installation, with occasional input from the ASDB. 
   
  Annular Confinement Beam 
   
  A sheath-like field facilitating the undisturbed phasing of matter within to various levels of 
  subspace. Low-energy versions envelop the targets of transporter operations for safe phasing; high-
  energy versions maintain coherence on projected-energy weapons like phasers or lasers when these 
  are accelerated to FTL speeds. 
   
  Artificial Gravity 
   
  An essential element of spacecraft life support systems, artificial gravity is typically created by 
  streaming spin-created gravitons through a waveguide net built into starship interior floors. Inertial 
  damping is closely related to AG, and the two jointly protect the crew from acceleration forces, as 
  well as from detrimental long-term effects of weightlessness. 
   
  Attack Cruiser 
   
  Variant of cruiser dedicated to offensive operations and planetary assault, often sacrificing 
  endurance and research capacity for high cruise speed and heavy weaponry. Also called strike 
  cruiser in late 23rd century. Applied e.g. to variants of Caracal and Mann classes. Designation not 
  currently in use in Starfleet. 
   
  Auxiliary  
   
  1) Common name for starships dedicated to supporting various starship operations but not directly 
  taking action. Ship types include e.g. tanker, tug and tender. Term used in conjunction with patrol 
  
   
  350
  combatant, mobile combatant, and support combatant in Starfleet system of categorizing military-
  application starships. 
   
  2) Common name for small craft embarked aboard and utilized by starships for various tasks. Craft 
  types include work pod, shuttlepod, shuttle, plus various tactical craft and other special-purpose 
  craft. See part III of main text. 
   
  Auxiliary cruiser 
   
  Starship of typically commercial or otherwise limited-performance origin pressed to cruiserlike 
  duty. Auxiliary cruisers are a low-cost way of boosting specific aspects of Starfleet cruiser strength, 
  and have been used for survey, escort and patrol duty. Certain ship classes have also been 
  constructed specifically with auxiliary cruiser duty in mind. 
   
  ASDB 
   
  See Advanced Starship Design Bureau 
   
  Battle Cruiser 
   
  Variant of cruiser purely dedicated to offensive operations, carrying heavy armament more typical 
  of larger ships and thus making significant sacrifices in other fields. Designation no longer used in 
  Starfleet, but applied to a variety of foreign designs, especially Klingon vessels. Previous Starfleet 
  classes include Advance, Albion, Menahga, Mitannic, S’Harien and Andernach, as well as some 
  experimental designs. 
   
  Battleship 
   
  1) Dedicated defensive and offensive starship significantly larger than cruiser size. Usually 
  possessing shielding and armor capable of withstanding the full firepower of ships of similar or 
  lesser design for extended periods of time, as opposed to cruisers or other small vessels which must 
  rely on speed and maneuverability for protection. In 24th century, the largest starships have been of 
  explorer category. Starfleet has yet to build a true battleship in the galactic sense of the word, 
  similar in size and capacity to the Dominion or old Orion designs.  
   
  2) Designation also briefly applied to lesser Starfleet vessels, like the two-nacelled heavy patrol 
  combatants of Excelsior class in late 23rd century, in parallel to designations dreadnought and 
  defender used for three- and four-nacelled heavy patrol combatants, respectively. All these vessels 
  must be considered extensions of the cruiser family, however, and not true battleships. 
   
  Carrier 
   
  1) A starship intended to support small craft operations, also known as shuttlecarrier. Widely 
  utilized in Romulan war and the early 23rd century; built in low numbers during the military buildup 
  in the late 23rd century; largely replaced by multi-mission ships with capacious shuttlebays in the 
  24th century. Generally of low warp performance, but carrying heavy defensive armament. Classes 
  include Titan, Valkyr, Ariel and Fredrikstad. 
   
  2) Ore carrier or cargo carrier. A large drone for moving significant amounts of ore or cargo 
  inexpensively between star systems. Seldom built as definite ship classes – instead, unique 
  
   
  351
  configurations of cargo pods are used for each mission. Largest ships are kilometers in length. 
  Seldom armed or permanently manned, but capable of carrying passengers in special pods or habitat 
  compartments. 
   
  Cascade Ion Drive 
   
  Any reaction or warp drive utilizing a polaric ion cascade system as the means of extracting power 
  from the antimatter powerplant. UESF experimented on this potential competitor for dilithium 
  technology in the early 22nd century (see Daedalus class), and experiments were carried on by UFP 
  Starfleet until the 2268 ban on all polaric ion testing. No large scale operational applications ever 
  emerged, although several foreign powers not signatory to the treaty are known to operate power 
  systems of this type. Not to be confused with ion drive, a generic designation for a number of 
  reaction drives. 
   
  CID 
   
  See cascade ion drive. 
   
  Class 
   
  1) Ship class. All starships of the same design belong to the same ship class. The class is usually 
  named after the first vessel that is completed to the final production standard. When members of a 
  class are modified significantly (usually meaning major spaceframe alterations), they become 
  members of a new class or subclass, named either after the first converted ship or, more usually, 
  after the first ship built to the modified configuration from keel up. Modifications in the 22nd and 
  23rd centuries often resulted in subclass rather than class designations, but in the 24th century, 
  subclasses have been largely abandoned since there are minor differences between all starships – if 
  the earlier practice were continued, all starships would form single-ship subclasses of their own. 
  Click here to see a complete listing of ship classes in Starfleet service between 2161 and 2375. 
   
  2) Mission class. All starships with a similar mission profile belong to the same mission class. 
  While most Starfleet ships are multi-mission capable, the primary mission or spectrum of missions 
  dictates the mission class. For example, a small defense-oriented ship belongs to frigate class, while 
  a very large multi-purpose ship belongs to explorer class. Sometimes, the more informal expression 
  ship type is used instead of mission class. Click here to see a complete listing of mission classes in 
  Starfleet service between 2161 and 2375. 
   
  3) Activation class. In the 22nd and 23rd centuries, the UFP categorized its ships into stardrive and 
  sublight activation classes. For stardrive vessels, the frontline active-service Starfleet ships of each 
  mission class were designated Class One ships, while the older designs as well as some support 
  units were given Classes Two to Six, in decreasing order of sophistication. Civilian or reserve types 
  were given subsequently lower designations. Sublight interplanetary craft were similarly classified. 
  In case of major UFP-wide crises, ships would be brought to active Starfleet service in this order.  
   
  Class Seven vessels have been activated in significant numbers only four times in UFP history - in 
  the evacuation of Bayard’s planet in 2217, in the restoration of Qo’noS in 2293-2327, and during 
  and after the Cardassian war in 2355-65 as well as the Dominion war in 2373-78. None of the crises 
  so far has been severe enough to require activation of Classes beyond Eight. 
   
  
   
  352
  4) Being a thorough organization, Starfleet categorizes virtually every part of its equipment 
  according to various criteria. It is more likely than not that the device you are using to read this 
  work, and indeed this work itself, belongs to some ‘class’ or another in Starfleet records. Be careful 
  not to confuse such classifications with the three major classification systems of starships. 
   
  Clipper 
   
  High speed starship, usually intended for liaison tasks. Originally colloquial designation primarily 
  referring to vessels utilizing unconventional warp propulsion systems such as ring-type coils. 
   
  Cloaking Device (classical) 
   
  Device for rendering a ship or other object invisible to a wide spectrum of sensors. Cloaking 
  devices work by bending as much of the incident radiation as possible around the ship so that it will 
  appear undisturbed by the presence of the ship, as well as by monitoring all emissions from the ship 
  itself and modulating and distributing them for minimum observability. Sufficiently energetic or 
  field-noninteractive radiation (including for example tachyon beams) will naturally penetrate the 
  cloak, and there are many types of emissions that cannot be masked effectively. Passive 
  camouflaging techniques (emission sinks, radiation absorbers, use of local ‘terrain’ and appropriate 
  maneuvering for protection) will therefore have to be used to ensure invisibility. 
   
  Cloaks become ineffective if high-energy devices like phaser or disruptor weapons or combat 
  shields are activated inside them. Also, even if the energy signatures of these devices can be 
  masked, their use in combat will immediately reveal the ship’s position. Thus, most captains in 
  combat decloak before firing their weapons or raising combat shields, then recloak if situation 
  warrants. In one-on-one battles against opponents with slow-reacting defenses, some cloakship 
  captains have been known to fire their weapons from under cloak, disregarding the momentary 
  exposure and the strain the firings place on the cloaking device. Typically, such tactics require 
  specialized technology. Against rapidly reacting opponents, ships can usually recloak only if they 
  are numerically superior. 
   
  Cloaking Device (phasing) 
   
  Device for removing the interactions between a ship or other object and its environment though 
  shifting its temporal phase, effectively making it both invisible and intangible to non-phased 
  observers. Forward-phased objects can still observe non-phased and backward-phased targets 
  through slightly weakened fundamental interactions, whereas observations in the opposite direction 
  are impossible. Like all phasing processes, phasing cloaks can be disrupted by anyon-chroniton 
  interactions – but unlike shields, phasers or transporters, phasing cloaks generally are immune to 
  duonetic interference, due to the significantly higher degree of phase-shifting involved. 
   
  Command Cruiser 
   
  Variant of cruiser dedicated to coordination of multi-ship operations or other large scale military 
  maneuvers, often carrying reduced armament yet improved C3I systems and facilities in comparison 
  with similarly sized cruisers of other types. Also considered a subtype of command ship. Command 
  cruisers formerly in Starfleet service include Unity and Balson classes, as well as variants of e.g. 
  Caracal and Excelsior classes. In the 24th century, need for spaceframe modifications in the 
  command role has been drastically reduced, and no dedicated command cruiser classes have been 
  introduced since the 2290s. 
  
   
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  Command Ship 
   
  Starship dedicated to coordination of multi-ship operations or other large scale military maneuvers. 
  Currently, thanks to increasing fleetwide integration of command and control systems, the task can 
  be handled by ships of various types; the largest vessel in the task force is usually selected as the 
  command ship. However, dedicated command ships were produced in low numbers in the 22nd and 
  23rd centuries, including e.g. Capitol, Macintosh, Ford and Etna classes. These classes were 
  conversions of spacious transport ships, and thus auxiliary cruisers rather than primary combatants. 
  They were included in the patrol combatant category, though, for being primarily employed as 
  forward headquarters in support of extended patrols or expeditionary deployments of combat fleets. 
   
  Corsair 
   
  Small warp-capable ship or craft dedicated to commerce interception. Originally colloquial 
  designation for a number of dedicated or adapted types operated in the late 23rd century for 
  disruption of enemy commerce. Parts of the mission profile later condemned as unlawful and 
  discontinued, along with the designation. Known or suspected classes include Leonardo, 
  Carbonare, Rogge, Greer and Firestone. 
   
  Corvette 
   
  Small warp-capable ship dedicated to local patrol, law enforcement and community service 
  missions. Sometimes landing-capable, not dependent on starbase facilities for support; originally 
  rarely carried torpedo armament. Classes include Pointer, Hunter, Thunderbolt, Procyon, Daring, 
  Juliet, Saber, Bradbury and Ukora, with numerous subclasses or subvariants. See also part II of 
  main text. 
   
  Courier 
   
  Small high performance warp-powered ship or craft dedicated for rapid delivery of diplomatic 
  packages, messages and passengers. Classes include Athens, Centaurus, Antares, Condor, 
  Peregrine and Loki. See also part II of main text. 
   
  Cruiser 
   
  1) Medium multi-purpose starship. Sub-designations include battle cruiser, command cruiser, heavy 
  cruiser, light cruiser, medium cruiser, attack/strike cruiser, and through-deck cruiser. The largest 
  Earth or UFP exploration vessels until early 24th century. Later relegated to lesser duties with the 
  introduction of large numbers of explorer starships. 
   
  2) Auxiliary cruiser. Conversion of an originally civilian type (transport, starliner) into an auxiliary 
  vessel by the adding of mission gear such as weaponry. Subtypes include exploratory cruiser, escort 
  cruiser, and patrol cruiser. Typically utilized in times of dire crisis, such as the Romulan and 
  Dominion wars and the Klingon cold war era. 
   
  3) Pleasure cruiser. Civilian starship type optimized for maximum comfort during interstellar 
  voyages. Not to be confused with Starfleet-operated cruisers or auxiliary cruisers, although pleasure 
  cruisers can be pressed to auxiliary duty in activation classes of 7 or lower. 
   
  
   
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  Cryosleep 
   
  Suspended animation technique based on slowing down of metabolism via body temperature 
  reduction. Seldom used in Starfleet applications, save for certain medical emergencies; common in 
  21st and 22nd century interstellar colonization applications, and also used e.g. by Klingons for 
  efficient transport of infantry or labor forces well into 23rd century. Currently superseded by 
  temporal stasis techniques. 
   
  Cutter 
   
  1) Designation traditionally used for all port authority vessels, rescue craft and law enforcement 
  vessels, regardless of type or size. In Starfleet practice usually applied to ships up to corvette size. 
   
  2) Designation used for certain starship auxiliaries prior to the mid-23rd century, superseded by or 
  absorbed into the generic designation shuttlecraft, or in some cases runabout. 
   
  Deep Space 
   
  Space outside the treaty boundaries of the United Federation of Planets. This includes for example 
  several enclaves surrounded in all directions by UFP space, but excepted from membership because 
  of Prime Directive considerations or political animosity. 
   
  Deep Space Station 
   
  Fixed installation operated by Starfleet outside Federation space. These support both Starfleet and 
  civilian space travel and commerce in areas otherwise devoid of Federation facilities. Many deep 
  space stations are actually operated under joint command with local authorities, and some feature 
  local equipment instead of the usual Class I-III towable starbase hardware. Currently, Starfleet 
  maintains 9 DS stations, designated DS3-7 and DS9-12. DS stations 1, 2 and 8 of this generation 
  have gained starbase status with UFP annexations and new member acquisitions. Most earlier DS 
  stations have also been absorbed to the main body of starbases, including the R and K series from 
  mid-23rd century and the T series from early 24th century. 
   
  Defender 
   
  Dedicated large defense starship heavier than cruiser. Designation parallel to dreadnought, applied 
  to two ships of Denebian manufacture, USS Deneb (NCC-2002) and USS Inaieu (NCC-2003). Their 
  sister designs were considered battleships of Defender class, however. The defenders had four 
  nacelles instead of the traditional three of dreadnoughts, and were utilized as high endurance border 
  patrol combatants. 
   
  Destroyer 
   
  Dedicated medium defense starship intended for destroying enemy capital ships and installations. 
  Designation almost indistinguishable from frigate in technical aspects. However, frigates perform a 
  variety of offensive and defensive duties, while destroyers were originally intended for offensive 
  use only and even now rarely see peacetime use. Classes include e.g.  Djartanna, Iceland, Cavalry, 
  Marshall, Minuteman, Placido, Kovaris, Saladin, Detroyat, Larson, Cochise, Zodiac and 
  Freedom, with a multitude of subclasses. Standard destroyer mission profile currently includes anti-
  ship and anti-installation offensive and fleet escort. 
  
   
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  Dreadnought 
   
  Dedicated large defense starship heavier than cruiser. Designation applied to e.g. Federation, 
  Ascension and Kirov classes in 23rd century. All dreadnought designs featured three warp nacelles 
  and heavy phaser and torpedo armament, and were utilized as command vessels, system defense 
  fortresses or high-endurance border patrol combatants. Limited offensive missions also planned and 
  performed although not officially sanctioned. Starfleet use of designation discontinued in 24th 
  century. 
   
  Drone 
   
  Unmanned space vessel, either remotely piloted or equipped with autonomous control systems. 
  Widely utilized in transport of hazardous material or performing of risky observation or repair 
  missions. Also used for hauling low-priority cargo. See also carrier and  probe. 
   
  Escape Pod 
   
  See Lifepod 
   
  Escort 
   
  Defense starship used for convoy protection. Designation generally used only as a mission 
  description of various starship types, not as a ship type, yet also including the dedicated Remora, 
  Hellespont and Chimera classes. Also applied in late 24th century on the experimental Defiant class 
  for counter-intelligence reasons. Normally, deep space escort duties are handled by ships of light 
  cruiser or frigate category, although destroyers and perimeter ships have at times been pressed to 
  this duty as well. 
   
  Escort cruiser  
   
  Dedicated convoy protection vessel typically converted from a civilian design; variant of auxiliary 
  cruiser. Designation applied on numerous classes during the Romulan war and the late 23rd century 
  Klingon conflict. 
   
  Exploratory cruiser  
   
  1) Dedicated exploration vessel typically converted from a civilian design; variant of auxiliary 
  cruiser. Designation applied e.g. on Daedalus, Castor and Lng’we Chi classes. See survey cruiser. 
   
  2) Large multi-purpose starship biased towards exploration operations. Designation applied e.g. on 
  Enterprise class and Tikopai subclass of heavy cruisers, vessels significantly more capable than 
  auxiliary cruisers. See individual ship entries for proper division between the two meanings of the 
  designation, typically dictated by acquisition politics. 
   
  Explorer 
   
  Very large multi-purpose starship. Largest and most versatile actual starship type in Starfleet, 
  although smaller than some terraformers or ore carriers. Current classes include Galaxy and 
  Nebula, while older explorers of Ambassador and Niagara classes, as well as the pathfinder 
  
   
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  Excelsior class, have been redesignated as heavy cruisers. Starfleet fielded the first explorers in 
  early 24th century, and continues development of these large, independent vessels even though the 
  general trend in the late 24th century is again towards large numbers of specialized small starships. 
  Standard explorer mission profile includes independent exploration, power projection, fleet 
  command duties and diplomatic representation. 
   
  Fast 
   
  Designation definer historically used interchangeably with light, to put a positive spin on the lack of 
  heavy equipment aboard. In Starfleet, applied e.g. to the Ianar class of frigates and Odysseus class 
  of cruisers that factually featured significantly faster propulsion technology than competing designs, 
  yet also to the Daran and Remora (II) designs that enjoyed no such propulsive advantages. 
   
  Fleet 
   
  1) Large operational units of defense starships, usually 100 ships or more in size. Starfleet normally 
  does not maintain fleet organization in peacetime, but quickly assigns a predetermined selection of 
  dedicated combatants and auxiliaries, as well as multi-purpose vessels, into the number of fleets the 
  crisis at hand requires. These fleets generally feature two or more explorer class command vessels, 
  their cruiser, frigate and destroyer escorts, reconnaissance units, planetary assault groups and 
  logistical support groups. Desired task forces can rapidly be formed, either in a balanced mix of 
  types, or in flotillas of a single ship type. 
   
  During the early 23rd century, Starfleet operated three to six fleets for defense against the Klingon 
  threat; the 3rd Fleet was elemental in the blockade of Axanar, while the 5th Fleet participated in the 
  Ghioghe expedition. The Klingon conflict intensified throughout the century, and up to ten fleets 
  were formed by the 2280s. After Khitomer, the fleets were demobilized, and only units of task force 
  size were utilized between the signing of the Khitomer treaty and the declaration of the Cardassian 
  war. The largest deployment of defense and expeditionary fleets in Federation history was the first 
  UFP-Dominion war, where 14 fleets were organized for both offensive and defensive missions, 
  comprising some 3,900 Starfleet ships in all. The losses were heavy, especially in 7th and 19th Fleets 
  and the Klingon-augmented 9th Fleet, and current organization only supports 12 fleets. These are 
  being gradually demobilized as of 2375. 
   
  2) Abbreviation of Starfleet. Also sometimes refers to specific local defense or exploration fleets of 
  UFP members, or space forces of foreign powers and threat forces. 
   
  Fleet Coordination Ship 
   
  Starship dedicated to coordination of fleet and flotilla operations. Designation applied in the 23rd 
  century to e.g. Hermes and Constant classes of converted destroyers, vessels smaller but 
  significantly better armed than classic command ships. These types carried the parallel designation 
  of scout, and were utilized in that role on occasion. 
   
  Frigate 
   
  1) Dedicated medium defense and escort starship, larger than corvette but smaller than destroyer. 
  Often capable of transatmospheric operations. Designation used until late 22nd century (and 
  reflecting 20th century Earth naval usage). Classes include Drexler and Lincoln. 
   
  
   
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  2) A common designation for defense and escort starships ranging from light frigates (small patrol 
  and escort ships typically lacking torpedo armament) to heavy frigates (versatile multipurpose ships 
  similar to light cruisers), used in late 23rd and early 24th century (and reflecting Earth naval usage 
  until 19th century). Light and medium classes include Loknar, Daran and Ianar, with numerous 
  subclasses. Heavy classes include Surya, Coventry and Miranda, with numerous subclasses. 
   
  3) Dedicated medium defense starship, typically carrying mission gear in switchable modules. 
  Designation used since mid-24th century. Classes include Renaissance, Springfield and New 
  Orleans. 
   
  When optimized for planetary assault support, these vessels are often designated strike frigates. 
  Ships initially designed as frigates but later adopted for other missions are sometimes classified as 
  e.g. medical frigates or survey frigates, creating an apparent contradiction in terms. Still, such 
  designations are more informative than mere ‘medical ship’ or ‘surveyor’ in these cases, since the 
  modified frigates usually retain at least the main phaser armament and thus have significant 
  defensive capabilities. Examples include Soyuz class as well as several less drastic modifications of 
  Miranda and New Orleans frigates.  
   
  FTL 
   
  Faster than light. Pertaining to drive, sensor and communications systems capable of speeds higher 
  than 299,790 km/s in the absolute subspace frame. See warp drive. 
   
  Heavy Cruiser 
   
  Medium multi-purpose starship with heavy torpedo and phaser armament and shuttlecraft 
  capacities. More capable overall than light cruiser, superior to scout in exploration capacity and to 
  destroyer or frigate in offensive and defensive power. Classes include Triton, Enterprise, Horizon, 
  Baton Rouge, Constitution, Excelsior, Apollo, Ambassador, Niagara, Akira. Standard heavy 
  cruiser mission profile includes deep space exploration and power projection, although the ships are 
  well equipped to handle lesser research and defense roles as well. 
   
  Heavy Frigate 
   
  Medium starship similar to the multi-purpose light cruiser, but more optimized towards a defense 
  mission. Designation chosen for Miranda, Surya and Coventry classes and their later derivatives 
  mainly for political reasons.  
   
  IDF 
   
  See Inertial Damping Field 
   
  Impulse Drive 
   
  Reaction drive based on non-Newtonian acceleration of fusion byproducts and/or other propellant. 
  When coupled with a mass-reducing effect, impulse drive can propel starships to high relativistic 
  speeds with minimal propellant expenditure. Impulse drive is a typical early application of gravity-
  manipulation technology, often co-developed with inertial damping fields and structural integrity 
  fields.  
   
  
   
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  Ion Drive 
   
  Reaction drive based on electromagnetic acceleration of inert propellant. When coupled with a 
  mass-reducing effect, ion drive can propel starships to medium relativistic speeds. Starfleet has not 
  used ion drive as a primary or secondary drive system on its major starships, but certain reaction 
  control systems are based on this principle. A wide variety of techniques exist for implementing a 
  drive of this nature. See also Cascade Ion Drive. 
   
  IMRF 
   
  See Inertial Mass Reduction Field 
   
  Inertial Damping Field 
   
  A forcefield/graviton -based system for countermanding the effects of inertia on starship 
  components (especially the crew). Vital in enabling the ships to withstand the huge accelerations of 
  impulse and warp engines. First used by Earth in late 20th century, and applied to almost all space 
  technology in the UFP. Closely connected with artificial gravity systems. 
   
  Inertial Mass Reduction Field 
   
  A subspace field for reducing the inertial forces imposed by the mass of a starship. While an IDF 
  protects components of a ship from differential inertial shear, an IMRF lowers the mass of the entire 
  vessel, allowing it to perform sublight accelerations otherwise impossible for a ship of a given 
  mass. In modern 24th century vessels, IMRF is usually projected by subspace coils included in the 
  impulse engines. Older vessels typically utilize separate field-manipulation crystals that deflect 
  impulse power to stabilize the primary warp field at low intensities, and thus allow it to be used for 
  inertial mass reduction. 
   
  Interceptor 
   
  A combat-capable small craft optimized for interception of other small craft even if also capable of 
  offensive missions against starships and installations. From 23rd century onwards, typically warp-
  capable. 
   
  Interdiction ship 
   
  Fast small starship for rapid deploying and supporting of planetary combat forces of company 
  strength. Features medium phaser and torpedo armament for bombardment and limited space 
  combat, plus sufficient transporter and shuttlecraft capacity for deploying the fighting force. Only 
  Kolm-An class constructed for Starfleet use in late 23rd century; concept occasionally utilized by 
  foreign forces. 
   
  Laser 
   
  Secondary weapon on UE and early UFP Starfleet ships in the late 22nd and early 23rd centuries. 
  Based on the stimulated emission effect, the weapon produces a coherent electromagnetic beam that 
  can focus high energies on the target. Both shipboard and handheld variants were in widespread use 
  from their introduction in the Romulan war era until the onset of phaser technology. Current 
  shielding technology has largely negated the threat posed on Starfleet vessels by lasers, although 
  
   
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  military applications of high-energy shipboard lasers in less advanced navies and in low-level 
  conflicts are still common. There are also multiple infantry and civilian applications. 
   
  Lifepod 
   
  Small jettisonable compartment of a spacecraft, equipped with independent life support and low-
  power propulsion systems and usually with landing capacity. Also known as escape pod or lifeboat. 
  Starfleet uses a wide range of designs, ranging from one-man pods to sixty-person lifeboats. In the 
  22nd and 23rd centuries, lifepods for the full complement of crew and passengers were seldom 
  incorporated into designs since there was little hope of the occupants surviving until help came – 
  instead, large jettisonable hull sections of aerodynamic shape were used, while a minimal number of 
  lifepods augmented evacuation of the sections to be abandoned (see Ship Separation). 
   
  In early 24th century, propulsion system advances enabled more timely rescue operations, and ships 
  were given 100% lifeboat capacity. Large designs also featured 35% and later 50% overcapacity in 
  case some lifeboats became inaccessible or inoperational. Advanced designs featured the ability for 
  small lifeboats to combine into large gaggles for improved survival. Dedicated propulsion and life 
  support units could be attached to the gaggles to facilitate long journeys home, even though towing 
  by shuttlecraft remains the primary mode of lifepod motion. An individual pod usually provides 
  fourteen days to one month of life support, while a complete Galaxy class gaggle may theoretically 
  sustain life for a full year for 50% of the occupants. Stasis technologies may extend these figures, 
  barring regrettably frequent technical failures of the delicate instrumentation. 
   
  Light Cruiser 
   
  Fast medium multi-purpose starship with medium torpedo and phaser armament and shuttlecraft 
  capacities. Falls between heavy cruiser and scout in exploration capacities, and heavy cruiser and 
  destroyer or frigate in defense capacities. Normally sacrifices defensive and/or research gear for 
  higher speed, lower operating costs and smaller crew requirements. Typically single-hulled, usually 
  carries integrated systems instead of frigate-style pods. Classes include Texas, Venture, Mann, 
  Ranger, Amchitka, Kearsarge, Anton, Chesapeake, Wambundu, Cheyenne, Griffin and Intrepid, 
  with subclasses, as well as ‘lightly equipped’ variants of large cruisers, e.g. Caracal class.  
   
  Some light cruisers were in the late 23rd century called heavy frigates for reasons of acquisition 
  politics. Certain parallels also exist between the capabilities of mid-24th century frigates and light 
  cruisers. The current trend is to designate all medium multi-purpose starships as light cruisers and to 
  give them as much modularity as possible. 
   
  Standard light cruiser mission profile includes colonial support, convoy escort and border patrol 
  duties, as well as some limited scouting and exploration operations and courier duties. Due to 
  relative inflexibility of design, light cruisers often perform a narrower mission spectrum than their 
  heavy counterparts, especially in times of crisis. 
   
  Light Frigate 
   
  Light defense and patrol starship with laser or phaser armament, primarily used for traffic control 
  and protection duty. Originally seldom armed with torpedoes or equipped for heavy ship-to-ship 
  combat, or deployed in deep space. Still better adaptable to these missions than corvette, due mainly 
  to longer range and greater speed. In many cases interchangeable with escort or light destroyer.  
   
  
   
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  Lightsail 
   
  Sublight drive based on momentum transfer from stellar or artificial EM radiation. When coupled 
  with gravitic technology, can efficiently propel spacecraft to high relativistic speeds. Rarely used as 
  a secondary drive for vessels possessing warp drive, but a typical primary drive for fledging space 
  powers in insystem and short range interstellar operations. Also applicable as an emergency drive 
  system for distressed vessels. 
   
  Marines, Starfleet 
   
  Organization providing Starfleet with large numbers of specialized ground combat personnel, 
  comparable to the historical Marine and Army branches of Terran armed forces. As this personnel 
  has no role in peacetime Starfleet operations, Marine deployments are strictly limited to the state of 
  declared war between the UFP and a carefully specified threat. In such situations, Marines are 
  deployed using standard defense/multipurpose Starfleet ships, dedicated Marine operations ships 
  and other suitable transports. 
   
  The standard role of the Marines is to augment local ground defense forces and to retake UFP 
  ground positions from threat forces in situations where direct starship-based power projection is 
  unadvisable. Offensive operations against foreign targets are normally a minor part of the Marine 
  manifest, and have been undertaken mainly in the Cardassian and Dominion wars. So-called special 
  operations under Starfleet Intelligence have to be sanctioned by the Federation Council, and are 
  rarely performed by Marine units – the Intelligence and Security branches possess dedicated teams 
  of their own for the task. 
   
  As conceived in 2161, Starfleet Marines were a relatively independent force in charge of a wide 
  variety of planetary defense duties. A major reorganization of Marine forces in 2327 led to the 
  adoption of standard Starfleet rank and rate system, as well as streamlining of upper-echelon 
  command. Joint command with Starfleet Security now provides the main framework of Marine 
  operations coordination, and joint training and operations are also being developed. The force still 
  remains proud and tradition-minded, down to its anachronistic name. 
   
  Medium Cruiser 
   
  Multi-purpose starship with medium torpedo and phaser armament and shuttlecraft capacities. A 
  complementary designation seldom applied, usually simply interchangeable with cruiser. Classes 
  include Armstrong, Rochester, Taurus, Andor, Ishtasse, Odysseus, Constellation, Reigate, 
  Hokule’a, Prometheus, with numerous subclasses. 
   
  Microtorpedo 
   
  A torpedo weapon of extremely compact dimensions, capable of being carried aboard and launched 
  from small craft. Standardized projectiles are of 30 mm diameter and up to 150 mm length, and 
  dozens of different models and warhead types (including probe-type payloads) are available. See 
  Minitorpedo. 
   
  Mine 
   
  Auxiliary weapon used for area denial and ambushing. Mines exist both in planetary and 
  spaceborne variants, and are usually made difficult to spot by using sensor-absorbing materials or 
  
   
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  cloaking devices. Typical warheads include thermonuclear, antimatter and gravitic charges and 
  phaser or disruptor emitters, although various other types including verteron dispensers and 
  subspace displacers are also in use. Most mines feature advanced sensors and algorithms for 
  identifying and prioritizing targets, and various propulsion systems for engaging them at optimum 
  range. 
   
  The Seldonis IV conventions place strict limits on Federation use of spaceborne mines, and prohibit 
  area denial/ambush weapons from planetary use altogether. The conventions are ratified by a 
  number of foreign powers as well, although with individual reservations. Separate treaties exist for 
  limiting the types of warheads allowed, and bans on e.g. subspace-damaging, metagenic and 
  polaric-ion cascade weapons are generally and interplanetarily accepted due to the uncontrollable 
  effects of these types of weaponry. 
   
  Minitorpedo 
   
  A torpedo weapon of compact dimensions, capable of being carried aboard and launched from 
  small and medium craft. Standardized projectiles are of 300 mm diameter and up to 850 mm length, 
  and dozens of different models and warhead types (including probe-type payloads) are available. 
  See Microtorpedo. 
   
  Missile 
   
  1) Primary weapon on UESF ships until the mid-22nd century. Refers to a variety of self-propelled, 
  guided sublight projectile weapons, normally with either thermonuclear or kinetic-kill warheads. 
  Separate from unguided rocket weapons. Largely replaced by warp-capable torpedo weapons. 
  Handheld missile weapons are rarely used in Starfleet, due to the effectiveness of current shielding 
  against such threats. 
   
  2) Any self-propelled, guided projectile weapon, sublight or otherwise, launched from a planetside 
  facility or vehicle. 
   
  Mobile Combatant 
   
  Common name for offense- and defense-oriented starships with the mission profile of actively 
  engaging enemy forces and performing assaults. Starships of strike cruiser or destroyer type are 
  exclusively mobile combatants, while other variants of cruiser, as well as frigates, are employed in 
  this role when needed. In contrast with patrol combatant, support combatant and auxiliary in 
  Starfleet’s system of categorizing military-application starships.  
   
  NCC 
   
  Letter prefix in UFP Starfleet vessel registries. Specifies the operator of the ship, and is 
  immediately followed by the registry number of the ship. Current usage has letter N signifying UFP 
  registry, and CC signifying active Starfleet forces. Other prefixes include NX (UFP Starfleet 
  Experimental), NSP (UFP Vulcan Merchant Marine), NLA (UFP Andorian Self-Defense Fleet) etc. 
  Foreign operators are also assigned a registry prefix in the Federation scheme for traffic control 
  purposes. 
   
  Not to be confused with the earlier UESF registry scheme where N would stand for Naval/Starfleet 
  and the letters following it would specify the ship type. Thus, e.g. NCC would specify a cruiser and 
  
   
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  NX would denote an explorer. This scheme was abandoned by Earth naval forces in 2162 and 
  replaced by the common UFP Starfleet system. 
   
  NTR 
   
  See Nuclear Thermal Rocket Drive 
   
  Nuclear Thermal Rocket Drive 
   
  Reaction drive based on heating of propellant by fusion or fission reactions. Typical early sublight 
  drive system for fledging space powers, e.g. 20th and 21st century Earth, requiring no knowledge of 
  gravitics or subspace theory, but usually soon replaced by impulse drive. 
   
  Particle Cannon 
   
  Primary or secondary weapon on Earthfleet and early Starfleet ships. Refers to a variety of devices 
  capable of accelerating charged or neutral matter or antimatter particles to lethal, relativistic speeds. 
  Used in conjunction with plasma and laser weaponry, until replaced by phaser technology in early 
  23rd century. Particle cannon were extremely energy-hungry and thus usually only suited for use 
  aboard the largest vessels. Handheld particle weapons were originally rarely used, due to their 
  impractical bulk and the effectiveness of even rather crude shielding against such threats. 
   
  Introduction of phasing and ACB technology increased the effectiveness of particle weapons both 
  in portable and shipborne applications in the mid-22nd century, gradually leading to the 
  development of phasers. Phasing also made it possible to permeate a live target, enabling the 
  application of a stunning/neural disruption charge via particle beam, and thus creating a new niche 
  for handheld particle weapons. The improved particle weapons were between 2150 and 2250 also 
  commonly known as phase weapons. 
   
  The 2150s classification system for phased particle cannon was in use until the end of the century, 
  and is briefly outlined here: 
   
  Type A: 125 to 500 GJ excition level, peak power 500 GW, overcharge up to 5 TJ 
  Type B: 80 to 125 GJ excition level, peak power 200 GW, overcharge up to 2 TJ 
  Type C: 40 to 80 GJ excition level, peak power 100 GW, no overcharge option 
  Type D: up to 40 GJ excition level, typical vehicle mount weapon 
  Type E: up to 1 GJ excition level, typical handheld weapon 
   
  In the early 23rd century, new phase cannon types were added, complicating and confusing the 
  systematic nature of the scheme. These included the following: 
   
  Type F: up to 20 GJ, pulsed stun charge channeling, typical handheld weapon 
  Type G: 20 GJ / 100 GW, pulsed stun charge channeling, typical vehicle mount weapon 
  Type H: 500 GJ / 700 GW 
  Type I: 800 GJ / 900 GW 
  Type J: 500 GJ / 900 GW 
  Type K: 700 GJ / 1,000 GW 
  Type L: 800 GJ / 1,200 GW 
  Type M: 900 GJ / 1,400 GW 
   
  
   
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  As ‘type’ thus in practice became to denote a specific weapon model, the scheme was dropped as 
  overdetailed – just in time for the introduction of improved phaser weaponry. 
   
  Patrol Combatant 
   
  Common name for defense-oriented starships with the mission profile of patrolling a given area of 
  space against intrusion. Starships of corvette, perimeter ship, dreadnought or defender type (see also 
  battleship) are proper patrol combatants, while various other starship types like light cruisers and 
  frigates can be assigned this mission profile as well. Other military-oriented starship categories 
  beside patrol combatant include mobile combatant, support combatant, and auxiliary. 
   
  Patrol Cruiser 
   
  Dedicated anti-intrusion patrol vessel typically converted from a civilian design; variant of auxiliary 
  cruiser. Designation applied e.g. on patrol variants of Independence and Sydney classes of 
  transports. 
   
  Perimeter Ship 
   
  Defense-oriented small starship dedicated to long duration border patrol missions. Designation used 
  in the mid- to late 23rd century for Kiaga, Agilis, Akula, Engage and Kirsanov classes, but largely 
  abandoned in the 24th century with the introduction of numerous frigates for border patrol duty. 
  Also called perimeter action ship. 
   
  Phase Cannon 
   
  See Particle Cannon. 
   
  Phaser 
   
  Directed-energy/particle weapon in common use in Starfleet and various other UFP and foreign 
  organizations. Based on rapid nadion effect, the phaser generates a wide-band particle beam that 
  utilizes both EM and subspace components. Large shipboard phasers can produce lightspeed or 
  (with the help of ACB subspace sheaths) faster-than-light beams, whereas handheld variants are 
  limited to significantly lower speeds but feature a wide variety of settings that transcend their status 
  as mere weapons. Phasers have been available to Starfleet since the early 23rd century, having 
  gradually evolved from particle cannon weaponry. 
   
  Photon Torpedo 
   
  See Torpedo. 
    
  Plasma Cannon 
   
  Projectile weapon in common use in early UFP Starfleet and preceding Earth vessels. Based on 
  generation, containment and directed release of ionized matter, the plasma cannon were a strictly 
  sublight weapon, typically complemented by laser or particle cannon weapons in military 
  applications. Unlike these weapon types, however, plasma cannon did not benefit from phasing or 
  subspace sheathing technologies, and were largely outdated by the mid-22nd century already. 
   
  
   
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  Plasma Torpedo 
   
  Command-guided high energy variant of plasma cannon projectile, accelerated to medium FTL 
  speeds with the help of an externally generated ACB subspace sheath. The weapon has limited 
  inflight steering capacity and low speed compared with ACB-sheathed lasers or phasers, and ties 
  down the firing platform to maintaining the ACB, but is devastating when used against proximal or 
  poorly maneuvering targets. Starfleet has not made use of the weapon apart from brief testing in the 
  2290s, but for example Romulan and Cardassian forces continue to utilize the technology in the late 
  24th century. Also called plasma mortar. 
   
  Prime Directive 
   
  The principal guide for practical application of Starfleet policy on field operations involving 
  interaction with extra-UFP civilizations, as per Starfleet General Order 1. The directive states that 
  Starfleet is not to interfere with the natural development of isolated civilizations in any way, and is 
  to protect such civilizations against external influence by any means necessary, even at the cost of 
  lives of Starfleet personnel. The directive does not apply to civilizations already under extensive 
  alien influence, and thus excludes systems that have progressed to the stage of interstellar 
  commerce and the use of warp drive or equivalent means of interstellar travel. However, the 
  directive is applied if the alien influence is singular and disruptive and it is possible to eliminate it 
  completely without causing further damage to the society. Thus, alien forces enslaving or exploiting 
  a society can be dissuaded from doing so, if the society is thus returned to its natural path of 
  development. 
   
  The directive may never be applied to pass judgment on what is the natural course of development 
  for the society in question. Thus, any inborn troubles within a culture are to be left as they were – 
  Starfleet can never interfere with an imminent nuclear war or planetwide succumbing to narcotics, 
  genetic engineering or alteration of physical or mental form of the species, if it is not caused by 
  clearly definable external influences. Such influences include interstellar communications and 
  commerce; but even a society that has learned its use of cybernetic implantation through alien 
  contact may not generally be forced to abandon this inevitably tragic form of racial suicide. 
   
  The directive specifically applies to Starfleet personnel only, but Starfleet is often empowered to 
  enforce the directive upon civilians through the fact that said civilians can be considered a singular, 
  disruptive alien influence. 
   
  The exact wording of the Prime Directive has been amended sixteen times in Federation history. 
  The current formulation is available via the nearest UFP Consulate infolink. 
   
  Probe 
   
  Robotic craft intended primarily for exploration are generally called probes instead of drones, and 
  range in size from microprobes less than one meter long to starship-sized long-range probes capable 
  of crossing the galaxy in their decades-long high-warp missions. Most exploration starships carry 
  probes that can be launched from photon torpedo tubes - these currently fall into nine classes, with 
  either sublight or warp propulsion systems and various sensor suites. Contrary to many other 
  systems, the classification system of shipboard probes is not based on increasing or decreasing 
  capacities. 
   
  Quantum Torpedo 
  
   
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  A torpedo weapon carrying a warhead based on tapping of the underlying zero-point energy of the 
  universe. This allows for very powerful yet extremely lightweight warheads with carefully 
  controlled yield, and lessens the problems of collateral damage inherent even in light versions of the 
  photon torpedo. 
   
  Rocket 
   
  1) Reaction drive based on Newtonian ejection of propellant, with possible non-Newtonian 
  boosting. Chemical or nuclear reactions within the fuel or external heating by fission or fusion 
  reactions (see Nuclear Thermal Rocket Drive) or other outside energy sources can be used to excite 
  the propellant, or kinetic energy can be added by electromagnetic fields (see Ion Drive) or gravitics 
  (see Impulse Drive). Typical secondary drive for starships utilizing warp drive, although by no 
  means the only possible sublight drive system. 
   
  2) Secondary weapon on some UESF and early UFP Starfleet ships. Refers to unguided sublight 
  projectile weapons, used in two main roles: with kinetic-kill warheads for close-in defense, and with 
  thermonuclear or merculite warheads for saturation attacks against starships or installations at 
  medium range. Separate from guided missile weapons. Currently not in Starfleet use, although an 
  important part of the arsenals of various civilizations. Handheld rocket weapons are rarely used in 
  Starfleet, due to the effectiveness of current shielding against such threats. 
   
  Runabout 
   
  Small liaison vessel capable of low to medium warp speeds, carrying 5-20 people or 2-5 tons of 
  cargo. Usually lightly armed and capable of planetary landings, also utilized for deploying small 
  research or tactical teams. Classes include Hubble, Questor, Juneau, Kilauea, Danube. In some 
  cases, the historical designation cutter is used instead for vessels of this description. 
   
  Salazaar Fleet Builders 
   
  Andorian shipbuilding agency responsible for several light to medium combat types in UFP 
  Starfleet arsenal. 
   
  Scout 
   
  A small to medium, fast research and reconnaissance starship. Features medium phaser armament 
  and extensive sensor and research gear, with optional shuttlecraft facilities. Typically omits or 
  downplays torpedo armament, but may feature dedicated probe launchers. 
   
  Until the Romulan war, applied mainly to small military reconnaissance craft or ships with high 
  speed and minimal armament or shielding. Between the founding of the UFP and the early 24th 
  century, applied to a wide variety of vessels, including small one-or two-man reconnaissance craft, 
  science platforms, military sensor picket and fleet coordination platforms, and small and medium, 
  slow and fast starships in a highly inconsistent manner. 
   
  Designation finally refined in 2324 to the current form, with lightly armed, slow pure science 
  platforms now designated surveyors. Small reconnaissance craft are known as scoutcraft. The role 
  of dedicated military sensor and coordination ships has all but disappeared in the 24th century. 
   
  
   
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  Older scout classes include e.g. Placido, Podish, Hale, Bode, Sawyer and Archer. More modern 
  ships under scout designation, typically cruiserlike in dimensions, include Challenger, Rigel and 
  Andromeda. Numerous adaptations of other starship classes or designs (especially destroyers and 
  frigates) have also served as scoutships, and include e.g. Tuverlind, Hermes, Nelson and Amerind. 
   
  Scoutcraft 
   
  A small, fast reconnaissance vessel with a crew of 1-5. Lightly armed and intended purely for short-
  range reconnaissance duty. Not to be confused with starship-sized scouts. 
   
  SFB 
   
  See Salazaar Fleet Builders. 
   
  SFD 
   
  See Starfleet Division. 
   
  Ship Separation 
   
  Standard mode of protecting starship crews from catastrophic failure in a major component of the 
  ship. Most Starfleet designs feature a jettisonable aerodynamic hull, currently almost invariably of 
  saucer shape, that houses most crew facilities and at least one command center. In case of failure to 
  other ship components, the saucer is severed from the rest of the ship and acts as a large lifepod. 
  The saucer can perform controlled planetary landing or remain in orbit, normally sustaining life for 
  at least a year for 100% of the occupants. Ship separation is thus preferred to lifepod ejection, since 
  the latter offers markedly lower survival odds both in immediate landing and prolonged orbital stay. 
   
  Some starship designs are capable of repeated separation and redocking of one or more of their 
  major components. For example the Galaxy class saucer can be separated even at high warp to 
  propel part of the crew to safety while the rest of the ship engages in dangerous activity. 
  Operationally, such ship separation is rarely viable except for catastrophic failure situations. 
   
  Shuttle 
   
  Auxiliary craft usually carried by starships for ground-to-orbit transportation or detached 
  operations. Also used for starbase liaison duties. Since mid-23rd century, shuttles are normally 
  warp-capable, but limited to warp 2 or 3. Most can be fitted with weapons and light transporters. 
  Heavy cargo shuttles and special-environment shuttles are carried alongside light and medium 
  personnel shuttles aboard larger vessels. Dedicated ground assault shuttles exist for special military 
  applications. Also, heavy atmospheric transport craft without warp drive are carried aboard the 
  largest starships and transports and often referred to as shuttles. See part III of main text. 
   
  Shuttlecarrier 
   
  see Carrier 
   
  Shuttlepod 
   
  
   
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  Very small auxiliary craft used for ship-to-ship or ground-to-orbit transportation, free-space 
  maintenance and repair work, and detached operations of very limited scale. Usually not equipped 
  with warp drive. 
   
  SIF 
   
  See Structural Integrity Field 
   
  Starbase 
   
  Starfleet replenishment facility. A wide range of starbase types with different capabilities are 
  utilized: the smallest Class I bases feature minimal defensive systems, antimatter and deuterium 
  refueling tanks and communications gear plus rudimentary repair equipment; Class II features 
  research facilities and/or starship crew support systems plus equipment for more comprehensive 
  damage repair; Class III introduces increased defense capabilities, including photon torpedoes, and 
  offers hangar facilities for small craft larger than simple shuttles; Class IV offers full repair 
  capabilities with hangars for small starships; Class V features hangar spaces for medium starships; 
  and Class VI offers hangars for starships up to explorer size. Classes I-III are often towed in place, 
  while IV-VI are constructed in situ. Currently, over 700 facilities are in operation, 25% of these 
  Class IV or larger. 
   
  Most in-system starbases feature a planetary surface component offering a variety of services; the 
  orbital component of many such starbases is of Class I only, accompanied by separate dockyards 
  and extensive surface facilities. On the other hand, deep space stations and research and trade 
  outposts are often based on Class I-III hardware, and seldom feature planetside components. 
   
  Stardrive Vessel 
   
  Formal name for ships equipped with interstellar drives but not necessarily included in the starship 
  category. Seldom used outside Starfleet activation records. 
   
  Starfleet, UE 
   
  The primary exploration and defense organization of United Earth 2089-2161. 
   
  Starfleet, UFP 
   
  The primary exploration and defense organization of the United Federation of Planets. Starfleet was 
  created in 2161 by decree of the newly founded UFP to protect the integrity of the Federation and 
  the safety of its members and to expand the knowledge of the member cultures. Originally featuring 
  ships and equipment adopted from the space navies of all the members, Starfleet currently utilizes 
  highly commonalized equipment built around the Federation, and accepts individuals from all the 
  member cultures into its training programs. 
   
  Starfleet currently operates some 3,500 first-line exploration and defense vessels (Activation Class 
  One in 23rd century parlance - see class) and thousands of support vessels of different types. The 
  ships are deployed on a network of starbases, and the Starfleet charter explicitly forbids extended 
  deployments of Starfleet forces near member planets, to protect them from ‘gunboat diplomacy’. 
  The ships usually perform solo missions five to ten years in duration in deep space, although 
  
   
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  deployments of task forces for short-duration defensive or other special missions are not 
  uncommon. 
   
  The ships are the most visible part of Starfleet; other forms of Starfleet presence include the 
  starbases, deep space stations, research and trade outposts, security and liaison forces of UFP 
  embassies and consulates, and various research teams or individual researchers co-operating with 
  member cultures.  
   
  Starfleet internal organization under Starfleet Command includes Fleet Operations (at one point 
  divided into Defense and Exploration Commands, although no such distinction is currently made), 
  Base Operations, Logistics Command, Starfleet Security, Starfleet Intelligence, Starfleet Medical, 
  Starfleet Research & Development, Starfleet Marines and various other departments. The 
  exploration and defense forces are organized according to a strict military hierarchy, while the 
  organization of other departments is often far more complex. For a general outline, see Appendix C. 
   
  Starfleet personnel are trained in Starfleet Academy. Additionally, Starfleet provides courses in 
  other institutes of learning throughout the UFP. Starfleet also co-operates with local space forces 
  and other authorities in matters of local defense or space operations support – and for example the 
  Federation Customs Service relies heavily on Starfleet equipment, personnel and training in 
  performing its duties. Civilian organizations like ACI, DI, NAR, NUMA, UESPA and VSI have 
  historically participated in Starfleet operations by leasing ‘starship time’ aboard Starfleet vessels. In 
  the early 23rd century, Starfleet returned the favor by leasing large numbers of civilian ships for 
  exploration support operations, as its own forces were tied up with the Klingon threat. 
   
  Starfleet Academy 
   
  The primary training center of Starfleet. Located in San Francisco, Earth, the facility houses various 
  training functions including  
   
  * 
  Starfleet Officer Training Program (responsible for the training of commission-ed 
  officers for Starfleet Active Forces and Reserve; 4-year course leading to 
  commissioning to the rank of Ensign, various courses for commissioning individuals 
  of previous naval training into Starfleet officers) 
   
  * 
  Starfleet Crew Training Program (responsible for the training of enlisted personnel; 
  0.5-year program leading to the rate of Crewman Apprentice, 2-year program to the 
  rate of Petty Officer Third Class) 
   
  * 
  Starfleet Personnel Training Program (which gives final Starfleet training to medical 
  doctors, scientists, jurists and various other specialists joining Starfleet, as well as co-
  operating with SOTP and SCTP in familiarizing members of other naval organizations 
  with Starfleet; 0.5-2-year programs for specialists, normally leading to either Petty 
  Officer rate or Ensign or Lieutenant (j.g.) rank). 
   
  Only the SOTP is completely located in San Francisco; other programs are partially distributed 
  across the Federation, taking full advantage of civilian educational services, and are coordinated 
  from the San Francisco headquarters. 
   
  Academy training invariably includes training assignments aboard space vessels and outposts; all 
  SOTP members receive training aboard starships. It is possible to attain a higher than nominal 
  
   
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  graduation rank by excelling in duties or studies during training, although the standard reward for 
  excellence is a decoration or a citation – possibilities for performance beyond the call of duty in 
  starship or outpost deployments or in other Academy facilities are endless. Starfleet also offers 
  advanced training to graduated officers and crew, leading to (and sometimes being required for) 
  further promotion opportunities. 
   
  Each training program features various fields of specialization: 
   
  * 
  Command line (including courses in command, spacecraft operations and piloting, 
  tactics, diplomacy, law, training of personnel, psychology, history and philosophy) 
   
  * 
  Engineering line (courses in general engineering, spacecraft operations, natural 
  sciences, as well as various fields of engineering specialization) 
   
  * 
  Logistics and adminstration line (courses in logistics operations, economics, 
  psychology, as well as special fields) 
   
  * 
  Military line (courses in ground combat operations, weapons, tactics, as well as special 
  fields) 
   
  * 
  Sciences line (courses in natural sciences, research equipment operations, history, 
  philosophy, as well as special fields – usually, special training has been acquired from 
  civilian or other Starfleet institutes before STP training) 
   
  * 
  Security line (courses in security operations, weapons, tactics, law, psychology, as 
  well as special fields) 
   
  * 
  Services line (courses in spacecraft operations, as well as special fields) 
   
  In addition, physical education, linguistics and general training on operation of Starfleet equipment 
  plus rudimentary ground combat and humanitarian support training feature heavily in all programs. 
  SOTP participants are required to choose at least three programs, while SCTP participants have to 
  take one or two. Command line is the most popular, followed closely by Services – the former 
  opens the road to the most favored positions aboard starships, while the latter virtually ensures deep 
  space assignments at some point of the career due to the Starfleet practice of rotating starship crews 
  extensively between exploratory cruises. 
   
  Only command-line graduates are entitled to the red (earlier gold) uniform of command-qualified 
  personnel; their assignments usually begin in the form of flight controller duty aboard starships or 
  smaller vessels, and lead to eventual command positions. Graduates from other lines wear either a 
  yellow (earlier red) or a blue uniform, the latter separating staff specialists and staff officers from 
  other personnel. Color coding of service branches and fields of speciality was introduced in the 
  2270s but discontinued in the 2350s. 
   
  Starfleet Division 
   
  Earth starship building agency directly associated with Starfleet and involved in several notable 
  medium and large combat and exploration starship projects. 
   
  Starship 
  
   
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  Common name for Starfleet exploration and defense vessels with warp drive, from corvette size up. 
  Also in some occasions applied to some independent small warp-capable craft like runabouts. 
  Seldom applied to other warp-powered ships like transports or tenders. Term introduced for official 
  use in the founding articles of Starfleet in 2161, and applied to all large warp-powered Starfleet 
  vessels after 2238. Originally used in parallel with the more general term spaceship. 
   
  Stasis 
   
  Suspended animation technique based on timeflow manipulation. Mostly used in Starfleet for 
  enhancing odds of crew survival during drive system failures or other transit-prolonging 
  emergencies; also included in modern lifepod designs. Potential combat applications in enemy 
  immobilization and spatiotemporal fragmenting have led to inclusion of stasis restrictions in several 
  temporal weapon limitation treaties, none of which is universally ratified at the moment. 
   
  STL 
   
  Slower than light. Pertaining to drive, sensor and communications systems only capable of speeds 
  lower than 299,790 km/s. See sublight vessel. 
   
  Strike Carrier 
   
  Medium starship dedicated to planetary assault operations, carrying large contingents of assault 
  shuttles and other auxiliaries. 24th century successors to through-deck cruisers of 23rd century. 
  Starfleet classes so far limited to Steamrunner, although designation also applied to a wide variety 
  of foreign designs. 
   
  Strike Cruiser 
   
  Variant of cruiser dedicated to offensive operations including planetary assault, usually lacking in 
  exploration capacity. Also called attack cruiser. Applied e.g. to Belknap, Impervious and Excel 
  classes. Designation and mission abandoned in Starfleet in 24th century, but still applied to a wide 
  variety of foreign designs. 
   
  Strike Frigate 
   
  Variant of frigate dedicated to planetary assault operations, often carrying large contingents of 
  ground troops and employing assault shuttles or transporters to deploy them. Applied to Coventry 
  (shuttlecraft) as well as Chandley and Northampton (transporters) classes in the late 23rd century, 
  and after a long dormancy to Iwo Jima class in the late 24th.  
   
  Strike Transport 
   
  Variant of transport dedicated to planetary assault operations, carrying large contingents of ground 
  troops, vehicles and/or ordnance and supplies and employing landing barges or direct planetfall to 
  deploy them. Applied to a number of transport classes adopted from civilian use, as well as to 
  dedicated vessels such as Phobos and London classes. 
   
  Structural Integrity Field 
   
  
   
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  A forcefield-based system that strengthens starship structures to a degree impossible to achieve 
  through the use of physical matter. Originally intended to supplement mechanical support 
  structures; first used to extensively supplant them on Ambassador and Apollo class starships in the 
  2310s. 
   
  Sublight vessel 
   
  Formal name for spacecraft not capable of faster-than-light speeds. Sublight ships and craft have 
  limited value in Starfleet service, save for some minor auxiliary duties. 
   
  Support Combatant 
   
  Common name for offense- or defense-oriented starships with the mission profile of performing 
  military operations other than direct ship-to-ship combat. Starships of shuttle-carrier or command 
  ship type are the most prominent support combatants; ships primarily employed in planetary assault 
  role, including through-deck cruisers and later strike carriers as well as strike transports and strike 
  frigates, are also included in this category. Other military-oriented starship categories beside 
  support combatant include mobile combatant, patrol combatant, and auxiliary. 
   
  Survey Cruiser 
   
  Subtype of auxiliary cruiser, intended especially for long voyages of interstellar exploration. Also 
  sometimes known as exploratory cruiser, but see this entry for alternate meanings. Designation 
  applied to e.g. Cosmos, Daedalus, Libra and Castor classes but largely abandoned by the 24th 
  century, as sufficient exploration capacity on all starships was made a priority in Starfleet. 
   
  Survey Frigate 
   
  Somewhat euphemistic designation used on Soyuz class of military signal-intelligence starships. 
  Later adopted by other variants of the Miranda heavy frigate family, having longer range and more 
  capable research facilities than other frigates and sacrificing torpedo armament for added sensor and 
  datalink capacity. Designation still in sporadic use due to the limited survey capabilities of standard 
  frigates. 
   
  Surveyor 
   
  Research starship with very limited defensive capabilities. Used for a variety of in situ scientific 
  tasks, often as a platform for extended surveys of star systems or astronomical phenomena. 
  Normally features phasers for self defense, but seldom carries torpedoes or shuttlecraft. Primary 
  general purpose surveyor classes include Oberth, Garneau, Surak and Nova and their numerous 
  subclasses, although there are several surveyor classes with shorter production runs and typically 
  more specific equipment and missions. Designation adopted in 2324 to differentiate science 
  platforms from small multi-purpose exploration vessels; previously both had fallen under 
  designation scout. 
   
  Task Force 
   
  A small contingent of starships formed for specific missions. Since many starships operate 
  independently, and have multi-mission capacities, Starfleet Task Forces often feature one to three 
  multi-mission ships and a few smaller ships configured for the specific mission in question. A 
  
   
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  typical Task Force features one to three medium to large multi-mission ships (cruisers, explorers), 
  one to three small multi-mission ships (scouts) and one to five special-mission craft (surveyors, 
  frigates, transports, hospital ships etc.). Defense-oriented Task Forces usually feature two to four 
  large to medium defense or multipurpose ships (battleships, explorers, cruisers) and two to four 
  small defense ships (frigates, destroyers). Task Forces are usually created at a moment’s notice 
  from ships within range of the mission target, and are not maintained for more than a few months at 
  a time. See also fleet. 
   
  Tender 
   
  Auxiliary vessel specifically designed for deep space replenishment of starships and other vessels. 
  Towships of Ptolemy class are classified as Tug/Tenders, yet the very similar Doppler class lacks 
  the tender capabilities and is accordingly designated. In turn, many tender ships not classified as 
  tugs, like the Beowulf class, still possess some warp towing ability. 
   
  Terraformer 
   
  A vessel capable of altering planetary geology and/or meteorology in large scale. Large geo- and 
  meteoro-terraformers were built for specific missions in the 22nd and 23rd centuries, but increasing 
  capabilities of regular starships have led to moving of many terraforming duties to powerful multi-
  purpose ships like explorers instead. Ambassador and Nebula classes have been extensively used 
  for terraforming in the 24th century. Dedicated terraformer classes, typically built in low numbers, 
  include Roger Moses, Kerala and Strata. 
   
  Terraforming 
   
  Altering planetary conditions to make the planet habitable to Terran-type life. Terraforming 
  technology has been available to the UFP from its founding date, but fast terraforming techniques in 
  the time scale of decades have only been in use for a century, mainly thanks to advances in 
  protomatter technology. Starfleet performs and coordinates terraforming through Terraform 
  Command. It is estimated that almost 5% of the planets in our galaxy have already been terraformed 
  by ancient civilizations into Class M worlds, so terraforming is not necessary for the creation of 
  viable colonies. Yet research continues in search of faster and safer methods. 
   
  Through-deck Cruiser 
   
  A special designation for variants of late 23rd century cruiser designs with enlarged flight decks. 
  Intended both to fight as cruisers and to support tactical craft operations in planetary assault 
  missions. Classes include Coronado and Aleo. Designation later abandoned, the role taken over by 
  standard defense starships equipped with standard-size shuttlebays. See also strike carrier. 
   
  Torpedo 
   
  General name for warp-capable guided projectile weapons, in contrast to sublight-only guided 
  missiles. The standard torpedo warhead in Starfleet service is a deuterium/antideuterium mass, its 
  annihilation releasing large amounts of energy – a torpedo thus armed is a photon torpedo. Other 
  warheads include zero-point energy taps used in quantum torpedoes, or thermonuclear devices 
  routinely used in the early 23rd century. Starfleet currently has six main types of photon torpedoes in 
  its inventory, classified according to range and capabilities, as well as two types of quantum 
  
   
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  torpedoes. Also available are tricobalt and other nuclear warheads for demolition purposes, as well 
  as delivery systems for a variety of chemical, biological and other agents.  
   
  The highly standardized current types of projectiles are of 760 mm by 450 mm cross section and are 
  compatible with light, medium and heavy launcher types at maximum lengths of 1200, 2100 and 
  3400 mm, respectively. Projectiles of smaller dimensions are classified as mini- or microtorpedoes, 
  and are also standardized to some degree. 
   
  Tractor Beam 
   
  Device for exerting non-Newtonian forces by using a combination of gravitic and subspace 
  technologies. Based on subspace suspension of gravitons, the device is closely related to shields and 
  can typically be configured for a variety of attracting, repelling and deflecting modes. A typical 
  starship tool for towing or debris clearing, also applicable as a weapon or geological or 
  meteorological manipulation tool. 
   
  Transport 
   
  Starship or other vessel dedicated to transporting cargo or passengers. Starfleet has operated various 
  manned and unmanned types, usually featuring warp engines of the current military standard fitted 
  to special-purpose high-volume hulls. Transports range in size from small two-or three-crew ships 
  to huge starliners capable of carrying tens of thousands of people if needed. Not to be confused with 
  cargo carriers, a term commonly used for sublight bulk cargo drones. 
   
  Transporter 
   
  Teleportation system based on transformation of matter into phased state for transmission to 
  destination. Standard units, available for Starfleet shipboard use since the late 2130s, transmit the 
  phased matter stream at lightspeed to an unboosted range of at most 60,000 km, while systems 
  utilizing subspace transmissions can achieve FTL speeds and ranges of several lightyears, but 
  feature risks considered unacceptable by Starfleet. 
   
  Transporter systems are highly standardized across the Federation, ranging from Mk I units of the 
  22nd century to Mk VIII units currently in experimental use aboard frontline starships. Transporters 
  can be installed aboard most interstellar and interplanetary craft down to shuttle size, and are the 
  primary means of ship-to-surface or ship-to-ship deployment aboard all current starships. 
   
  Transwarp Drive 
   
  Common name for drive systems capable of higher speeds and efficiencies than the warp drive 
  currently in use throughout the Federation. Promising venues of research include deep subspace 
  immersion, new power regulation methods, dimensional rift techniques and time manipulation, all 
  of which have been witnessed in use by alien species or entities. Yet, no practical drives of these 
  types are available to Federation at the moment. 
   
  Tug 
   
  1) A warp-powered ship specifically designed to extend her warp field around objects that can 
  thereafter be towed at warp speeds. Mainly used for carriage of transport pods, and towing of 
  
   
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  disabled starships or other equipment lacking motive power. Classes include e.g. Ptolemy, Ohio, 
  Doppler and Fisher. 
   
  2) A craft or drone designed to propel ships or equipment lacking motive power. Formerly often 
  used for maneuvering ships within and in the vicinity of docking facilities, but currently all but 
  abandoned in favor of tractor beam guidance. 
   
  Type 
   
  1) Parallel to mission class (see class), Starfleet sometimes uses the expression ‘ship type’ when 
  referring to the primary mission profile of a starship design. Thus, New Orleans class ships are 
  either of ‘frigate class’ or of ‘frigate type’. 
   
  2) When categorizing foreign spacecraft, Starfleet uses ‘type’ to refer to the design variant or 
  production standard of a ship of a certain class. For example, Cardassian Galor (= ship class) 
  destroyers (= mission class) include the torpedo-equipped Type 3 (often confusingly called a cruiser 
  by the Cardassians) as well as the phaser-equipped Type 2 and the original low-powered Type 1. 
  Likewise, Romulan D’eridex warbirds include Types A1, A2 and B. Such designations are not 
  normally used on Starfleet vessels. Also, as intelligence is gained on foreign vessels, it is often 
  found that there exists a specific indigenous subclass or class name for the various types, and the 
  use of that name is then usually adopted in Starfleet as well. Thus, the elderly Klingon Type D11 
  large Bird of Prey is currently known by its Klingon name B’rel, while Type D7C is now known to 
  be K’t’inga class and the original Type D7 actually consisted of two main subclasses, Klolode and 
  Akif. 
   
  3) Starfleet routinely categorizes its equipment so that ‘type’ specifies the application for which the 
  equipment is intended while ‘mark’ refers to the version of the device in that category. For example, 
  Type 3 phasers are high-powered, riflelike units with a great variety of settings; Type 3 Mark III 
  units were in use in the 2260s whereas Type 3 Mark XII is the current standard unit distributed to 
  starships. 
   
  UE 
   
  See United Earth 
   
  UEDP 
   
  See United Earth Defense Pact 
   
  UESF 
   
  See Starfleet, UE 
   
  UESPA 
   
  See United Earth Space Probe Agency 
   
  UFP 
   
  See United Federation of Planets 
  
   
  375
   
  United Earth 
   
  Formal name for the planetary government of Earth from 2115 onwards; sole government of Earth 
  from 2150 onwards. Also, an instrument of international cooperation from WWIII onwards, lending 
  its name and often rather informal sponsorship to a variety of international organizations. 
   
  United Earth Defense Pact 
   
  International space defense organization of Earth 2069-2089. 
   
  United Earth Space Probe Agency 
   
  International space exploration agency of Earth from 2069 onwards. 
   
  United Federation of Planets 
   
  Community of some 150 members consisting of humanoid and nonhumanoid races and alliances in 
  the Alpha and Beta Quadrants of our galaxy. Led by an elected Council of members, presided by an 
  elected President, and promoting common trade, research and defense of its members, the UFP has 
  attained a superpower status in a volume of some two billion cubic lightyears since its founding in 
  2161. The defense and exploration organization for the UFP is Starfleet. 
   
  USS 
   
  UFP Starfleet Starship. Acronym preceding the names of Starfleet starships, painted on ship hulls 
  along with the ship’s registry number. Commonly abbreviated as ‘United Starship’ in verbal 
  communication, although the expressions ‘United Spaceship’ and ‘Federation Starship’ are also 
  frequently used. 
   
  Warp Drive 
   
  Primary FTL propulsion method used by the UFP and most of the known spacefaring societies. 
  Currently believed to allow for nine stable FTL speeds, up to 1,516 times the speed of light in 
  neutral subspace conditions. Research on faster methods continues. 
   
  Warp Sled 
   
  Designation for a variety of spacecraft whose only function is to propel other, sublight ships and 
  craft to warp speeds. Seldom used by Starfleet save for the Tai/Sait class of couriercraft. 
   
  Workbee 
   
  An informal name for work pod. 
   
  Work Pod 
   
  General name for manned sub-impulse craft used for construction and service tasks in space. Work 
  pods are often carried by all kinds of starships, although the more capable shuttlepods sometimes 
  
   
  376
  replace them. A variety of external tools and modules are carried by the work pods to facilitate a 
  multitude of tasks. 
   
  Appendix C: Starfleet Organization – General Outline 
   
  Appendix D: Abbreviations from Outside 
   
  DS9 
  Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, 1993-2000 
   
  DS9 TM 
  Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Technical Manual (Herman Zimmerman, Rick Sternbach, 
  Doug Drexler, Pocket Books, New York 1998) 
   
  ENT 
  Star Trek: Enterprise, 2002-2005 
   
  FASA 
  “Freedonian Aerospace Association”, a RPG company responsible for numerous ST 
  publications 
   
  FSCC 
  Federation Shuttlecarrier Comparison Chart (Mark Wilson, Federation Frontiers) 
   
  FSRC 
  Federation Starship Recognition Chart (aridas sofia and Todd Guenther) 
   
  LUG 
  Last Unicorn Games, a RPG company responsible for numerous ST publications, also 
  quoted for some unpublished works 
   
  SFB 
  Starfleet Battles, a RPG company responsible for numerous ST publications 
   
  SFC 
  Starfleet Chronology (Stan & Fred Goldstein and Rick Sternbach, Wallaby/Pocket 
  Books, New York 1980) 
   
  SotSF 
  Ships of the Star Fleet, Volume One (Todd Guenther, Mastercom, Boston 
  1991) 
   
  SotSF2 
  Ships of the Star Fleet, Volume Two (Todd Guenther, Mastercom, Boston 
  1991) 
   
  ST:TMP 
  Star Trek: The Motion Picture, 1979 
   
  ST2:TWoK Star Trek 2: The Wrath of Khan, 1982 
   
  ST3:TSfS 
  Star Trek 3: The Search for Spock, 1984 
   
  ST4:TVH 
  Star Trek 4: The Voyage Home, 1986 
   
  ST5:TFF 
  Star Trek 5: The Final Frontier, 1988 
   
  ST6:TUC 
  Star Trek 6: The Undiscovered Country, 1991 
   
  
   
  377
  ST:GEN 
  Star Trek Generations, 1994 
   
  ST:FC 
  Star Trek First Contact, 1996 
   
  ST:INS 
  Star Trek Insurrection, 1998 
   
  ST:NEM 
  Star Trek Nemesis, 2002 
   
  STIX 
  Star Trek, 2009 
   
  ST:ID 
  Star Trek Into Darkness, 2013 
   
  STO 
  Star Trek Online, networked computer game 
   
  TAS 
  Star Trek: The Animated Series, 1973-74 
   
  TNG 
  Star Trek: The Next Generation, 1987-1994 
   
  TNG TM 
  Star Trek: The Next Generation Technical Manual (Rick Sternbach and Michael 
  Okuda, Pocket Books / Boxtree, London 1991) 
   
  TOS 
  Star Trek (The Original Series), 1964-1969 
   
  VOY 
  Star Trek: Voyager, 1995-2002 
   
  A Word or Two from the Author 
   
  Although I have already ranted at some length about the choices and methods I have used in 
  compiling this work, the reader no doubt finds my thought processes obscure to the extreme after 
  having read this far. Many a thing about the way I treat my source material looks arbitrary on the 
  surface. However, I hope to convince you that nothing has been left to chance. All the 
  implausibilities, contradictions, misspellings and bouts of utter weirdness are there by design. In 
  anticipation of the protests, I have assembled a sort of FAQ here, so that we at least can agree on 
  what we disagree about. 
   
  First of all, why don’t you include my favorite source here? 
   
  Probably because it is too far down the hierarchy. Of course, it may also be that I haven’t had 
  access to that source yet. 
   
  Hierarchy? 
   
  You already know I give priority to ‘visual canon’. Material that contradicts this is ruthlessly 
  excluded. In turn, material that speculates on and expands visual canon in a non-contradictory way 
  is embraced. Publications that feature the greatest ratio of canonical versus original material are 
  thus preferred when I compile this Guide, and it is canon plus the acceptable original content of 
  these publications that then serves as ‘effective canon’ in similarly judging the suitability of the 
  next-level publications. 
   
  
   
  378
  For example, I have found ‘Ships of the Star Fleet’ by Todd Guenther to be an excellent 
  compilation of fan interpretations of TOS visual canon, and other fan works also eagerly reference 
  this publication. However, most such works, including e.g. Jackill’s manuals, feature a lower visual 
  canon content and a higher content of original material, which places them lower in the hierarchy – 
  even when they feature no contradictions and seamlessly and creatively expand the Trek universe. 
  So visuals from aired material count as ‘first-order material’, SotSF and the assorted 
  Paramount/Pocket Books technical manuals as ‘second-order material’, and most of the other works 
  as ‘third-order material’. 
   
  But why then would you include all those FASA ships? They sure aren’t visual canon! 
   
  Well, some of them are – see e.g. Lotus Flower – but the ratio of canon to original is indeed very 
  low. However, I will accept third-order material (usually in order of seniority and/or of popularity 
  among fandom, these often being the same thing) when I find it beneficial for maintaining ‘realism’ 
  in this fictional universe. 
   
  There’s a somewhat insidous aspect of second-order canonicity to those third-order entries you refer 
  to. You see, by embracing SotSF, I have also taken in its views of a 1,600-ship TOS movie era 
  Starfleet. Table 1-1 in that publication tells me how many ships of each mission class served in the 
  Fleet in the 2270s through 2290s. There are gaping holes in that table if only canon and SotSF 
  classes are used. Thus, I have taken just enough FASA, SFB, LUG or similar material to fill these 
  gaps (the role-playing games are great for providing visual additions), and ditched the rest. This I 
  find preferable to just plain inventing ‘gapfiller classes’ out of thin air. Similar gapfilling goes on 
  even outside the scope of SotSF, as I assume that certain aspects of the Star Trek universe will stay 
  consistent across all eras. Third-order material allows me to populate the ENT, TNG and in-
  between eras with enough corvettes, destroyers and other canonically seldom mentioned mission 
  classes to keep up a consistent Starfleet. 
   
  So what about ships from novels, eh? Trek novels aren’t illustrated! 
   
  No, they aren’t – save for the graphic novels, which sometimes feature nice ships that I count as 
  third-order canon, or the cover art, which oftentimes doesn’t match the textual contents at all.  
   
  Which is why I extremely seldom accept a ‘novel ship’ unless I already have a canon or at least 
  second-order visual to go with it. Fortunately, the Star Trek universe is littered with visuals that lack 
  corresponding textual descriptions. There are numerous Paramount-solicited ‘conceptual designs’ 
  and ‘study models’ around, some of these glimpsed in a minor uncredited role on screen, some 
  merely faithfully reproduced in second-order publications. There are also true shooting models that 
  were never assigned a canon identity by Paramount. Coupling these with a ship lovingly described 
  in a nonvisual medium such as a novel is great fun. 
   
  Sometimes a captivating written description forces me to adopt or adapt a lower-order visual to go 
  with the text. In such cases, FASA and its ilk are often of great help. In some rare cases, I’m forced 
  to create a visual identity from scratch for a textual starship that I find irresistibly good and 
  important to the Star Trek universe – examples include the Deneb and Chesapeake classes, rather 
  crucial to the masterpieces of Dianes Duane and Carey. 
   
  Oookay… But what’s with ‘Spaceflight Chronology’? 
   
  
   
  379
  Well, yes, good point. Here I give de facto ‘second-order’ status to a work that features very little 
  canon material and lots of rather ugly graphics. This is only because there used to be no other 
  source for the early days of Earthling starflight, not until ENT premiered. And even with the canon 
  of ENT now available, there is no other published work that would elbow itself in and take the 
  ‘second-order’ place from SFC. Just bear with me when I give preferential treatment to this senior 
  publication, even when it necessitates some pretty extreme creative reinterpreting. 
   
  So, to make sure… You place no value whatsoever on whether the words ‘official’ or 
  ‘approved by Paramount’ are included in the blurb of a publication or not? 
   
  Nope. Most of this officially approved stuff is good – but some unofficial material is better, and at 
  times even more faithful to canon than the official books are! 
   
  Right. Moving on. Justify your excessive mass figures. 
   
  You take that back! I’m fit as a fiddle! 
   
  As for my starship mass figures, I give utmost credence to the precious few canonical datapoints we 
  have on the issue: Scotty’s “Nearly a million gross tons” for Constitution in TOS “Mudd’s 
  Women”, and Janeway’s “700,000 tons” for Intrepid in VOY “Phage”. Some tend to dismiss at 
  least the former, both because most fan material contradicts this lone utterance, and because a ship 
  of Constitution size would be inordinately dense if massing that much. I cannot dismiss canon that 
  easily, though. Thus, I have assigned this superdense material to that part of a starship that is most 
  alien to us – the warp engines. If a single PB-31 nacelle masses 250,000 tons apiece, then a 
  Constitution otherwise built of realistic materials masses close to 700,000 tons and thus agrees with 
  Scotty’s expert opinion. 
   
  Keeping those density figures for warp nacelles and starship hulls, respectively, and applying 
  volumetrics, I can rather easily reconcile between the high-end TNG TM and DS9 TM mass figures 
  on one hand, and the well-known low-end fan and RPG estimates on the other. The latter simply 
  refer to hull mass sans these exotic engines! It is also rather endemic in naval history to give crucial 
  ship statistics in oddball ways (say, ship length given only at waterline, or displacement defined 
  differently depending on the type of cargo onboard). Thus, the idea of engineless mass figures just 
  adds a hint of pseudorealism to this Guide… 
   
  Rest assured, I have the masses of various warp nacelles tabulated by volumetrics, using a density 
  derived from a LN-64 mass of 300,000 tons as the basis for all post-TOS designs, and a somewhat 
  lower density for pre-TOS ones (to honor certain fan concepts of different technologies in use, and 
  a different percentage of coil material in given nacelle volume, in that earlier era). For an exact fit 
  with the DS9 TM mass figures, which I generally opt to take as authoritative despite the authors’ 
  admittance that the work was somewhat rushed, I sometimes make assumptions about the 
  percentage of nacelle volume actually occupied with coil material. Generally, though, simple 
  volumetrics are sufficient. Total masses thus almost always consist of the second- or third-order fan 
  publication mass figure plus this tabulated nacelle mass. 
   
  Almost? There’s something funny about your FASA figures. And not just the masses. 
   
  Yes. FASA ships typically consist of a Constitution saucer and nacelle(s), liberally rescaled, plus an 
  original secondary hull and pylon structure. As the artwork usually is small and of low resolution, 
  allowing or even necessitating some creative interpreting, I have taken the liberty of ‘un-rescaling’ 
  
   
  380
  all the FASA ships to match either the real dimensions of the familiar saucer and nacelle, or then a 
  putative alternate hull and engine design some 50 % the size of the original. Reducing the multitude 
  of FASA saucer and engine sizes to just these two options strikes me as logical from the 
  engineering standpoint. The 50 % alternative also nicely agrees with certain other canon and fan 
  designs – such as the engines seen on USS Huron in TAS “Pirates of Orion”, or the ones moving 
  certain RPG light cruisers around at warp speed. 
   
  This rescaling naturally affects the FASA mass figures, too. Sometimes the effect is so small that I 
  merely assume the dimensions were ‘printing errors’ which I then correct, yet the mass was already 
  true down to the ton. Sometimes an actual mass correction is required, though, and a scaling factor 
  derived from the dimension corrections is used. Sometimes the FASA masses make no volumetric 
  sense even with the original dimensions, in which case I am forced to introduce more consistent 
  figures of my own. Usually I find creative workarounds, though (such as assuming there is a 
  surprisingly massive piece of special equipment aboard, for example). 
   
  This scaling logic often necessarily extends to the numbers of onboard transporters, shuttlecraft, 
  weapon systems and crew, too. Again, some workarounds are explicit in the entires, some implicit. 
  It may in general be fun to compare the Guide to the corresponding RPG fact sheets… 
   
  So, to sum up, you just twist everything to fit your own interpretation of Star Trek? 
   
  In a nutshell, yes. 
   
  Objectively thinking, this work is another example of third-order material, and in practice a 
  competitor to the other third-order interpretations of Star Trek. Since it excludes so much of the 
  material on that hierarchial level, it must be considered to represent an alternate universe of its own, 
  incompatible with the other third-order ones. Yet it strives to be fully compatible with both its 
  second-order targets of idolatry, and its canon fundaments.  
   
  Still, respecting the letter of the second- and first-order sources does not amount to doing justice to 
  their spirit. The authors of, say, SotSF or ST:TNG are artists who have their own well-developed 
  interpretations of what Star Trek is about. No doubt they will find this work incompatible with their 
  views, in part or in whole. It is my humble hope that this does not diminish their enjoyment, would 
  they happen to stumble upon this work, nor prevent other kinds of Star Trek enthusiasts from 
  having a fun few days disseminating, dismantling, dismissing or discussing the Hobbyist’s Guide to 
  Starfleet. 
   
  Faithfully yours, 
   
  Timo Saloniemi 
   
   
  
   
  381
   
   
  EDWARD CLASS COLONIZER/TERRAFORMER FROM BIRTH OF THE FEDERATION COMPUTER GAME 
   
   
  ???? series 
  Police cruisers 
  2144-2288 
   
  Completed: 
  40  
   
   
  Diameter: 
  45.0 m (C-57) 
   
  20.3 m (Kzinti) 
   
  Height: 
  20.8 m 
   
  Mass: 
  200,100 tons  
   
  Officers: 
  3 
   
  Crew: 
  16 
   
  Max. speed: 
  w 2.9 
   
  Endurance: 
  12 months 
   
  Weapons: 
  4 phaser IV emitters on dorsal hull  
   
  Shields: 
  1-layer globular forcefield 
   
  Transporters: 
  1 GP (2-pad); Mk II  
   
  Ships of historical interest: 
   
  USS Typhon (C-57D) 
    
  SOURCES: 
  D TAS “Slaver Weapon” (Forbidden Planet) 
   
  (N Forbidden PLanet) 
   
  H TAS (own, Forbidden Planet) 
  
   
  382
   
   
  
   
  383
   
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Star Trek RPG/novels/Trek Nonfiction & Reference/Reference Materials/Encyclopediae/Hobbyist's Guide to the UFP Starfleet  and Its History/Parts II and III.pdf