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Chariot Class

Design by Jim Morvay, based on an original design by Atolm

Type: Carrier
First commissioned: 2370
Length: 472.89m
Width: 325.93m
Height: 236.40m
Decks: 52
Displacement: 1420000t
Complement: 150 officers + 320 crew, evacuation limit: 1050
Speed: Warp 9.5 (cruise), Warp 9.7 (max.), Warp 9.999 (max. emergency)
Armament: 17 Type X phaser array, 4 photon torpedo tubes
Defense: Standard graviton-emitting deflector shield, 4 point defense countermeasures launch tubes
Embarked craft: 6 Danube class runabounts, 15 workbees, 35 Type VI shuttlecraft, 45 Type I Tomahawk fighters

In 2367, Starfleet Command orders the primary design team at the Buklias III shipyards to develop a new class of starship to directly support the fleet in case of another Borg incursion. After the battle at Wolf 359, many lessons were learned in terms of efficient starship operation along with point defense strategy, close-in support for emergency evacuation and first strike analysis of tactical defenses. At the time, the only starship capable of surviving the longest in a fight with the Borg was the Galaxy Class, but considering the lengthy construction time needed to build such a ship, the fleet was vulnerable and with that, an advanced and efficient ship was needed to be built to help defend the fleet in the interim. During the previous incursion at Wolf 359, Starfleet engineers had already built and tested the Chariot Class but found that its current design needed an upgrade to compete with the current threat. Along with Starfleet Command's orders, the aging M.A.C.O. Command and the newly designated Tacfleet made suggestions as to how the Chariot Class could support their needs as well, so a compromise was made and with the continuing guidance by the Tellarite Union, modifications would begin to refit the Chariot Class to meet the newer demanding specs. 

Several proposed designs were submitted for RFC (Request for Contract) to Starfleet Engineering and were scrutinized in terms of overall operation in relation to the proposed designs, or in layman's terms: "form following function". One design in particular that arguably became the final approved design, called for a more radical flow to the curvature of the primary hull or saucer section of the vessel. in the past, the bridge command module sat dead center to the centerline of the hull, providing ease of access to the lower decks by way of the turbolifts, but this idea was now abandoned in favor of a more forward position to the saucer hull, providing more dorsal space for potential shuttle and fighter bay access, which had been on the minds of Tacfleet and M.A.C.O. for quite some time and had been argued in the past whenever a new vessel design was proposed. 

Their arguement was that most, if not all ships had aft shuttlebay access in the vessel, but in times of quick launch of shuttles and/or fighters, time was of the essence and launch times were compromised due to the vessels compartment layout. With the new design under review, M.A.C.O. agreed upon a hydraulic controlled recessed landing platform, which would allow for quicker launch and landing capabilities for first strike craft. The main shuttlebay, located on decks nine through eleven enabled craft to egress through the aft and forward bay doors in times of immediate need. 

With this new addition, flight operations control was moved to Deck One, inline with the main bridge. Another advantage was the close support of these defensive operations relative to the command of the ship itself. Flight ops controlled most of the critical flight systems of fighters and shuttle craft in times of war and the remaining bays in the secondary hull were independently controlled by their own flight operations. 

Another major design implementation was the position of the warp engine nacelles in relation to the secondary hull. Again, most starships in the past were placed above and to the rear of the primary hull with the nacelle pylons at 45 to 60 degrees of normal to the secondary hull. With a new horizontal placement of the engines and pylons, engineers were given more freedom with the placement of the warp plasma transfer conduits coming from the warp core, maintaining a horizontal alignment to the secondary hull and thusly, freeing up more compartment space for possible shuttle bays, greater deuterium storage tanks, general stowage, crew quarters, etc. 

Along with the new engine emplacements and their power transfer systems, the idea of installing two warp cores was given considerable thought. Once again, engineers and designers took cues from previous design deficiencies and realized one major flaw with the current power generation vs. usage which was significant power drain and/or failure during conflicts, spatial anomalies and other similar events that frequently occured during service. With a warp core down for maintenance and/or repair, reserve power storage systems were often run in low consumption operation, which could leave a ship defenseless if another event came about. The solution was to install a second core which unfortunately would open up a whole new set of issues that had to be overcome by the engineers. A-Synchronous power distribution nodes would have to be placed at regular intervals through the ship, positioned within the paths of power transfer and external power supply conduits. 

The main engineering computer would also need a major upgrade to compensate for the extra duty. Continuous cycling of the diagnostic computer routines were to be a standard function of the engineering computer along with split-second timing of catastrophic loss preparedness and redundant control nodes feeding the warp core subsystems. StarTech Technologies was ultimately awarded the contract to develop a newer model computer core system that could process multiple system commands to core ship function in fractions of a second, which would be a giant leap in technology for Starfleet vessels in the future. Transitioning from a Duotronic to an Isolinear system, took several years of development but when implemented onboard the Midway, operations became more efficient while error dramatically decreased. 

First observations of the Chariot's design revealed that there was a high percentage of wasted space within the secondary hull, which was quickly rectified by rearranging internal compartments to make way for more shuttle/fighter support. This pleased M.A.C.O. and they began plans for more fighter production and the introduction of their Tomahawk Class JSF fighter, designed in conjunction with Tellarite technology. With the implementation of five shuttle/fighter hangers, further integration of more berthing compartments and ship's services would also be needed, so again, space was compacted to accommodate the needs. Since the primary roll of the shuttle/fighter bays was to be for general operations, if the situation arose that emergency contingencies were in place, evacuation of all craft could be achieved to make way for transforming shuttle bay space into medical triage stations, extra berthing for evacuees and further cargo storage. Rotating shifts would be instituted for all pilots to fly with the ship during those times or be temporarily transfered to other vessels. This design feature alone, set this ship apart from all other Starfleet vessels of the time and the Chariot Class would be known as the "Florence Nightingale" of the Fleet. 

Joint-Strike Operations was a new department introduced to the fleet with M.A.C.O. taking the lead for command in wartime situations. Operational services and accommodations would also be needed so designers created a new primary hull design which would hold operation compartments for M.A.C.O. Command staff allowing them free reign for wartime strategic planning and coordination of their troops and fighters on the battlefront. upgraded communications, offensive and defensive sensor suites were in place to make the new vessel not only a formidable vessel to the enemy but a primary strategic vessel in any fleet. 

Since combat efficiency was rated high on the list of issues that needed to be addressed, M.A.C.O. suggested an upgrade to all weapons systems so a newer type of phaser array was implemented along with more efficient launch capabilities of the photon torpedo tubes. Separate point defense countermeasures launch assemblies were built to help take the load off the torpedo tubes in case of a "fight or flight" scenario, thus making the vessel more efficient in offensive and defensive situations. 

Current warp engine design hadn't changed much since the inception of the Galaxy Class and its accompanying M/ARA propulsion systems, but since the Galaxy Class had issues with an overage of mass in space and its maneuvering capabilities were subpar at best in a fight, those systems were implemented into the Chariot Class and with its advantage of being more maneuverable by design, it could not only act as a command platform in wartime situations, but if after releasing its entire salvo of shuttles and fighters, could also act as a frontline strike vessel. With its advanced communications and intership "Hyperlink" data transfer (which had a discriminate .0001 delay), no other ship in a given fleet would be without necessary information at any given point in time during battle. The on-board JSO's primary responsibility was to stay in constant communication with the fleet and also receive updated command orders from the flagship as well. 

After design was approved and construction took place, Starfleet could see that they did indeed have one of the most efficient and advanced starships in their arsenal. Some considered the Chariot Class refit to be "one well oiled machine" when it came to operational improvements and they gained further optimism that if one day that another Borg incursion happened, Starfleet would be prepared. 

Construction refit took place in 2368 on an existing vessel in the yards. Timing was crucial at this point as the ship was in waiting for its warp engine fitting. Current design production was halted and the implementation of the refit orders came through. It only took 23 months to refit the ship and test all systems. Commissioning was done in a quiet ceremony at the shipyards but enthusiastic applause was heard around the quadrant as the newly named U.S.S. Midway was on her way to make history. Command codes were transfered from the Dockmaster to Tacfleet Commodore Brendan Verago as well as M.A.C.O. General Jack Rothford and the Midway's first assignment sent its crew to patrol the Buklias System while on battle alert. 

To this day, there are seven Chariot Class vessels in operation, each assigned to the remaining fleets within Starfleet. There is a bit of secrecy surrounding their service to protect the fleet and Starfleet has denied their existence to protect their valuable asset against any and all enemies of the federation.

This ship is based on an original design created by Christopher David Reyes (aka Atolm/Azel) and a mesh by Howard Day. It was used as a basis for the Chariot Class refit which was designed by Jim Morvay.

Log in to protected area with user="guest" and password=<Riker's middle name> to download detailed plans of this design.

See the latest version of this design, including cross-sections, at astristech.deviantart.com.

Excelsior Class (alt.)

Design by Jetfreak

Type: Explorer and battleship (alternate universe)
First commissioned: 2265
Length: 950m
Complement: 80 officers + 1024 crew, evacuation limit: 3500
Speed: Warp 6 (cruise), Warp 8.75 (max.), Warp 8.9 (max. emergency)
Armament: Phaser banks and photon torpedoes
Defense: Deflector shields, ECM and basic hull armor
Embarked craft: Shuttlecraft, Work Bees, Tigon Fighter/Scout (optional)

Designed as a larger counterpart to the already capable Constitution, the Excelsior Class is an advanced and versatile starship, capable of almost any role. While some of details of the vessel are known, most of it is still classified by Starfleet. The Excelsior is currently under the jurisdiction and control of "Project Arrowhead". Which is supposedly conducting research on advanced propulsion technologies. Speculation is centered that the Excelsior may be utilized as a testbed for new technologies. She is currently docked at Earth Spacedock as of 2265. Undergoing a major overhaul of the engineering section.

The AR Excelsior sports a "hot rod" and streamlined forward facing look akin to the AR Constitution, creating a relation between the two designs.

The nacelle design has undergone several tweaks and the struts have been completely redesigned to match the Enterprise's forward swept versions. Furthermore, I wanted to retain the nacelle cap aesthetic since she had been launched at an earlier date. The nacelle "wings" raise up at warp like her smaller sibling and the grilles also glow blue at warp. It gives the nacelles more functionality and movement.

Comparing it with side views of the original, my new design takes some cues from the original and mixes some stylized elements from the new Enterprise. Showing that the two are related in terms of technicalities and aesthetics, just like the originals.

As seen here, she is scaled at exactly 950 meters at length, keeping in line with the "official" ILM figures. (The Enterprise was 725m long). Also provided in the finalized view are the Tigon and the new Shuttlecraft, to give a further sense of scale.

Thanks to Gus, whose work on the prime Excelsior served as the basis for this illustration.

Hellas and Roberts Class

Design by Morgan Smiley

Type: Colony ship/security cutter
First commissioned: 2200
Length: 145m
Width: 101m
Height: 39m
Decks: 9
Displacement: 180000t
Complement: 5 officers + 16 crew, evacuation limit: 200
Speed: Warp 1 (cruise), Warp 1.5 (max.), Warp 1.65 (max. emergency)
Sublight speed: 0.1c (max.)
Armament: 2 lasers (1 fore, 1 aft)
Embarked craft: 6 large-capacity cargo shuttles

Hellas
Federation Office of Colonization
First launched: 2200
Retired from service: 2228
Crew: 21
Passenger complement: 200
Defensive systems: 2 laser guns
Engines: Generation 1 warp field generator
Cruising speed: time/warp factor 1
Max speed: time/warp factor 1.5
Shuttles: 6 large-capacity cargo shuttles
Numbers built: 8

Designed to carry Federation colonists and enough material for housing, research, agriculture, mining, & transportation to last 6 months.

Operated under the UFP Office of Colonization. Built under the Standard Construction Contract (SCC) for non-Starfleet use.

Roberts
Starfleet
First launched: 2226
Retired from service: 2270
Crew: 85
Emergency passenger complement: 200
Defensive systems: 2 forward laser guns, 2 aft laser guns, 2 proton torpedo launchers
Engines: Generation 1A warp field generator
Cruising speed: time/warp factor 1
Max speed: time/warp factor 2
Shuttles: 3 standard 8-passenger shuttlecraft
Numbers built: 37

Using the basic design of the Hellas class ships, Starfleet adopted, modified, and improved the design in order to deploy a rugged yet reliable ship to monitor and protect star systems along borders with unknown or unsavory neighbors as well as patrolling well-travelled spacelanes.

Operated under the auspices of Starfleet & modified under the Naval Construction Contract (NCC).

Hurricane Class

Design by Jetfreak

Type: Destroyer (alternate universe)
First commissioned: 2260
Length: 530m
Speed: Warp 6 (cruise), Warp 9 (max.)
Armament: Phasers, photon torpedoes
Defense: Deflector shields, ECM and basic hull armor

The Hurricane-class destroyer was created in response to a Starfleet requirement for a modern and adaptable destroyer sized vessel. The project was created due a recent combat evaluation of existing types in current service. Most were apparently aging and were largely outdated designs which needed replacement as soon as possible. The success of the Constitution-class project assisted in the development of the Hurricane. The new design incorporated many design elements from the latter in many ways. Which includes the streamlining of the hull, the powerful propulsion system and advanced weaponry. As such, both classes complement each other rather well, due to many similarities in operating systems and internal hardware commonality. 

With outstanding results in tests and trial runs, the future of the Hurricane class sounds promising. Starfleet has already commissioned Utopia Planitia to begin immediate construction of the type to bolster the destroyer fleet. Over fifty are planned for the first batch alone and the first six LRIP vessels have already entered service. The Hurricane, Bagabaldo, Typhoon, Cobalt, Foxhound and Alcyone. The Foxhound herself is currently attached to the Cobra Destroyer Wing of the Federation First Fleet, which provides constant area defense for the Sol Sector.

Knox-Johnston Class

Design by Rich Rogers

Type: Stellar yacht
First commissioned: 2388
Length: 36.2m
Height: 13.5m
Decks: 3
Complement: 3 officers + 24 crew
Speed: Warp 2.9 (cruise), Warp 4.2 (max.), Warp 4.3 (max. emergency)
Armament: 1 phaser array
Defense: 1 low power shield generator
Embarked craft: nil

Background
In 2371, Captain Benjamin Sisko, Commanding Officer of DS9 undertook a voyage in a replica of an ancient Bajoran light ship of his own construction. His voyage took him from the Bajoran system all the way to Cardassian space, thereby proving the ancient Bajorans were capable of undertaking such a journey. Fourteen years later, and the region was finally emerging from the ashes of the Federation-Dominion War. Humanitarian and relief efforts had seen the restoration of the Cardassian Union to its former glory and there had been no further incursions from the Gamma Quadrant. To mark the tenth anniversary of the armistice, a solar yachting race was proposed, also recognising the achievements of Ben Sisko before his disappearance in 2375. In part, it was inspired by Sisko’s son Jake, who was also part of the original voyage who recalled their exploits in his book “On the Frontier” published in 2377 about life aboard DS9. Indeed, Jake Sisko entered the race along with his friend Lieutenant Commander Nog, piloting the ship his father had built. Asides from the privateers, and foreign powers that entered, the Advanced Starfleet Design Bureau also fielded an entry called the “Spirit of the Wind”. In an event filled race, the Starfleet entry, crewed by a team of 12 volunteers, finished a credible third. The yacht was initially donated to the Smithsonian, but the Principal of the Academy, Admiral Sam Whitmore, was so impressed with the crew’s achievements, that he requested use of the yacht. A worrying trend had started to emerge amongst the graduates of the Academy. Fleet reports indicated an increased reliance on technology and automated function, and many officers lacked initiative or the ability to cope in less than ideal situations. Whitmore believed that by using the yacht for training purposes, the cadet’s would gain valuable experience through working in an environment where computerisation and other comforts usual aboard a starship were keep to a minimum. The training proved to be such a success that Whitmore submitted a recommendation to Starfleet Command to expand the idea further. In his proposal, Whitmore suggested the creation of a further six solar yachts, with the aim being...

“...to develop the technical skills and personal qualities essential to members of the Starfleet through adventurous sail training in an austere service environment.”

Automated function was to be kept to a minimum, so that sail handling, piloting, astro-navigation would all be done by hand. Furthermore, whilst the environment would be reasonably benign, the crews would experience certain hardships, including: no replicators, all meals would be from fresh produce and prepared by hand; all crews would perform all duties aboard the yacht, from cooking and cleaning to carrying out maintenance tasks. Starfleet Command approved the proposal in 2387, and gave the go ahead for six vessels to be constructed, widening the proposal to open up training for established Starfleet personnel as well as Academy cadets. Furthermore, the vessels would also be made available for expeditions. Thus, the Knox-Johnston class was born. From early 2388, the yachts were commissioned. The first of class, the USS Knox-Johnston (NCC-170339) was launched on the 16th February and was assigned to duties with Starfleet Academy. She was soon joined by the USS Macarthur and the USS Gypsy Moth. Other yachts soon came on line and were deployed throughout the Federation, in systems where large concentrations of tachyon eddies were known to exist. The six vessels commissioned were designated:

USS Knox-Johnston
USS Macarthur
USS Gypsy Moth
USS Cutty Sark
USS Aubery
USS Heyerdahl

Please with the results of the training, Starfleet Command approved to production of another six vessels. Furthermore, the remit of the class was expanded to fulfil diplomatic and trade duties. It was envisaged that whilst capital ships would still be engaged in first contact and important treaty agreements, solar yachts could be used to host minor political figures and dignitaries. For this purpose, the yachts were redesigned to incorporate a large state room at the rear in addition to ambassador level accommodation. The new ships would be constructed to this standard, whilst the existing fleet would be upgraded to incorporate the changes. Further changes included the incorporation of a single phaser array and a low-level shield generator to afford the ship some protection against hostile attack. The second batch of ships were commissioned in 2396, and designated:

USS Mayflower
USS Chichester
USS Bourgnon
USS Joyon
USS Jeantot
USS Vendee
USS Slocum

Specifications
The Knot-Johnston class stellar yacht utilises a four-sail arrangement to provide its means of propulsion. It relies on tachyon eddies and solar winds to push against the sails and propel the ship forward. Within a constant tachyon stream, the ship will continue to accelerate, and in favourable conditions can achieve warp speeds. The ship has a main sail, known as the Spinnaker from which much of the propulsive thrust is derived. It also has a pair of Genoa sails which can be adjusted to provide directional thrust. The forth sail, located behind the keel, is known as the Lateen, and is also used for directional control as well as providing electrical power to the yacht during bare-bones operations. All the ship’s rigging can be controlled by hand, or fully automated depending upon the mission requirements. Asides from the sails, the yacht does have a convention warp propulsion system, but this is often disabled for training missions unless an emergency situation ensues.

During training, the yacht can accommodate a crew of 27, comprising the skipper, the first mate, the navigator along with 24 crew arranged in 3 shifts of eight. Amongst the crew will usually be a medic and an engineer or technician. However, asides from the three principal officers, all other crew will be involved in all duties aboard the yacht including helming, sail handling and domestic duties. Crews are accommodated in two-person bunk rooms, whilst ablutions are minimal and shared. When configured for diplomatic duties, the on-board computer systems are enabled which allows the ship to be operated by a permanent crew of eight. This allows the accommodation to be made available for visiting dignitaries as well as representatives from the Federation Diplomatic Corps. Although it is preferred that the solar sails are used during such missions to make use of the yacht’s unique characteristics, the warp engine is available if required.

Lexington Class

Design by Steve Justice

Type: Battlecruiser
First commissioned: 2290
Length: 440m
Width: 220m
Height: 95.5m
Displacement: 905000t
Complement: 115 officers + 575 crew
Speed: Warp 5.9 (cruise), Warp 8.5 (max.), Warp 9.0 (max. emergency)
Armament: 38 RIM phaser emplacements, 6 torpedo launchers

Starfleet launched the USS Excelsior in 2287 with great hopes of the success of the new transwarp propulsion system, but key members of Starfleet leadership harbored doubts. These doubts during the protracted development of USS Excelsior led Starfleet to initiate a parallel “insurance policy” in the form the USS Lexington. The Lexington battlecruiser represented the extreme scale-up of the proven technologies of the Constitution refit in what Starfleet hoped would be a relatively low risk program.

Design Background
While Excelsior was designed according to transwarp dynamic principles, the Lexington used the warp dynamic shaping of the Constitution class with subtle improvements. However Lexington was 150% larger than the Constitution in overall dimensions and a factor of three larger in overall mass. This necessitated a new warp propulsion system centered on the new LN-80 warp nacelle. Given the limitations of the existing linear warp nacelle designs and the greatly increased ship mass, the Lexington was slightly slower that the preceding Constitution class. But for it lacked in speed, the Lexington excelled in armament. The Lexington used existing weapon systems, but in greater numbers than any previous starship. The Lexington boasted 38 RIM phaser turret emplacements (compared to 16 in Constitution) and 6 torpedo launchers (compared to 2 in Constitution).

Improvements in onboard automation systems limited the growth in crew to just fewer than 700 as compared to 500 for a Constitution class heavy cruiser. This increase in size with a modest increase in crew complement resulted in much improved crew comfort and available space for special missions as compared to previous starships.

Testing & Cancellation
The Excelsior launched in 2287 and proved a great disappointment when the much touted transwarp drive did not live up to expectations. Starfleet felt vindicated when the name ship of the new battleship class, USS Lexington, launched in 2290. The USS Lexington carried forward the registration of its Constitution class forbearer, NCC-1709-A (a practice that was later reserved solely for the USS Enterprise). However as the Lexington entered space trails, the Excelsior design team had successfully adapted their transwarp nacelle to a standard linear warp drive. The ensuing space trials became a contest between the two designs.

Lexington performed to all design specifications, but did experience some issues with acceleration and maneuverability as compared to the Excelsior. The greater firepower of the Lexington did prove a great benefit in multiple ship engagement during war games. In the end the larger size and crew complement of the Lexington, resulting in a larger projected overall life cycle cost as compared to the smaller Excelsior, led Starfleet to select the Excelsior class as new standard heavy cruiser.

Lexington was retained as a trials ship for number of years, but proved too large and costly for that mission. The ship was decommissioned in 2298 and scrapped in 2301. While not built in numbers, many of the lessons learned from Lexington did resurface in the Ambassador class design some 30 years later.

NY Class

Design by Steve Justice

Type: Battle cruiser
First commissioned: 2155
Length: 180m
Width: 113m
Height: 28.5m
Decks: 5
Displacement: 100000t
Complement: 10 officers + 80 crew, evacuation limit: 190
Speed: Warp 3.8 (cruise), Warp 4.2 (max.), Warp 4.65 (max. emergency)
Armament: 8 MK2 armored pulsed phase cannon turrets, 8 torpedo tubes (4 forward, 4 aft)
Defense: Polarized hull plating
Embarked craft: 6 shuttle pods

Starfleet started development of the NY class design in 2152 and issued the first construction contracts for the NY class in 2154 for two ships plus options for three additional ships. Ten additional ships were ordered in 2157 after the outbreak of the Romulan War, but only two ships of that order were competed prior to the cessation of hostilities in 2160 resulting in cancellation of the last eight ships. 
The ships were originally classified as battleships, but reclassified as battle cruisers prior to the launch of NY-01. After much discussion of the naming scheme, Starfleet settled on naming the ships after famous earth battlecruisers of the early 20th century. The first ship, Renown, was launched in 2155 with additional ships following in approximately six month cycles. 

NY-01 Renown Sep. 17, 2155 
NY-02 König Mar. 5, 2156 
NY-03 Kongo Sep. 10, 2156 
NY-04 Repluse Apr. 15, 2157 
NY-05 Luztow Oct. 6, 2157 
NY-06 Haruna Oct. 21, 2159
NY-07 Hood Mar. 11, 2160 
NY-08 Andural Jul. 24, 2159

The eighth ship was actually the field rebuild of salvaged modules from two heavily damaged ships. Rather than use the previous registration of one of the damaged ships, the resurrected ship was registered as NY-08. The name for this ship was also unique; the name of the fictional sword of King Aragorn from JRR Tolkien’s classic novel “Lord of the Rings”. The sword Andural was forged by the Elves from the shattered pieces of the former middle earth king’s sword, much as the ship Andural was forged from the remnants from König and Kongo.

Design Philosophy
Given the growing threat level, Starfleet clearly could not start with a “clear screen” design. The decision was to utilize to the maximum extent already developed NX systems in a new, simpler hull design. The saucer design of NX was optimum for warp dynamics, but with it large surface area proved very vulnerable to enemy fire. Starfleet designers moved to thick, more cylindrical and spherical shapes to lower the exposed surface area, allow thicker hull armor, and bury critical systems deeper within the ship.

The resulting layout shape used a wedge shape command section and tapering conical engineering section joined together by constant section operations and weapons modules. Each hull module had a heavily armored center section protecting critical systems. Also critical systems were duplicated in each module to allow them to operate independently in the event of severe battle damage.

Another consideration was that the NY class was initially a top secret “black program” and Starfleet needed a way to mask the large production program from sight. A modular approach was adopted in the design of the NY class to allow Starfleet to contract with several companies to build major components in multiple locations, then assemble them in any level one space dock facility. This approach would disperse the overall construction, making it much harder for a potential foe to learn of the project prior to launch of the first ship. Another advantage not recognized until the early stages of the Romulan War was that the dispersed construction was less affected by an enemy strike against a single industrial complex or space dock facility.

The NY class were the most heavily armed and best protected ships in Earth Starfleet at the time of the Earth-Romulan War. They could match any Romulan ship in firepower, but were deficient in speed and maneuverability. Given the firepower and lack of speed, the NY ships were primary assigned to planetary defense duties, planetary strike missions, and transport convoy protection during the Earth-Romulan War.

Earth-Romulan War Operations
The first NY class ship was delivered to Earth Starfleet shortly before the start of the Earth-Romulan War and just completed trail runs before entering into combat operations. NY class ships were assigned as the flagships for task groups comprised of older NV and NT ships as well as transport ships. Early in the war the NY class primarily covered convoys between alliance worlds and maintaining defensive patrols in those systems. The NY class proved to be a creditable deterrent to Romulan strikes and kept the Alliance space lanes open through the critical first two years of the war.

As the Alliance moved more to offensive operations, the NY class were used in pairs to provide heavy fire support in attacks on Romulan strongholds. The NY class ships proved to be very durable and able to stay in a fire fight even after receiving considerable damage. This was due to the effective hull armor combined with high redundancy of ship systems.

However two ships of the class, NY-02 König and NY-03 Kongo, were lost during an Alliance strike at a Romulan base at Chaltok IV in 2159 when they faced coordinated counter-attack by six Romulan warbirds and orbiting weapons platforms. These two ships were able to limp back to Alliance space where they proved to be too damaged to be repaired in time to flee from the resulting Romulan counter offensive. In the most outstanding example of engineering improvisation during the war, Starfleet Engineering accomplished a miracle in using the least damaged modules from the two ships to create one battle worthy ship. The resulting ship was able to get the surviving combined crew members back to the main Starfleet base. Later christened NY-08 Andural, this ship became a “good luck charm” for Starfleet crews through the remainder of the war.

Post-War Operations
The peace treaty of 2161 ended the Earth-Romulan War and was shortly followed by the founding of the United Federation of Planets. After a hard war, the new Federation wanted to focus on building its economic structure and expanding through exploration. With that emphasis, new Starfleet ships were focused on internal commerce patrol and long range exploration. With the new sharing of technologies between the Federation members, new classes of warp 7 capable ships became the backbone of Starfleet exploration. With the emphasis on the new warp 7 explorers, the new Federation Starfleet was not interested in the remaining NY class ships. Since each star system retained responsibility for planetary defense, Earth retained the six NY battle cruisers in the Sol System Defense Fleet with the two earlier block 1 ships decommissioned in 2170. The four other block 2 ships were finally retired in 2180.

However retirement did not mean the end of the line for the NY class. The modularity of the NY design made them suitable for reconfiguration into civil colonization ships to support the growth of the now peaceful Federation. Since speed and armament were not key requirements for colonization ships, the armament modules were scrapped and three ships were created each using two operations modules with a command and engineering module. The resulting three ships were named for three ships that landed settlers in Charles Town (later Charleston), South Carolina in 1670; NAR-290 Carolina, NAR 291 Albemarle, and NAR-292 Port Royal. These three ships remained in service for an additional 38 years until scrapped in 2218.

NZ Class

Design by Steve Justice

Type: Cruiser
First commissioned: 2156
Length: 180m
Width: 100m
Height: 28m
Decks: 5
Displacement: 75000t
Complement: 10 officers + 58 crew, evacuation limit: 128
Speed: Warp 4.0 (cruise), Warp 4.5 (max.), Warp 5.3 (max. emergency)
Armament: 6 MK2 pulsed phase cannons, 6 torpedo tubes (4 forward, 2 aft)
Defense: Polarized hull plating
Embarked craft: 3 shuttle pods

Starfleet started development of the NZ class design in 2153 and issued the first construction contracts in early 2155 for two prototype ships plus options for three additional ships. Four additional ships were ordered in 2156 after the outbreak of the Earth-Romulan War, with all but one ship of that order competed prior to the cessation of hostilities in 2160.

Given the growing threat level, Starfleet clearly could not start with a “clear screen” design. The decision was to develop a ship to replace the earlier NV class while utilizing to the maximum extent already developed NX systems in a new hull design optimized for military operations.

Since the NZ class was focused on military roles, many of the NX systems associated with exploration missions were excluded from the NZ design. Also crew accommodations and recreations facilities were redesigned to reduce the overall habitable volume requirements. The resulting NZ design fit between the NV and NX classes in size, but with much greater capabilities than the NV Class.

The names for each ship were taken from the names of famous earth swords or types of swords. The first ship, Excalibur, was launched in 2156 with additional ships following in approximately six month cycles.

NZ-01 Excalibur 
NZ-02 Galatine 
NZ-03 Secace 
NZ-04 Durendal 
NZ-05 Joyuese 
NZ-06 Broadsword 
NZ-07 Scimitar 
NZ-08 Katana 
NZ-09 Rapier

The first NZ class ship was delivered to Earth Starfleet shortly after the start of the Earth-Romulan War and immediately went into combat operations with minimal trial runs. NZ and NX class ships were assigned to Fast Attack Task Groups consisting of four NZ/NX class ships operating in mutually supporting pairs (usually an NX/NZ pair). Slower older ships and NY battleships were usually stationed as planetary system defense units or bombardment units while the Fast Attack Groups would move quickly between systems to counter Romulan thrusts.

At the Battle of Cheron, the coordinated use of the six pairs of NX/NZ ships to flank the Romulan force proved to be the turning point in the battle. Over the period of the war, the NZ class held a six to one advantage in won/loss ratio in battles with Romulan forces.

NZ class ships also suffered lower percentages of casualities as compared to other ship classes, even the NY class battleships. This was due to the effective hull armor combined with the speed to escape from a adverse battle situation. However two ships of the class, NZ-02 Galatine and NZ-05 Joyeuse, were lost at the Battle of Coridin in 2159 when they fell back to cover the retreat of the transport force in the face of an ambush by five Romulan warbirds.

The peace treaty of 2161 created the Neutral Zone between the Alliance (soon to be the Federation) and the Romulan Star Empire. The treaty allowed each party to build outposts along the zone to monitor treaty compliance, but it would take years to fully develop the outpost network. Therefore ship patrols served as the primary deterrent during the first decades of peace. The NZ class ships were the first ships assigned by Earth Starfleet to patrol this region after the war.

With founding of the United Federation of Planets in 2161, Earth transferred the surviving seven NZ class ships to Starfleet (assigned registries NCC-010 through NCC-017) which then continued to employ them in the Neutral Zone Patrol Force until the late 2180s.

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PF-15 Iolair Class

Design by James Trexler

Type: Fighter
First commissioned: 2401
Length: 23.6m
Width: 17.5m
Height: 4.14m
Displacement: 25.3t
Complement: 1 officer
Speed: Warp 1.85 (cruise), Warp 2.5 (max.), Warp 2.75 (max. emergency)
Sublight speed: 0.12c (max.)
Armament: Two Type XI phaser arrays, two Mark V microtorpedo launchers, two GSA-5U phaser cannons
Defense: Polymorphic ablative armor, deflector shields

The Iolair entered Starfleet service in December 2401 as the PF-15. It was completed ahead of schedule and under budget on an accelerated development schedule, and Starfleet considers the PF-15 a critical component for the future of Starfleet tactical air and space power, and claims that the vehicle is unmatched by any known or projected fighter, while Aegis Corporation claims that the Iolair's combination of stealth, speed, agility, precision and situational awareness, combined with flight-to-flight, flight-to-ship, and flight-to-ground combat capabilities, makes it the best overall fighter in recent history. General K'rant of the Klingon Self Defense Force has been noted as stating that the Iolair will be "the single greatest fighter to ever fly."

Development
Origins
In 2388, Starfleet developed a requirement for a new aerospace superiority fighter, the Advanced Aerospace Strike Fighter (AASF), to replace the existing Federation attack fighters which had been based upon civilian support couriers. AASF was a demonstration and validation program undertaken by Starfleet to develop a next-generation aerospace superiority fighter to counter emerging and unknown threats. The AASF would use the latest innovations, including a tetryon plasma based warp drive, ablative armor, and advanced small scale phaser arrays. A request for proposal (RFP) was issued in August 2392, and two contractor teams, Aegis Corporation/Yoyodyne Division and Adams-McQuarrie Defense Contractors/Brown Aerospace Systems were selected in October 2392 to undertake a 36-month demonstration/validation phase, culminating in the flight test of two prototype aircraft, the XPFA-01 and the XPFA-02. Each design team produced two prototypes. The Clement & Breese I240 impulse engine was selected as the main sublight powerplant with two forward facing units in addition to the aft units for enhanced maneuverability. On 23 April 2396, Starfleet ended the design and test flight competition by announcing Aegis' XPFA-01 as the winner. Initial contract requests specified an order of 650 vehicles.

Into Production
The XPFA-01 entered production as the PF-15. Few modifications were made to the design. The airframe itself remained essentially unchanged, but there were several additions. These included Quantum Membrane Deflection Compensators, air scoops for atmospheric flight, radiator panels, and additional armor. The first production model of the PF-15 was publically unveiled on 1 December 2400 at the Bay Stadium in San Francisco, Earth. Its first flight took place two days later when it docked aboard the USS Conestoga for further flight testing. Operational Testing and Evaluation commenced on 8 December 2400.

Procurement
Full scale production of the PF-15 began 15 November 2396 with the initial order of 650 vehicles. In early 2400, that number was decreased to 500 in the Quadrennial Defense Review. That number was altered once again in 2402 as part of the annual Official Threat Reassessment and Defense Evaluation, when the order was raised to 725 vehicles. Initial cost estimates stated that the Iolair would cost 22.5 million credits per airframe, with an additional 3.6 million for testing, evaluation, and training. As of 2403, that total has increased to 31.6 million per airframe. The total AASF project cost has been estimated at 22.9 billion credits.

Upgrades
In 2400, production unit 00-601 flew using the Block 1.0 Software avionics, developed by CentComp Corporation, giving it all tactical flight and dogfight capability with limited ship attack capacity. In 2402, production unit 02-431 tested the Block 1.1 software, enabling it to attack strategic ground targets by use of its TFR Mapping Unit and 2x VGM-10 Vehicle-to-Surface Missile. Testing and evaluation of the Block 1.2 Software began in April 2403. The 101st Testing and Evaluation Wing received the Starfleet Team Excellence Award for upgrading all existing Iolairs with the 1.2 Software three months ahead of schedule in October 2403. A proposal for a Block 1.3 Software upgrade has been submitted by CentComp. The 1.3 Software would include enhanced collision avoidance, semi-intelligent autopilot capacity, and compatibility with the SIM-25, a SIM-5 Firebird derivative hardened against electronic countermeasures.

Designation
The official designation of the PF-15, Iolair, comes from the ancient Gaelic word meaning Eagle. Other considerations included Dart, Lance, Falchion, and Raven.

Design
Characteristics
The PF-15 Iolair is a seventh generation fighter and the second generation warp capable fighter. Its unique forward facing impulse engines, a trait so far only shared with select starship classes and the Allegheny Class Runabout, provide for enhanced maneuverability and braking ability. Maximum thrust is classified, though it is estimated to be comparable to that of a Federation Mission Scoutship or Sovereign Class Yacht. Maximum speed at impulse is 0.12c with a recommended flight limit of 0.00001c to minimize time dilation. The PF-15 is capable of traveling at Warp 2.75 with a suggested cruise speed of Warp 1.85. Vertical repulsor lift speed within an atmosphere has been estimated at 660 km/h, while its flight speed is typically limited to Mach 8.5 to avoid excessive sonic interference. The PF-15’s maneuverability is superior to that of most Starfleet craft, even of comparable or smaller size. Its deviation from input and departure-resistance allows it to complete even the most extreme pilot commands. Using its forward facing impulse exhausts, it can complete a zero-radius turn and maintain motion in its original vector with minimal loss of speed. Within an atmosphere, it is capable of maneuvers including the Herbst maneuver (or J-turn), Pugachev's Cobra, and the Kulbit.

Avionics
Avionic systems for the PF-15 are provided by FCM Systems and include their E-205 radar warning receiver (RWR), E-105 Identification Friend or Foe (IFF) System, the D-250 Incoming Fire Detection and Warning System (IFDEWS), and the R-1171 Active/Passive Scan radar. The R-1171 allows the PF-15 to observe enemy vehicles without being detected. Its passive scan mode can detect vehicles at a range of 0.05ly with enough precision to allow the E-105 IFF System to obtain a positive identification on the vehicle. The R-1171 changes frequencies once every hundredth of a millisecond to avoid detection. It is also capable of high intensity Active Scan and can even overload an enemy’s sensors.

Cockpit
The cockpit of the PF-15 includes a combination of LCARS based input panels, physical controls, and bio-response sensor inputs. Its throttle and joystick are physical controls located on the left and right sides of the pilot’s seat respectively. It utilizes a holographic heads-up display which can be expanded into a full battlefield view as required. For enhanced situational awareness, the inner surface of the cockpit is lined with micro-holoemitters which project a representation of the vehicle’s surroundings. The ejection system of the PF-15 includes an autonomous clamshell style escape pod. Prior to releasing the canopy, clamshell-shaped armor plates enclose the pilot. The pod then ejects normally. The pod is capable of withstanding several direct phaser blasts. Concerns have been raised, however, over the deployment of the clamshell shielding and the potential for injury if the pilot is not completely secured in place.

Armament
The Iolair is well armed for a craft of its size. Its primary weapons are the two GSA-5U phaser cannons mounted to its outermost wing hardpoints. These cannons deliver tightly confined bursts of energy capable of punching through a half meter of tritanium armor. Available modes include pulse fire, rapid fire, and three round burst. Mark V Microtorpedo Launchers located in the nose fire small, self-propelled quantum torpedoes. Additionally, two Type XI phaser arrays are located on the port and starboard chines extending out from the main fuselage. These allow the Iolair to fire at targets not directly in its line of sight and to some degree even behind it. Along with the integrated weapons systems, the Iolair has seven additional hardpoints, three per wing and one under the fuselage, for further weapons. These hardpoints typically support vehicle-to-vehicle or vehicle-to-ground missiles. The Iolair can also be equipped with a quantum dive torpedo capable of anti-ship or ground targeting attacks.

Stealth Countermeasures
Though low observability has been a trait of vehicles and vessels designed since the late twentieth century, the PF-15 utilizes a number of additional features not found on contemporary vehicles. These features include scan scramblers, polymorphic ablative shielding, and variable visibility skin. FCM Systems provided S-2112 Passive/Active Radar Signal Scramblers (PARSS) which are housed in the tailfins of the PF-15. Though details on this equipment remains classified, the basic concept involves emitting interference waves which distort the signal reflected off of the vehicle. The effect of this varies from changing the apparent size of the vehicle to breaking it up into smaller, separate return signals. Rumors claim that it can even mitigate all returns, making the PF-15 invisible to sensors, but this has not been confirmed by official sources. The PF-15’s polymorphic ablative shielding uses an artificial crystalline structure to absorb and deflect incoming scans with comparable effects to early twenty-first century stealth technology. Actively controlled polymorphism allows the molecular structure of the armor to rearrange itself in such a way that it can more effectively reduce the signal returns based upon the waveform characteristics of the original scan. The variable visibility skin is comprised of two components. The first component, a variable albedo layer, changes how strongly it reflects light from light sources by use of a nanomolecular coating and electric catalyst which causes the coating to restructure itself in a way that it can emit less or more visible light based on mission requirements. The second component, a variable reflectivity layer, is interspersed with the variable albedo layer. This layer works under a similar principle, but it controls how reflective the surface of the vehicle is. At maximum albedo and reflectivity, the PF-15 gives the appearance of being a component of the starfield, while at near zero albedo and reflectivity, it appears as nothing more than an extremely dark shape. Total effectiveness of the PF-15’s stealth countermeasures is currently classified. It has been stated by official sources, however, to be the most efficient low observable vehicle of its kind in the public Federation inventory. Estimates of the stealth capability of the PF-15 in the Quadrennial Defense Review places its signal reduction capacity at greater than 75%, with speculative estimates by non-Federation sources state it may be as great as 87% or higher.

Operational History
Testing
The Operational Testing and Evaluation program began on 8 December 2400. Using Iolair 00-522, survivability tests were conducted on the vehicle’s critical systems. Iolair 00-522 underwent numerous crash, impact, and live-fire tests and was then deconstructed with usable parts salvaged for use in another production model.

Service History
The Iolair reached Initial Operational Capability (IOC) on 18 November 2401. In its first major combat simulation, 10 PF-15s of the 468th Fighter Squadron downed 47 adversaries while incurring no friendly losses. In a one week exercise, the combined Iolair-Attack Fighter force amassed a kill-to-loss ratio of 8 to 1. None of the losses were PF-15s. A software glitch in the Iolairs of the 221st FS stationed at Betazed caused loss of navigation and sensors. The flight managed to return to base via visual navigation, and the software issue was corrected in all other units. PF-15s stationed at Bajor have intercepted and escorted suspicious vessels coming through the Bajoran Wormhole on numerous occasions. In addition, they have shadowed Jem’Hadar cruisers on the Gamma Quadrant side of the wormhole.

Maintenance
There have been several reports as to the F-22's overall mission ready rate and maintenance requirements. Aegis Corporations’ PF-15 spokesman says that the overall mission ready rate has improved from 62% in 2401 to 68% in 2402, and is "on track" to reach 85% by the time the fleet reaches 100,000 flight hours. FNN says that between October 2401 and May 2402, just 55 percent of the deployed PF-15 fleet has been available. The Starfleet Reporter reported that the FNN article was incorrect and that mission capable rates have been climbing, and by June 2402 stood at 62.9%, compared to approximately 70% for the mature Assault Fighter. The Starfleet Reservist Association states that the current mission capable rate for the entire PF-15 fleet is 70%. In July 2402, Starfleet reported that the PF-15 requires 10 hours of maintenance for every flight hour. The Defense Department puts that figure at 14 hours of maintenance per single flight hour. During at least one exercise the PF-15 maintained a high state of mission readiness. In January 2401, it was reported that the PF-15 maintained a 97% sortie rate (flying 102 out of 105 tasked sorties) while amassing a 144-to-zero kill ratio during "Polaris’ Edge" vehicle-to-vehicle exercises held in Sector 042, the first large-scale exercise in which the Iolair participated. Commander Dennis Faylor, the squadron commander of the 221st FS commented on the upkeep and reliability of the Iolair’s stealth countermeasures during simulated combat conditions, stating "the stealth coatings are not as fragile as everyone assumes. It can stand the wear and tear of combat without degradation."

Variants
Derivatives
XPFA-01 – pre-production version used for AASF testing and evaluation. Two were built.
PF-15A – single-seat production version. Typically recognized simply as PF-15.
RF-6 – modified reconnaissance version. 
F-22B – planned two-seat variant.

Notable Incidents The PF-15 has a moderate accident rate compared to similar vehicles in such an early stage of deployment. In April 2392, the first XPFA-01 lost control when an electrical surge from a nearby nebula shorted out its avionics. The vehicle was recovered and put back into service. The first crash of a production PF-15 occurred on 12 August 2402 when a fighter of the 221st FS suffered a command pathway linkage failure during an evaluation flight. The fault was traced to an error in production by a contractor. The pilot ejected without incident and most major components of the vehicle were salvaged.

Operational Units  
468th Fighter Squadron, Pittsburgh, Earth – “Dino-flight”
221st Fighter Squadron, El’Nar City, Betazed – “Screaming Eagles” 
117th Fighter Squadron, ShiKahr, Vulcan 
232nd Fighter Squadron, Devari, Andoria – “Trimua Flight”

Vehicles on Display XPFA-01 is currently on display at the Vulcan Museum of Military History while Evaluation PF-15 01-221 resides in the Starfleet Museum in Earth orbit.

Specifications
General characteristics
Crew: 1
Length: 23.6 m (77 ft 5 in)
Wingspan: 17.5 m (57 ft 5 in)
Height: 4.14 m (13 ft 7 in)
Wing area: 74.34 m² (800 ft²)
Airfoil: SCE2010
Empty weight: 25,300 kg (55,660 lb)
Loaded weight: 31,300 kg (68,860 lb)
Max takeoff weight: 58,000 kg (127,600 lb)
Powerplant: 2× Clement & Breese I240 dual exhaust impulse engines and one Yoyodyne Propulsion Systems YP318-S Disk Warp Core

Atmospheric Performance
Maximum speed: Mach 8.5 (9,027 km/h, 5,610 mph)
Range: global
Combat radius: global
Ferry range: global
Service ceiling: Capable of exospheric operation
Wing loading: 375 kg/m² (77 lb/ft²)
Thrust/weight: 3.01 (4.52 with loaded weight & 50% fuel)
Maximum design g-load: -6.0/+15.0 g

Spacebound Performance
Cruising warp: 1.85
Maximum warp: 2.50
Maximum emergency warp: 2.75
Range: 500 ly
Combat radius: 20 ly
Ferry range: 300 ly

Armament
Two Type XI phaser arrays (P/S)
Two Mark V microtorpedo launchers
Two GSA-5U phaser cannons
Air-to-air loadout
4x SIM-5 Firebird
2x SIM-20 MRAVVM
Air-to-surface loadout
2x SIM-20 MRAVVM
2x SIM-5 Firebird
2x VGM-10 VSM
1x Quantum dive torpedo
Hardpoints: 4x under-wing pylon stations, each with a capacity of 2,500 kg (5,500 lbs)

Avionics
RWR (Radar warning receiver): 0.15 ly (or more)
Radar: 0.85-1.25 ly at least (maximum range is classified)
Hildebrand 22-E drone targets for protection against missile lock on

Ranger Class

Design by La Violetta

Type: Mk. VII interstellar cruiser
First commissioned: 2248
Length: 337m
Width: 149.5m
Height: 46.8m
Decks: 10
Displacement: 976000t
Complement: 56 officers + 226 crew
Speed: Warp 5 (cruise), Warp 8 (max.), Warp 9 (max. emergency)
Armament: Primary phaser (forward arc, paired beams), secondary phaser (aft arc, paired beams), photon torpedo launcher (forward)
Defense: Mk. 4a meteoroid beam, navigational deflector screen, combat defense shields
Embarked craft: 4 Class-F shuttlecraft, 1 cargo skiff, 1 heavy shuttlecraft

Sonoma Class

Design by Brent Fulton

Type: Long-range explorer
First commissioned: 2384
Length: 230m
Width: 80m
Height: 40m
Decks: 13
Complement: 80 officers + 220 crew, evacuation limit: 250
Speed: Warp 9.5 (cruise), Warp 9.9 (max.), Warp 9.99 (max. emergency)
Armament: 6 phaser emitters, 4 torpedo launchers, 2 turrets
Defense: ablative armour, shield emitters
Embarked craft: 4 shuttles and 1 captain's yacht

Designed as a deep space exploration vessel, warp nacelles tuck behind saucer section when in slipstream to reduce stress from slipstream wake. Lightly armed, but heavily fortified with ablative armour. Designed following U.S.S. Voyager's return from Delta Quadrant, specifically to use the new technology brought back by Voyager.

Thanx to the writers of Voyager and all Star Trek sources who've helped me steer this design to what it is today.

 

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	Last modified: 28.04.11