2255 – Daring

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The Daring was designed as a destroyer leader, but improvements in sensor technology in the Four Years War  rendered this type of ship obsolete. It was then proposed to be re-roled as an exploration cruiser (Derf class), but the decision to produce further ships of the Constitution and Anton classes meant that it could not fulfill that role either. Finally the USS Derf was borrowed for a demonstration of the buoy tender concept. This demonstration was so successful that serial production of the Derf was ordered immediately and eventually totaled 600 vessels over a period of 35 years. Few vessels in Starfleet history have achieved either that level or longevity of production and it is certain that had the class been adopted in either of the other two intended roles it would not have gotten anywhere near either figure.

Of the 26 Daring Class hulls laid down, only five commissioned (Daring, Diamond, Diomede, Derwent and Daedalus) in their intended role. USS Derf commissioned in the exploration cruiser configuration before being converted for trials as a tender in 2255. The other five were also subsequently converted to the tender configuration in 2256, and the other 20 were commissioned in that configuration

Class: IX Year: 2255
Ship Source: FASA Original/ Additional material by Lee Wood/Steve Bacon Ship Datasheet:

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2255 – Kildare

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With the outbreak of the four years war, the need for more medical ships became apparent. Four Dollond, and two Doppler class transports were taken up from mercantile service and converted to Kildare standards. The modifications were similar to those that created the Nightingale class, namely improved shields and interior modifications.

Compared to the early Nightingale, the Kildare has far superior hangar facilities. As a result the Nightingale is used primarily as a hospital ship, ferrying wounded back from the war zones to the home planets of the Federation, while the Kildare is used more often in a casualty receiving role, or as rescue vessel.

The Kildares were retained in the fleet post war in a humanitarian and rescue role.
Class: VII Year: 2255
Ship Source: General Plans and Specifications – Dollond Class MK-VIC Heavy Transport Patrick Lichty & Associates Ship Datasheet: Coming Soon

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2255 – Copperhead

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The Copperhead was a one off command cruiser, created from a Class I primary hull, coupled to a specially converted shipping container coupled to warp drives.

The design was conceived to meet an urgent need for a command ship capable of controlling operations across a broad battlefield. The single Copperhead, with a strategic operations crew of almost 400 could easily coordinate hundreds of ships across the entire battle space.

The end of the war in 2256 meant the Copperhead was left with a mission, as the peacetime Starfleet could ill afford the level of resources required. The sensor and communications equipment was still of use, so the ship was redeployed to fill a role providing intelligence around the Romulan Neutral zone.

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