2245 – V1 Vadaso Stelri (Star Glider)

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Soon after its introduction into exploratory service, the V-1 vessels were found to be unsuitable for their mission.  The cramped quarters and work areas would not permit extensive onboard research and testing, which meant that the ships were compelled to land on most worlds to carry out their studies.  Not only were such atmospheric operations difficu It, but the exposure of the entire ship to unknown environments put them in constant danger.  These risks were unacceptable to the Romulan High Command, so the class was reassigned as cruisers to supplement the fleets.  It evidently saw no greater success in this role, for it was removed from active service about Stardate 2/0806.  The Type 2 mounted better, bank-mounted weaponry and a more powerful impulse drive.

Of the approximately 100 built, half are assigned to reserve fleets.  Eighteen have been sold to the civil sector, where they are used as private research vessels; two operate exclusively within the Triangle.

The class is named for Vadaso Stelri (glider in the stars), an asteroid in the Romulan home system.  Ancient legend is reported to state that this glider was a returning message from the gods, directing the Romulans to follow it on its road through the stars.

2247 – V4A Vastam cl’Vangas (Wing of Vengeance)

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The V-4 class has, by far, the most unusual design to come from Romulan engineers; fashioned like a giant wing, it was created not only for aesthetics but for combat.  When the vessels were first introduced, they were intended to lead an expansion effort, but the war between the Klingons and Federation caused them to be sent to patrol the Klingon border.  The Type 2 mounted a more powerful impulse drive system and improved disruptors, which accounted for its greater combat efficiency.

The V-4s were painted by crewmembers in a variety of patterns.  These ships, though popular with their crews, were removed from service sometime after Stardate 2/16 for more powerful designs.  Of the approximately 135 built, about 65 are in reserve fleets.  Six are reported to be used as training vessels, and two are used as spaceborn museums, one each stationed at Remus and at Corill.  Eighteen are known to be operating in the civil sector.

On Stardate 1/9611, nine of these vessels are known to have been sent into the Triangle to liberate a small system from the Klingons.  The Romulans pressed the attack against the three D-7s protecting the system, immediately destroying two and driving the other away.  Flushed with victory, the Romulan commander sent five of his group after the fleeing enemy, but they encountered nine D-7s and three D-10s arriving to reinforce the area.  The Romulans flew into a classic trap laid by the Klingon battlegroup, and three were destroyed before getting off one shot.  The remaining Romulans miraculously crippled four of the Klingon vessels before one was crippled itself and the remaining vessel fled.  The Klingons abandoned the effort and withdrew from the area.

This battle caused a stir in the Klingon High Command, as the ship had never before been encountered.  Because the stories told of its abilities were inflated to make the Klingon fleet commander look good, the V-4s enjoyed an undeserved notoriety amongst the Klingons for many years.

The class is named from the Romulan vastam cl’vangas (wing of vengeance), in reference to the vessel’s combat capabilities.

Class: Year:
Ship Source: FASA Ship Datasheet: Coming Soon

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2159 – U26 Juggernaut

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Construction of the Juggernaut class Battle cruiser began in 2152. By late 2159, the ship was finally ready to begin trials, but on 30 November 2159 , a daring combined Earth/Andorian raid snatched the vessel from its dock.

The second Juggernaut class ship was still incomplete at the time of the truce.

The Juggernaut had the potential to be the most powerful ship in known space, and the design called for it to carry up to 50 star bombs, which would have made it capable of destroying whole fleets on its own.

The second and last Juggernaut class ship finally entered service in 2169, and was destroyed in a border skirmish with the Klingons, but not until it had destroyed nine Klingon cruisers in 2185.

Class: XIV Year: 2159
Ship Source: Steve Bacon/FASA Ship Datasheet: Coming Soon

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2150 – U15 stelal’deletham (Defender of Stars) Class

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The U-15A entered service in 2150 and the U-15B in 2151. In appearance, it was combination of the sleek hull of the U-9 and the wide wing of the U-13. Powered by the latest RFTL-4 warp nacelles it was the fastest ship in the fleet when it commissioned.

The ship was produced in two variants, the U-15A mounted twin plasma cannons, and the U-15B mounted cluster missiles instead. Both variants could carry a single star bomb for additional anti-ship punch. Generally, the ships were deployed in threes, with two U-15Bs to each U-15A.

On 14 October 2157 , a U-15 fired the first shot of the declared war, when it fired a single SB-2 star bomb into the UES Patton near Eta Leonis VI. The Patton had been assigned to await the response to the ultimatum delivered four months previously to the Romulan Star Empire by Admiral Gunther. Three U-15s closed in on the Patton, and it got only one message off before it was destroyed, but that message was War!

Most Romulan fleet actions in the war used U-15s as the main ship; on 17 March 2158 , two squadrons of U-15s fought an earth Alliance force of similar numbers to a tactical draw at Prantares, the Romulan fleet had been headed to Rigel to trade for urgently needed technical supplies.

U-15s made up a large part of the fleet that engaged the Earth forces near Gamma Hydra, which then engaged further forces under Admiral Larson on 02 May 2159 .

In all some 575 U-15s were built, 160 U-15As and, 340 U-15Bs, and 75 U-15Cs.

The U-15C first entered service in 2155. It was a squadron command ship, which mounted a smaller missile system to allow more room for command and control facilities. It was not successful in service, and was generally used as a standard cruiser instead as the flag bridge was too small to carry a coordinating staff of sufficient size.

A number of U-15s were later converted to U-21 configuration.

Class: VII Year: 2150
Ship Source: Steve Bacon/FASA Ship Datasheet: Coming Soon

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2243 – Loknar

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The Loknar Class frigates were built during “The Great Awakening”, a period of expansion by the Federation. During this time, many research and exploration vessels were designed and built to aid in the efforts to solidify an enlarged and growing United Federation of Planets. Also during this period, a smaller number of warships were built. The Loknar, the most noted of these warships, is still in service to this day, a tribute to the quality of the Andorian design.

Soon after the Federation Appropriations Committee granted Starfleet the funds necessary to construct fleets to expand and patrol the limits of the UFP, Andorian factions began pushing for warship construction. The basic Andorian philosophy was that, in expanding, the Federation might come upon races as hostile as the Romulans and Klingons, leading to another protracted war for which the Federation and Starfleet were unprepared. The Andorians argued that, were this to happen or were the Klingons or Romulans to escalate hostilities, Starfleet needed to be better prepared and would need ships to protect the new borders and colonies. The Andorian arguments were successful, and Starfleet began a limited build- up of warships. Several ship building facilities were constructed by Andorian firms to design and manufacture these warships, the most notable of these on Sol IV and Salazaar, the largest and most productive in the Federation.

Introduced in October of 2247 (1/90), the Loknar class frigate mounted the new, but already proven, FWE-1 warp drive, in Starfleet’s inventory for only two years. The FIC-2 impulse engine was introduced on the Loknar and has since proven itself to be one of the most reliable of all production. The Loknar Mk I was considered a ‘muscle’ ship because of its four heavy lasers and single accelerator cannon, making it equal to all but the largest Klingon vessels and more powerful than any ship in the Romulan navy. In addition, the Loknar mounted FSH shield generators, more efficient than any used by the enemies of the Federation.

During the Four Years War, the Loknar saw more action than any other vessel in Starfleet. As the war dragged on however, Starfleet realized the need for vessels with more firepower. When they could be spared, Loknars began being refitted at forward supply and repair stations. The Mk Ib Loknar mounted two additional laser cannons and an aft accelerator cannon. The lasers were banked to provide more flexibility in combat. Late in the war, the Mk Ic was introduced. This version of the Loknar mounted a curious blend of old and new technologies; it retained the lasers of its predecessors, but replaced the accelerator cannons with FP-1 photon torpedoes.

Although it was considered to be successful, the Andorian designers felt a need to improve the Loknar. The FWE-2 warp drive systems, still being tested, would produce 60% more power than the FWE-1 and would increase the ship’s overall performance. The Mk II was commissioned into service in January of 2256 (1/98) mounting the FWE-2, even though this engine was not officially adopted by Starfleet until February of 2259 (2/00).

The most significant advance in starship technology came with the phaser and photon torpedo. The phaser delivered more firepower at longer ranges, weighed less, and required less structural reinforcing than the laser. The newly developed photon torpedo delivered the same explosive power at 75% less power requirement, was considerably lighter and required less structural reinforcement than the accelerator cannon. Eight FH-5 phasers and new photon torpedo technology were incorporated into the Mk II, making it more powerful than anything in the Klingon fleet with the exception of the D-10. The Mk II also mounted an upgraded binary shield generator, the FSK, giving 33% more protection at the same output level as the earlier system. The Mk IIa Loknars were refits from surviving Mk Ic’s- no new builds occurred of this version. The Mk IIb mounted 3 FP-3 photon torpedoes forward and 1 aft (the FP-3 was experimental when first mounted to the Loknar). This arrangement favored redundancy: during the Four Years War, several Loknars were placed at a severe disadvantage when their single forward missile weapon was damaged during combat. The Mk IIa’s were refitted to Mk IIb standard by 2260 (2/03). Both versions saw limited action in the Four Years War.

The next major change in the Loknar’s design came with the introduction of the FWD-2 warp drive to the Mk IV. Along with the FIC-3 impulse drive, this increased the power output and overall performance by 40%. Furthermore, this model replaced the 4 FP-3 photon launchers with the FP-1. The Mk V is the latest model of the Loknar class and is armed with FP-6 torpedoes.

Loknar class frigates have served Starfleet faithfully for over 40 years and will remain in the inventory for many years to come. A major push was begun by the Andorians to create the next generation of Loknar- the Mk VI. However, with four newer frigate designs already being produced, Starfleet Appropriations did not accept the proposal. The final Loknar was constructed in May of 2288 (2/24). Loknars were produced at the Salazaar and Sol IV facilities at a rate of 2 ships per year, including refits. At the behest of the Andorian government, all Loknars are to be refitted to Mk V standard and retained in active service.

Historical Notes:

The Loknar class frigates are named after cities and provinces of the Federation. More than half of these vessels are crewed by Andorians and the majority of these are assigned to the ‘Blue Fleet’, ships whose officer contingent and crew are entirely Andorian. The USS Loknar was the first ship commissioned into the Blue Fleet, serving as the flagship for many years.

The infamous IKSV Staav’e Mara (Slave Of Justice), was originally the USS Morgan City, a Loknar Class frigate captured by Admiral Kamato’s forces during the Four Years War and later used in Kamato’s abortive coup attempt on the Klingon throne. After failing, Kamato retreated into the Triangle, taking the Loknar class frigate with him. From their location in the Triangle, the Klingon rebels began attacking unprotected convoys and merchant vessels by using the Staav’e Mara to lure them in. This ruse lasted for several years, then a general recall of all Loknar class vessels made it difficult for the Klingon vessel to operate as though it were from Starfleet. The IKS Admiralty then decided to have the vessel painted in the standard steel-gray color of their Navy. The Staav’e Mara still operates with the IKS Navy and has been seen as recently as January 2287 (2/23).

 

Class: VIII Year: 2243
Ship Source: FASA Ship Datasheet: Download PDF

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2256 – Derf

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The Derf was designed as a destroyer leader (Daring Class), 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.

USS Derf was the only ship of this design commissioned in the exploration cruiser configuration (in January 2256), but she was soon converted for trials as a tender in July 2256.

Class: IX Year: 2256
Ship Source: FASA Original/ Additional material by Lee Wood/Steve Bacon Ship Datasheet:

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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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2256 – Derf

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The early history of the Derf Class is an amazing story of near abandonment. The Derf was designed as a destroyer leader (Daring class), but improvements in small ship sensor technology during the Four Years War rendered this type of ship obsolete. It was then 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.

The Derf class tender has been operational in Starfleet for more than 25 years. When it entered service in July of 2256 (1/9807), the Derf class marked a new concept in navigational beacon repair. Before its introduction, marker buoys and navigational beacons had to be retrieved and returned to a repair facility to be serviced. Derf class tenders eliminated this need because they carried repair facilities on board.

When a Derf arrives at a malfunctioning beacon’s location, a shuttle uses a tractor beam on the beacon and tows it into the lower hull, which is the tender’s main repair facility. The beacon is then placed on an assembly line and repaired robotically. When the work is finished, the shuttle tows the beacon back into the spacelanes, and the Derf moves on.

Although the Derf is not designed as a fighting vessel, it is capable of aggressive defense. Most repair missions take place along the borders between the major powers, where the chances of encountering enemy ships is very high. Because of this high risk, the Derf is armed with medium-range phasers.

This protection does not prevent them from falling prey to enemy ships. In February 2263 (2/0702), the USS Acropolis responded to signals from a malfunctioning marker buoy. As its shuttle neared the beacon, a Klingon warship appeared and opened fire before defensive action could be taken. The volley crippled the Acropolis’ engines, and the tender was boarded and towed into Klingon territory.

Intelligence later discovered that the beacon had been planted by Klingon operatives to entrap the repair tender. It is theorized that the Klingons gained technical information concerning robotics and repair techniques that they lacked, but it is not known just what gain this action brought them in the overall situation. Some analysts believe that study of the robotic repair systems will make it possible for Klingons to alter the functioning of navigation beacons robotically, creating potential havoc in border spacelanes. However, a crash program of buoy upgrading and fitting of encryption systems, which occupied the entire fleet of Derf’s and many other ships, prevented this from happening.

The design of the Derf evolved over a number of Marks. The Mk II would have offered improved impulse and warp drives compared to the Mk I, but a further improved Mk III was designed while the early Mk IIs were being tested. All Mk IIs were updated to Mk III specifications to keep the number of variations within the fleet as low as possible.

In 2285 (2/22), a number of Derfs were taken in hand for conversion to a new Mk V standard. The increase in tensions on the Klingon frontier meant that Derfs now required an armed escort in order to operate safely. The Mk V refit introduced improved shields and enhanced weapons in order to allow the ship to operate without escort in most situations. Not all ships have been refitted to this standard, but all new production was to this standard until production ceased. The Derf class was built at Merak by Chandley Works, Ltd. Buoy maintenance is now carried out by civilian ships in most areas of the Federation, but Starfleet maintains a fleet of Derfs in both active service and reserve to maintain those in more dangerous areas.

The Derf class is now a surprisingly sought after posting amongst many young officers. The reasons for this are varied. All active ships are assigned to border areas, so there is a chance to see the “enemy” in the flesh, it (in Mk V form) is a tough ship to best in combat, and perhaps most importantly it is one of the few classes still in service from the “classic” era of starship technology.

Of the 691 Derfs built, 8 Mk Is, 351 Mk IIIs, 61 Mk IVs and 72 Mk Vs remain in active service, and 38 Mk Is and 25 Mk IIIs are in reserve fleets. Two Mk Is, 2 Mk IIIs and 2 Mk IVs are used by Starfleet Training Command; 12 Mk Is, 8 Mk IIIs and 2 Mk IVs have been destroyed; 1 Mk III has been captured by the Klingons; 1 Mk I, 3 Mk IIIs and 1 Mk V are listed as missing; 4 Mk Is, 4 Mk IIIs, 3 Mk IVs and 2 Mk Vs have been scrapped; and 2 Mk Is and 1 Mk III have been sold to the private sector.

Class: IX Year: 2256
Ship Source: FASA Original/ Additional material by Lee Wood/Steve Bacon Ship Datasheet: Download PDF

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2243 – Siva (William Howe)

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The Siva class destroyer mounted the best in Federation technology for its size at the time it was built. First commissioned in 2243, it mounted the M-1 computer, FWB-1 warp engine, FIC-1 impulse engine and FSA shield generator. A controversial military design due to its accelerator cannon arrangement, the Siva was unique in that it possessed only one laser cannon mounted aft purely for defensive purposes.

The Siva was assigned to Military Operations as a light missile destroyer to be used offensively with fleet support. The ships were designed to work together in groups of three. In these squadrons, they were to attack an enemy vessel while it was engaged in combat with a larger friendly vessel.

Until the Four Years War, the Siva class did not see any combat action. However, at the outbreak of the war, Sivas were some of the first vessels deployed in combat. Starfleet was conscious of the limited combat mission the Siva could perform and did not dispatch Sivas alone. Starfleet deployed them as designed when suitable capital vessels could be mustered (which proved quite a chore in the early days of the war).

As the war stabilized and the urgency of ship allocation lessened, the Siva class came into its own. Working mainly with Coventry class frigates and Heston class cruisers, a squadron of Sivas would be assigned to a single larger vessel. After a space battle had occurred in which a Klingon task force had been splintered or largely destroyed, a single Heston or Coventry would engage any lone, surviving Klingon capital ships. Staying well away from the larger Starfleet vessel so as not to be detected, the Sivas would lie in wait until the capital vessels engaged in combat. The Sivas would fly in a perpendicular path to the enemy vessel, avoiding any hostile forward weapons. The Sivas would fire their forward accelerator cannons at optimum range and then fly-by their target. Then, they would release their aft cannons and keep on going until out of range of the enemy vessel. Here they would turn around and line up for another attack. It took great skill and power management to perform the maneuver safely and effectively.

Usually captained by young Lieutenant Commanders, these ships and their crews were especially noted for their “e’sprit de corp”. This was especially the case with the Siva crews, since the entire complement of ten vessels were always assigned to the same fleet. Since their combat duties were limited by their design, they often served as scouts, pairing up with one another for safety.

It was no secret that the Siva was severely under-powered. Due to the limitations of its design and the technology of the era, no additional models of the ship were constructed and no other builds took place. The power limitations also left Sivas vulnerable, especially to Klingon gunboats and escorts that protected capital ships. Of the ten Siva class destroyers built, four were destroyed in the Four Years War. Two were damaged beyond repair and scrapped. The surviving four were assigned to Starfleet Training Command after the war where they served until being scrapped in 2269. One vessel, the USS William Howe, NCC 3216, participated in the evacuation of the Alerian homeworld in 2268 (2/11).

The USS Siva was amongst amongst those severely damaged, and the hulk was used as the prototype for the more conventional Siva subclass of the Saladin class in 2248. Upon the recommissioning of the Siva in this new configuration the former class was renamed the William Howe class.

  • Class: V
  • Year: 2243
  • Ship Source: FASA
  • Ship Datasheet: Download PDF

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2252 – Monoceros II

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The Monoceros class scout was designed to provide Starfleet with a light scout which was cheap and easy to build. First commissioned in 2246 (1/89), further ship production was delayed after a design flaw in the warp field balance coil was discovered. At high warp speeds, the ship tended to “rise” out of its own warp field, causing the ship to violently exit warp. The problem was corrected by reconfiguring the control computer software.

The Monoceros II was also designed to act as a demonstrator for the improved generation of linear warp drives then in development. The SCNN nacelle and reactor arrangement adopted for the single FWB-1 warp engine was lighter than the equivalent PB series installation. Fitment of a full-blown linear drive assembly with hull mounted warp core was dismissed in this design on safety grounds. It would be a further 10 years before work began on a class mounting such a system.

The experience gained in operating the SCNN equipped Monoceros II class paved the way directly for later SCNN engined vessels (such as the Endeavour class) and also demonstrated the benefits that ships equipped with linear drives had compared to those with circumferential warp drives. Of the 16 ships commissioned, not a single vessel was lost to warp drive related problems, but some nine vessels were lost to enemy action. The decommissioning of the class in 2257 (1/99) was the result of the need to continue the testing of the new engines on the few surviving ships of the class. Accordingly all seven survivors continued to be operated as test-beds by both the engine manufacturers and the Starfleet Corps of Engineers, the last not being retired until 2282 ((2/27).

The Monoceros did see action in the Four Years War, albeit limited. In 2253 (1/95), the USS Vulpecula was responsible for inflicting minor damage on several unescorted Klingon G-4 transports. The captain and crew of the Vulpecula received Starfleet’s highest commendations for this action. Most ships of this class, however, served as sentry ships for assembled fleets.

An interesting footnote to the ship’s history is the origin of the class name. It has been told that Commodore Charles Tatum, who was overseeing the design of the proposed scout, was studying the ship schematics at home when his seven year old daughter became curious as to her father’s work. The commodore light-heartedly asked his daughter what the ship should be called, and she promptly answered, “Unicorn!” Impressed, the commodore (after changing the name to its Latin derivative) submitted the name and it was eventually approved.

Class: IV Year: 2246
Ship Source: Starfleet Technical Manual/Lee Wood Ship Datasheet: Download PDF

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