11.11 The Avenger Class Heavy Frigate and the Miranda Refit Program

T HE AVENGER CLASS HEAVY FRIGATE M AND THE MIRANDA REFIT PROGRA SERVICE ENTRY DATES (OLD CALENDAR): 2275

Starfleet Command resurrected Project Avenger in the late 2260s. This time around, its goal was to find some way of modernizing the numerous yet obsolete Kearsarge class light ruisers still in service. The final result, like the Enterprise class c eavy cruisers, would have transformed the Kearsarge into a h new class altogether. The old PB-32S “shorty” drive systems would be replaced with a pair of full-sized LN-64 linear warp ngines. Its photon torpedo banks would also be removed and e relocated to Miranda-style mounts mounted on the underside of the hull. This would have given the refitted Kearsarge the extra warp speed, range, and durability that had so limited its operational effectiveness before.

At the same time, however, a completely different Starfleet Command design study was underway. This was intended to refit the versatile Miranda class cruisers and its frigate counterparts (Surya and Coventry) with linear warp technology. Upgrading the Miranda was especially attractive due to its proven performance and versatility. The limiting factors in this case were operational necessities and lack of funding. Miranda class cruisers were in as great a demand as Constitution class heavy cruisers, and Starfleet could ill afford to spare large ty. In the end, it was decided to numbers of them from fleet du ke the Surya, the “least versatile” of the lot (in other words, ta the one with the smallest modular hull and requiring the most work) and use it as the basis for the upgraded Miranda program. Surya would be the first converted to upgraded Miranda specifications, while Miranda and Coventry would receive the conversion once the Surya refits were complete.

What happened next is has since passed into Starfleet legend. The final specifications for both Avenger and the Miranda refit programs were given to Fleet Admiral Heihachiro Nogura for his final approval. He looked at them for a few minutes, then took the hardcopy schematic of Avenger’s port profile and deliberately turned it upside-down. “I don’t see why you e same thing with Miranda,” he is reported to couldn’t do th ave said. “These proposals are almost identical. I think h Starfleet would be best served by upgrading Miranda like Avenger here,” he said, holding up the inverted schematic, “than what was originally planned. Might work for some of the other frigates, too. Make the appropriate changes and bring it back. Dismissed.” With Nogura’s order all hope was lost for the Kearsarge to become part of the linear warp generation. The taken class was quickly retired to auxiliary duties and their roles ver by newer Starfleet vessels. 22 Surya class frigates, among o the oldest in Starfleet, were scheduled for conversion per Admiral Nogura’s order. The first of these just so happened to be named Avenger (NCC-1860), which was upgraded and returned to service in 2275. It is the only time in Starfleet history where the lead vessel in a starship upgrade program shared the same name as the project title under which it was being upgraded.

The Miranda refit wound up becoming a more powerful starship than had been originally planned, thanks to the adaptation of the Avenger standard. The reconfigurable multi-mission hull was retained but modernized, and the combined hangar bay (with dual bay ports) first tested with the Coventry class frigate Indus now became design standard. Additions from the Enterprise conversions were extensive, with the most obvious being the new LN-64 linear warp engines and the six dual heavy phaser banks both top and bottom of the hull. A second pair of singlemount phasers were mounted aft to provide extra protection n. Miranda’s trademark due to the Miranda hull configuratio uadruple hull “hard points” were retained instead of being q removed, with the two uppermost ones added for the Surya conversion program. This would enable the fitting of the various Miranda “roll bar” options and all of the mission versatility that they brought with them.

Ther e was one last addition made to the design spec before the Ave nger conversion process began. The megaphaser cannon had entered Starfl eet service in the 2260s, producing beam power equivalent to hig yie a hld modern photon torpedo. The power quirements had until now prevented them from being mounted re cept starbases and selected defensive platforms. on anything ex s of the The modular hull and warp-power equipped hard point Avenger design coupled with LN-64 linear warp capabilities practically begged for megaphaser fitting. The Avenger thus became the first Federation starship class equipped with megaphaser cannon. In operational practice they were akin to the old-style phaser cannon of the Four Years War, yielding pressive results at a high cost in available warp power. The im subsequent succ ess of megaphaser operations in the field would cause the technology to be fitted on other Starfleet starship lasses of the linear warp generat c ion. The inclusion of dual

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megaphaser cannons, one on each side of the classic Mira nda roll bar, would also cause the Avenger to be reclassified as a s tional heavy frigate in tead of a cruiser. Frigates were the tradi too combat gun platforms of Starfleet and Avenger was now overgunned for the standard cruiser designation.

40 of 42 Miranda class cruisers and 22 Surya class frigates were eventually upgraded to the Avenger specification, with the Surya conversions coming first. The Surya upgrade program was eventually cancelled before completion due to conversion difficulties, spacedock delays, and lack of funding. The funding issue also resulted in the cancellation of the planned Coventry LN-64 upgrade program. Instead, Coventy received a low-level LN-52 upgrade beginning in 2289. The reason for the lack of funding was the authorization for an alternate “upgunning” of 20 Miranda class cruisers in 2273 to a variant specification.

The Soyuz class attack frigate was the first Miranda variant to use the edge-mounted hardpoints instead of the traditional topside roll bar. The reason for this was because its megaphaser cannon were mounted in adjustable turret-style mounts (an idea borrowed from Klingon “Bird-of-Prey” heavy disruptors), with two more mounted top and bottom on a special modular hull extension. An enhanced sensor suite provided independent tracking capabilities for each megaphaser turret. Only 6 of the authorized 20 were ever built, as the Soyuz configuration soon proved too expensive and too unwieldy to effectively operate in combat. The remaining 16 Soyuz conversion candidates received the standard Avenger upgrade instead.

he Avenger program proved an immediate success. It has since T inspired several sub-classes (Endurance, Cyane, Hippocrat es, , Nimitz) and several derivative frigate-class designs Comanche (Knox, Daran, Bragg, Lancer). Avenger-derived modular hulls have been the subject of much experimentation by the Starship Design Bureau and can be seen in both “long” and “short” forms on several prototype starships – most notably the Athabaska strike carrier and the Belasarius prototype dreadnought. It was also the inspiration for the Dollond class transport/tug. 38 new build Avengers were authorized in 2282, with the first entering Starfleet service in 2285. All Avenger class heavy frigates were reclassified as Miranda class cruisers, regardless of origin, following the Federation Council’s Starfleet Reorganization Order of 2295. This was a urely political move meant to de-emphasize their once-military p nature. Most have since been reconfigured for the long-range exploration role save for the derivative Soyuz. The entire class (save the Bozeman, which was lost in the Typhon Expanse in 2278) had already been removed from service by 2289, never living up to the potential that had been expected of its unique design. An additional order for 112 new-build Miranda class cruisers (Avenger configuration) is currently pending review by the Federation Council.

SPECIFICATIONS (STANDARD CONFIGURATION):

Length: …………………………………….. 234.0 m Beam: ……………………………………… 141.7 m Draft: …………………….………………… 48.5 m Mass: …………………………………. 180,000 DWT Crew ………………………………………….… 395 Range: ……………………….…….. 20 years at L.Y.V. Cruising speed: ………………….………….. warp 8 Maximum speed: ………………….………… warp 12 Armament: …. 14 phasers (6 banks of 2, 2 single mounts) additional weaponry varies with option configuration

NOTE: Standard specifications do not include “roll bar” options and hard point option packages. Soyuz class variant displaces 212,400 DWT due to megaphaser turrets and extended hull.

Innovations: • First Class I starship to mount megaphaser cannon

SCHEMATIC:

Avenger (uprated Miranda) in standard configuration

Avenger (uprated Miranda) with standard roll bar package

Soyuz class attack frigate

AVENGER (MIRANDA) DESIGN BY VISUALS COURTESY OF BATTLECLINIC.COM AND SCIFI MESHES SCHEMATICS BY NEALE DAVIDSON (PIXEL SAGAS)

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