6.6 Horizon Class Survey Cruiser

Horizon Class Survey Cruiser

Service Entry Date (Old Calendar): 2146

This, the original Horizon class, was one of the first “true” Federation starships in that it was not a “local” design. Its lines betray its Terran heritage; however, as Terran influence was still very much dominant in the new Federation Star Fleet. These were the original survey cruisers of the Federation, systematically charting and surveying the new systems and worlds of the New Territories previously unknown to the Local Group. A total of 51 would eventually be built. The needs of the Romulan War would both slow production and change the class mission profile. Its armaments were upgraded and it was pressed into service to fill the gaps caused by losses among Star Fleet “heavies.” After the War, the survivors were reconfigured as priority armed transports and relegated to secondary duties. At least a dozen of these aged workhorses are still in use in the civilian sector.

Specifications

Length: 280 m. Beam: 136.5 m. Draft: 57.8 m. Mass: 38,500 DWT. Crew: 224. Range: 15 years at L.Y.V. Cruising speed: Warp 3.0. Maximum safe speed: Warp 3.25. Armament: 4 (8) laser banks*, 2 (6) particle beam cannon*, 50 (200) fusion torpedoes* (* numbers reflect Romulan War upgrade).

Innovations

• First non-local Federation starship class
• First starship to carry work pods
• First starship to use duranium to lighten mass

Armstrong Class Heavy Cruiser

Service Entry Date (Old Calendar): 2147

The Armstrong class was the main Andorian contribution to the new Star Fleet. Inspired by the Andorian’s own Thofsin class battlecruiser, the Armstrong class was designed to replace the aging Messier class in the role of primary Star Fleet ship-of-the-line. Its engines were the same weight saving, elongated Centaurean design as those of the DY-1200 transport; however the design of the rest of the ship was pure Andorian. The first of these entered service in 2147, with another being built every two years due to limited yard space. As each was introduced a Messier class starship was correspondingly “retired” to fleet scouting and secondary support roles. 12 additional ships were authorized once the Romulan threat became clear. All of these were completed by war’s end; however, four were lost in battle and a fifth so badly damaged that it had to be scrapped.

The Armstrong class emphasized the Andorian “weapons-over-comforts” design philosophy. Many of its crews complained that its interior spaces were as cramped as those of a Cavalry class destroyer. This was a price that Star Fleet was willing to pay for its impressive arsenal of lasers, torpedoes, and particle beam cannon. In another era they might have been classified as battle cruisers or dreadnoughts had they the shielding to match. Energy shielding technology was still a decade away from starship installation, though, so the Armstrong class was fitted with ablative armor like all other Star Fleet vessels of the era.

The Armstrong class shares the same distinction as the Wright class in being one of the forerunners of the Class I program. Whereas the Djartanna derived Wright class would eventually evolved through several stages into the Class I heavy cruiser, the Armstrong was the direct ancestor of the Loknar class frigate. It was the first Star Fleet vessel to employ an H-frame type hull design. This unusual configuration made the Armstrong class quite maneuverable at warp speeds, more so than it should have been for a vessel of its size and mass. This design feature did it little good in the mostly sublight battles of the Romulan War; however, it would benefit its descendants of wars to come.

One of the most interesting design offshoots of the Armstrong program was the NX-Program design study of the early 2150s. This would have replaced the catarman-style primary hull with an elliptical saucer. Andor’s Chiokis Design Group had been doing a lot of experimentation with saucer-shaped hulls the past decade in an effort to overcome the limitations of existing starship designs. Their initial research data suggested that a saucer shaped primary hull, be it circular or elliptical, would maximize a starship’s mobility at warp speed. Unfortunately, the starship technology of the day was simply not up to building a frame strong enough for a saucer that could withstand the stresses of warp speed. In addition to this the warp engines of the day could not put out a powerful enough structural integrity field to assist in holding together such a design. This meant that there was no possibility of the NX-Program ever being built during this era. The NX-Program was not in vain, however. Lessons learned during its development would be applied to the forthcoming Daedalus class survey cruisers. As for the NX-Program itself, it would eventually come to life almost a full century later once the technology had caught up with the concept.

All ships of the Armstrong class were named for famous Local Group space pioneers. Only one Armstrong class heavy cruiser has survived the passage of time. The UES John Glenn (NCCC210) was sold to the Caitians as a system defense ship in 2175. It was modernized, renamed the M’ritt, and continued on active duty until 2208, when it was placed in the Caitian mothball fleet. The UESPA Foundation is currently in negotiations to purchase the M’ritt and restore it as a museum ship.

Specifications

Length: 207 m. Beam: 120 m. Draft: 65 m. Mass: 38,000 DWT. Crew: 175. Range: 12 years at L.Y.V. Cruising speed: Warp 3.2. Maximum safe speed: Warp 3.6. Armament: 24 laser banks (10 forward, 3 per side, 2 each top & bottom, 4 aft), 12 particle beam cannons (4 forward, 3 per side, 2 aft), 6 fusion torpedo tubes (4 forward, 2 aft).

Innovations

• First of the Star Fleet “H-frame” starships

Gallant Class Star Fighter

Service Entry Date (Old Calendar): 2148

The Federation’s first space fighter came in two flavors. The Gallant configuration was a pure space superiority fighter craft, fitted with four of the most powerful laser banks of its time. The Arrow configuration was fitted with less powerful lasers, lightening the ship’s mass so that up to 4 fusion torpedoes could be carried on centerline mounts. Both were built on the same frame, with a single GSC combination impulse/jump generator for short-range operations. Their unusual visual appearance, due to their four cross-mounted lasers, soon earned them the nickname of “Frogstar fighters” by their pilots.

The idea of a “star fighter” was a popular one with the Terrans, who had come to the stars with a culture rich in the military fighter pilot tradition. The realities of space combat would prove otherwise. 289 of the 410 built between 2148 and 2159 were lost the first year of the Romulan War and only a handful of their pilots survived. One shot from a starship laser was enough to destroy them; also, pilot ejection systems were of little use in an infinite void where the chances of being spotted, let alone rescued, were practically nil. After these staggering losses Star Fleet redeployed its star fighters along with its few carriers to its garrison fleets, where they served for the rest of the war.

Specifications

Length: 30 m. Diameter (fintips): 13 m. Mass: 70 DWT. Crew: 1-2. Cruising speed: Warp 2.0. Maximum safe speed: Warp 2.5. Armament: 4 lasers banks (Gallant), up to 4 fusion torpedoes (Arrow).

Innovations

• First Federation space fighter craft