2.17 Weapons and Defense
States that Voyager, though an exploration vessel, is fully equipped with defensive and offensive weaponry and a well-trained tactical staff for the journey home.
The mission of Voyager is exploration, science, and diplomacy. It is not a warship, nor is Starfleet a military organization in the 20th Century sense. Nevertheless, the galaxy is a big place, full of unknown -- and occasionally hostile -- life forms. For those times when Voyager must protect itself during the journey back to the Federation, the ship is fully equipped with both defensive and offensive weaponry. When provoked, Voyager is a formidable adversary. Additionally, Janeway’s staff is fully trained in cultural sociology, strategy and crisis analysis, and they have at their disposal a powerful array of information-gathering sensors and computers. They know that their skills in these areas are often more important in the successful resolution of a crisis than are advanced weaponry.