Norway Class

Norway-class light cruiser
Information
Affiliation	United Federation of Planets
Type	Light Cruiser
Role	Light Cruiser
Service
Operator	Starfleet
Entered Service	2361
Endurance
Expected Design Life	80 Years
Expected Refit Cycle	10 Years
Expected Resupply Cycle	1 Year
Crew Capacity
Standard Complement	190
Emergency Capacity	500
Dimensions
Length	252 meters
Width	156 meters
Height	37 meters
Decks	11
Propulsion
Propulsion System	Matter/Antimatter powered warp drive
Cruise Speed	Warp 6
Maximum Speed	Warp 8.4
Emergency Speed	Warp 9.7 (12 hours)
Armaments
Energy Weapons	9x Type-X Phaser Arrays 1x Type-X Phaser Bank
Torpedo Launchers	2 forward single-fire launchers 1 aft single-fire launcher
Torpedo Payload	80 Photon Torpedoes 40 Quantum Torpedoes
Shields	Graviton Shields
Small Craft
Shuttle Bays	2
Shuttles	6
Additional Information
BFMS Registry
Norway-class Command Pages
Template:Specification

The Norway-class is an effective light cruiser design that is primarily geared towards scientific and diplomatic missions. Designed and produced in the 2370s, they are not as common as the Saber or Steamrunner-classes that were designed around the same time, but they are still a fixture of Starfleet in the 2390s.

Science and Exploration

Norway-class starships are not quite true science vessels, but they have more science labs than other light cruisers. They were designed to serve as a more combat-hardened version of the Springfield-class but they lag behind somewhat in terms of the numbers of labs found aboard and in terms of the size of their scientific staff. However, they are still capable of in-depth studies of both planetary and stellar bodies, as well as independent exploratory missions close to Federation space. The Norway-class has the same large forward sensor pallet employed aboard the Intrepid-class light explorer, which gives it substantial mission-configurable space for specialized equipment. The commonality between the two classes has also been useful in deploying similar experiments on multiple ships across the fleet in conditions both near and far from the Federation’s borders.

Versus a Nova-class ship, the Norway is preferable for extended duration scientific studies and has a greater overall volume for carrying specialized hardware or supplies for complicated experiments. These vessels are bread-and-butter light cruisers that tend to spend most of their lives tasked to Starfleet Science and run multiple experiments independent of their main missions even when they are assigned to other departments.

Diplomacy

Norway-class cruisers have extensive diplomatic capabilities, rivaling those of the much larger Ambassador-class with a full conference suite and adaptable quarters for up to four full ambassadorial-level delegations. The ship was designed to replace the Challenger as the diplomatic courier of choice and has been used in this role to great effect, given that it is fast, well-armed, and highly defensible. A ship of this class is much better able to hold out for assistance when negotiations go awry than her predecessor.

A typical assignment for this class of ship is to serve as an ambassador or flag officer’s base of operations for long-duration diplomatic missions, and it is extremely common as a second-contact starship, once a larger starship has done the work to establish the security of future Federation travel in a particular region. These vessels also are adept at handling multi-party conferences as a neutral location when the involved parties cannot agree on a planet or space station.

To fulfill this diplomatic role, the Norway has two over-sized shuttle bays on the stern to handle visiting small craft in addition to her own complement of diplomatic shuttles or runabouts.

Engineering

The Norway is a compact wedge-shaped vessel, with a unified hull design and boxy nacelles attached to the main hull by a catamaran system. The design shares commonality with the Akira-class heavy cruiser as well as components from the Steamrunner and Saber-class designs, with an emphasis on reliability and ease of operation of her components, though her warp drive has been tuned to an impressive Warp 9.7 maximum speed. Impulse speeds are also impressive, as her role during fleet engagements is to screen larger ships and destroy enemy frigates. Other than its shape, the design of this class is relatively conventional, but it has a similarly small number of windows compared to classes of the previous decade, as a layer of armor has been placed over the hull to increase its survivability in combat situations.

Computer systems aboard the Norway were originally isolinear, but they have since been updated to bioneural technology to allow for greater scientific capacity. There is a large cargo hold on the top of the ship with a capacity large enough to make the Norway a capable secure transport or humanitarian support vessel should the need arise.

Tactical

The Norway-class is one of a number of classes designed after Wolf 359 to be more survivable during combat situations. Though she is not a warship, she is significantly more heavily-armed than the Springfield and Challenger-class designs that she replaced. There are two forward and two aft torpedo launchers, as well as nine short Type-X phaser strips around the periphery of the ship. These arrays are short to increase the armored surface area of the hull while still providing all-around coverage, but they offer reduced firepower compared to larger arrays aboard explorers. In addition to the small arrays, the Norway also mounts a fixed Type-X bank on the bow, which provides coverage directly forward, a design borrowed from the Saber-class.

When deployed with the fleet, the Norway-class is assigned as a screen, drawing away smaller attackers from the explorers and using her numerous phaser arrays to damage and destroy frigates. The shallow depth of the vessel reduces her target profile head-on, and the ablative armor deployed on the hull helps disperse the energy from any hits that do land.

Norway-class ships are not generally assigned to patrol duties, as their core scientific and diplomatic functions are in high demand elsewhere, though they can occasionally be seen on the borders filling in during ship rotations.

Shipboard Life

Norway-class ships are designed to be impressive to visitors and so have wider corridors than other vessels of their age, as well as plusher furnishings. Given that they are meant to host dignitaries and admirals, they are also comfortable for the average crewmember, since the crew gets to use features like the arboretum deck, diplomatic reception area, and theater when the ship is not entertaining dignitaries. Like her cousins, there are comparatively few windows on the Norway to improve hull strength, but the diplomatic reception suite on Deck 02 under the bridge has a commanding view of space in front of the ship. Crewmembers generally share quarters under the rank of Lieutenant, Junior Grade, but there are very few accommodations with more than four people sharing space. Compartments with windows are often crew lounge or mess spaces, rather than quarters.

Given that their functions are primarily scientific and diplomatic, Norway-class crews tend to have a collegial, friendly environment, and service aboard one of these vessels is often considered a respite from other vessels that see more combat duty.

Class History

While the Norway-class was originally intended to be a more conventional class of light cruiser, the design was reconfigured following the Battle of Wolf 359 to have a more resilient design for future engagements with the Borg. Larger than either the Saber or Steamrunner-classes that she was designed with, the Norway entered service slightly later and had a smaller order, given that she was specialized in science and diplomacy, taking over from the Springfield-class orders that had been made.

Norway-class ships’ early service history was unremarkable, though they did participate in the Battle of Sector 001 against the Borg. During the Dominion War, they were largely relegated to second-line duties, performing patrols and humanitarian missions rather than participating in the larger battles.

Even following the introduction of the Nova-class science ship, this vessel continued in production as multi-purpose vessel with a large scientific department aboard, though they are now built at only a handful of Federation shipyards as of 2399. The Norway-class has proven itself as a reliable though unremarkable starship, popular with her crews, but not likely to make any headlines during its service history.

In Play

• For 2399, this is a pretty average vessel. It’s good at scientific and diplomatic missions, but it’s not the strongest combat vessel or really suited for long-range exploratory missions. It’s the sort of vessel that would rarely raise any eyebrows or get noticed, which could make it suitable for discreet missions.
• While not quite a full science vessel, this is a good vessel to choose for scientific missions over other light cruisers. She is substantially better at generalist duties than the Nova-class, but her larger crew makes her a waste of resources for planetary surveying missions.
• Norway-class captains would either have a scientific or diplomatic background, though they are not considered a prestigious or important command.