Typhoon Class
The Typhoon-class exploratory cruiser is Starfleet's newest and largest cruiser design, based on the cancelled Curiosity-class heavy cruiser developed during the late 2380s. Using similar technology and a similar design ethos to the Odyssey-class heavy explorer, the Typhoon is well balanced between tactical, humanitarian, and scientific mission capabilities.
Science and Exploration
Notably wider and deeper than either the Inquiry or Sovereign, Typhoon-class starships have extensive space onboard for scientific facilities. Like the related Glenn class, the Typhoon has sixteen science labs, split equally between Starfleet's core scientific disciplines and mission-configurable labs that can be set aside either for visiting mission teams or for the ship's primary mission. In addition to these facilities, ten percent of the Typhoon's habitable interior volume is left unused to allow for specialized labs or scientific equipment to be installed as mission needs demand. The Typhoon also carries a set of multi-spatial probes, which can be deployed from the ship's vertical launch tubes, and has the facilities to build additional specialized probes. The combination of these advanced features makes the Typhoon a good choice for scientific studies, but her significantly larger crew size than the Glenn more often than not has her using these features on general exploratory or patrol missions. Typhoon-class ships may be sent on purely scientific missions when a dedicated science vessel isn't available, however, or when there's the potential for danger during such a mission.
The Typhoon uses an upscaled version of the main deflector and sensory assembly used aboard the smaller Pathfinder-class long-range science vessel and the Manticore-class heavy escort, which was added to the design when production resumed in 2399. This assembly makes the ship's deflector more efficient than the original design and provides high-grade long-range sensor arrays that are among the best found aboard cruiser-size starships now in service.
Like other exploratory cruisers, Typhoon-class ships are better equipped for independent exploration than other types of cruisers. They have good endurance, as well as a large enough crew to provide the wide range of expertise necessary for missions without other ships or beyond the consultation of command. Starfleet intends to use these ships to lead smaller exploratory squadrons and divisions within the fleet where an explorer is unavailable, and, as such, they have expanded computer memory banks and hardened communications equipment that let them stay in contact with Starfleet and with other smaller ships in the area. This makes them an excellent choice for a forward-deployed exploratory flagship.
Diplomacy
The Typhoon is a solid but not perfect choice for diplomatic missions. While using similar technology to the larger Odyssey, the Typhoon is significantly smaller and devotes significant internal space to cargo, scientific, and tactical functions, and so it has significantly fewer of the bespoke diplomatic facilities that make the Odyssey and emissary-type vessels like the Obena and Ambassador stand out. With a collection of holodecks, conference lounges, and VIP quarters, a Typhoon-class ship is perfectly capable of conducting a first contact mission or limited multi-party talks, but she does so in less luxury than a vessel dedicated to this purpose. As a diplomatic courier, she only makes sense for missions where her tactical functions would make her necessary, and even then, this function is better performed by a Sovereign or Inquiry-class ship, as they commit a smaller crew to this same task.
A diplomatic function that this ship does excel at is the delivery of relief supplies: whether it's medical supplies, food, or engineering equipment, a Typhoon-class ship can deliver enough cargo to turn back a plague or a famine, while also doing so in enough style to impress the locals. They would be well-suited to leading a group of California and Parliament-class utility cruisers during large-scale logistical missions. Their internal volume can also be used to transport large groups of refugees, though not in any particular luxury.
Engineering
As with the other classes developed as part of Project Curiosity, the Typhoon's design emphasis was endurance with strong exploratory utility. While the Glenn's hyper-advanced warp field stabilizer system is very effective, it also takes up significant internal volume that could be used for crew quarters or labs. The Typhoon went in another direction: brute force. Twin warp cores power four sets of warp coils that are mounted in two split nacelles, creating a quad-lobed warp field that allows it to achieve high speeds even with greater overall mass than the Inquiry. When running flat-out, these engines can propel the Typhoon extremely fast, but their operational guidelines are optimized to operating both sets of engines together at reduced loads for optimal fuel efficiency. The novel split bussard collector system is also highly effective at collecting fuel, further improving the ship's range and decreasing its reliance on resupply. Other internal systems are similar to those found aboard the Odyssey and thus have been well-tested for many years. There are fewer bleeding-edge innovations than in other new classes, which keeps the ship's maintenance needs reasonable.
Typhoon-class starships carry an industrial replication facility which allows them to produce prefabricated buildings and other equipment useful for medical emergencies, setting up new colonies, or other humanitarian duties. They also have extensive cargo facilities, including multiple holds that take up the forward section of the saucer. These holds can be accessed through two aft-facing receiving bays on the inner lip of the saucer that allow workbees to move cargo pods in and out through a vertical access shaft. Additional holds are found in the stern, with two large doors providing access to space for bulky items, including subspace relays or other satellites.
Tactical
Typhoon-class vessels are well-equipped for combat, boasting armaments approximately equal to the larger Odyssey in a denser and more heavily armored frame. As with the Odyssey, there are two forward and two aft burst-fire launchers, each capable of launching salvos of 15 torpedoes at a time. There are four additional single-fire launchers mounted in banks of two on the lower rim of the saucer section. Point defense is provided by two rotary microtorpedo launchers on the keel. Phaser coverage is provided by 13 Type-XIV phaser arrays, as well as three pulse-phaser turrets for point defense. Combined with multiphasic shielding powered by the ship's twin warp cores, a Typhoon-class ship is a potently defensive combatant built along similar design goals as the Odyssey. Also, like the Odyssey, a weaker area of this design is its maneuverability. The ship's centerline-mounted impulse engines provide good forward thrust, but the ship isn't as agile as the Sovereign or Inquiry, and isn't as good a choice for leading an assault or strike mission. Instead, these ships are intended to serve as bulwarks, remaining over vulnerable worlds in times of war, while those other exploratory classes serve in the vanguard.
Compared to other flagship types, the Typhoon' is a better choice to lead cruiser groups when combat is an unavoidable outcome, as they put fewer crewmembers in danger than the much larger Odyssey while carrying similar communications systems and armaments. They're also a good choice to handle low to medium-intensity tactical missions on their own, with their complement of fighters to provide support against smaller targets. They are not, however, particularly discrete vessels—their large size and heavy armaments stand out and are just as likely to send jittery targets to ground as they are to complete their mission if a captain isn't careful about making their approach strategically.
Small Craft Facilities
While not carriers per se, Typhoon-class ships have significant small craft facilities that support their exploratory, humanitarian, and tactical roles. The ship's main shuttle bay is located on the stern and spans three decks, with an additional two decks of hanger storage above the bay itself. The total capacity of this bay is approximately equal to the main shuttlebay on a Sovereign-class vessel, and it is used for the majority of standard auxiliary craft functions. Closer to the center of the ship, shuttle bay 2 is similar in deck space but has a horizontal rather than vertical hatch. This bay is used primarily for runabout or fighter launches. Like the Odyssey, they have vertical launch tubes for the quick deployment of workpods, drones, probes, or fighters. There are two on each the port and starboard sides of shuttle bay two. A tunnel running along the spine of the ship allows for the transfer of craft between these two bays.
During standard operations, a Typhoon-class ship embarks a versatile assortment of craft that includes ten shuttles, four runabouts, and eight fighters, but this loadout is easily changed based on the ship's mission. Notably, a Typhoon-class ship does not have a special docking port for a captain's yacht or other such craft, and so if one is carried, it is carried along with the other auxiliary craft in place of a runabout.
Workbees can also be stored and deployed from the forward cargo receiving bays or the aft cargo holds, as they have direct access to the exterior hull. In a pinch, these could be used for smaller shuttles as well, but they aren't intended as launch and recover facilities, and so don't have dedicated tractor beams or the other automated systems a real shuttle bay would.
Shipboard Life
Of the exploratory cruisers in service, Typhoon-class ships have the largest crews. Their complement of 1,000 even exceeds some of the fleet's true explorers. Thus, it's easy to get lost in the crowd on a ship like this. While individual work teams will become close, the crew aren't in each other's business as much as happens on smaller ships. Accommodation standards are roughly equal to the Sovereign and Inquiry-class vessels that the Typhoon operates in parallel to, with multi-room apartments for senior officers, smaller suites for junior officers, and shared quarters for the ship's most junior personnel. There is a full complement of holodecks, holosuites, lounges, and mess halls, as well as a gym, swimming pool, and medium-sized arboretum. Other luxuries like a promenade deck, a ballroom, or specialized sports courts have been omitted from the design. This makes the Typhoon feel like a big ship, but still just a ship, not a city in space, the way an Odyssey or Galaxy-class vessel does. While quarters are larger than on designs like the Constitution III or Duderstadt, the finishes aboard the Typhoon are sleek and generally austere just like other new ship classes.
Medical facilities aboard the Typhoon are well-equipped and extensive, borrowed directly from the Odyssey but with half the bed space. This is both to make sure the ship's large crew receives adequate care but also to support the ship's humanitarian mission. A secondary triage facility is located directly forward of the main shuttle bay, and additional hospital facilities can be deployed as needed in the hangers and cargo holds.
Typhoon-class History
Unfortunately for the Typhoon, production hadn't even begun on the prototype before the project was cancelled mysteriously in 2390. In 2399 this was revealed to be due to the interference of Commodore Oh, a covert Romulan agent. The resulting cancellation of Project Curiosity had led to an imbalance in Starfleet's production priorities over the prior decade, leading to a massive amount of tactically-oriented cruisers but a gap in the fleet's exploratory capabilities. Because of this, and because of a desire to resume business as normal, Starfleet resumed construction on the Typhoon program. The class's design was updated with elements from the Manticore and Pathfinder, particularly the main deflector assembly, and production was assigned to Avalon Fleet Yards. The first units launched in early 2401 and were on space trials away from the disaster that was Frontier Day 2401. Once they had been modified to remove the systems associated with Fleet Formation Mode, the class entered official service in mid-2401 alongside a fully realized Glenn-class heavy cruiser. Thus, the dream of Project Curiosity was reignited, through these two classes.
The Typhoon Class In-Play
- The Typhoon-class was added to Bravo Fleet's canon as we sought candidates to fill the spot of the missing Curiosity-class heavy cruiser mentioned on Star Trek: Picard and shown as a drawing, but which was never seen on screen. In the end, we settled on an explanation of three competing classes for the overall mandate of Project Curiosity, including the Glenn-class heavy cruiser we added at the same time.
- The Typhoon is a large vessel, equal in size to several of the classes we list as explorers, but we are labeling this an exploratory cruiser (an explorer is like a battleship and an exploratory cruiser is like a battlecruiser) due to a difference in mission. Typhoon-class starships are meant to serve in a workhorse niche, leading patrols, conducting exploratory missions, and running humanitarian goods from place to place, while true explorers do all of those things while also having the ability to be truly independent when the mission allows for it.
- In many ways, a Typhoon is a pocket Odyssey, serving as a smaller and more efficient design that offers similar capabilities. This is similar to how we have described the Inquiry as a pocket Sovereign—though that designation really stems from the scale change made between Season 1 and Season 2 of Star Trek: Picard, as an Inquiry is actually wider than a Sovereign, but has a smaller crew. Typhoon-class ships are great at humanitarian and scientific missions, lag behind the Odyssey for diplomacy, slightly beat it at tactical missions, and is about equally as good at being a flagship.
- Typhoon-class ships are all brand-new. None of them are older than a mid-2401 commissioning date. That means they are few and far between, so running into an NPC member of this class isn't realistic.