Starfleet Starship Classifications

Starfleet vessels fit into a number of broad classifications based on their size, equipment, and intended mission. These classifications are not all-inclusive, as individual classes might not fit neatly into just one, but they’re useful for comparing the capabilities of different starship types.

Ships of the Line

Broadly speaking, vessels within this umbrella are part of Starfleet's front line inventory, performing functions that fulfill its core missions of exploration, humanitarian response, and defense. This is opposed to Auxiliary Starships, which serve in a supporting role to those missions.

Explorers

Main Articles: Explorers and Light Explorers

Explorers are intended for independent long-range exploratory missions and this classification includes the largest ships in Starfleet’s inventory—true explorers, such as the Galaxy, Sovereign, Century, Vesta, and Odyssey. In combat situations, explorers serve as Starfleet’s answer to the battleships of other powers. Compared to battleships like the D'Deridex and Negh'var, however, explorers tend to have stronger shields and an emphasis on defense.

Light Explorers are significantly smaller but are intended to go on the same long-range missions as their larger cousins, being distinct from cruisers by their range and scientific capabilities, not by their size. The Intrepid-class, for instance, is significantly smaller than a Nebula-class heavy cruiser, but is intended for missions far beyond the Federation's borders.

Cruisers

Main Articles: Heavy Cruisers, Light Cruisers, and Utility Cruisers

Cruisers are Starfleet’s standard ships-of-the-line, intended for multi-role service generally within the Federation’s borders. Making up the bulk of Starfleet, these ships handle everything from scientific and exploratory tasks to humanitarian response to defensive missions. They are generalist designs which are well suited to handle any task they might be assigned, though often less efficiently or effectively than a specialist design would.

Heavy cruisers are often nearly as large or as large as explorers. For instance, a Nebula-class heavy cruiser has a similar crew complement and deck space to the Sovereign-class explorer. Despite their size, though, they are intended to operate mainly within Federation space, handling a wide variety of domestic missions, including exploration and tactical missions. Heavy cruisers are often used to transport flag officers, as well.

Light cruisers are smaller and more numerous than heavy cruisers, common in all regions of Federation space. Utility cruisers are light cruisers with larger crews but lowered armaments, used for scientific, engineering, and medical support missions.

Frigates

Main Article: Frigates

Frigates are smaller than Light Cruisers but are more capable of multi-role service than Escorts, which are more combat-oriented. Frigates make up the bulk of Starfleet’s border patrol vessels and general service tactical vessels.

Escorts

Main Article: Escorts

Escorts are combat-oriented starships that are the closest Starfleet comes to having true warships. They range in size from the tiny Defiant to the cruiser-sized Prometheus and Manticore, but the feature that binds this classification together is its emphasis on firepower over science and exploration. They are produced in much smaller numbers than frigates.

Scouts

Scouts are small, long-range vessels intended to serve in both exploratory and tactical reconnaissance roles. They typically possess high top speed and powerful sensor arrays, but are less heavily armed than escorts or frigates.

Surveyors

Surveyors are vessels specialized in completing scientific surveys, at the expense of all other tasks. There are both planetary surveyors (intended to performed detailed, months or years-long surveys of habitable worlds) and deep space surveyors (intended to study cosmic phenomena).

Specialized Classifications

Dreadnought

There have only been two dreadnoughts in Starfleet history, the Federation-class dreadnought of the 2270s and the Galaxy-class refit (aka Dreadnought-class) introduced during the Dominion War. These vessels are explorer-sized starships with combat-oriented designs. No dreadnoughts are currently in production, and their use at all has been controversial.

Carrier

Carriers are vessels specifically equipped to handle large numbers of small craft as part of their primary mission. This could include starfighters or runabouts. There is currently only one dedicated carrier type, the Typhon-class, but the Akira-class and Argonaut-class both are considered secondary role carriers.

Hospital Ship

Hospital ships are cruiser-sized starships intended to provide large scale medical support. Often, they are converted from transports or older cruisers, but there is currently one purpose-built hospital ship in service, the Olympic-class.

Auxiliary Classifications

Starfleet operates a number of auxiliary starship types which support its ships of the line. These are operated by Starfleet Auxiliary, which is akin to a merchant marine service.

Transport

Transports are vessels specifically intended to move large numbers of people from place to place.

Freighter

Freighters move large amounts of cargo from place to place.

Tug

Tugs pull chains of cargo containers or tow starships.

Tanker

Tankers move fuel or other fluids long distances.