Difference between pages "Personnel Shuttles" and "Alita Class"

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Personnel shuttles are the most common form of [[Auxiliary Craft|auxiliary craft]] used by [[Starfleet]]. Made for short-duration missions, these craft generally have warp capability that limits them to an effective range of only a few light-years from their mothership or base, and they typically can accommodate between four and eight people, including their crew. They are most effective at travel within the same star system. While the distinction between personnel shuttles and shuttlepods has shifted over time and can be somewhat fuzzy, personnel shuttles are generally larger and warp-capable while shuttlepods are smaller and limited to impulse speeds.
{{icons|bfc|fed|sf}}{{Specification
 
| image = [[Image:Alita.png]]
==Type 4 Shuttle==
| displayName = '''''Alita''-class heavy cruiser'''
{{SmallCraftSpecifications
| name = Akira
| image = [[Image:Type4Shuttle2.jpg|275px]]
| affiliation = [[United Federation of Planets]]
| name = Type-4 Shuttle
| operator = [[Starfleet]]
| affiliation = *United Federation of Planets
| status =  
*Starfleet
| role =
| role = Personnel Transport
*Carrier
| precedingClass =
| type = Heavy Cruiser
| succeedingClass = Type-5 Personnel Shuttle
| precedingClass = Akira
| dateEntered = 2280
| succeedingClass =  
| crewComplement = 2
| dateEntered = 2395
| passengers = 6
| productionEnd =  
| length = 9
| retired =  
| width = 3.5
| expectedDuration = 80 Years
| height = 3
| expectedRefit = 10 Years
| propulsionSystem = Warp Drive
| timeResupply = 1 Year
| cruiseSpeed = Warp 1.5
| crewComplement = 650
| msd = [[image:Type4Shuttle.jpg|275px]]
| emergencyCap = 5,000
}}The Type-4 shuttle is based on the earlier Class-C shuttlecraft, a design that is also still seen in widespread use across the Federation. Its basic spaceframe has served as the core of the later Type-5, Type-6, and Type-8 designs, a line of vehicles that has seen production in the hundreds of thousands since it was first introduced in the 2280s. Generally speaking, these are no longer used by Starfleet, though there are exceptions hanging on at remote outposts and assigned to vessels in the Starfleet Auxilary, such as freighters and tankers. They still see widespread use in civilian hands.
| civilians =  
 
| populationCap =  
The forward cockpit with two crew stations is separated from the aft passenger area by a section with doors to port and starboard that allow entry to the cabin. Entry is also possible through a large hatch on the aft end of the vehicle. Generally, the aft area contains bench seats on either side, though there are variants with these stripped out to carry more cargo, variants with chairs, and even VIP variants; because of this vehicle's extreme age, there are many variants that could be encountered.
| flightCrew =  
 
| passengers =  
<gallery widths=250px>
| length = 464 meters
File:Type4Shuttle3.jpg
| width = 317  meters
File:Type4Shuttle4.jpg
| diameter =  
File:Type4Shuttle5.jpg
| height = 87 meters
File:Type4Shuttle6.jpg
| decks = 17
</gallery>
| propulsionSystem = Matter/Antimatter powered warp drive
 
| cruiseSpeed = Warp 7
{{clear}}
| maxSpeed = Warp 9.5
 
| emergencySpeed =  Warp 9.98
==Type 5 Shuttle==
| energyWeapons = *11x Type-XII Phaser Arrays
{{Specifications
*4x Type-XII Pulse Phaser Cannons
| image = [[image:Type5Shuttle.jpg|275px]]
*2x Type-XIV Pulse Phaser Cannons
| name = Type 5
| torpLaunchers = *6 Forward
| affiliation = Starfleet
*6 Aft
| role = Personnel Shuttle
| torpPayload = *300 Photon Torpedoes
| dateEntered = 2320
*300 Quantum Torpedoes
| crewComplement = 8
| shields = Multi-Layered Shielding System
| length = 9 meters
| dockingfacilities =  
| width = 3.5 meters
| shuttleBays = 3
| height = 3 meters
| shuttles = 24
| cruiseSpeed = Warp 1.5
| runabouts = 6
}}
| fighters = 12
The Type-5 shuttle is an evolution of the earlier Type-4 design with an enhanced cockpit and other improvements to the general characteristics of the craft. It has been in service for over sixty years at this point and is generally found on older vessels and on unimportant space stations. It's often used as a flight trainer, given its commonality with so many other small Federation vehicles.
| aux =  
 
| msd =  
The forward cockpit with two crew stations is separated from the aft passenger area by a section with doors to port and starboard that allow entry to the cabin. Entry is also possible through a large hatch on the aft end of the vehicle. Generally, the aft area contains bench seats on either side, though there are variants with these stripped out to carry more cargo, variants with chairs, and even VIP variants; because of this vehicle's extreme age, there are many variants that could be encountered. Unlike the earlier model, it has an emergency transporter.
}}The '''''Alita''-class heavy cruiser''' is the 25th-century successor to the ''Akira''-class heavy cruiser, combining aspects of a carrier with enhanced tactical systems for a design that forms an important part of Starfleet's defensive mission. The ''Alita''<nowiki/>'s carrier capabilities are even more impressive than her predecessor, and in peacetime her hangers are ability to deliver squadrons of scouts to the frontier for exploration or large numbers of runabouts for evacuation and humanitarian aid missions.
 
<gallery widths=250px>
File:Type5Shuttle2.jpg
File:Type5Shuttle3.png
</gallery>
 
{{clear}}
 
==Type 6 Shuttle==
{{Specifications
| image = [[image:Type6Shuttle.jpg|275px]]
| name = Type 6
| affiliation = Starfleet
| role = Personnel Shuttle
| dateEntered = 2350
| crewComplement = 8
| length = 6 meters
| width = 4 meters
| height = 3 meters
| cruiseSpeed = Warp 2.5
}}
Of all of the models of shuttle produced in the 24th century, the Type-6 is the most common throughout Starfleet. Though it was introduced in the 2350s, it was produced in such high numbers that it will be a common sight in hanger bays across the fleet for the foreseeable future. Many pilots prefer this craft over later models because it strikes such a good balance between size and performance.


A shortened and enhanced version of the two previous models, this craft has an emergency transporter, replicator, and mounts for type-VI phaser banks which can be installed for special missions. With the two side hatches from the previous versions eliminated, access is only possible through the large rear hatch. Bench seating on the sides of the aft compartment are the most common configuration for this shuttle.
===Exploration and Science===
With her large crew and powerful tactical systems, the ''Alita'' would be considered an exploratory cruiser rather than a heavy cruiser if it were not for her more limited range. This class is capable of embarking on missions of exploration—and excels in multiplying her own scientific potential with her fleet of small craft—but simply isn't equipped for sustained missions without support. As with all heavy cruisers, she carries a well-equipped science department, but has limited space for mission-specific labs and so must remain a generalist. One area in which the Alita does shine is in launching probes, as her many torpedo launchers can easily launch swarms of probes as well. These vessels are very good counterparts for large explorers in squadrons, however, as they can pool their resources and provide tactical support.


<gallery widths=250px>
==Diplomacy==
File:Type6Shuttle2.jpg
Diplomatic facilities on the ''Alita'' are improved from those aboard the ''Akira'', but the ''Alita'' is not a first-choice diplomatic platform. For this role, Starfleet is more apt to send an ''Excelsior II'' instead, given that the ''Alita''<nowiki/>'s heavy armaments might send the wrong message. Sometimes, however, her heavy armaments are the ''correct'' message, and the Alita does make a good show of force in contested areas.
File:Type6Shuttle3.jpg
File:Type6Shuttle4.jpg
File:Type6Shuttle5.jpg
File:Type6ShuttleInterior.jpg
</gallery>


{{clear}}
==Engineering==
The ''Alita'' retains the same overall form as the ''Akira,'' with a large primary hull connecting via catamaran structures to two nacelles. The profile of the class has been stretched lengthwise compared to the original, and the small craft areas have been moved lower into the hull to provide more space in the upper levels for crew quarters and other systems. To further free up space in the primary hull, the warp core was relocated by expanding the original tactical pod into a full-fledged secondary hull. In an emergency, the warp core ejects from the bottom of the pod, while the antimatter pods eject upward through four hatches. Efficiency of the warp propulsion system is enhanced by two small warp field governors in the pod, and a two more in the primary hull. Impulse flight systems are dramatically improved from the Akira, with four large engines providing impressive sublight speeds.


===Type 6A Shuttle===
''Alita''-class ships retain large engineering departments, due to the need to service small craft and because of the complexity of the ship's systems. They are also well-suited to the humanitarian tasks that the ''Alita'' is often sent to handle.
{{Specifications
| image = [[image:Type6AShuttle.png|275px]]
| name = Type 6A
| affiliation = Starfleet
| role = Personnel Shuttle
| dateEntered = 2368
| crewComplement = 8
| length = 9 meters
| width = 4 meters
| height = 3.5 meters
| cruiseSpeed = Warp 2.5
}}Introduced alongside the [[California class|''California''-class starship]] in 2368, the Type-6A shuttle incorporates all of the technical advancements of the Type-6 shuttle while returning to the fuselage length of the Type-5, once again featuring a pair of gull-wing doors between the cockpit and passenger/cargo compartment. This larger size allows it to reliably transport bulkier cargo, useful for ships not large enough to also carry cargo shuttles. The Type-6A is slightly taller than the model it is derived from, as it rests on its warp nacelles and not the bottom of the fuselage.
<gallery widths=250px>
File:Type6AShuttle2.jpg
File:Type6AShuttle3.jpg
File:Type6AShuttle4.jpg
</gallery>


{{clear}}
==Tactical==
Like her predecessor, the ''Alita'' is very well-armed. Six forward and six aft torpedo launchers provide her with the capability to deploy a tremendous amount of ordnance in a short amount of time. The hull is also studded with eleven type-XII phaser arrays for wide overall coverage. Forward firepower is enhanced by four standard type-XII phaser cannons and two heavy type-XIV phaser cannons, which biases this ship's weaponry towards the forward arc. Coupled with the one or two wings of starfighters she carries, this makes the Alita one of the most heavily-armed heavy cruisers in Starfleet history. Indeed, she matches many of the abilities of smaller tactical vessels designated heavy escorts, but with greater exploratory and humanitarian capabilities. ''Alita''-class ships are well-shielded, and vital areas of the ship are covered in ablative armor.


==Type 7 Shuttle==
Compared to exploratory cruisers or explorers, Alita-class starships have smaller power generators and thus have less endurance during combat. Alone, they need to disable their target quickly or risk exhausting themselves; twelve torpedo launchers make the ship's ordnance deplete quickly. In fleet situations where they are not the main target of a threat, their fire support abilities shine and their fighters are excellent at defending other ships.
{{Specifications
| image = [[image:Type7Shuttle.jpg|275px]]
| name = Type 7
| affiliation = Starfleet
| role = Personnel Shuttle
| dateEntered = 2357
| crewComplement = 10
| length = 8.5 meters
| width = 4 meters
| height = 3 meters
| cruiseSpeed = Warp 2.5
}}
Introduced alongside the Galaxy-class in the late 2350s, the Type-7 shuttle was the first wholly new personnel shuttle design in over 70 years. With its curved hull and spacious interior, it was a much higher performance vehicle than the Type-6 and generally has only seen service on larger vessels. It still remains a popular small craft, especially among senior officers who appreciate the separation between the flight area and the passenger compartment.


Entry is provided through a hatch under the nose of the vehicle, which also serves as a ramp up into the cockpit, which contains free-standing consoles for a pilot and mission specialist. It has reconfigurable seating in the aft compartment that can serve in many variations ranging from bench seating for six, to front-to-back chairs for eight, to an executive configuration with a comfortable lounge space for senior officers.
==Small Craft Capabilities==
The hangers aboard an ''Alita''-class starship span the majority of eight decks in the lower portion of the vessel. Shuttle Bay 1 is a massive bay equal in size to the primary bays found aboard ''Galaxy'' and ''Nebula''-class ships, which allows for the ''Alita'' to handle the largest runabouts and other craft in service. Storage and service bays are found in the decks beneath the hanger, and these connect all the way forward to two smaller bays, one on either side of the main deflector. This massive small craft facility allows for simultaneous launch and recovery activities, as well as for craft launched out of any of the bays to be serviced and refueled for storage in one centralized facility. In combat situations, fighters are launched from the forward two bays and recovered in the aft bay. In pure combat applications, the ''Alita'' can embark a group of two fighter wings, for a total of 24 starfighters. For humanitarian missions, it can easily carry 12 large runabouts. For general operations, a balance of craft is carried: 12 fighters, 6 runabouts, and two-dozen shuttles.


<gallery widths=250px>
These vessels have extensive repair shops and fabrication facilities for small craft, including a vehicle replicator. This allows them to service their own small craft in field conditions without additional support or to build new shuttles for specialized missions. Unlike most starships, they are also capable of manufacturing the large modules used by ''Danube'' and ''New Atlantic''-class runabouts.
File:Type7Shuttle3.jpg
File:Type7Shuttle4.jpg
File:Type7Shuttle5.jpg
File:Type7Shuttle6.jpg
File:Type7Shuttle7.jpg
</gallery>


{{clear}}
Eight hatches amidships behind the bridge cover vertical launch shafts and connect to the hanger. They can either be used for the quick launch of fighters, shuttles, or work pods and for deploying drones, experimental munitions, or probes. This system was developed from the one found aboard the ''Odyssey'', which is more limited.


==Type 8 Shuttle==
==Shipboard Life==
{{Specifications
Alita-class ships are modern and spacious, built at a crossroads in starship design philosophies between the era of having lots of windows and spacious individual quarters and more modern ideas that favor communal spaces at the expense of smaller crew quarters. This ship has several large lounges in the primary hull, and senior officers have large quarters with windows, but junior officers and enlisted personnel tend to have interior quarters—though they are often individual quarters at least. Advanced holodecks and large medical facilities provide excellent crew support.  
| image = [[image:Type8Shuttle.jpg|275px]]
| name = Type 8
| affiliation = Starfleet
| role = Personnel Shuttle
| dateEntered = 2368
| crewComplement = 8
| length =6 meters
| width = 4 meters
| height = 3 meters
| cruiseSpeed = Warp 2.5
| energyWeapons = 2x Type-VI Phaser Banks
}}
The most recent (and likely final) revision of the Type-4 spaceframe, the Type-8 shuttle is an uprated version of the Type-6, with enhanced computer systems, shields, and Type-VI phasers mounted by default, as a response to increasing concerns over the Borg that were circulating when it was introduced in the late 2360s. It was first used aboard Akira, Saber, and Norway-class ships, and retains the same overall shape and configuration of her older cousin. Though it's not meant for sustained combat, commanders can feel confident that it can get where it needs to go thanks to its adequate defenses.


This craft has an emergency transporter and replicator, and access is only possible through the large rear hatch. Bench seating on the sides of the aft compartment is the most common configuration for this shuttle.
As one of the only carrier classes in the fleet, ''Alita''-class ships are popular with flight control officers for their opportunity to live out their fantasies of becoming fighter aces--or at least the ability to fly runabouts on humanitarian missions. Because these ships change their small craft complements for specific missions, it gives pilots the opportunity to learn to fly many different small craft well. Due to their armaments, captains of these vessels tend to have significant tactical experience.


<gallery widths=250px>
==''Alita'' Class History==
File:Type8Shuttle2.jpg
Upgrades to the ''Akira''-class heavy cruiser were contemplated many times as early as the 2380s, and that class received several minor enhancements in the decades subsequent to their introduction. By the 2390s, it was clear that the class could do with a full refresh. One major complaint about the original design was that the hanger facilities were cramped by their position at the heart of the secondary hull, so Starfleet wanted the Advanced Starship Design Bureau to prioritize solving this problem. The design that was approved in 2393 was clearly the ''Akira'' at its heart, but sufficiently a new design for Starfleet to consider it to be a fully separate class. Dubbed the ''Alita'' class, the first few units of this new class were converted from ''Akiras'' already in production, and the ''Alita'' herself launched in 2395.
File:Type8Shuttle3.jpg
File:Type8Shuttle4.jpg
</gallery>
 
{{clear}}
 
==Type 9 Shuttle==
{{Specifications
| image = [[image:Type9Shuttle.jpg|275px]]
| name = Type 9
| affiliation = Starfleet
| role = Personnel Shuttle
| dateEntered = 2371
| crewComplement = 4
| length = 9 meters
| width = 3.8 meters
| height = 2.95 meters
| cruiseSpeed = Warp 4
| energyWeapons = 3x Type-VI Phaser Arrays
}}
Designed alongside the Nova-class starship, the Type-9 shuttle is very fast for its size and is ideal for short-range scouting missions away from its mothership. It is armed with three Type-VI phaser arrays and has good shielding, but only has comfortable accommodations for four people, including two crew. It remains a common sight due to its utility, though it's less capable at transporting people than larger models.
 
The cockpit has a station for the pilot and a station for a mission specialist, which includes a large wrap-around console with access to the shuttle's enhanced sensor systems. Entry is provided through an aft hatch, which has a fold-down ramp and a roll-up upper section. Jumpseats can be installed in the aft section, or it can carry small amounts of cargo.
 
<gallery widths=250px>
File:Type9Shuttle2.jpg
File:Type9Shuttle3.jpg
File:Type9Shuttle4.jpg
File:Type9Shuttle5.jpg
File:Type9ShuttleInterior.jpg
</gallery>
 
{{clear}}
 
==Type 10 Shuttle==
{{Specifications
| image = [[image:Type10Shuttle.jpg|275px]]
| name = Type 10
| affiliation = Starfleet
| role = Personnel Shuttle
| dateEntered = 2374
| crewComplement = 4
| length = 9 meters
| width = 3.8 meters
| height = 2.95 meters
| cruiseSpeed = Warp 3
| energyWeapons = 3x Type-VI Phaser Arrays
| torpLaunchers = 2 Micro-torpedo Launchers
}}
The Type-10 shuttle is the smallest craft classified as a personnel shuttle rather than a shuttlepod. Designed for escort-types ships such as the Defiant-class, these craft take up a minimal amount of space and have hardened features that make them suited for rougher environments than other small craft. In addition to an armored hull, they're armed with Type-VI phaser arrays and twin micro-torpedo launchers mounted above the fuselage. These armaments make them an ideal choice for discreet tactical missions. They have the capacity for two crew members and four passengers, in close quarters. Entry is achieved through a single rear hatch, and this craft is one of the few Federation vehicles that has extendable landing legs to offer stability for its rear-heavy frame.
 
<gallery widths=250px>
File:Type10Shuttle2.jpg
File:Type10Shuttle3.jpg
File:Type10Shuttle4.jpg
File:Type10Shuttle5.jpg
File:Type10Shuttle6.jpg
</gallery>
 
{{clear}}
 
==Type 11 Shuttle==
{{Specifications
| image = [[image:Type11Shuttle.jpg|275px]]
| name = Type 11
| affiliation = Starfleet
| role = Personnel Shuttle
| dateEntered = 2375
| crewComplement = 14
| length = 15 meters
| width = 3.5 meters
| height = 4.5 meters
| cruiseSpeed = Warp 6
| energyWeapons = 4x Type-VII Phaser Arrays
| torpLaunchers =
}}
Type-11 shuttles are the largest personnel shuttles currently in use by Starfleet. Built on similar principles to the earlier Type-7 shuttle but on a larger scale, this type of shuttle has a separate cockpit and configurable mission section, with options ranging from simple passenger space, a VIP stateroom, cargo space, or scientific equipment. This modularity makes it nearly as capable as a small runabout, and, indeed, smaller ships will often embark a Type-11 rather than a runabout. They have a single aft hatch, along with top and bottom hatches with docking clamps. They're also armed standard with Type-VII phaser arrays.
 
<gallery widths=250px>
Type11Shuttle2.jpg
Type11Shuttle3.png
Type11Shuttle4.jpg
Type11Shuttle5.jpg
Type11Shuttle6.jpg
</gallery>
 
{{clear}}
 
==Type 12 Shuttle==
{{Specifications
| image = [[image:Type12Shuttle.png|275px]]
| name = Type 12
| affiliation = Starfleet
| role = Personnel Shuttle
| dateEntered = 2392
| crewComplement = 4
| length = 9 meters
| width = 3.8 meters
| height = 2.95 meters
| cruiseSpeed = Warp 7
| energyWeapons = 4x Type-VII Phaser Arrays
| torpLaunchers = 2x Micro-Torpedo Launchers
}}
Introduced in the early 2390s, the Type-12 shuttle is an upgrade to the Type-9 shuttle, with even faster engines and enhanced tactical systems (Type-VIII phaser arrays and two micro torpedo launchers). It is currently the standard personnel shuttle being deployed across Starfleet's newest ships and bases. Capable of even longer distance missions than the Type-9, the Type-12 is a highly capable craft that also fits in almost any hanger bay.


<gallery widths=250px>
The advantages over the ''Akira'' were immediately clear, but this design program had an unintended side effect: given her capabilities as a carrier, the ''Alita'' not only succeeded the ''Akira'' in production but led Starfleet to decommission the few remaining ''Typhon''-class carriers. While some ''Akira''-class vessels have been converted to ''Alita''-class vessels, this has only occurred when a substantially damaged ''Akira'' returned to the yards. Thus, the two classes are expected to remain in service side-by-side for the foreseeable future.
File:Type12Shuttle2.jpg
File:Type12Shuttle3.jpg
File:Type12Shuttle4.jpg
File:Type12Shuttle5.jpg
File:Type12Shuttle6.jpg
File:Type12Shuttle7.jpg
File:Type12Interior.jpg
</gallery>


{{clear}}
==''Alita'' Class In-Play ==


[[Category:Specifications]]
*The ''Alita'' is a more modern ''Akira'', with commensurate improvements in performance with 30 years of lessons learned. The two ships remain in service together, though, and the Akira has a smaller crew, while the ''Alita'' is much better as a carrier. The ''Alita'' also displaced the ''Typhon''-class carrier, and it's a sought-after ship for captains who like having access to a lot of small craft.
[[Category:Auxiliary_Craft]]
*Compared among the heavy cruisers, the ''Excelsior II'' is more well-rounded and is better at diplomacy, while the ''Alita'' is better tactically, but both of these classes are meant to handle all sorts of missions within and near Federation space.
[[Category:Federation Small Craft]]
*These ships are still much rarer than the ''Akira'' class, as they've only been in production for a few years.
[[Category:Playable Federation Starships]]
[[Category:Federation Starship Classes (2385–2397)]]

Revision as of 15:41, 24 April 2023

This article is official Bravo Fleet canon.

Federation Faction Starfleet







Alita.png
Alita-class heavy cruiser
Information
Affiliation

United Federation of Planets

Type

Heavy Cruiser

Role
  • Carrier
Lineage
Preceding Class

Akira-class

Service
Operator

Starfleet

Entered Service

2395

Endurance
Expected Design Life

80 Years

Expected Refit Cycle

10 Years

Expected Resupply Cycle

1 Year

Crew Capacity
Standard Complement

650

Emergency Capacity

5,000

Dimensions
Length

464 meters

Width

317 meters

Height

87 meters

Decks

17

Propulsion
Propulsion Systems

Matter/Antimatter powered warp drive

Cruise Speed

Warp 7

Maximum Speed

Warp 9.5

Emergency Speed

Warp 9.98

Armaments
Energy Weapons
  • 11x Type-XII Phaser Arrays
  • 4x Type-XII Pulse Phaser Cannons
  • 2x Type-XIV Pulse Phaser Cannons
Torpedo Launchers
  • 6 Forward
  • 6 Aft
Torpedo Payload
  • 300 Photon Torpedoes
  • 300 Quantum Torpedoes
Shields

Multi-Layered Shielding System

Small Craft
Shuttlebays

3

Shuttles

24

Runabouts

6

Fighters

12

Template:Specification

The Alita-class heavy cruiser is the 25th-century successor to the Akira-class heavy cruiser, combining aspects of a carrier with enhanced tactical systems for a design that forms an important part of Starfleet's defensive mission. The Alita's carrier capabilities are even more impressive than her predecessor, and in peacetime her hangers are ability to deliver squadrons of scouts to the frontier for exploration or large numbers of runabouts for evacuation and humanitarian aid missions.

Exploration and Science

With her large crew and powerful tactical systems, the Alita would be considered an exploratory cruiser rather than a heavy cruiser if it were not for her more limited range. This class is capable of embarking on missions of exploration—and excels in multiplying her own scientific potential with her fleet of small craft—but simply isn't equipped for sustained missions without support. As with all heavy cruisers, she carries a well-equipped science department, but has limited space for mission-specific labs and so must remain a generalist. One area in which the Alita does shine is in launching probes, as her many torpedo launchers can easily launch swarms of probes as well. These vessels are very good counterparts for large explorers in squadrons, however, as they can pool their resources and provide tactical support.

Diplomacy

Diplomatic facilities on the Alita are improved from those aboard the Akira, but the Alita is not a first-choice diplomatic platform. For this role, Starfleet is more apt to send an Excelsior II instead, given that the Alita's heavy armaments might send the wrong message. Sometimes, however, her heavy armaments are the correct message, and the Alita does make a good show of force in contested areas.

Engineering

The Alita retains the same overall form as the Akira, with a large primary hull connecting via catamaran structures to two nacelles. The profile of the class has been stretched lengthwise compared to the original, and the small craft areas have been moved lower into the hull to provide more space in the upper levels for crew quarters and other systems. To further free up space in the primary hull, the warp core was relocated by expanding the original tactical pod into a full-fledged secondary hull. In an emergency, the warp core ejects from the bottom of the pod, while the antimatter pods eject upward through four hatches. Efficiency of the warp propulsion system is enhanced by two small warp field governors in the pod, and a two more in the primary hull. Impulse flight systems are dramatically improved from the Akira, with four large engines providing impressive sublight speeds.

Alita-class ships retain large engineering departments, due to the need to service small craft and because of the complexity of the ship's systems. They are also well-suited to the humanitarian tasks that the Alita is often sent to handle.

Tactical

Like her predecessor, the Alita is very well-armed. Six forward and six aft torpedo launchers provide her with the capability to deploy a tremendous amount of ordnance in a short amount of time. The hull is also studded with eleven type-XII phaser arrays for wide overall coverage. Forward firepower is enhanced by four standard type-XII phaser cannons and two heavy type-XIV phaser cannons, which biases this ship's weaponry towards the forward arc. Coupled with the one or two wings of starfighters she carries, this makes the Alita one of the most heavily-armed heavy cruisers in Starfleet history. Indeed, she matches many of the abilities of smaller tactical vessels designated heavy escorts, but with greater exploratory and humanitarian capabilities. Alita-class ships are well-shielded, and vital areas of the ship are covered in ablative armor.

Compared to exploratory cruisers or explorers, Alita-class starships have smaller power generators and thus have less endurance during combat. Alone, they need to disable their target quickly or risk exhausting themselves; twelve torpedo launchers make the ship's ordnance deplete quickly. In fleet situations where they are not the main target of a threat, their fire support abilities shine and their fighters are excellent at defending other ships.

Small Craft Capabilities

The hangers aboard an Alita-class starship span the majority of eight decks in the lower portion of the vessel. Shuttle Bay 1 is a massive bay equal in size to the primary bays found aboard Galaxy and Nebula-class ships, which allows for the Alita to handle the largest runabouts and other craft in service. Storage and service bays are found in the decks beneath the hanger, and these connect all the way forward to two smaller bays, one on either side of the main deflector. This massive small craft facility allows for simultaneous launch and recovery activities, as well as for craft launched out of any of the bays to be serviced and refueled for storage in one centralized facility. In combat situations, fighters are launched from the forward two bays and recovered in the aft bay. In pure combat applications, the Alita can embark a group of two fighter wings, for a total of 24 starfighters. For humanitarian missions, it can easily carry 12 large runabouts. For general operations, a balance of craft is carried: 12 fighters, 6 runabouts, and two-dozen shuttles.

These vessels have extensive repair shops and fabrication facilities for small craft, including a vehicle replicator. This allows them to service their own small craft in field conditions without additional support or to build new shuttles for specialized missions. Unlike most starships, they are also capable of manufacturing the large modules used by Danube and New Atlantic-class runabouts.

Eight hatches amidships behind the bridge cover vertical launch shafts and connect to the hanger. They can either be used for the quick launch of fighters, shuttles, or work pods and for deploying drones, experimental munitions, or probes. This system was developed from the one found aboard the Odyssey, which is more limited.

Shipboard Life

Alita-class ships are modern and spacious, built at a crossroads in starship design philosophies between the era of having lots of windows and spacious individual quarters and more modern ideas that favor communal spaces at the expense of smaller crew quarters. This ship has several large lounges in the primary hull, and senior officers have large quarters with windows, but junior officers and enlisted personnel tend to have interior quarters—though they are often individual quarters at least. Advanced holodecks and large medical facilities provide excellent crew support.

As one of the only carrier classes in the fleet, Alita-class ships are popular with flight control officers for their opportunity to live out their fantasies of becoming fighter aces--or at least the ability to fly runabouts on humanitarian missions. Because these ships change their small craft complements for specific missions, it gives pilots the opportunity to learn to fly many different small craft well. Due to their armaments, captains of these vessels tend to have significant tactical experience.

Alita Class History

Upgrades to the Akira-class heavy cruiser were contemplated many times as early as the 2380s, and that class received several minor enhancements in the decades subsequent to their introduction. By the 2390s, it was clear that the class could do with a full refresh. One major complaint about the original design was that the hanger facilities were cramped by their position at the heart of the secondary hull, so Starfleet wanted the Advanced Starship Design Bureau to prioritize solving this problem. The design that was approved in 2393 was clearly the Akira at its heart, but sufficiently a new design for Starfleet to consider it to be a fully separate class. Dubbed the Alita class, the first few units of this new class were converted from Akiras already in production, and the Alita herself launched in 2395.

The advantages over the Akira were immediately clear, but this design program had an unintended side effect: given her capabilities as a carrier, the Alita not only succeeded the Akira in production but led Starfleet to decommission the few remaining Typhon-class carriers. While some Akira-class vessels have been converted to Alita-class vessels, this has only occurred when a substantially damaged Akira returned to the yards. Thus, the two classes are expected to remain in service side-by-side for the foreseeable future.

Alita Class In-Play

  • The Alita is a more modern Akira, with commensurate improvements in performance with 30 years of lessons learned. The two ships remain in service together, though, and the Akira has a smaller crew, while the Alita is much better as a carrier. The Alita also displaced the Typhon-class carrier, and it's a sought-after ship for captains who like having access to a lot of small craft.
  • Compared among the heavy cruisers, the Excelsior II is more well-rounded and is better at diplomacy, while the Alita is better tactically, but both of these classes are meant to handle all sorts of missions within and near Federation space.
  • These ships are still much rarer than the Akira class, as they've only been in production for a few years.