Challenger Squadron

Challenger Squadron is a formation commanded by Commodore Elizabeth Wyatt operating within Fourth Fleet Operations. Challenger Squadron's early history is marked by bureaucratic indecision and upheaval, but after spending the Frontier Day celebrations at Coltar IV, Challenger Squadron was finally dispatched on the mission for which it was formed; exploration of formerly Dominion occupied territories in the Gamma Quadrant. Challenger Squadron was recalled to Federation space in September 2401.

History

2401
- January: Challenger Squadron is formed under the command of newly promoted Fleet Captain Thomas Forrester with the USS Challenger as the flagship. The USS Inverness and USS Higgs are also assigned to the unit with orders to prepare for long term exploration of the Gamma Quadrant.
- February - March: Starfleet Command delays the squadron's mission to the Gamma Quadrant several times.
- March: Challenger Squadron is dispatched to the Deneb Sector following reports of attacks by a Dominion fleet thought lost in the Bajoran Wormhole a quarter of a century earlier.
  - Challenger and Inverness assist in the defence and evacuation of a small colony near the Federation/Breen border.
  - The USS Higgs is assigned to transport parts and engineers to Galadkail Minor. Enroute, she comes under attack from a trio of Jem'Hadar fighters. The Higgs manages to fend of the attack, but Captain Anastasia Matheson dies in the attempt.
  - Challenger takes part in the Battle of Farpoint, which sees the remnants of the Dominion Fleet defeated.
- April: Challenger Squadron returns to Avalon Fleet Yards in the wake of the Deneb campaign.
  - Inverness and Higgs are reassigned, due to the damage sustained during the Deneb campaign.
  - Starfleet assigns the USS Toronto and USS Endurance to Challenger Squadron
  - At the request of the colony's Governor, Challenger Squadron is sent to Coltar IV to take part in the planet's Frontier Day celebrations. The ships are protected from the Borg signal due to interference from the Paulson Nebula.
  - Challenger Squadron enters the Bajoran Wormhole in late April and travels to New Bajor.
- May: After months of delays, Challenger Squadron begins its exploration of the Riada Sector.
  - Fleet Captain Forrester leads a small team to Janea II to track down a fugitive a the behest of Darox III's Prime Minister. During the mission, his team is ambushed and Forrester disappears without a trace.
  - Challenger Squadron spends the rest of the month searching for Fleet Captain Forrester, without success.
- June: Commodore Elizabeth Wyatt arrives in the Gamma Quadrant and assumes command of Challenger Squadron. She ends the search for Fleet Captain Forrester. Starfleet Command lists Forrester as missing, presumed dead.
- September: In the wake of rising tensions with both the Klingons and Cardassians, Challenger Squadron is ordered to return to the Alpha Quadrant.
  - USS Cygnus and USS Manchester are added to the squadron.
- November: Challenger Squadron is enlarged once more when the USS Ark Royal and USS Horatio are assigned.
  - Ark Royal is assigned to a patrol of the Romulan border with orders to put the newly repaired and upgraded ship through it's paces.
2402
- January: The USS Horatio and USS Cernan are reassigned, replaced by the USS Chaffee and USS Spitfire. The USS Trident is also assigned. Challenger Squadron is organised into three divisions based around Ark Royal, Cygnus and Trident.

Leadership

January 2401 - June 2401: Fleet Captain Thomas Forrester
June 2401 - Present: Commodore Elizabeth Wyatt

Squadron Staff

Commander: Commodore Elizabeth Wyatt
Deputy Commander: Captain Sofia Vestri
Chief of Staff: Captain Victor Axelrod
Strategic Operations Officer: Commander Selina Callahan
Command Judge-Advocate: Simon Lightford

Current Composition


Squadron Command
USS Challenger	Odyssey-class Heavy Explorer	Squadron Flagship	Captain Tarven Rix
USS Chaffee	Saber-class Frigate	Flagship Support	Commander Taro Niya
Ark Royal Division
USS Ark Royal	Sovereign-class Exploratory Cruiser	Division Flagship	Captain Arlo Henris
USS Spitfire	Defiant-class Escort	Patrol and Tactical Support	Commander Jeren Navik
Cygnus Division
USS Cygnus	Nebula-class Exploratory Cruiser	Division Flagship	Captain Allegra Rosetti
USS Manchester	Parliament-class Utility Cruiser	Engineering Support	Captain Jelani Zubira
Trident Division
USS Trident	Galaxy-class Explorer	Division Flagship	Captain Sofia Vestri
USS Endurance	Rhode Island-class Scout	Scout	Captain Theodore Dalton

Former Components


USS Inverness	Excelsior II-class Heavy Cruiser
USS Higgs	Nova-class Surveyor
USS Cernan	Aquarius-class Escort
USS Horatio	Reliant-class Frigate