Starfleet Starship Classifications
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Starfleet Starship Classifications are useful to understand the intended niche for the various classes of starship that Starfleet operates. Unlike some powers that focus their shipbuilding into a small number of vessel types, Starfleet has historically favored fleet diversity and specialization. While any starship can be expected to be able to carry out tactical, exploratory, diplomatic, or humanitarian duties with at least some success--the capability to handle Starfleet’s core duties being key in defining a starship versus an auxiliary ship--Starfleet’s many classes vary wildly in their size and capabilities.
Before the 24th century, the term “starship” referred specifically to a generalist exploration vessel capable of performing all of Starfleet’s primary mission types, but the term has expanded to include all vessels capable of meaningful and independent interstellar travel. This article describes the broad type classifications currently in use, along with the vessel classes currently in service with Starfleet.
Capital Starships
Capital starships (more simply "capital ships", or, erroneously, "ships-of-the-line") are vessels capable of fulfilling all of Starfleet’s main mission priorities (exploration, defense, diplomacy, and humanitarian) and are capable of some degree of longer-term independent operations than non-capital ships. Vessels falling into this broad category include explorers, emissaries, light explorers, exploratory cruisers, and heavy cruisers.
Explorers
Explorers are the largest ships in Starfleet service, the first example of such a vessel being the Galaxy-class explorer of the early 2360s. These very large ships would be called battleships by any other power, and that is the role they play in large fleet battles. While not as heavily armed as comparable ships belonging to the Romulans or Klingons, they are powerful ships capable of operating comfortably without external support. They are designed to handle exploratory missions of indefinite duration, well beyond Federation space, but also serve domestically as diplomatic and humanitarian flagships. Serving on a vessel of this type is the dream of most Starfleet officers, as is commanding one of them.
- Galaxy (2360s) - The original explorer, the Galaxy remains one of the largest and most powerful ships in the fleet, even as they close in on 40 years in service. With a crew of about a thousand, these ships are considered to be well-rounded generalists, with no notable weaknesses nor any areas that they particularly excel in compared to other explorers, which makes them a great choice for any deep space assignment.
- Ross (2380s) - Developed as an evolution of the Galaxy-class explorer following the Dominion War, the Ross is a slightly smaller, more-automated version of her parent class. Notably, the Ross has a warp-capable saucer section, and expanded small craft capabilities compared to the Galaxy, and served as a testbed for the later Odyssey-class ships. A handful of Galaxy-class ships have been altered to this configuration, but Starfleet considers this to be a class of its own, and a handful of them were built in the mid-2380s before Odyssey-class production started in earnest.
- Odyssey (2380s) - Odyssey-class ships are the largest vessels in service, by length and volume. They also have the largest crews, making them true cities in space. They are intended to serve in roles akin to mobile starbases, being hubs for smaller vessels to repair and refuel, while also serving as flagships and the Federation’s largest and most capable diplomatic vessels. Of the explorers, they are the rarest thanks to their complexity.
- Vesta (2390s) - Vesta-class starships fast, highly-advanced vessels developed as technological testbeds. Their role is to seek out answers to very specific questions, as they can reach points of interest in deep space very quickly, before returning to Federation space.
- Constitution III (2400s) - Constitution III-class explorers deliver explorer-grade performance with the crew of a heavy cruiser, representing the core of Starfleet's most current starship design philosophy of extremely capable, mid-sized starships rather than the more maximalist approach of the mid-24th century.
Emissaries
Emissaries are explorer-type vessels that have been specifically outfitted for first contact missions and other high-profile diplomatic operations. While this term was used informally to describe Ambassador-class vessels for decades, it was only formally added as a classification with the advent of the Obena-class emissary in the 2380s.
- Ambassador (2330s) - The Ambassador is a large, reliable design that introduced a number of major systems to the fleet, including phaser arrays. They have been updated a number of times in their service, but are now likely in their last few decades of service. They have opulent diplomatic accommodations (as the name might suggest), however, and are still excellent at scientific surveys. Starfleet recently reversed a decision to retire this class, and throughout its service life it has also been designated as an exploratory cruiser and heavy cruiser.
- Obena (2380s) - The Obena has a clear relationship to the Excelsior-class, but is almost twice as large as the original. Larger than the Sovereign but smaller than the Galaxy, this class was developed primarily for diplomatic show-the-flag duties following the Dominion War. They are well-suited to diplomatic duties and are more efficient to operate than Galaxy-class ships, while sacrificing little in terms of armaments or speed.
Light Explorers
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.
- Intrepid (2370s) - Developed following the loss of three of the original Galaxy-class ships, the Intrepid was developed to provide the same long-range exploratory potential in a much smaller vessel, to avoid continuing to place too many eggs in the same basket. The resulting design is incredibly fast and efficient, remaining one of the fastest ships in the fleet even in the 2390s. They remain quite proficient at deep space exploration.
- Luna (2380s) - Intended as a modern equivalent to the Constitution-class for a vessel of approximately 400-500 crew members capable of five-year exploratory missions, the Luna is the largest of the light explorers, and is more heavily armed than the other two vessels of this type. It’s an excellent balance of size and capability
- Sagan (2390s) - Sagan-class light explorers incorporate Borg technology along with advanced propulsion and exploration systems. Currently the largest class of light explorer, its main distinction between the contemporary Constitution III is slightly shorter range, and it has excellent small craft capabilities.
Exploratory Cruisers
Exploratory Cruisers fit a niche between true explorers and heavy cruisers, the equivalent to battlecruisers deployed by other powers. Generally speaking, they bring to bear the firepower of an explorer in a leaner frame, while being capable of missions across Starfleet's mandate. This classification was introduced to provide nuance between the Excelsior, itself the largest-ever heavy cruiser for much of its life, and the Ambassador, which was a degree yet larger.
- Nebula (2350s) - The slightly older and slightly smaller companion to the Galaxy-class explorer, this class is 80% the deck size of her younger sister and shares near-total design commonality. Despite their similar size and configuration, the Nebula is intended for duties closer to Federation space. A notable feature of this class is an interchangeable mission pod, which makes the Nebula easily configurable for tactical, scientific, reconnaissance, transport, or medical missions. Though older, they were produced in large numbers in the 2360s and 2370s and still among the most versatile, as well as largest, cruisers.
- Sovereign (2370s) - Originally classified as an explorer, the Sovereign-class was a radical departure from the Galaxy in terms of both shape and design ethos: while intended to explore, she is heavily-armed and was built to meet the Borg and Dominion threats of the 2370s. They are especially suited to exploratory missions in contested areas or heading up important defensive missions. By the start of the 25th century, they are rapidly becoming a mainstay workhorse of the fleet, likely to end up in a similar position once held by the Excelsior by the mid-2400s.
- Inquiry (2390s) - The Inquiry class is a mass-produced exploratory cruiser class that is posted at many strategic sites along the Federation’s extensive borders. A result of a defensive bent in Starfleet’s shipbuilding ideology, it is among the toughest ships of her size category and serves in the backbone of Starfleet’s defensive arsenal.
Heavy Cruisers
For much of the 23rd century, this type was exemplified by the Constitution, a vessel designed to “go anywhere and do anything,” which served in exploratory, humanitarian, and peacekeeping roles simultaneously. This type now designates a medium to large vessel that is meant to operate within and near to Federation space, fulfilling all of Starfleet’s core roles as a generalist. While some types are biased towards one aspect of this mission, they are all-rounders that can generally tackle anything they’re tasked with.
- Akira (2360s) - The Akira was envisioned as a powerful tactical vessel, with a large torpedo armament and a dual role as a carrier, at the expense of pure exploratory capabilities. They are still considered to be an optimal choice for multi-role service where combat is considered likely, and often serve as a mobile base of operation for groups of runabouts on survey duties.
- Excelsior II (2380s) - The modern replacement to the Excelsior, the Excelsior II is a well-rounded heavy cruiser with a strong bias towards humanitarian capabilities. More of a generalist than the older Akira or newer Alita and more efficient than the Nebula, Ambassador, and Excelsior, it’s a design with few weaknesses, generally assigned to workhorse duties within the Federation.
- Alita (2390s) - The Alita is an updated version of the Akira-class heavy cruiser with even larger hangers and cargo bays to further enhance its ability to bring squadrons of runabouts on exploratory missions or provide substantial logistics support for humanitarian missions.
Starships
Distinct from capital starships, other starships may be capable of fulfilling many or all of Starfleet’s mission priorities but their capabilities are better suited to remaining within or near Federation space, unless provided with significant support from larger ships or forward bases.
Utility Cruisers
This type of starship has always existed in the form of older vessels repurposed to serve in engineering, medical, and scientific roles after service as a capital ship, but purpose-built utility cruisers didn’t emerge until the middle of the 24th century. They are large vessels (most rivaling heavy cruisers in terms of mass) but are lightly armed, intended to follow up on exploratory, diplomatic, or humanitarian missions after more capable ships have completed the initial contact.
Olympic (2350s) - Olympic-class cruisers are adept at transporting large groups of humanoids from one place to another with excellent speed and in great comfort, transport, hospital ship, and science vessel variants currently in service. They perform relatively poorly in engineering tasks, for which the other two utility cruisers with their much more powerful engines and large cargo holds are often required. Olympic-class hospital ships are the most capable medical ships in current service, and the science configurations bring explorer-level scientific capabilities to a cruiser-sized platform, suitable for deployment for projects in safe areas.
California (2360s) - California-class cruisers are relatively large, with great cargo and small craft space, and are especially adept at transport, engineering, and scientific support missions. They come in several variants that excel in one area or another but are often tasked with second contacts, routine surveys, and flag officer transport. She is also an excellent deep-space tug.
Parliament (2380s) - Parliament-class ships are slightly larger and slightly more modern than California-class cruisers, and are designed to be more generalist in nature, handling most of the California class’s mission types without needing to be specialized.
Sutherland (2390s) - Resembling the Nebula-class heavy cruiser, the Sutherland-class research cruiser defies easy classification, as it is nearly as large as a Galaxy-class explorer, but is not intended for independent deep-space operations. Capable of carrying large-scale scientific equipment into the field, the Sutherland is the largest purpose-built science vessel in service, and retains the capability to embark capably on humanitarian missions alongside other utility cruisers.
Light Cruisers
Light cruisers are smaller than heavy cruisers and are intended to carry out similar generalist roles within and near Federation space with better armaments than utility cruisers. Like heavy cruisers, some of these vessels are biased towards one of Starfleet’s missions more than another, but they are generally trusted to handle most tasks that do not require a specialist vessel, and so find themselves in a wide variety of applications. Somewhat counter-intuitively, this is a type that is produced at lower rates than both larger and smaller types, especially given Starfleet’s recent preference to larger starships.
Springfield (2350s) - Springfield-class light cruisers are well-built, reliable, and capable (especially in terms of scientific missions), with a similar mission pod to that found on the Nebula, but they are antiquated, slow, and under-gunned. Most of these ships are designated as science ships, and they are ideal for long-duration scientific surveys where threats are possible but unlikely, and where getting anywhere in a particular hurry is unnecessary.
Cheyenne (2350s) - A successor in concept and form to the Constellation-class of the prior century, the Cheyenne is a contemporary of the Springfield and is similarly well-built and reliable, but is under-powered and relatively neglected when it comes to upgrades. Two small mission pods allow the class to carry extra cargo, weapons, sensors, or even engines, which often means the few remaining ships of this class are configured for a specific task.
Steamrunner (2360s) - Far superior to either of the two older light cruiser classes still in service, the Steamrunner is well-armed, has decent speeds, and was built to present a low profile to potential threats. Once considered a possible successor to the Miranda, they were never built in huge numbers, but they are more common than either the Springfield or Cheyenne thanks to production during the Dominion War.
Norway (2360s) - Norway-class light cruisers are relatively well-armed, but specialize in science and diplomacy, while being large enough to also handle general duties. Neither common, nor rare, they are very balanced vessels.
Argonaut (2370s) - Coming close to the firepower of a frigate, the Argonaut doubles as a light carrier and is the most tactically oriented light cruiser, though she is outclassed in combat by heavy cruisers and escorts. They borrow some features from the Intrepid but lack her range.
Escorts
Escorts (sometimes called “destroyers”) are a newer classification of vessel, existing only after the development of the Defiant. Often considered to be a euphemism for ‘warship,’ these are combat-hardened vessels that prioritize tactical ability over all other considerations. Within this type are also heavy (Prometheus and Manticore) and light (Aquarius) escorts, and so things like range, exploratory potential, and crew size vary widely.
Defiant (2370s) - Still one of the most powerful combat platforms in service, the Defiant can bring a huge amount of firepower to bear thanks to a compact and manuverable spaceframe. With a very small crew, spartan bunk-style accommodations, and limited fuel and spare parts, they are rarely assigned to independent missions of more than a month, and would be dependent on stations or larger starships for crew support and fuel. They can’t be beat when it comes to raw firepower in the forward arc, though.
Typhon (2370s) - The Typhon-class carrier was developed in the Dominion War but constructed too late to have any impact on the war itself. They were built in small numbers and depend on larger starships to carry them to their destinations, where they serve as command and control hubs for fighter wings and a mobile base of operations for other starships. Like the Galaxy Refit, they are kept close to home and deployed to trouble spots when necessary.
Prometheus (2370s) - Something of an enigma in terms of classification, the Prometheus is a cruiser-sized ship made up of three detachable escort-type vessels, which can operate together under computer control to execute complex attack patterns where targets are surrounded and bombarded from all angles. They are extremely powerful, but also extremely complex to maintain. While they can be crewed with as few as four officers, they can be quite fickle to keep operational. They have much better range than the Defiant, but less versatility than the Manticore.
Aquarius (2380s) - Dubbed a light escort, the Aquarius was developed as a support vessel for the Odyssey-class explorer and has since been produced in larger numbers to service space stations and for limited independent service on their own. These ships are relatively heavily armed but outgunned by other escorts while being superior to the Defiant for non-tactical missions. Like the older ship, they lack great range but are excellent at getting into places where a large explorer (or a starbase for that matter) would not be able to maneuver or to provide fire support for their mothership or home port.
Manticore (2390s) - Manticore-class ships are a compromise between raw firepower and the ability to accomplish Starfleet’s other priorities. They are fast, well-armed, and well-shielded, with escort-class firepower in light cruiser-class form factor, outstripping the firepower of frigates, but not matching the exploratory abilities of heavy cruisers. They are intended to be a slightly more practical and easier to maintain option than the Prometheus.
Frigates
New Orleans (2350s) - A well-rounded vessel, the New Orleans-class frigate is significantly more capable in combat than other ships from her era in her size class. While she has since been overtaken, her classic lines and storied history make her popular in service. They are relatively uncommon, as their production orders were cut in favor of Akira-class ships following Wolf 359. The largest ship of this type, they have the best exploratory and diplomatic facilities but are also less heavily armed.
Diligent (2380s) - Blurring the distinction between escort and frigate, the Diligent was designed to serve as a patrol vessel with enhanced endurance and crew comfort compared to the Defiant. She is capable in combat, maneuverable, and well-armored, but is the least capable in terms of exploration, humanitarian missions, or diplomacy compared to other ships in this class.
Reliant (2380s) - The true successor to the Miranda, the Reliant is well-armed and also has significant exploratory and humanitarian abilities, making it an excellent vessel to support Starfleet’s core aims in areas where combat is possible. They are becoming increasingly common patrolling internal Federation space lanes.
Scouts
Scouts are small, discrete vessels that perform reconnaissance, patrol, and courier duties within and beyond Federation space. They sacrifice armament and size for the ability to slip in and out of contested regions with powerful sensor arrays.
Centaur (2290s) - The oldest class of scouts in service, the Centaur is borderline-obsolete, but continues to see service in certain outlying regions where discretion and a small crew size are more important than speed. They are lightly armed and cramped, but they are useful for tasks too minor to earn the attention of a more important vessel, and often serve as initial response ships for vessels in distress within Federation ship, holding the line while more capable ships arrive.
Challenger (2350s) - Also designated as a courier, the Challenger is relatively fast and is used both to transport dignitaries and to perform reconnaissance tasks. Many of these ships are permanently assigned to large starbases for use as fast transports, and the production run was so limited that they are now an incredibly rare sight. Compared to most scouts, though, they are quite large and have good standards of accommodation.
Saber (2370s) - The Saber is useful as a scout and as a light frigate, and so is able to support larger ships in both capacities. It is small, but not quite so small as an escort, with reasonable standards of accommodations for her crew. They are incredibly common vessels, because of how easy they are to build, and the design is likely to remain in production for a long time.
Rhode Island (2380s) - Considered a scout because of her high speed and powerful sensors, the Rhode Island could just as easily be designated a frigate because of her powerful weapons. Her role is to scout far beyond Federation space to identify good destinations for explorers or to penetrate enemy lines with little fear of meeting an opponent that could stop her. Every inch of these ships is stuffed with cutting-edge technology, and so they are resource-intensive to build and maintenance-intensive to keep in service, which makes them rare but sought-after vessels.
Surveyors
Surveyors are similar to scouts in size but are meant to handle in-depth scientific surveys which keep them in the same place for months at a time. Starfleet currently operates two classes within this type, the Nova suited to planetary surveys and Grissom suited to interstellar mapping. While no longer defenseless, they are not combat ships and aren’t sent into situations where trouble is expected.
Nova (2370s) - Nova-class surveyors are advanced, compact, and increasingly common in Starfleet service. A derivative of Intrepid-class technologies and an offshoot of the Defiant-class design program, they are incredibly survivable, even though they lack great speed or firepower, which they sacrifice for large sensors, well-equipped labs, and the ability to land directly on planetary bodies. There is no better assignment for an ambitious planetary science officer.
Grissom (2390s) - Grissom-class surveyors were introduced in the 2390s as the successor to the Oberth-class in form and function. They have a powerful sensor pod that gives them the ability to map subspace in minute detail and to get detailed scans of subspace anomalies. This equipment can also be used in planetary surveys, but that’s not what the class was designed for. With their production run just started, they are the newest and most advanced science vessels in service.
Auxiliary Starships
Auxiliary starships are operated by the Starfleet Auxiliary, which is a component of Starfleet akin to a merchant marine, under the command of officers well-trained in interstellar navigation and starship operations, but not in exploration or defense like their counterparts in Starfleet proper. These starships are highly specialized for a particular task, largely in the realms of personnel and cargo transport, and light-duty surveying. Many classes found within the auxiliary are also found in civilian service.
Passenger Liners
While there are many civilian passenger ships in the Federation, Starfleet Auxiliary maintains its own fleet of liners that run regularly scheduled routes between starbases and other important installations. They are also used for other mass movements of people on an ad hoc basis, such as evacuations.
Sydney (2280s) - Developed in the 2280s, the Sydney-class passenger liner has been in continuous service for over a century but provides reliable (if slow) passenger service within the Federation for Starfleet personnel and civilian passengers. They can carry up to 400 passengers on short to medium-distance routes.
Olympic (2350s) - Much larger, much faster, and much more comfortable than the Sydney-class, the Olympic-class is operated by Starfleet Auxiliary as a passenger liner, while the hospital and science variants are operated by Starfleet itself. They can carry up to 2,000 passengers on long-distance routes.
Aerie (2350s) - Much smaller than the Sydney, Aerie-class ships in liner configuration carry up to 500 passengers on intra-system journeys of less than eight hours. They’re also used to support larger liners in evacuations where transporter use is not feasible, as they can land directly on planetary surfaces and bring passengers to long-range ships in orbit.
Transports and Supply Vessels
Transports and supply vessels are generally the same types of ships, the distinction between the two types coming down to how a ship is being used rather than its characteristics. Transports move cargo and passengers from place to place, and supply vessels transport essential supplies to stations and starships. Like liners, they can have set routes, or they might be used for one-off missions.
Miranda (2270s) - Most of the remaining Miranda-class ships that have not either been decommissioned or transferred to planetary defense forces remain in Starfleet Auxiliary service as supply ships and transports, typically with their torpedo pods removed.
Constellation (2290s) - As with their slightly older cousins, most of the remaining Constellation-class ships have now been transferred to Starfleet Auxiliary with the majority of their weapons removed for service as supply vessels and transports. Stripped of their exploratory systems and with dramatically reduced crews, they can use their large shuttlebays to great effect in moving quite a lot of cargo.
Aerie (2350s) - A purpose-built transport, the Aerie-class can carry three dozen passengers and a moderate amount of cargo on short distance routes. There are hundreds of ships in this configuration that ply the lanes between starbases and Federation member worlds, serving as a ubiquitous workhorse that blends into the background. Smaller than either of the other two ships in this category, they are mostly used for set routes as transports rather than as supply ships, except for small, highly-technical components that need to be delivered discretely and quickly.
Freighters
Freighters move cargo from place to place, especially large items that can’t easily be replicated and bulk ore.
Antares (2160s)
Merchantman (2230s)
Tugs
Oberth (2280s)
Ptolemy Refit (2290s)
Wallenberg (2380s)
Tankers
Surveyors
Oberth (2280s)
Aerie (2350s)
Nova (2370s)