User:CrimsonTacit/Sandbox/Norway Class
The Norway-class light cruiser is a well-rounded vessel geared toward scientific and diplomatic missions. Designed and produced in the 2370s, this class received steady production orders during the late 2400s, as well as regular updates to make them an invaluable part of a modern Starfleet. Designed alongside many combat-oriented designs, the Norway was always intended as an evolution of the Springfield-class science vessel with more survivability, but her current configuration integrates multiple state-of-the-art advances not compatible with her older cousins. In particular, this class benefited from lessons learned from Voyager's return, thanks to many shared systems with the contemporary Intrepid-class light explorer.
Science and Exploration
Norway-class starships are not quite true science vessels, but they have more science labs than other light cruisers. They were designed to serve as a more combat-hardened version of the Springfield-class, and maintain similar lab and sensor capabilities. Thanks to their enhanced tactical sensors, despite overall fewer mounts for sensors pallets, they are capable of in-depth studies of both planetary and stellar bodies, as well as independent exploratory missions close to Federation space. The Norway-class has the same large forward sensor pallet employed aboard the Intrepid-class light explorer, which gives it substantial mission-configurable space for specialized equipment—and which has been the subject of multiple improvements from Voyager's own systems. The commonality between the two classes has also been useful in deploying similar experiments on multiple ships across the fleet in conditions both near and far from the Federation’s borders.
Versus a Nova-class ship, the Norway is preferable for extended duration scientific studies and has a greater overall volume for carrying specialized hardware or supplies for complicated experiments. These vessels are excellent light cruisers that tend to spend most of their lives tasked to Starfleet Science and run multiple experiments independent of their main missions even when they are assigned to other departments.
Diplomacy
Norway-class light cruisers have extensive diplomatic capabilities, rivaling those of the much larger Ambassador-class with a full conference suite and adaptable quarters for up to four full ambassadorial-level delegations. The ship was designed to replace the Challenger as the diplomatic courier of choice. Though still considered a light cruiser rather than an emissary or courier, the Norway has been used in diplomatic roles to great effect, given that she is fast, well-armed, and highly defensible. A ship of this class is much better able to hold out for assistance when negotiations go awry than either the Challenger or Ambassador, though her accommodations lag behind either of those older classes.
A typical assignment for this class of ship is to serve as an ambassador or flag officer’s base of operations for long-duration diplomatic missions, and it is extremely common as a first-contact starship, once a larger starship has done the work to establish the security of future Federation travel in a particular region. These vessels also are adept at handling multi-party conferences as a neutral location when the involved parties cannot agree on a planet or space station.
To fulfill this diplomatic role, the Norway has two over-sized shuttle bays on the stern to handle visiting small craft in addition to her own complement of diplomatic shuttles or runabouts.
Engineering
The Norway is a compact wedge-shaped vessel, with a unified hull design and boxy nacelles attached to the main hull by a catamaran system. The design shares commonality with the Akira-class heavy cruiser as well as components from the Steamrunner and Saber-class designs, with an emphasis on reliability and ease of operation of her components, though her warp drive has been tuned to an impressive Warp 9.7 maximum speed. Impulse speeds are also impressive, as her role during fleet engagements is to screen larger ships and destroy enemy frigates. Other than its shape, the design of this class is relatively conventional, but it has a similarly small number of windows compared to classes of the previous decade, as a layer of armor has been placed over the hull to increase its survivability in combat situations.
Computer systems aboard the Norway were originally isolinear, but they have since been updated to bioneural technology to allow for greater scientific capacity. There is a large cargo hold on the top of the ship with a capacity large enough to make the Norway a capable secure transport or humanitarian support vessel should the need arise.
Tactical
The Norway-class is one of a number of classes designed after Wolf 359 to be more survivable during combat situations. Though she is not a warship, she is significantly more heavily-armed than the Springfield and Challenger-class designs that she replaced. There are two forward and one aft torpedo launchers, as well as nine short phaser strips around the periphery of the ship. These arrays are short to increase the armored surface area of the hull while still providing all-around coverage, but they offer reduced firepower compared to larger arrays aboard explorers. In addition to the small arrays, the Norway also mounts a fixed phaser bank on the bow, which provides coverage directly forward, a design borrowed from the Saber. As of 2401, all Norway-class starships have been upgraded to Type-XII phaser arrays.
When deployed with the fleet, the Norway is assigned as a screen, drawing away smaller attackers from the explorers and using her numerous phaser arrays to damage and destroy frigates. The shallow depth of the vessel reduces her target profile head-on, and the ablative armor deployed on the hull helps disperse the energy from any hits that do land.
Norway-class ships are not generally assigned to patrol duties, as their core scientific and diplomatic functions are in high demand elsewhere, though they can occasionally be seen on the borders filling in during ship rotations.
Shipboard Life
Norway-class ships are designed to be impressive to visitors and so have wider corridors than other vessels of their age, as well as plusher furnishings. Given that they are meant to host dignitaries and admirals, they are also comfortable for the average crewmember, since the crew gets to use features like the arboretum deck, diplomatic reception area, and theater when the ship is not entertaining dignitaries. Like her cousins, there are comparatively few windows on the Norway to improve hull strength, but the diplomatic reception suite on Deck 02 under the bridge has a commanding view of space in front of the ship. Crewmembers generally share quarters under the rank of Lieutenant, Junior Grade, but there are very few accommodations with more than four people sharing space. Compartments with windows are often crew lounge or mess spaces, rather than quarters.
Given that their functions are primarily scientific and diplomatic, Norway-class crews tend to have a collegial, friendly environment, and service aboard one of these vessels is often considered a respite from other vessels that see more combat duty.
Class History
While the Norway-class was originally intended to be a more conventional class of light cruiser, the design was reconfigured following the Battle of Wolf 359 to have a more resilient design for future engagements with the Borg. Larger than either the Saber or Steamrunner-classes that she was designed with, the Norway entered service slightly later and had a smaller order, given that she was specialized in science and diplomacy, taking over from the Springfield-class orders that had been made.
Norway-class ships’ early service history was unremarkable, though they did participate in the Battle of Sector 001 against the Borg. During the Dominion War, they were largely relegated to second-line duties, performing patrols and humanitarian missions rather than participating in the larger battles.
In the 2380s, this class was refit with Type-XII phaser arrays, and they have continued to receive regular scientific and engineering upgrades. Throughout their production run, they have supplemented smaller Nova-class surveyors as well-rounded generalists. As other classes such as the Pathfinder, Sutherland, and Grissom have come into production, though, they are built at only a handful of Federation shipyards as of the beginning of the 25th century. The Norway-class has proven itself as a reliable though unremarkable starship, popular with her crews, but not likely to make any headlines during its service history.
In Play
- For the 25th century, this is a pretty average vessel. It’s good at scientific and diplomatic missions, but it’s not the strongest combat vessel or really suited for long-range exploratory missions. It’s the sort of vessel that would rarely raise any eyebrows or get noticed, which could make it suitable for discreet missions.
- While not quite a full science vessel, this is a good vessel to choose for scientific missions over other light cruisers. She is substantially better at generalist duties than the Nova-class, but her larger crew makes her a waste of resources for planetary surveying missions.
- Norway-class captains would either have a scientific or diplomatic background, though they are not considered a prestigious or important command.