Intrepid Class

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USS Voyager-A departing earth for the first time

Contents

Original Development of the Intrepid-class

In 2370, a new class of ship entered service in Starfleet. The ship was designed to be, when commissioned, the fastest class of starship in service in any fleet. She would be a small, powerful, 'troubleshooter' vessel. The fully-realized Intrepid Class is well armed, maneuverable, well protected, and posseses a sensor suite comparable to that of the Galaxy Class. The ship also features a unique warp nacelle design, which allows the nacelles to pivot upward when in warp flight, improving the warp field. The Intrepid Class is also the first Federation starship to use bio-neural gel packs in her computer systems.

A New Direction Starfleet's ship-building policy of the last century has emphasized larger designs capable of carrying out a wide variety of missions. However, this has led to a gradual fall in the numbers of vessels which can be produced; while the Excelsior Class numbers well over one hundred vessels, the larger Ambassador Class was limited to a production run of twenty-six ships, and the gigantic Galaxy Class to six ships initially (fourteen ships at present.) Though the exploration capacity of these classes is still sufficient to meet the tasks demanded of them, the lack of numbers has led to a certain restriction in flexibility. Losses among the Galaxy Class in the twenty-fourth-century have also emphasized this, and Starfleet realized that "placing all it's eggs in one basket" was not necessarily the wisest choice.

The Intrepid-class design was proposed as a new direction for Starfleet. The design requirements, proposed on July 4th 2361 by Admiral Nobuo Imagawa at a gathering of Utopia Planitia Yard technical staff, called for the creation of a new family of fast interstellar vessels. Initially listed as Planform SV-65, the Intrepid Class concept frame was designed and tested at McKinley Spacedock and Utopia Planitia Yards to maintain a low-cruise warp factor of 7.75 for 16 days, a high-cruise warp of 9.25 for 2.25 days, and a dash-cruise speed of warp 9.975 for 12.65 hours.

On January 1st, 2362, the SV-65 program was officially renamed the Intrepid-class project. The space frame design yielded by computer warp stress and volumetric stuies (finalized at the third revision in October 2367) was a vessel only about 350 meters in length with a volume approximately 15% of the volume of a Galaxy-class starship. The elongated Z-Axis of the Intrepid Class also had the fortunate by-product of eliminating the spatial damage caused by earlier designs of warp engine that had been discovered by Drs. Rabal and Serova in 2369. Although the limited size meant that the vessel would have much lower overall capabilities than the Galaxy Class, this was to be compensated for by the use of the latest in Starfleet technology. The computer system of the Intrepid-class would be the most advanced model in service. The increased automation this afforded, combined with a new generation of sensor equipment, would provide the Intrepid-class with almost 70% of the scanning and analysis capabilities of a Galaxy Class starship, and a dash-cruise speed approximately three times that of the Galaxy Class would further enhance the new starship's exploration capabilities. Vessel Frame IC-103, the original USS Voyager, was the first ship to receive all updated hardware as original installations, after testbed results were gathered from its two older Spacedock siblings (the Intrepid and the Bellerophon).

One feature unique to the Intrepid Class among other Federation Starships of her size is the ability to land on a planetary surface. This feature has been incorporated after several incidents in which transporters and shuttlecraft have been unable to operate in exotic environmental conditions during evacuations or other surface-related operations.

A Specialized Starship Diplomatic functions would be more problematic, however. Hosting such functions requires that a vessel support large numbers of extra personnel, and the Intrepid Class, which in its current form hosts a crew of 254 individuals, simply would not have the room for this. Therefore, her diplomatic capabilities are limited to relatively small events, generally involving Federation negotiations with a single party.

The Intrepid Class' combat role was also somewhat limited by her size. Unable to carry large numbers of torpedoes or high power phaser banks, Starfleet settled on a scouting and support role for the Intrepid-class, which was originally fitted with type-VIII phaser arrays and standard single-fire torpedo tubes. The Intrepid-class is capable of engaging vessels the size of a K'Tinga Class Battle Cruiser or Galor Class Destroyer one-on-one with a high chance of victory. Her high speed and maneuverability, combined with her advanced Multi-directional Sensor Array (MSA), make her a perfect platform with which to conduct long range reconnaissance missions ahead of major fleet operations. In a major battle, the Intrepid Class vessels would often act in the support of larger ships, harrying enemy fleet units and drawing fire away from larger Federation ships.

Development Issues The program suffered a serious setback when the USS Voyager, the third Intrepid Class vessel, was lost on her first patrol mission. Building on the remaining four planned ships was suspended on the Intrepid-class while the designs were subjected to intense scrutiny; after a year without any conclusive results, the Intrepid-class project was resumed. When it was discovered that the USS Voyager was intact in the Delta Quadrant and making it's way home, it was clear that the Intrepid-class was capable of performing well-above previous expectations. The Starfleet Corps of Engineers was particularly impressed with the upgrades Voyager's crew had performed on their ship's propulsion, tactical, sensor, and computer systems, and was anxious to examine the reported upgrades in more detail once Voyager returned to the Alpha Quadrant.

Re-Development of Intrepid Class

In 2377 the USS Voyager NCC 74656 returned to the Alpha Quadrant after a seven year long trip lost in the Delta Quadrant. During that time the Intrepid class starship under the command of Captain Kathryn Janeway experienced and under went numerous events during its service.

The crew didn’t have the luxury to dock at a Starfleet shipyard or starbase for routine repairs, refits and re-supplying. The crew adapted to do their best to keep the ship running without this luxury. The Chief Engineer Lieutenant B’Elanna Torres was the key creator of a number of the ship’s adjustments and modifications. Captain Janeway gave her a lot of free will when it came down to the operation status of Voyager. They were fortunate enough to encounter friendly species which allowed them to dock at their own shipyards and stations to perform minor repairs and refits.

When communication with Starfleet was re-established with the ship in 2376, the crew began to send the status of their ship and the improvements they made to the ship along their journey.

Starfleet Corps of Engineers was extremely impressed with the work done by the crew to keep their ship alive. Numerous changes were made to the ship’s propulsion, tactical, sensor and internal computer systems. The S.C.o.E was eager to see the modifications themselves and with the ship’s return in 2377 they had their chance.

The ship was dry-docked at San Francisco Shipyards, as she was taken apart to see what improvements had been made. The Borg modifications that had improved the starships overall systems peaked Starfleet Tactical’s attention. Lieutenant Commander Tuvok, the ship’s Chief Security and Tactical officer had stated that two years previously the ship had encountered a twenty ninth century Borg drone. The drone (or One as he called himself) helped the crew improve their phasers and shields to fight the Borg. The improvements had been effective and assisted in the ship’s defence during its remaining years in the Delta Quadrant.

Another Borg improvement was made to the main computer processor. The first Borg drone liberated from the Collective by the Voyager crew, Annika Hansen (or Seven of Nine) had experimented with installing Borg command subroutines to improve the processor’s overall efficiency. The enhancements at first effective a number of secondary and back up systems but the error was later corrected.

When Captain Janeway had formed a temporarily alliance with the Borg Collective in early 2374, the Borg had partially assimilated the ship to fight Species 8472. Many of the modifications were removed as they harmed the normal running of ship systems but several were kept in place. Lieutenant Torres reported that the EPS system was heavily improved and requested to keep the enhancements in place.

In the middle of 2374, Chief Operations Officer Ensign Harry Kim and Seven of Nine collaborated to improve the ship’s sensor and stellar mapping systems. They specifically designed and built a new laboratory for these new systems. The ship’s Stellar Cartography section was kept in place while a new Astrometrics Lab was installed. The lab used combined Borg and Starfleet technologies to create a new way of mapping star systems. It was the first ever joint project which showed how well both Starfleet and Borg technologies could work to advance Starfleet’s main objective of scientific exploration. Astrometrics allowed Voyager to safely journey home while exploring the Delta Quadrant within the safety of their new lab.

When Voyager returned home in 2377 the crew also brought back with them futuristic tactical systems. The ship apparently encountered a future version of their commanding officer who brought back technologies created to defeat the Borg and get the ship home quicker. These included Ablative Armour Generators and Transphasic Torpedoes. Starfleet took these technologies apart, and after long studies on them installed them on all ships in the Fourth Fleet (Codename: Bravofleet).

In 2378 shortly after her promotion to Rear Admiral, Kathryn Janeway was asked to write a formal report on how well she felt her old ship had performed while in the Delta Quadrant. She noted how well the ship achieved its goal as one of the best designs in starship creation. She suggested that Starfleet should look in to improving the class with what lessons the Voyager crew and her had learnt.

Starfleet Advanced Starship Design Bureau took the admiral’s suggestions under advisement and began to look at updating the class.

The next Intrepid class starship to be launched with these improvements would be in 2382. Starfleet Command gives Admiral Janeway the job in christening the next ship. She names it after a child hood hero of hers and a woman the Voyager crew encountered in the Delta Quadrant, the USS Earhart NCC 74711 after Amelia Earhart. It would be constructed at the new Oakland Shipyards in orbit of Earth.

Summary of Re-Development

  • 2377: USS Voyager NCC 74656 returns home from being lost in the Delta Quadrant for seven years. The ship is put in dry-dock at the San Francisco shipyards and her systems are closely examined.
  • 2378: After a report made by Rear Admiral Kathryn Janeway, the ASDB look in to improving the Intrepid class and its capabilities as a front line explorer and scout. Construction plans are made for a new Intrepid class starship to be built with these new enhancements.
  • 2379: The new uprated Intrepid class starship is to be named USS Earhart NCC 74711 and the new Oakland shipyards are tasked with its construction. The ASDB would work alongside the shipyard’s engineers on improving the Intrepid class starship’s systems with the lessons learnt from Voyager.
  • 2380: Design work on improvements to Intrepid Class is complete. The improvements are approved and construction begins. By the end of the year the stardrive section nears chassis completion. Saucer section nears 75% chassis completion.
  • 2381: Primary and secondary chassis's now at 100% completion. Computer cores are installed. Work continues on interior and outer hull sections. Mid year computer cores are activated and ship functions begin to be transferred from station control to ship control. Computer systems are now operating at 80%. Warp core begins primary testing. Ship undergoes inspections as reviews, construction is allowed to continue.
  • 2382: Stardrive section completed with final attachment of navigational deflector array. Bridge module attached to primary hull. Computer system fully self aware and umbilical from the station are cut as the ship become self sufficient. New EPS system finally brought online. Thirteen type ten phaser banks are installed. Ship wide holographic systems installed allowing for EMH Mark Five to be used anywhere on the ship.
  • 2383: Pulse Fire Torpedo Launch systems are put in place. Storage bays improved to allow the ship to carry more supplies (mainly torpedoes). Warp stress coating is applied. Warp Core passes Review Three and it tested to 100% peak. Industrial Replicators are installed allowing the ship to build and repair its own shuttlecraft and runabout fleet. Delays in launch of USS Earhart as the Borg attack the Krazzle Empire, and later Rayea 3.
  • 2384: Starfleet orders for USS Earhart to be launched. On 11th March 2384 USS Earhart is officially commissioned by Starfleet during a brief ceremony. Bridge Plaque is put in pride of place and Captain Nicholas Webb takes command of the ship. USS Earhart is ordered to begin shakedown cruises estimate to last one year.
  • 2385: Borg invasion resumes and Starfleet orders for all Intrepid class starships to be upgraded as soon as possible.
  • 2399: Construction of several new Intrepid class starships begin at Copernicus shipyards. After the Battle of Sol and the lost of the original Voyager, one of the new Intrepid class starships is renamed: USS Voyager NCC-74656-A.
  • 2401: USS Voyager NCC-74656-A is moved to Utopia Plantia for finally refits and installations. On 30th November 2401 the USS Voyager is officially commissioned by Starfleet during a brief ceremony. Bridge Plaque is put in pride of place and Commodore Bryan Cash takes command of the ship. USS Voyager is assigned as flagship of Starfleet’s Re-Exploration Initiative and is ordered to begin re-exploring the Alpha and Beta Quadrants.
  • 2402: USS Voyager NCC-74656-A returns to Utopia Plantia for major repairs, refits and overhaul. She is upgraded with a Trelinium crystal based warp core. USS Voyager returns to its mission of re-exploration.

Technical Specifications For Intrepid Class Ships


Maintenence
Expected Hull Life: 80 Years
Resupply Time: 2 Years
Refit: 5 years
Category: Explorer/Scout (uprated)
Dimensions
Length: 343.1 meters
Beam: 133 meters
Height: 66.2 meters
Decks: 15
Speed
Cruising speed: Warp 7
Maximum speed: Warp 9.975
Emergency speed: Warp 9.95 (12 hours)
Systems
Warp Core: M/ARA (Trelinium powered)
Primary fusion reactor output: 5.6 EJ/hr
Secondary fusion reactor output: 4.1EJ/hr
Cicuitry: Isolinear/bioneural
Sensors: Advanced lateral and long range output/retrieval systems
Tractor beam: Type XI (range 2.75 km)
Additional: Starfleet/Romulan cloaking device
Weapons
Phaser Arrays: 10 (Type-X)
Torpedo Launchers: 4 (2 Fore, 2 Aft)
Photons: 80
Quantums: 30
Defensive Systems
Armour: Ablative Type I
Shields: MLSS
Personnel
Officers: 35
Enlisted: 115
Sabres: 1 Squad
Passengers: 20
Auxiliary Craft
Shuttle Bays: 1
Shuttles: 2 Type 9, 2 Type 18
Runabouts: 1 Delta Flyer Class, 1 Aeroshuttle Class


Additional Information:

Currently there are 7 in service with 3 building per year. 92 were lost during the Borg War


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