Type-18 Shuttlepod

From FEInfobase

Type-18 Shuttlepod
Class Information
Category	Personal Shuttle
Dimensions
Length	4.5 meters
Width	2.5 meters
Height:	2 meters
Engines
Warp nacelles	2
Cruising speed	Warp 1.5
Maximum speed	Warp 2.1
Emergency speed	Warp 3 (2 Hours)
Defensive Systems
Phasers	1 Type V Emitter
Shields	Standard Shielding System
Personnel
Officers	1
Passengers	2
[Source]

The Type 18 Shuttlepod is a Starfleet auxiliary support craft attached normally to starships and stations to be used for short range missions, to help replace the old Type-15 shuttlepods. This type is designated as a class one shuttlecraft as it mainly built to be operated by one person for minimum duration.

The old Type 15s had been in service for a long time and had served Starfleet well, however with recent breakthroughs in shuttlecraft designs and technology it was designed to bring in a new class of shuttlepod.

This type of craft were outfitted with micro powered fusion generator for impulse flight, however they can be outfitted with low-capacity warp drives for short interstellar flight. It can accommodate two people but can be easily handled by a single person.

These shuttlepods were first tested on the Defiant Class ships in 2371. Since their success their production was high and used on a majority of classes throughout the fleet. Although designated as a shuttlepod, the Type 18 is still a shuttlecraft - just one of the smallest available to the fleet.

In 2383 a major overhaul of all shuttlecraft systems were undertaken and many systems on the Type 18 were improved to further extended their usefulness to Starfleet.