USS Valiant ( NCC - 74210 ) The USS " Valiant " ( NCC - 74210 ) was a 24th century Federation starship operated by Starfleet . The " Valiant " was launched from the Antares Ship Yards in 2372 . It was assigned as a training ship for the elite cadet corps Red Squad under the command of Captain . History . In late - 2373 , the " Valiant " began a three month training cruise mission to circumnavigate the entire Federation before returning home . The plan was for the cadets to run the ship while the officer s aboard observed and critiqued their performance . The ship was transiting the Kepla sector when the Dominion War began , and subsequently trapped behind enemy lines after a Dominion fleet conquered that sector on the first day . In attempting to return to Federation territory , the " Valiant " encountered a Cardassian battle cruiser near El - Gatark . In the first fifteen minute s , all seven of the regular officers were killed or critically wounded , including the captain . The " Valiant " lost main power and was adrift ; fortunately the Cardassian cruiser was no better off . The cadets got weapon s and impulse engine s back on - line within three hours , and were able to destroy that cruiser . The next day , just before Ramirez died , he appointed Cadet Tim Watters to the command . Early in the war , Starfleet ordered the " Valiant " to track and collect technical data on a previously unidentified Jem ' Hadar battleship that was believed to be operating in the area . However , because the " Valiant " was operating under complete radio silence and limited to a speed of warp 3 . 2 , Starfleet was unaware that the ship ' s officers were dead , and Watters decided to undertake the mission . Around Stardate 51825 , the " Valiant " rescued Jake Sisko and Ensign Nog from the runabout " Shenandoah " , which was fleeing from a Jem ' Hadar attack on Starbase 257 . Nog assisted the " Valiant " s crew in repairing their warp drive , and the ship finally managed to catch up to the Dominion battleship and obtain detailed intelligence concerning the enemy ' s capabilities . Captain Watters ' overconfidence , however , proved to be the " Valiant " s undoing . Rather than returning the valuable information to Starfleet , Watters decided to attempt to destroy the battleship by exploiting a perceived flaw in her construction . Vastly outgunned , the " Valiant " was quickly devastated after an unsuccessful attempt to destroy the enemy ' s antimatter storage system primary support braces . With Captain Watters and most of the bridge crew killed , Nog gave the order to abandon ship . Two of the four escape pod s launched were destroyed by the Jem ' Hadar ship , while a third was destroyed when it was unable to clear the exploding " Valiant " . The remaining pod was able to flee the battle area and was eventually recovered by the " Valiant " s sister ship , the . Out of a crew of 35 ( plus Nog and Jake ) , only three survived the battle . ( ) Appendices . Background information . The motto on the " Valiant " s dedication plaque was " " We set sail on this new sea because there is new knowledge to be gained and new rights to be won " " , a quote by John F . Kennedy . " " Valiant " " was the name that Ronald D . Moore originally wanted to give to the " Defiant " . However , with the development of , he was forbidden to use a name that began with V .