Auto - destruct The auto - destruct system ( also known as self - destruct or destruct sequence ) was a starship system that allowed the total destruction of the vessel . This was typically activated as a last resort , usually to prevent a ship from falling into enemy hands . On Starfleet vessels , the activation sequence varied from class to class but usually required authorization with the use of command authorization code s . Once the countdown was activated , the ship ' s computer could give audio warnings and / or displayed countdown warning graphics on viewscreen s and terminals . In the 23rd century , self - destruct was also known as Starfleet Order 2005 . ( ) Known sequences . " Constitution " - class . On starships , the captain and two senior officer s were required to initiate the destruct sequence , using the following , concurrent codes . Each officer would state their name , rank and corresponding code : The computer would then reply : The commanding officer would then state : The sequence could be aborted at any time until T - minus five seconds by the captain or highest - ranking officer , with the command " " Code 1 - 2 - 3 - continuity , abort destruct order . " " Beyond that , the destruct order could not be cancelled ( ; ) " Galaxy " - class . Originally , the auto - destruct sequence aboard starships required the authorization and palm - print identification of both the commanding and executive officer s from main engineering . The sequence could be aborted from the bridge by voice recognition and palm print identification by the same officers . The time interval could not be adjusted and was preset for a five minute countdown . ( ) By 2365 , the time interval could be preselected and the countdown aborted without the need of palm - print identification . The activation of the auto - destruct sequence also triggered a red alert . ( ) Upon providing palm - print identification , the captain would order the computer to initiate the auto - destruct . The computer would ask if the first officer concurred . Providing the first officer agrees , the computer would verbally confirm the order and begin the countdown with the appropriate time delay . Should the order be desired to be cancelled , the captain would order the computer to abort the sequence . The computer would question the first officer ' s agreement before cancelling the sequence . " Defiant " - class . The sequence was activated from the bridge , requiring the captain and first officer ' s consent and palm - print identification to activate . The time delay was left to the captain ' s discretion . Upon activation of the destruct sequence , a red alert would be triggered and all bridge computer terminals would display the remaining time left in the countdown . Cancelling the sequence would require the captain and first officer ' s orders without the need of palm - print identification or computer clarification . ( ) " Intrepid " - class . Aboard the , auto - destruct required the captain ' s sole authorization . In addition to selecting the desired time interval , the captain also had the option of ordering a silent countdown - a single voice prompt would occur at the commencement of the sequence , with no further audio warnings made . ( ) If the starship ' s secondary command processor s were offline , the auto - destruct sequence could not be completed . ( ) " Sovereign " - class . The required the authorization of the captain and two senior officers . Each would state their name and rank , confirming the sequence , and giving their authorization code . The captain would then select the destruct sequence type , sequence delay , and whether a silent countdown would be initiated . The auto - destruct need not be deactivated by the ship ' s captain , as Lieutenant Commander Data was able to deactivate the auto - destruct sequence by himself . ( ) An " Omega " option for the auto - destruct was also available and only needed the captain ' s authorization to initiate . If the ship was significantly damaged , the auto - destruct system could be rendered inoperable . ( ) Methods . On most Federation ships , the destruct sequence used one of two methods of completion . The first used the ship ' s matter and antimatter fuel supplies , combining them in an unmoderated reaction with the resultant annihilation reaction being enough to destroy the vessel , much like a warp core breach . [ Citation Needed ] Klingon vessels , like the D7 class , were equipped with this self - destruct method that caused a containment failure within the warp core . ( ) In the second , explosive charges placed at key points throughout the vessel would ensure complete destruction . It was approximately half as powerful as the former method ( an estimated yield of one thousand and five hundred photon torpedo es , respectively ) . ( " " ) A " Constitution " - class starship could be destroyed in this fashion with internal explosions emanating from the ship ' s turboshaft s . ( ) 23rd century Romulan vessels used " old style " atomic weapons in their self - destruct system which were not integrated into the ship itself . These weapons could be removed and jettisoned into space as mines . ( ) During the Galen border conflicts , Talarian observation craft equipped with self - destruct devices and subspace proximity detonator s were responsible for 219 casualties over a three day period . ( ) A Borg vessel ' s self - destruct mechanism forced the ship ' s power grid to feed back on itself , forcing an explosion that destroyed the ship . Lieutenant Commander Data was able to trigger such a destruction while being linked to the collective consciousness of the Borg ship that threatened Earth in 2367 . The Borg Queen ordered the self destruction of several Borg ships that carried drones linked to Unimatrix Zero as well as a Borg tactical cube that had Captain Kathryn Janeway , Lieutenant Commander Tuvok and Lieutenant B ' Elanna Torres aboard . ( ; ) When a Borg vessel was critically damaged , all of its vital technology , such as the transwarp coil s , self - destructed to prevent their use by other species . ( )