Akula Class

A twin-nacelled derivative of the earlier Saladin Class Destroyer, the Akula Class was designed to be able to respond to border incidents further from supply bases and at a higher warp factor cruising speed than the earlier design. This was critical in the rising tensions of the 2250s. Replaced in Federation Prime Fleet service by the Akula Class Refit in 2285 (due to her increasing age and vulnerability in the Organian Conflict), the pre-refit class remains in service with the Federation Reserve Fleet.

## Development

Earlier Destroyers, such as the Paris Class or Kestrel Class had been designed from the outset as Light Cruisers, and were employed in the Destroyer role as they became obsolescent. A new build, dedicated Destroyer was believed to be able to be designed far more efficiently, especially with new developments in warp field dynamics, warp nacelle and warp core design as a result of the Constitution Class Project. A single-nacelled design was chosen as the most efficient planform, with new Standard A technology warp nacelles and the SSWR-XV-L reactor, derived from the larger SSWR-XV used in the Constitution Class powering a smaller, more combat orientated ship.

However, the Saladin Class Destroyer first revealed her shortcomings in the Fleet Manoeuvrers in 2249 when experienced Destroyer Captains in command of obsolete Kestrel Class Light Cruisers (by now employed as Destroyers) proved able to respond to a simulated border incident faster than the newly commissioned Saladin Class. An inquiry was launched, and a modified Destroyer design, rechristened the Akula to avoid association with the earlier vessel (despite the fact it shared 95% commonality) was conceived and put into production in record time. Existing Saladin Class Destroyers remained in service in the quieter, less demanding sectors of the Federation. As time passed and the Saladin Class ships came in for overhaul, they were often relaunched as Akula Class ships, eventually leading to the extinction of the Saladin Class by 2267.

The most notable difference between the two designs was the addition of an upper warp nacelle, giving the Akula a much higher warp factor cruising speed and safe emergency warp factor speed than the earlier, single-nacelled design. This also gave her more power reserves for her Type A Phaser Emitters, allowing more sustained firing.

## Operational History

The first combat test of the new Akula Class came in 2266 during the 4-Day War. In fact, Federation offensives in that conflict were placed almost entirely on the shoulders of the Akula, with a few older Saladin Class ships that were already close by fighting alongside their replacements. The only Cruisers in the area were isolated Surya Class Light Cruisers, and the later arrival of a Cruiser Squadron comprised of four Constitution Class Heavy Cruisers.

The Akula performed admirably, particularly the (now famous) 88th Destroyer Flotilla under the command of Captain James Alexander Wightherst. The actions of the 88th under his command delayed an entire Klingon Strike Fleet, which would have otherwise overwhelmed the Surya Class and Constitution Class ships in the sector.

The only downside to the stunning actions of the 88th was the fostering of the misguided belief that the Akula was superior to her nearest Klingon counterpart, the D5B Qa'HoS (Relentless) Class Light Cruiser. Indeed, the belief was that out of the entire Federation Prime Fleet, the Akula and the Constitution Class were the only classes *not* requiring immediate redesign, withdrawal or refitting.

Under this belief, the Akula soldiered on longer than a ship of her design should have, serving in the opening campaigns of the Organian Conflict, where she proved frighteningly vulnerable to the latest Klingon designs. A crash refit programme was begun, using the new Type II Technology systems prototyped on the USS Enterprise (NCC-1701) ,leading to the Akula Class Refit.

Not all spaceframes proved able or economic to refit, and along with increasing numbers of Okinawa Class Frigates (more combat capable than earlier Frigate designs) and Miranda Class Light Cruisers, less Akulas were needed to fill the gaps in Battlegroups and could be concentrated in Destroyer Flotillas, a role they had proven to excel in.

The pre-refit Akula Class then replaced the hopelessly obsolete Kestrel Class in Federation Reserve Fleet service with these ships given an overhaul to bring them up to Standard A Late specifications. As with all of the Reserve Fleet, they did not see combat during the War of Pacification, but several Akula Class ships fought at the Battle of Pearl in 2292 when the Federation Reserve Fleet shipyards in the Pearl System were attacked by Klingon forces. In the confused regrouping that followed, elements of several Destroyer Flotillas fought alongside the Gorn Royal Navy as they liberated Federation space along the Neutral Zone. With their defensive mandate complete, these Flotillas did not participate in the follow up campaign into Klingon territory, but did help guard the Subspace Slipway in the Regula Sector from further ISC attacks.

## Apocrypha

With the end of the General War in August 2292, and the Khitomer Accords in 2293, the Federation Reserve Fleet was disbanded, and the last of the pre-refit Akula Class ships with it.

## Specifications

* **Class:** Destroyer, Obsolete
* **Hull Type Designation:** FODD
* **Length:** 229m
* **Crew:** 95
* **Warp Nacelles:** 2

* **Maximum Sublight Speed:** 4050 k/s (40.5 Mk/s)
* **Cruise** **Warp Factor Speed:** wf 6.8
* **Safe** **Maximum Warp Factor Speed:** wf 9.3
* **Hull Rating:** 200 HSF
* **Shield Rating:** 350 FSP

* **Sensor Rating:** 800 SRU

* **Armament and Equipment:**
	+ Primary
		- 3 × Type A Phaser Emitter
	+ Secondary
		- 2 × Mark V Photon Torpedo Tube
	+ Heavy
		- None
	+ Advanced
		- None
	+ Equipment
		- Tractor Beam Emitter
		- Mark VI Probes

## Ships in Service (2292)

USS Saladin (NCC-500)

USS Dublin (NCC-501)

USS Shannon (NCC-502)

USS Venturi (NCC-503)

USS Tamerlane (NCC-504)

USS Suleiman (NCC-505)

USS Lucifer (NCC-506)

USS Alaric (NCC-507)

USS Pompey (NCC-508)

USS Taratus (NCC-509)

USS Zama (NCC-510)

USS Neco (NCC-511)

USS Simyra (NCC-512)

USS Zarephath (NCC-513)

USS Byblos (NCC-514)

USS Jubeil (NCC-515)

USS Arwad (NCC-516)

USS Astarte (NCC-517)

USS Sidon (NCC-518)

USS Utica (NCC-519)

USS Berytus (NCC-520)

USS Tarshish (NCC-521)

USS Baalbek (NCC-522)

USS Canaan (NCC-523)

USS Carteia (NCC-524)

USS Baal (NCC-525)

USS Melqart (NCC-526)

USS Murex (NCC-527)

USS Venra (NCC-528)

USS Frankfurt (NCC-529)

USS Helsinki (NCC-530)

USS Karachi (NCC-531)

USS Lagos (NCC-532)

USS Madrid (NCC-533)

USS Nairobi (NCC-534)

USS Nassau (NCC-535)

USS New Delhi (NCC-536)

USS Oslo (NCC-537)

USS Riyadh (NCC-538)

USS Sarajevo (NCC-539)