Fleet Modernization Program

The **Fleet Modernization Program (FMP)** was an ongoing project of Starfleet to regularly rehabilitate and modernize its fleet and was the primary method for updating the systems of service-operated spacecraft. The main goals of the program were to continuously improve the capabilities and material conditions of vessels, as well as their habitability, reliability, repairability, and safety.

## History

A modernization program was not unknown to the services that united to become Starfleet in 2161. For example, the United Earth forces were in the middle of an expansive refit of its *NX*-class cruisers when the United Federation of Planets and its Starfleet were created. Rehabilitation efforts would continue for a time, but focus would eventually move towards new designs collaboratively developed under the new Advanced Starship Design Bureau.

This focus on new construction and only minimal retrofits of existing vessels would prove disastrous for Starfleet during the First Federation-Klingon War. After enjoying decades of unchallenged expansion, the Federation was met with a brutal blow to its aging fleet. Though a peace agreement was eventually reached, the disastrous but brief conflict was a needed wake-up call for Starfleet Command and the Federation Council. The Fleet Modernization Program was initiated within six months of the wars end and a gargantuan effort to rehabilitate the fleet began.

A significant setback occurred in 2259 with the loss of the expansive TL-9139 Starfleet Maintenance Yards. Large numbers of older designs were present in the system awaiting refitting when the system’s primary began emitting massive amounts of baryon radiation that forced the whole star system to be abandoned. Even with the losses at Yard 39, work continued on updating the fleet at the Utopia Planitia Fleet Yards, Laikan Starfleet Shipyards, and other facilities. Soon the newer *Atlas*, *Gemini*, and other Jeffries-style designs were joined by refit *Shepard*, *Cardenas*, and other Eaves/Beyer vessels.

Starfleet was thus much better prepared when renewed conflict with the Klingon Empire occurred in the mid 2260s. Though the conflict was brought to an abrupt end by the Organians, after-action reports showed that refit Starfleet vessels had proved quite capable in engagements and the modernization program was deemed a success.

The next FMP undertaking was the Theseus Modernization Project (TMP), which was a project to refit several starship designs to the new Rodis/George warp drive. The most successful were the *Constitution* and *Malachowski*-classes into the *Constitution II* and *Anton*-classes, though several others received TMP updates. The resource cost of the program eventually deterred the admiralty from continuing such expensive overhauls and focus was shifted toward new construction, such as the *Miranda*, *Oberth*, and *Columbia*-classes.

Upgrades and modernization efforts continued, even as newer designs like the *Excelsior*-class entered production; though the *Excelsior* soon became the poster child for the Fleet Modernization Program. For more than a century, vessels of the class underwent numerous retrofits and upgrades, all that kept the cruisers extremely viable in active service.

During the 24th century, principles of the FMP were integrated into the Century Cruiser Project. Engineers determined that if the pinnacle of the fleet was to last a hundred years in service, it needed to be designed with modernization efforts in mind. This led to the inclusion of mission pods in early project products, although the eventual culmination leaned towards internal modularity over external mounts.

After the Dominion War, rehabilitation was a necessity due to damage to the fleet in the conflict. Many vessels received retrofits, which had been intended before the war, but some minor refits were developed, such as the *Rhode Island*-class, to bring designs up to Starfleet’s new post-war standards.

Modernization of the fleet cooled with the return of USS *Voyager* in 2378. The vessel, which had been lost in the Delta Quadrant for seven years, brought with it a plethora of new and advanced technologies. Starfleet scientists and engineers pored over data and schematics for years, hoping to implement some of the technology fleetwide. Though little would prove adaptable for retrofits for years, some new starship classes were quickly designed to make use of them. Notable examples were the *Dauntless* and *Vesta*-classes, which both incorporated the quantum slipstream propulsion system.

Though the facilities in orbit of Mars had served as the central hub of the FMP since its inception, operations were moved to the yards in the 40 Eridani and Procyon systems as Utopia Planitia was repurposed for the construction of vessels to be used in the evacuation of Romulan space. The attack on Mars in 2385 dealt a severe blow to both Starfleet operations and Federation morale. The modernization program was subsequently prioritized and expanded by Starfleet Command as the service moved to recover from its losses.

Some extensive refits, akin to the *Constitution II*-class of over a century earlier, were implemented under the Fleet Modernization Program in the 2390s. This was prompted by several advances in manufacturing technologies that simplified the construction process and the refinement of neutronium alloys for use in hull armor. The first of the planned refits was performed on the USS *Bellerophon*. The *Intrepid*-class frigate put into the Antares Ship Yards in mid 2393 and thirteen months later was recommissioned as the first of the new *Bellerophon*-class.

The new class proved successful both in its construction and tests. Additional refit designs were then ordered. Within the decade, vessels of the *Exeter*-class, *Gladius*-class, *Regent*-class, *São Paolo*-class, *Tempest*-class, *Thunderchild*-class, and *Venture*-classes were leaving the shipyards. Continued technological breakthroughs and rising tensions in the Beta Quadrant eventually pushed Starfleet Command to schedule retrofits over lengthy refits. Although some exceptions were made, such as the dreadnought refits of *Galaxy* lineage cruisers beginning in 2399.

Even though the yards at Mars were rebuilt at the turn of the century, the Fleet Modernization Program remained dispersed throughout Federation shipyards. The move had proved effective in allowing more regular visits to dry dock for vessels posted far away from the Sol system. Rehabilitation of the fleet continued during the tumultuous early years of the 25th century. At the same time, the Advanced Starship Design Bureau was creating vast numbers of new derivative and original starship designs.

## Appendices

### Connections

**Leadership:** Commander-in-chief • Joint Chiefs • Chief of Starfleet External Affairs • Chief of Starfleet Operations • Chief of Starfleet Research and Exploration • Chief of Starfleet Tactical

**Agencies:** Operations (Engineering • Judicial • Materiel Supply • Mission Operations • Personnel Management • Records Service • Shipyards Operations • Starbase Operations) • Research & Exploration (Science • Medical) • External Affairs • Tactical (Intelligence • Security • MACO)

**Notable units:** Ktarn Fleet • Task Force 77

**Facilities:** Deep Space K-7 • Deep Space K-13 • Deep Space 9 • Masamichi Array • Starbase 45-Keepsake • Starbase 82-Maat • Starbase 234-Beskerm • Starbase 247-Vershina

**Agencies:** Starfleet • Diplomatic Corps • Department of Temporal Investigations • Federation Security Agency

**Facilities:** 40 Eridani A Starfleet Construction Yards • Antares Ship Yards • Beta Antares Ship Yards • Copernicus Ship Yards • Laikan Starfleet Shipyards • McKinley Station • Memory Project • New Aberdeen Shipyards • Proxima Maintenance Yards • Salazaar Shipyards • San Francisco Fleet Yards • TL-9139 Starfleet Maintenance Yards • Tranquility Base • Utopia Planitia Fleet Yards

### Sources consulted

* Fleet Rehabilitation and Modernization article at Wikipedia.
* Ship Maintenance: The Navy’s Fleet Modernization Program, a Report to Congressional Requestors by the US General Accounting.
* Fleet Modernization Program (2340s) article at the Bravo Fleet Wiki.