Modular Design Program

*"A damaged ship can get replacement parts from another Starfleet vessel, and the engineers don't have to worry about them not fitting or not working. This system means our crews can do more, stay in the field longer and have the ships they need to do their jobs." - Commander Marie Durant, Starfleet Public Affairs*
The **Modular Design Program** was a principle of starship design implemented by the Starfleet Corps of Engineers in the 2390s. Born from the Fleet Modernization Program, the Modular Design Program called for the development of modular starship designs, where various components could easily be swapped or replaced between starship types and classes. This led the Advanced Starship Design Bureau to draft many new subclasses of successful starships already in service and eventually led to multiple, modular classes being developed concurrently in the early 25th century.

## History

This concept had been a part of Starfleet's designs for decades, but was greatly expanded upon after the Dominion War. The heavy losses sustained in remote sectors of space made it abundantely clear that the traditional methods of returning to a starbase or shipyard for repairs or upgrades was not a feasible idea during times of conflict or deep space exploration missions. Thus, a modular design would allow the crew to make repairs in the field, or even salvage components that could be reused for other vessels. A further benefit of modular construction was that the starship could be modified for specific mission profiles or to better accommodate the needs of the crew.

The program became official policy in the 2390s and remained in heavy use into the 25th century.

## Starship classes

The following are the starship classes that were adapted to or created as part of the program.

### Adapted classes

* *Akira*-class
* *Ambassador*-class
* *Cheyenne*-class
* *Defiant*-class
* *Dervish*-class
* *Destiny*-class
* *Excelsior*-class
* *Galaxy*-class
* *Intrepid*-class
* *Miranda*-class
* *Nebula*-class
* *Norway*-class
* *Nova*-class
* *Olympic*-class
* *Prometheus*-class
* *Saber*-class
* *Sovereign*-class
* *Steamrunner*-class
* *Vesta*-class

### New classes

* *Avenger*-class
* *Chimera*-class
* *Emissary*-class
* *Excalibur*-class
* *Odyssey*-class

## Design projects

The Modular Design Program influenced numerous starship development projects in the 25th century.

* C3 Development Project
* Multi-mission Explorer Development Project
* Project Aeronaut
* Project Chainlink
* Project Deep Shadow
* Project Miracle Worker

## 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

## Footnotes

1. ↑ STO wiki: *The Path to 2409: Volume 23, Chapter 3*.
2. ↑ STO website: *Oslo*-class ship update.