Constitution Class

Once the standard Federation Cruiser, the Constitution Class was made famous by the exploits of Captain James T. Kirk commanding the USS Enterprise (NCC-1701). She has since been replaced in Federation Prime Fleet service with the upgraded Constitution Class Refit, but remains in service in the Federation Reserve Fleet.

## Development

Entering service in 2245, the Constitution Class was the result of many years of painful protracted development. Designed to replace the Valley Forge Class Cruiser, the Lancaster Class Heavy Cruiser and the Asia Class Exploratory Cruiser, the Constitution Class design project began in 2236 as part of the "Next Generation Cruiser" programme. Designed to push the boundaries of starship design, the project was beset by design problems inherent with the bleeding edge of technological progress. Whilst development of her systems and hull proceeded smoothly, she was designed around a warp reactor that only existed on paper. Without that warp reactor, the Constitution Class would be as slow and lumbering as the earlier Quetzalcoatl and Siegfried Class starships.

The prototype SSWR-XV reactor was brought online at Hellas Planitia on Mars, Sol System early in 2240. However, almost immediately disturbing reports began to unofficially reach the ears of the Starfleet Research & Development Division. Both the SSWR-XV reactor project leader and the director of Hellas Planitia resigned or were dismissed in the spring of 2241 following large-scale staff defections the previous fall. An emergency review by the Federation General Accounting Office in July 2241 revealed that certification tests at several developmental milestones had been partially or completely falsified to give the erroneous impression that development of the reactor was proceeding according to schedule. By this time the reactor should have already been undergoing high-stress endurance testing but had not yet even been run at 75% of full power. Problems with the reactor were numerous. Worst of all, the SSWR-XV, which had been undergoing bench testing at Hellas Planitia since early 2239, was said to be at least 24 months away from spaceframe mating and perhaps 36 months away from full-up flight testing.

In the interim, a rival Andorian design for the Next Generation Cruiser Programme was accepted into service. Designed from the outset to be a less ambitious, more proven and reliable design, the Pyotr Velikiy Class used a development of the the older SSWR-XIII reactor design (as used in the older Valley Forge Class) known as the SSWR-XIIIB. She swiftly entered service in 2242 and proved to be a solid addition to the fleet, although despite political pressure from Andoria and other Federation member worlds, the Pyotr Velikiy Class design was never adopted as a standard Prime Fleet design.

The success of the Constitution Class design led to her systems being adopted as a template, known as the Standard A. This template allowed the rapid design and commissioning of many new classes using this now proven series of systems.

## Operational History

The USS Constitution (NCC-1700), the lead ship of her class, finally joined Starfleet in September 2245, more than 3½ years late. However, it soon became apparent that the wait had been worthwhile. The Constitution was an extremely fast (wf 9.1), warp-dynamic ship with superior defensive and scientific capabilities which met and exceeded the expectations of Starfleet. The USS Enterprise (NCC-1701), named for the 20th century aircraft carrier of the United States Navy, followed in November 2245 and was placed under the command of Captain Robert April as a reward for his rescuing the Constitution Class development project from almost certain failure.

Despite the huge leap forwards in terms of capability, the operational missions that the Constitution Class was sent on meant that her class had a high loss rate. Replacements were built, with incremental improvements added on the slipway. Even the USS Enterprise (NCC-1701) had a minor refit during her overhaul in 2265, replacing her bridge module, removing the (proven ineffective) "warp spikes" on her nacelles, and installing a smaller, more compact deflector dish design. These improvements were collectively known as the Standard A Main subseries, the earlier systems being retroactively known as Standard A Early.

The stories of the USS Enterprise (NCC-1701) on her 3rd five year mission under the command of James T. Kirk are legendary, and for conciseness this article will not repeat that information. In 2269, the USS Enterprise (NCC-1701) was withdrawn from service and became the test ship for the new Type II technology programme. She was completely overhauled and refit over a period of 9 months. In this state, she became the pioneer of the Constitution Class Refit. The largest action involving Constitution Class ships was the indecisive 4-Day War in 2266, although Saladin Class and Akula Class Destroyers saw the most action in that short conflict.

In 2271 these refits began to be carried out on surviving Constitution Class ships, although not all proved economic or suitable for refitting. Starfleet accepted a reduction in the number of Heavy Cruisers in the fleet in return for the improved capabilities of the new Constitution Class Refit and increasing number of Miranda Class Light Cruisers. The older, pre-refit Constitutions were given basic overhauls to bring them up to acceptable working condition, and mothballed into the Federation Reserve Fleet. These overhauled ships were known as the Standard A Late subseries, although there was little to distinguish them externally from earlier types.

These ships did not see widespread service during the Organian Conflict or the War of Pacification, with the fighting never seriously threatening Federation space. However, during the General War, with the Prime Fleet in the distant Galactic Fringe, the Reserve Fleet were the only line of defence against invasion. On February 26th, 2292, the Federation Reserve Fleet shipyards in the Pearl System were attacked by overwhelming Klingon forces. Several Constitution Class ships were lost, but the remainder fought alongside Gorn Royal Navy forces in retaking lost Federation systems. Their defensive mandate completed, the remaining Reserve Fleet ships helped to defend the Subspace Slipway from any Alpha Quadrant based Interstellar Pacification Force 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 Constitution Class ships with it.

## Specifications

* **Class:** Heavy Cruiser, Obsolete
* **Hull Type Designation:** FOCA
* **Length:** 289m
* **Crew:** 500
* **Warp Nacelles:** 2

* **Maximum Sublight Speed:** 3700 k/s (37 Mk/s)
* **Cruise** **Warp Factor Speed:** wf 6.2
* **Safe** **Maximum Warp Factor Speed:** wf 9.1
* **Hull Rating:** 230 HSF
* **Shield Rating:** 450 FSP

* **Sensor Rating:** 800 SRU

* **Armament and Equipment:**
	+ Primary
		- 4 × 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 Constitution (NCC-1700)

USS Exeter (NCC-1742)

USS Intrepid (NCC-1708)

USS Valiant (NCC-1742)

USS Excalibur (NCC-1711)

USS Bonhomme Richard (NCC-1747)

USS Monitor (NCC-1713)

USS Endeavour (NCC-1746)

USS Defiance (NCC-1741)

USS John Adams (NCC-1743)

USS Eagle (NCC-1719)

USS Lafayette (NCC-1745)

USS Kearsarge (NCC-1721)

USS El Dorado (NCC-1722)

USS C.S.Lewis (NCC-1744)

USS Apollo (NCC-1725)

USS Krieger (NCC-1726)

USS Newton (NCC-1727)

USS Kestral (NCC-1728)

USS Centurion (NCC-1729)

USS Cannae (NCC-1731)

USS Valley Forge (NCC-1732)

USS Alesia (NCC-1733)

USS Jupiter (NCC-1734)

USS Tannenberg (NCC-1735)

USS Kursk (NCC-1736)

USS Proxima (NCC-1737)

USS Inchon (NCC-1738)

USS Warrior (NCC-1739)

USS Mondoloy (NCC-1740)