Perimeter Defense Directive

**Starfleet Directive 3930.01**, better known as the **Perimeter Defense Directive (PDD)**, was a missive from Starfleet Command issued in 2352 in response to combat assessments from the early years of the Federation-Cardassian War and due to rising tensions with the Tholian Assembly. It began a spacecraft design and construction program to improve Starfleet's force profile and ability to defend United Federation of Planets territory. The program was sidelined as border conflicts slowed, with efforts being diverted to *Galaxy*-class construction.

After the disastrous Battle of Wolf 359 in early 2367, the directive was revisited, revised, and accelerated. Eventually, several starship designs were produced and launched under the purview of the PDD. All were built to fulfill defined roles, though civilian oversight forced the expansion of capabilities within most beyond a sole combat-focus.

Systems and advances developed under the PDD would also inform other Starfleet designs, though not as part of the original program. These included the *Intrepid*, *Iwo Jima*, *Luna*, and *Sovereign*-classes. Additionally, some of the concepts discarded by the project would find new life outside the auspices of the PDD, the most notable being the *Nova*-class.

## Project classes

### *Saber*

The first product from the PDD starship program, the *Saber*-class was created to fulfill a short-range threat response role. Small, compact, fast, maneuverable, and well-armed, the frigate was intended to act as a first responder to potential combat situations before larger support could arrive. Launched in 2357, the *Saber* was soon found along the frontier and in hotspots along the Federation's borders.

### *Akira*

What became the *Akira*-class was initially an exercise by several engineers at the New Aberdeen Shipyards, done in their spare time, to modernize the *Matsumoto*-class. They were inspired by similar efforts in the late 24th century, such as with the *Georgiou*-class, but had not intended for their design to see the light of day. When the PDD called for a heavy cruiser cable of long-range threat response, Captain Alec Jaeger, the primary designer behind the exercise, decided to submit the theoretical design. After some minor adjustments, and interviews with Jaeger and the other designers, the *Akira*-class was approved and entered production. The first few vessels were launched in 2360 before the program was halted. Additional hulls were completed in 2368 after the PDD was reactivated.

### *Norway*

The *Norway*-class was designed to fill a gap within Starfleet's own transport services. The *Mitsui*-class was old and the *Edward*-class required the use of specific cargo modules, and neither could easily make planetfall nor were well-armed. The Perimeter Defense Directive called for a remedy, and the Advanced Starship Design Bureau soon had the *Norway*-class in front of the admiralty. The vessel was more versatilite in its logistical capabilities and was armed well enough to ably defend itself on the Federation's frontier. The first vessels of the class entered service in 2361.

### *Steamrunner*

The design created to fill the role of border patrol and defense was the *Steamrunner*-class. After submitting the new design, it was returned with an additional request: to include intelligence gathering capabilities. A brief review and revisit saw the *Steamrunner's* capabilities expanded and it was quickly approved by the admiralty. Construction began at the Laikan Starfleet Shipyards and the first vessels left their slips in 2364.

### *Defiant*

Though considered part of the Perimeter Defense Directive program, the *Defiant*-class stands alone as a design created directly in response to the threat of the Borg Collective. It was developed to fulfill the same role as the *Saber*-class, that of short-range threat response, though it differed from the frigate in numerous ways. The *Defiant*-class carried new ablative hull armor, Type-XII phasers, and integrated warp drive units. These new aspects earned it a rare Starfleet classification of destroyer.

### *Aegian*

The *Aegian*-class was initially developed in response to Cardassian Guard raids on Federation convoys during the exodus period of the Cardassian War. Its realization was delayed due to technological roadblocks, even before the PDD was temporarily suspended. Advances in the 2360s eventually made the class viable and *Aegians* began entering service in 2372. While the Norway was designed around fulfilling Starfleet logistical needs, the *Aegian* was created to escort civilian and commercial vessels.

## Appendices

### Connections

**Project groups:** **Union Station** (*Geneva* • *Concorde* • *Presidio*) • **Century Cruiser** (*Springfield* • *New Orleans* • *Challenger* • *Niagara* • *Freedom II* • *Galaxy* • *Nebula* • *Cheyenne*) • **Multi-Mission explorers** (*Brigid* • *Esquiline* • *Palatine*) • **Deep Shadow** (*Eclipse* • *Phantom* • *Scryer*) • **Miracle Worker** (*Scott* • *Daystrom* • *Tucker* • *Gagarin*) • **Aeronaut** (*Mercury* • *Ajax* • *Icarus* • *Shran*)

**Other named classes:** *Aegian* • *Aerie* • *Akula* • *Atlas* • *California* • *Centaur* • *Challenger* • *Cheyenne* • *Constellation* • *Constitution III* • *Crossfield* • *Curry* • *Daedalus* • *Dauntless* • *Excelsior II* • *Freedom II* • *Gemini* • *Glenn* • *Guardian* • *Inquiry* • *Iwo Jima* • *Jupiter* • *Lexington* • *Niagara* • *Obena* • *Okinawa* • *Parliament* • *Perseus* • *Pioneer* • *Ranger* • *Sagan* • *Solanae* • *Springfield* • *Turing* • *Ulysses*

**Auxiliary craft:** *Aero* • Class C • Class F • *Danube* • *Flyer* • *Gondola* • *Kodai* • *Mollard* • *Peregrine* • *Selenic* • Type 4 • Type 5 • Type 6 (Type 6A • Type 6S) • Type 7 • Type 8 • Type 9 (Type 9A) • Type 10 • Type 11 • Type 14 • Type 17 • Type 19 • *Valkyrie* • *Venture* • *Waverider* • *Yellowstone*

**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