Okinawa Class

Designed for border patrols and internal policing, as well as scouting and convoy escort work in times of war, the Okinawa Class is a Federation Frigate designed in the late 2270s. Seeing service in the Organian Conflict, the War of Pacification and the General War, she is indicative of Starfleet policy of the time; trading long-ranged scanners and electronic warfare equipment deployed on earlier designs such as the Davids-S Class Scout Frigate for a more well-rounded, combat-orientated design. Her twin Photon Torpedo Tubes give her a punch well above most ships of her size.

## Development

By the 2270s, Starfleet had a long history of exploration and scientific programmes, and in order to free up larger Cruisers for these tasks (and for guarding critical hot spots along the Neutral Zone) employed smaller ships such as the Akula Class Destroyer, along with smaller Frigates such as the Davids Class for embargo enforcement, customs enforcement, local policing and all manner of menial tasks. They also employed specialist Scout Frigate variants for surveys, scientific observation and, in times of war, scouting for the fleet.

However, with tensions increasing in the galaxy in the aftermath of the 4-Day War in 2266 and various border "incidents", it was felt that the existing Frigates in service were increasingly obsolescent and unfit for purpose. At the same time, Starfleet planners found themselves hampered by the lack of light starships of adequate range, strength and sensor power to support Federation attack groups in times of war. Clearly a replacement was required for both tasks, and it was hoped that a common design could fulfil both sets of requirements.

As the project developed however, cracks in this plan began to appear. If the new design were powerful enough for military needs, there was insufficient power and space available for a scientific sensor suite and Electronic Warfare Equipment. If the new design had powerful enough sensors for scouting and scientific surveys, there wasn't sufficient room for a torpedo room. If it were big enough to accommodate both roles, then it was almost the size of an Akula Class, and Starfleet had no desire for another Destroyer design.

In the end, two new designs were tendered. The first became the Okinawa Class Frigate. The second, the Oberth Class Escort.

Whilst power concerns with the SSWR-XVI-LX (an ultra-light derivative of the SSWR-XVI used in the Constitution Class Refit) meant that her primary weapons array was limited to a pair of Type B Phaser Emitters, the Okinawa did boast a compact torpedo room with a pair of Mark VI Photon Torpedo Tubes. This gave her unparalleled firepower for a Frigate, although her onboard torpedo storage was rather small. At the distances from resupply she was expected to serve, this was not envisaged as a problem. In 2287, as with most Federation vessels, she was upgraded with the new Mark VII Photon Torpedo Tube.

## Operational History

First blood for the Okinawa came quickly, serving in all manner of police actions in the Orion Sector. She first served against a foreign power in the Organian Conflict, and although proved too small to face most of the heavy Klingon warships encountered, she proved a keen match for the otherwise deadly E12 B'Rel (Bird of Prey) Class. During this time she also gained a reputation as a fast, well-armed diplomatic transport, being able to simply evade many Klingon patrols.

During the War of Pacification the Okinawa tended to fare badly against comparable ISC Type FF-IV Frigates one-on-one, although light warships of other powers did no better against the firepower of two Type I Plasma Torpedo Tubes. She still performed admirably as a scout, and was usually able to outrun approaching Interstellar Pacification Force vessels.

In the General War against her old adversaries, the E12 B'Rel (Bird of Prey) Class and the F5B pIH (Suspicious) Class, she once again showed her superiority in torpedo-based firepower. Deep in the Galactic Fringe, Okinawa Class Frigates were able to resupply from Washington Class Troop Transports, using them as temporary bases to launch scouting operations in that remote area of space.

## Apocrypha

Despite the end of the General War in 2292 and the signing of the Khitomer Accords in 2293, the need for internal policing, customs enforcement and the ilk remained. In such a role, the Okinawa remained competitive and economic to operate, and was not retired until 2320 when replaced by surplus Miranda Class vessels.

## Specifications

* **Class:** Frigate
* **Hull Type Designation:** FFF
* **Length:** 183m
* **Crew:** 90
* **Warp Nacelles:** 2

* **Maximum Sublight Speed:** 4425 k/s (44.25 Mk/s)
* **Cruise** **Warp Factor Speed:** wf 7.3
* **Safe** **Maximum Warp Factor Speed:** wf 9.3
* **Hull Rating:** 170 HSF
* **Shield Rating:** 350 FSP

* **Sensor Rating:** 800 SRU

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

## Ships in Service (2292)

USS Okinawa (NCC-150)

USS Fesoan (NCC-153)

USS Hiroshima (NCC-154)

USS Nagasaki (NCC-155)

USS Tokyo (NCC-180)

USS Hokaido (NCC-156)

USS Honshu (NCC-157)

USS Inuyasha (NCC-158)

USS Tarawa (NCC-159)

USS Kyushu (NCC-160)

USS Samurai (NCC-161)

USS Hirohito (NCC-179)

USS Hasimodo (NCC-163)

USS Hasegawa (NCC-164)

USS Bushido (NCC-165)

USS Kusari (NCC-166)

USS Haiiku (NCC-167)

USS Shikoku (NCC-168)

USS Kagoshima (NCC-169)

USS Kofu (NCC-170)

USS Nagoya (NCC-171)

USS Yokohama (NCC-172)

USS Chiba (NCC-173)

USS Ishikawa (NCC-174)

USS Nagano (NCC-175)

USS Kyoto (NCC-181)

USS Okayama (NCC-177)

USS Osaka (NCC-178)

USS Sapporo (NCC-181)

USS Tomakomai (NCC-182)

USS Hakodate (NCC-183)

USS Ishinomaki (NCC-184)

USS Kushiro (NCC-185)

USS Mikura (NCC-186)

USS Kanazawa (NCC-187)

USS Akita (NCC-188)

USS Sendai (NCC-197)

USS Morioka (NCC-190)

USS Hirosaki (NCC-191)

USS Himeji (NCC-192)

USS Ichiro (NCC 193)

USS Matsuyama (NCC-194)

USS Kitakyushu (NCC-195)

USS Matsue (NCC-196)