Springfield class

## SPACECRAFT CLASS

The ***Springfield*-class** was a type of spacecraft developed by Starfleet in the early 24th century.

The class was designed to pioneer test concepts that would be later used for Starfleet’s Century Cruiser Project. Though elements of the design would be incorporated into future classes, like the *Galaxy* and *Nebula*-classes, the *Springfield*-class itself proved to be lacking overall and the few remaining vessels were decommissioned after the Dominion War.

During its service, the class was generally assigned to deep space exploration and defensive patrol duties.

## History

The first design to come from the Century Cruiser Project was the *Springfield*-class. It was designed to test multiple elements, such as a new ovular primary hull that was designed to improve warp field dynamics. The saucer was also designed to have a more efficient glide ratio and stability for saucer separation at warp speeds, although the *Springfield*-class itself was not designed with that capability.

In order for the Century Cruiser to last a full 100 years, engineers knew that the design would need to be modular in nature. The *Springfield*-class bore a modular pod at the upper aft of the primary hull that was interchangeable depending on mission need. Options were a pod with advanced sensors and laboratories for exploration assignments; a pod with a large shuttlebay and vast cargo capacity for transportation needs; and a pod with additional launch tubes, sensors, and tactical systems for defensive patrol duties.

Launched in 2323, the class proved successful in practical use while also verifying the success of the new primary hull design. However, the deflector array and nacelle design failed to meet desired goals. Vessels of the class saw use in deep space exploration and patrol missions, but continued advances in technology made them obsolete by the 2370s. A few *Springfield*-classes remained in service during the Dominion War, mostly for defense of inner worlds, but all were decommissioned at the end of the war in 2375.

## Technical specifications

The design implemented a modular mission pod, like the *Miranda*-class of the 23rd century.

## Deck plan

The following was the standard internal layout of *Springfield*-class vessels.

 5
 6
 7
 8
 9
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 17

## Command systems

### Bridge

The initial VAR-1 bridge design carried many design elements that had been present in Starfleet command modules for over a century. The second module carried minor changes, but showed the shift towards separate, moveable consoles for the Conn and Operations stations.

## Ships commissioned

The standard naming conventions for *Springfield* vessels used regional capitals and noteworthy traditions from Federation members worlds.

## 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

**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

* Springfield class article at *Memory Alpha*.
* Springfield class article at *Memory Beta*.
* *Star Trek: The Official Starships Collection* issue 110: "*Springfield* Class."
* *Star Trek Adventures - Utopia Planitia Starfleet Sourcebook* by Modiphius Entertainment.
* Springfield Class Reconstruction article at *Ex Astris Scientia*.
* Springfield Class article at Starbase 400.

### Footnotes

1. ↑ Derived from the MSD created by Alexander Richardson.
2. ↑ *STA - Utopia Planitia*, 152.