Starship role

**Starship role** was the mission profile or purpose assigned to a specific vessel or series of vessels by a service.

The system differed from starship class, which indicated the specific design of a vessel, starship registry, which was the name and number assigned to a specific craft, and starship classification, which was the high level grouping and categorization of spacecraft.

## Starfleet

### Captain's yacht

An auxiliary craft provided for the use of a vessel’s commanding officer, for both official and personal use, was known as a captain’s yacht. Larger starships were sometimes designed with specialized berths for these craft, as in the case with the *Gondola*-class, while most vessels had one of its shuttle complement assigned to this role.

### Cyber-electromagnetic activities platform

While all Starfleet ships carried an active protection system, in squadrons at least one vessel was assigned the role of cyber-electromagnetic activities platform (CEMAP). The ship was responsible for managing all aspects of cyber and electronic warfare for the unit. As with most assignments, multiple vessels could be given the role within the same squadron.

### Flagship

The flagship role fell to the vessel used by a unit commanding officer, typically of flag rank, in leading a group of other vessels. These could be any vessel of any type when the officer was acting in their CO role abroad said ship. They differed from headquarters ships in that flagships did not always have unit operations centers (UOC).

### Headquarters ship

Often referred to as “command ships,” the headquarters ship (HQS) was designed with facilities and systems to serve unit commanders and their staff in coordinating unit operations. These tools typically included advanced C3ISTAR systems, robust communications networks, and other systems in a dedicated unit operations center. The ships essentially served as mobile command posts and typically also carried the flagship role.

While some smaller classes had UOCs, such as the *Shenzhou*-class, the HQS term was reserved for vessels designed to operate at the center of larger units such as groups, wings, and fleets. The *Concorde*, *Geneva*, and *Presidio*-classes were prime examples which were built to fulfill a need for an advanced HQS.

### Interdiction operations ship

Typically operating outside Federation space, an interdiction operations ship (IOS) served to hinder enemy forces before they became a threat to friendly forces and assets. Such efforts involved delaying, disrupting, or destroying threat forces and supplies before they could do harm.

Vessels designed to serve IOS roles typically carried stealth technologies, such as cloaking devices. Some had large complements of auxiliary craft to facilitate a larger area of operation. Designs often relegated to this role included the *Phantom*, *Adamant*, and *Clarke*-classes,

### Screening ship

The role of screening ship (SCRNS) was assigned to those vessels in a squadron that were actively defending the squadron. This included performing intercepts, point defense, and providing cover for other ships. Those spacecraft assigned the role were typically fast and maneuverable, with models such as the *New Orleans* and *Shran*-classes often fulfilling the role.

### Sensors platform

Within squadron units, at least one vessel would be assigned to the sensors platform (SNSP) role. The ship was responsible for maintaining active scans of areas of interest and feeding the data to the squadron leader. Depending on the size and mission of a unit, this responsibility could be split between multiple vessels and into long-range (LSNSP) and short-range (SSNSP) roles. The role was typically assigned to the ship with the most advanced sensor systems.

### Space control ship

The space control ship (SCS) carried extensive shuttlebays and large auxiliary craft capacity to facilitate expanded escort and patrol duties.

### Technical research ship

One of the subsets of reconnaissance vessels was the technical research ship (TRS), which was designed to gather intelligence by monitoring, recording, and analyzing signals and communications from other powers and unknown sources. Early 25th century vessels often assigned this role were the *Bozeman* and *Scryer*-classes.

## Appendices

### Connections

**Raider-gunboats (*mupDuj weHDuj*):** *Birok* • *K'Tanco* • *Ketha* • *Klavek* • *Kortar* • *Mat'Ha* • *Qa'Tel*) • *Qin* (*Qorgh* (*Pach* • *Pujyaq* • *Su'Qob*) • *Qui'Tu* • *K'saruj*

**Raider-assault ships (*yotDuj weHDuj*):** *Chava'Kal* • *Grishnar* • *Sargh*

**Raider-starfighters (*HIvDuj weHDuj*):** *Qo'Toch* • *To'Duj*

**Warship-enforcers (*raD'Duj veSDuj*):** *Fek'lhr* • *Naj'Sov* • *Nov* • *Peghqu'* (*Duvqu'*) • *QeHpu'* • *Qib*

**Warship-conquerors (*charghDuj veSDuj*):** *Suq'jagh* • *Vo'Devwi*

**Warship-battleships (*may'Duj veSDuj*):** *Antaak* • *D'ama* • *Kamarag* (*K'Maj*) • *K'Tagga* (*K'Tinga* • *Khenn* • *K'Tmara* • *Koro'Tinga*) • *K'Vort* • *Klothos* • *Mogh* (*Kurak*) • *Mur'Eq* • *Qi'moh* (*Yoj*) • *Vor'cha* (*Qang*) • *Tor'Kaht* • *Vor'Kang* • *Vor'ral*

**Warship-dreadnoughts (*yayDuj veSDuj*):** *An'quat* • *Bortasqu* (*Gorkon* • *Kahless* • *Martok*) • *Klinzhai* • *Negh'Var* (*Qu'Daj* • *Negh'Tev*) • *Nejwi* • *Qeh'Ral* • *Ty'Gokor* • *Vo'quv*

**Support ships (*ngaqDuj*):** *K'Toch* • *Kivra* • *Pipa* • *Toron*

**Project Groups:** C3 cruisers (*An'quat* • *Klinzhai* • *Ty'Gokor*) • Miracle Workers (*Antaak* • *Klothos* • *Mur'Eq*) • Pilot raptors (*Klavek* • *Kortar* • *Qui'Tu*)

**Other Types:** *Chargh* (*Jach*) • *BaSro'* • *GhIt* • *Durgath* • *Qoj* (*BortaS bIr* • *Qaw'* • *Veqlargh*) • *Na'Qjej* • *Qugh* • *Sech*

**Project Groups:** C3 warbirds (*Baratan* • *Deihu* • *Vastam*) • Miracle Worker (*Nijil* • *Tebok* • *Varel*) • Multi-mission explorers (*Galas* • *Surhuelh* • *Taenen*) • Pilot escorts (*Khaiell* • *Jaeih* • *Okhala*)

**Other Named Classes:** *Aelahl* • *Aves* • *Craeul* • *Deleth* • *Faehht* • *Kholhr* • *Laeosa* • *Osprey* • *Ra'nodaire* • *Rahhae* • *Thrai* • *T'liss* • *Valkis*

**Auxiliary Craft:** *Falconet* • *Kestrel* • *Scorpion* • *Talon*

**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*

### Sources consulted

* Captain's yacht article at *Memory Alpha*.
* Headquarters ship article at *Wikipedia*.
* Interdiction assault ship article at *Wikipedia*.
* Sea control ship article at *Wikipedia*.
* Technical research ship article at *Wikipedia*.