Defiant-class

Defiant Class

• Role: Escort
• Crew: 50
• Commissioned 2371-

Unit Run

• USS Defiant NX-74205
• USS Valiant NCC-74210
• USS Sao Paulo NCC-75633

Dimensions

• Length: 170m
• Width: 134m
• Height: 30m
• Decks: 4

Armament

• 4 Pulse Phasers
• 1 Phaser Array
• 3 Quantum Tubes
• 1 Photon Tube

Defenses

• High Capacity Shields
• Ablative Armor

Warp Speeds

• Normal Cruise: 6
• Maximum Cruise:8.7
• Maximum Rated: 9.5

History: The Defiant-class starship, officially classified as an escort, began development in 2366 as a small, highly-powered, heavily-armed warship intended to defend the Federation against the Borg. The USS Defiant (NX-74205) was the first of what was to be a new Federation battle fleet being prepared to counter the Borg. Starfleet abandoned the project when the Borg threat became less urgent and design flaws turned up nearly destroying the Defiant during its initial shakedown cruise. The Defiant prototype was pulled out of storage in 2371 when the Dominion threat emerged. After several upgrades by Operations Chief Miles O'Brien, the ship was deemed worthy of use and several more ships of the class were constructed. (DS9: "The Search, Part I", VOY: "Drone")

History

The Defiant-class starship was a heavily-armed, limited-role Starfleet vessel, developed in response to the Borg threat as originally encountered in 2365, and spurred on by the shocking results of the Battle of Wolf 359 in 2367. With the knowledge that existing weaponry and defenses would be inadequate to meet this threat, it was recognized that a new type of starship was needed to meet the tactical requirements of facing this superior enemy. Shortly after the massacre at Wolf 359 in 2367, Lieutenant Commander Benjamin Sisko joined the development team at the Utopia Planitia Fleet Yards. (DS9: "The Search, Part I") [edit] Design and construction history The USS Defiant (NX-74205) was the class prototype. It was Starfleet's first dedicated combat vessel, and therefore did not house provision for families or diplomatic missions, nor science labs or recreational facilities. The Defiant-class was a heavily-armored, stripped-down starship and incorporated the latest in Starfleet weaponry and defensive technology and was equipped with a class-7 warp drive. The Defiant was considerably smaller than most other Federation starships. (DS9: "The Search, Part I") [edit]Early service years

Starfleet eventually decided to put the Defiant-class into full production. By the end of 2373, there were a significant number of Defiant-class ships in operation, and over the next two years they played a vital role in the Dominion War. (DS9 Season 7; VOY: "Message in a Bottle") [edit]Dominion War The USS Defiant was destroyed by a Breen warship in 2375, during the Second Battle of Chin'toka. Another Defiant-class ship, the USS São Paulo, was then assigned to Deep Space 9. Given the USS Defiant's exceptional record under Captain Benjamin Sisko's command, the Chief of Starfleet Operations gave a special dispensation to change the ship's name to Defiant. On this ship, the shield generators were completely reconfigured so that they would not be affected by the Breen's energy-dampening weapon. This new Defiant played a distinguished role in the final battle with the Dominion at Cardassia Prime, and remained stationed at Deep Space 9. (DS9: "The Changing Face of Evil", "The Dogs of War", "What You Leave Behind")