DEFIANT-CLASS WARSHIPS
FEDERATION CLOSE ESCORTS
Construction of the USS Defiant (NCC-74805), a prototype Close Escort-class vessel, was completed
on Stardate 5014 after a three year design and build phase. Using advanced engineering techniques and
utilizing a highly modified warp reactor core, this warship was built for combat with the Borg. The USS
Defiant is a warship; no more, no less and it's construction is based on that fact, thus no science labs,
holodecks, or family quarters have been installed. The Close Escort design is a radical deviation from
standard Starfleet designs but the necessity of more capable starships is evident with the continuing
conflict with the Borg and the Dominion.
Compared to current starship designs, the USS Defiants’ firepower is devastating beyond belief. New
high-powered burst phasers and heavy quantum torpedo launchers are her main offensive systems, as
well as antimatter spread pods and a top mounted phaser bank. To increase survivability, enhanced shield
grids have been installed along with heavy poly-duranium ablative armor. Computer capability has also
been enhanced by the installation of a combat computer with advanced hyper-heuristics and better
targeting interfaces. New long-ranged sensors have also been added and are highly effective, increasing
the USS Defiants’ scanner range and resolution by 20% over standard. Officers from Starfleet's
Advanced Tactical School (ATS) crew the USS Defiant, giving the ship both offensive and defensive
tactics unavailable to most other Federation starships.
The USS Defiant has exceeded all operating expectations but several major design flaws were
discovered during the ship's shakedown cruise. During battle drills the ship nearly tore itself apart when
the impulse engines were tested at full capacity, injuring twenty-two officers and crew. High-capacity
inertial compensators were designed and installed to decrease the instability of impulse engine
performance. The USS Defiant is one of the fastest starships in Starfleet, breaking the Antares Field
Records for speed and maneuverability.
When the threat of the Dominion became apparent to all major powers in the Alpha Quadrant, the
United Federation of Planets approached the Romulan Star Empire with a request for the use of one of
their cloaking devices. The Romulans agreed, with the stipulation that all data gathered in the Gamma
Quadrant be available to the Romulan Empire. The addition of the cloaking device has given the USS
Defiant stealthy capabilities which the Dominion cannot hope to match. The cloaking device has made
the USS Defiant perfect for long-range scouting of the Gamma Quadrant without detection. A Romulan
liaison officer has been added to the crew to safeguard and operate the cloaking device.
Construction of the USS Defiant began two years ago after a year-long design phase. Basic frame
construction was completed at Starfleet's Advanced Fleet Yards (L-5) in Terran orbit and then the vessel
was transferred to the top secret Jovian Labs for final assembly and retrofitting.
Terran and Vulcan engineers, using cutting edge technology, enhanced the USS Defiants’ basic
capabilities to include cloaking technology and burst phasers. When first conceived of by Admiral
Hanson of Borg Tactical (Starfleet Command), this Close Escort vessel was to be the first in a fleet of
warships built to combat the Borg but due to design flaws it was mothballed until the recent emergency
with the Dominion. The USS Defiant was completed on Stardate 5014 and has a crew of 50 officers and
crew.
While it is too early to effectively evaluate the overall performance of the USS Defiants’ capabilities, it's
first mission into the Gamma Quadrant met with high personnel losses (72%) and heavy damage
suffered suggests that larger and more capable warships are needed to combat Dominion forces. It is
therefore the conclusion of this paper that construction of the Close Escort-class vessels begin
immediately, and that Starfleet Command continue construction of Olympus-class dreadnoughts and
starship defense upgrades. Also, the need for Starfleet to deploy heavy starship units to the Bajoran
wormhole is clear and should be acted upon at the Federation's earliest convenience.
Finally, the Starfleet station Deep Space 9, located at the entrance of the wormhole, is continuing its’
defense upgrade. Installation of major phaser banks, photon launchers, and heavy shield grids is
proceeding at a rapid rate and Benjamin Sisko (Commander, Deep Space 9) is overseeing the process
with help from the local Bajoran Provisional government.
SHIP NAME NCC CODE STATUS
USS Defiant NCC-74205 Destroyed
USS Valiant NCC-74210 Destroyed
USS Starlord NCC-75225 Active
USS Rutledge NCC-75516 Active
USS Monitor NCC-75517 Active
USS Merrimac NCC-75528 Active
USS Defiant II* NCC-75633 Active
USS Victory NCC-76028 Active
USS Vindicator NCC-76383 Active
USS Stormbringer NCC-76478 Active
USS Shadowhawk NCC-77028 Active
USS Hurricane NCC-5518 Active
USS Valiant II** NCC-79568 Active
USS Maelstrom NCC-80126 Active
USS Redemption NCC-75519 Active
USS Relentless NCC-75520 Active
USS Sao Paulo NCC-75521 Active
*Originally commissioned as the USS Sao Paulo but renamed Defiant in 2375 by the Chief of Starfleet
Operations.
**Originally procured as the USS Hurricane, renamed Valiant in honor of the original ship.
