Mid to Late 23rd Century Classes

This page is about those classes that were in service in the period immediately before, during and after the classic series and films. This is roughly the dates 2220 and 2300.

[Saladin] [Hermes] [Ptolemy] [Detroyat] [Sherman] [Independence] [Larson] [Loknar] [Coronado] [Federation] [Belknap] [Abbe] [Menahga] [Akyazi] [Sydney]

Saladin class destroyer

From the Star Fleet Technical Manual and later publications.

Sub-classes

Saladin in service from 2224. 20 vessels (all new builds). NCC-500 to NCC-519
Pompey ??? vessels (all upgrades). NCC-506 and others. A modification of the Saladin design with two nacelles directly beneath the saucer.
Siva 10 vessels (all new builds). NCC-520 to NCC-529
Cochise 26 vessels (all new builds). NCC-530 to NCC-555
Jenghiz in service from 2269. All surviving members of the above sub-classes upgraded to this spec. Additional vessels (NCC-556 upwards) were authorised, the number actually built is unknown. U.S.S. Jenghiz was NCC-501.
Thunderbolt (fast destroyer) in service from 22??. 10 vessels (all new builds). NCC-1590 to NCC-1599
Scimitar (fast destroyer) in service from 2291. ??? vessels (all new builds). NCC-2901 upwards. Thunderbolts may have been upgraded to this specification.

Jackill's Ships of the Fleet (Volume I) includes a Fast Destroyer, the Swiften class, which enters service in 2271 with registry numbers NCC-1300 upwards. 44 ships were proposed with at least 28 built, however I find the design less convincing than the two mentioned above (megaphasers seem out of place in my mental concept of a fast destroyer). The same book also includes the Catchon class Interceptor, which is a fast destroyer with additional torpedo tubes (two forward, two aft) mounted below the warp nacelles. The class entered service in 2270 with registry numbers NCC-3400 upwards. 41 ships were proposed with at least 25 built.

Hermes class scout

From the Star Fleet Technical Manual and later publications.

Sub-classes

Hermes in service from 2224. 16 vessels (all new builds). NCC-585 to NCC-600
Monoceros 16 vessels (all new builds). NCC-601 to NCC-616
Cygnus 9 vessels (all new builds). NCC-617 to NCC-625.

There is a problem here with the Monoceros and Cygnus classes having registries that overlap with the earliest Oberth class registries. I've attempted to resolve this conflict in a short essay on scouts and surveyors.

FASA had a very similar design, the Nelson class scout. It was nearly identical to the Hermes in appearance, the main differences being the lack of the deflector/sensor dish and a 'V' shaped support for the nacelle. According to FASA a total of 273 were built. Registrations are in the range NCC-7350 to NCC-7799. Named ships include the U.S.S. Cortes, U.S.S. Fremont, U.S.S. Manzer, U.S.S. Menke, U.S.S. Moisanen, U.S.S. Stuart and U.S.S. Valdez.

Ptolemy class tug

From the Star Fleet Technical Manual and later publications.

Sub-classes

Ptolemy In service from 2224 to mid 2290s. 15 vessels (all new builds). NCC-3801 to NCC-3815
Kepler 15 vessels (all new builds). NCC-3816 to NCC-3830
Doppler In service from 2289. 69 vessels authorised for construction. NCC-3831 to NCC-3899
Dollond In service from 2289. 41 vessels authorised for construction. NCC-3900 to NCC-3940

Detroyat class Heavy Destroyer

From U.S.S. Detroyat Class Heavy Destroyer Blueprints.

In service from 2224 to the early 2290s. A total of ten were built with the registries NCC-1100 to NCC-1109. Later reclassified as escort vessels and then as scouts.

Sherman class cargo drone

Detailed in the Federation Reference Series and the U.S.S. Sherman Class Cargo Drone Blueprints.

Sub-classes

These don't make sense and should be ignored or modified
Symma in service from 2224. NCC-G128 to NCC-G144
Sherman in service from 2235. NCC-G145 and NCC-G146
Linda in service from ????. NCC-G147 to NCC-G149
Susan in service from ????. NCC-G150
Alana in service from ????. NCC-G151 and NCC-G152
Dirdra in service from ????. NCC-G153 to NCC-G160
Alexis in service from 2230. NCC-G420 to NCC-G434

Two vessels of this class appeared in the animated episode "More Tribbles, More Troubles". NCC-G1465 and NCC-G14??

Jackill's Ships of the Fleet (Volume III) features the Pershing class, NCC-G1400 a movie era refit of this vessel that entered service in 2266. At least 98 out of a proposed 100 were built.

Independence class Freighter

Detailed in the Federation Reference Series and the U.S.S. Independence Class Armed Freighter Blueprints. This was Starfleet's primary freighter design with most of the freighters referred to during TOS and TAS being assigned to this class.

Sub-classes

Independence in service from 2229. 100 vessels (all new builds). NCC-F1300 to NCC-F1399
Freedom in service from 2231. 100 vessels (all new builds). NCC-F1400 to NCC-F1499
Equality in service from 2234. 100 vessels (all new builds). NCC-F1500 to NCC-F1599
Liberty in service from 2235. 100 vessels (all new builds). NCC-F1600 to NCC-F1699
Justice in service from 2237. 100 vessels (all new builds). NCC-F1700 to NCC-F1799
Fraternity in service from 2239. 14 vessels (all new builds). NCC-F1800 to NCC-F1813. In light of the Huron's registry (see below) I would extend the Fraternity class to NCC-F1899 and add a Solidarity class starting at NCC-F1900.

Whilst the visual design of the Independence class is based upon the U.S.S. Huron from the TAS episode "The Pirates of Orion" it is not actually a very good likeness. We can only presume that the Huron was modified at some time before the events of that episode, possibly to one of the other sub-classes.

FASA also has a Liberty class of freighter of a very different design.

Larson class destroyer

From FASA.

Entered service in 2240. According to FASA a total of 162 were built with registries from NCC-4300 to NCC-4475 missing out 14 numbers at random. 4 distinct sub-classes saw service.
Full list of names and registries.

To include these in a more conventional picture of Starfleet they could be classified as heavy destroyers with only 10 to 20 in service at any given time.

Loknar class frigate

From FASA.

Entered service in 2242. According to FASA a total of 97 were built with registries from NCC-2700 to NCC-2799 missing out 3 numbers at random. 4 distinct sub-classes saw service.
Full list of names and registries.

To include these in a more conventional picture of Starfleet they could be reclassified as light frigates with only about a dozen in service at any given time.

Coronado class through deck cruiser

From Ships of the Star Fleet, Volume 1.

Entered service in 2258. A total of six were built with the registries NCC-1975 to NCC-1980
Originally shuttle carriers they were reclassified when the Ariel class entered service.

The LUG RPG supplement Planets of the UFP has a U.S.S. Coronado discovering Cestus III in 2258. It seems that someone at LUG has some familiarity with treknical fandom works. However, the later Decipher publication Starfleet Operations Manual makes that U.S.S. Coronado a member of the Ranger class.

Ships of the Star Fleet, Volume 1 also mentions the later, Advance class through deck cruisers, NCC-1981 to NCC-1986. However no clues are given to the design of these ships.

Jackill's Ships of the Fleet (Volume II) features the Oriskany class through deck cruiser, a standard movie era refit of the Coronado. All existing Coronado class vessels would be refitted and additional units would be built, NCC-1950 to NCC-1984. The U.S.S. Oriskany herself is NCC-1976.

Federation class dreadnaught

From the Star Fleet Technical Manual and later publications.

Sub-classes

Federation In service from 2255. At least 12 vessels out of a proposed 20 (all new builds). NCC-2100 to NCC-2104 and NCC-2106 to NCC-2112
Star League In service from 2268. Up to NCC-2149 were authorised but the number actually built is unknown. The U.S.S. Star League herself was an upgrade, being NCC-2101.
Federation (II) In sevice from 2275. 9 vessels (all upgrades).

Belknap class strike cruiser

From Ships of the Star Fleet, Volume 1.

A prototype strike cruiser, U.S.S. Decatur, NCC-2500 was commissioned in 2270. Further units were authorised.
The second vessel, U.S.S. Belknap, NCC-2501 was heavily modified during construction. She was finally commissioned in 2275. All further ships were built as - this specification. A total of 28 vessels were built. NCC-2500 to NCC-2519 and NCC-2537 to NCC-2544.

A dreadnaught variant exists, the first vessel being the U.S.S. Ascension, commisioned in 2278. 10 vessels were built. NCC-2520 to NCC-2529.

There's one little problem, NCC-2544 is the Excelsior class U.S.S. Repulse.;

Abbe class photon torpedo destroyer

From Jackill's Star Fleet Reference Manual: Ships of the Fleet, Volume 1.

Entered service in 2270. A total of 31 were authorised with the registries NCC-5300 to NCC-5330. At least twenty were constructed.

Menahga class heavy destroyer/battlecruiser

From several sources, including Starship Design and the Menahga Tactical Battlecruiser Development Sheet.

Prototype launched service in 2279, intended to be Starfleet's first (and so far only) battlecruiser. Flaws in design did not stop a total of ten being produced NCC-3100 to NCC-3109 but did lead to the class being classified as heavy destroyers. Later refinements to the design (the Mitannic and/or S'Harien classes) were implemented in all but three of the vessels allowing them to serve as battlecruisers.

Hull numbers seem to go up to NCC-3111 so perhaps two more vessels were produced after the design flaws were solved? Certainly Ships of the Star Fleet lists nine battlecruisers (in addition to the three remaining heavy destroyers) in service before the Andernach (NCC-3112) class started construction.

Akyazi class perimeter action ship

From Ships of the Star Fleet, Volume 2.

Sub-classes

Akyazi In service from 2286. 36 vessels (all new builds). NCC-1010 to NCC-1047. All ship names begin with A, B or E.
Arbiter In service from 2286. 41 vessels (all new builds). NCC-1048 to NCC-1089. All ship names begin with A, J or T.
Akula In service from 2288. 25 vessels (all new builds). NCC-1090 to NCC-1114. All ship names begin with A, K or S.

Strangely, these registries clash with the Horizon (NCC-1000) and Detroyat (NCC-1100) classes both of which were mentioned in Volume 1. Worse still they clash with the on screen NCC-1017 for the U.S.S. Constellation. Shifting the registries to NCC-1020 to NCC-1057 for the Akyazis, NCC-1058 to NCC-1099 for the Arbiters and NCC-1110 to NCC-1134 for the Akulas clears all the conflicts.

Sydney class transport

Although the filming model for this class was based on that of the orbital shuttle from ST VI it is in fact much larger. The LUG RPG supplement Ship Recognition Manual, Volume 2: Starships of The Orginal Series Era gives the registry of the U.S.S. Sydney as NCC-2005.

Last updated July 6^th 2004. © Stephen Pugh <steve@pugh.net>
Star Trek™, ® & © by Paramount Pictures. All Rights Reserved.
Star Trek is a registered trademark of and all characters and related marks are trademarks of Paramount Pictures.