Defiant class starship
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Image:Defiant project logo.png Image:Defiant-top.jpg
In the fictional universe of Star Trek, the Defiant class of starship is a variety of space-faring vessel used by Starfleet. The Defiant class vessels are among Starfleet's most advanced warships, created in the 2370s in response to the Borg threat. After the Borg threat was deemed lower, research and production for these vessels slowed. During the Dominion War Star Fleet pushed the class into mass prduction as a cheap but extremely effective counter to the Jem'Hadar atack ships. The basic form of a ship of this class is a semi-saucer fore and a squared-off aft; from this, a short, rectangular extension attaches at the front of the hull, housing the navigational deflector and an emergency M/A warhead, and two long rectangles housing the engines extend from the sides. Unusual for Starfleet vessels, the Defiant class' warp engines are not parallel, their axis intersecting less than a ship-length aft of the starship. It is also unusual for Starfleet in that it is a ship specifically designed for war. The class can take a considerable beating even after the incapacitation of its shields, due to heavy ablative armor on its hull. The ship has few of the creature comforts that are found on most Star Fleet vessels and has small racked bed style quarters.
General operations for this vessel included a standard crew of forty persons. The USS Defiant was equipped with a Romulan cloaking device in exchange for intelligence on missions to the gamma quadrant.
Origins
The Defiant project began in 2366 by Starfleet's Advanced Starship Design Bureau at Utopia Planitia and constructed at Antares Fleet Yards. Admiral Batelle Toh was responsible for the project and Captain Benjamin Sisko helped with many of the design elements.
Known Defiant class starships
- USS Defiant (NX-74205)
- The pathfinder of its class, the Defiant was assigned to the space station Deep Space Nine in 2371 for protection against the growing threat from the Cardassians and the Dominion. The Defiant was severely damaged while fighting the Borg at the Battle of Sector 001 in 2373. It was lost in 2375 in the invasion of the Chin'toka system during the Dominion War.
- It is notable that the Defiant retained its NX designation even after the class entered mainstream production, unlike other pathfinder vessels such as the USS Excelsior. Presumably, this is due to the fact that a Romulan cloaking device was installed by special agreement when the vessel was assigned to Deep Space Nine.
- USS São Paulo (NCC-75633)
- Assigned to Deep Space Nine after the Defiant's destruction and rechristened as the USS Defiant, retaining the registry number NX-74205. (This is because the studio did not wish to spend the time or money to redo stock effects shots of the Defiant. Otherwise it would be more accurately designated NX-74205-A, to maintain consistency with the registry-numbering scheme evident on the Starship Enterprise.)
- USS Valiant (NCC-74210)
- Destroyed in 2374 by the Dominion. Used by Starfleet cadets of Red Squad.
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| Starfleet: Starfleet starships | ||||||
| Ambassador | Constellation | Constitution | Danube | Defiant | Excelsior | Galaxy | Hope/Olympic | Intrepid | Miranda | Nebula | New Orleans | Nova | NX† | Oberth | Prometheus | Saber | Sovereign | Steamrunner | Wells | Other Starfleet ships | ||||||
| Other | ||||||
| Klingon Empire: Klingon starships | Borg Collective: Borg starships | Romulan Star Empire: Romulan starships | Jem'Hadar: Jem'Hadar starships | Cardassian Union: Cardassian starships | Ferengi Alliance: D'Kora | Suliban Cabal: Suliban cell ship | Andorian Imperial Guard: Kumari | Xindi: Xindi starships | Kazon Sects: Kazon ship classes | ||||||
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† – Pre-Federation | ||||||