Excelsior-class Specifications
Production Data
Origin: United Federation of Planets
Class and Type: Excelsior-class Exploratory Cruiser
Year Launched: 2284 {2293} {{2348}}
Hull Data
Structure: 40
Size/Decks: 7/26 decks
Length/Beam/Height: 467/186/78 meters {511/196/87 meters}
Complement: 650
Operational Data
Transporters: 6 standard, 6 emergency, 6 cargo
Cargo Units: 70
Shuttlebay: 3 stardrive aft {3 stardrive aft, 1 saucer aft}
Shuttlecraft: 21 size worth {28 size worth}
Tractor Beams: 1F, 1AV, 1AD
Separation System: Yes (emergency only)
Sensor System: Class 2 (+2/C) {Class 3 (+3/D)}
Operations System: Class 3 (D) {Class 4 (E)}
Life Support: Class 3 (D) {{Class 4 (E)}}
Propulsion Data
Impulse System: Type IV (.5c) (D) {Type V (.75c) (D)} {{Class 6 (.9c) (D)}}
Warp System: Type VI (warp 6/7/8) (D) {Type VII (warp 7/8.5/9) (D)} {{Class 6A2 (warp 6/8/9.2) (D)}}
Tactical Data
Phaser Banks: Type VIII (x4/C) {{Type IX (x3/C)}}
Penetration: 5/5/4/0/0 {{5/5/5/0/0}}
Photon Torpedoes: Type II (x2/C) {{Type V (x2/C)}}
Penetration: 4/4/4/4/4 {{4/4/4/4/4}}
Deflector Shield: Class 4 (C)
Protection/Threshold: 14/4
Miscellaneous Data
Maneuvering: +4C -3H +3T
Traits: {{Enchanced System (phasers) (0/0/+1/0/0), reflected above}}
Starfleet's most venerable design, the nearly century-old Excelsior-class Exploratory cruiser began its service life as the test bed for the experimental Transwarp drive system in the 2280s. Refitted with traditional warp drives after the experiment's failure, the Excelsior-class distinguished itself as an explorer and a warship.
The first refit brought the cruiser to the cutting edge of Federation technology, making the Excelsior the largest and most expensive class of vessels in the Starfleet registry. And the class was further honored when the first ship built after the refit was named USS Enterprise (NCC-1701B).
The mainstay of Starfleet for the first quarter of the 24th Century, the workhorse of the Federation didn't simply fade away when the Ambassador-class took over the as the primary explorer class. Instead, the Excelsior-class continued its broad range of missions, from exploration to diplomacy to combat.
The class received a much-needed facelift in 2348, receiving the latest in Federation technology to again make it one of the most advanced vessels in the fleet, despite the fact that her production cycle has ended two decades earlier. Even in the last quarter of the 24th Century, the Excelsior-class is a capable explorer and powerful warship. Only these ships' aging spaceframes will prevent them from serving for another 90 years.
Current projections by Starfleet indicate that the class will be phased out within the next 15 years.
Editor's Note: The second refit date is pure conjecture. I use sinlge brackets to list changes for the 2293 refit, and double brackets for the 2348 refit. The first set of dimensions is from the FASA book; the second set is from Spacedock. One alternative for the 2348 refit, to reflect the "aging spaceframe" concept, is to reduce the ship's structure to 35. This would allow other traits to be bought (like Battle Tested) for individual ships.
Last edited by Sea Tyger; 06-21-2002 at 09:11 AM.
Davy Jones
"Frightened? My dear, you are looking at a man who has laughed in the face of death, sneered at doom, and chuckled at catastrophe! I was petrified."
-- The Wizard of Oz