Clearance code: SMITH-2-2-9-B
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Clearance verified. File 10-0-1496B3 is now open for viewing.
Tigermoth class starship (Constitution refit)
Ship hull type - cruiser
Unit run -
Starfleet builds:
USS Tigermoth NCC-61843-A
USS Mosquito NCC-77777
USS Tempest NCC-96454
plus one under construction.
OSF builds:
USS Valiant NCC-4217
plus one under construction.
Commissioned -
USS Valiant – October 2375
USS Tigermoth-A – January 2377
USS Mosquito - April 2377
USS Tempest – 2395
Dimensions –
Length – 306m
Beam – 143m
Height – 75m
Decks – 23
Mass – 703,000 metric tons
Crew – 200 to 220 depending on equipment installed.
Armament –
Phasers – 9 Type 12A arrays.
Quantum Torpedoes – 1 rapid fire turret.
Photon Torpedoes – 2 forward tubes, 1 aft tube.
Defensive systems –
Enhanced deflector shield system, total capacity 3,600,000 TJ.
Duranium double hull with carbon-neutronium armour plating.
High-capacity structural integrity field.
Warp speeds –
Warp cruise – Warp 8
Maximum warp cruise – Warp 9.5
Maximum warp rated – Warp 9.8 for 12 hours
Transwarp cruise – Twarp 5
Maximum transwarp cruise – Twarp 7
Maximum transwarp rated – to be determined.
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(Excerpts from “The History of the Constitution Class”, by Admiral RC Howard)
“Perhaps the most famous ship class Starfleet ever fielded, the Constitution captured the imagination of the public like no other ships class before. Part of this may have been down to the sheer beauty of these ships – in their initial configuration, with the white thermacoat these starships were so staggeringly different to everything that had come before them.”
“By the time USS Enterprise NCC-1701 returned to Earth for her major refit, there were ten Constitution class vessels in active service with the Starfleet exploratory arm. There were a further six vessels operated by the so-called “Shadow Fleet”, a secret Starfleet division who were charged with the task of countering the secret fleets the Klingon and Romulan governments were operating at the time. They had proven so successful in this role that the Klingons had virtually abandoned their shadow operations by this time, however the Romulans remained an ever-present threat. Following the Enterprise refit, virtually all Constitution class ships and their various subtypes were refitted to similar specifications. This included the Shadow Fleet ships.”
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Following the Borg incursions into Federation space in the mid-2360s, Starfleet began asking for proposals for new ship classes to counter the Borg threat. One such proposal was already on file with the Utopia Planitia Yards, which was to become the Sovereign Class. The Antares Yards gained approval for their Defiant Class, a ship which was to prove very useful once the design had undergone some reworking by officers under Benjamin Sisko of Deep Space Nine.
The Omega Sector Fleetyards proposed a heavy refit of an existing design – that of the Constitution Class. Starfleet was somewhat skeptical, yet donated a single ship from mothballs to the OSF to see if the idea had any merit. What emerged after several years of building, testing and reworking was a truly remarkable transformation – the USS Valiant NCC-4217. While the hull configuration was broadly the same as the original ship, there were many detail differences. The connecting ‘neck’ between primary and engineering hulls was much thicker. The primary hull was heavily reshaped. The engineering hull was reshaped as well, and the nacelle struts were thicker. The nacelles themselves were of a new type designed by Tezuka Republic Industries. Underneath the skin, the ship contained a mixture of proven technology as well as some innovation. The phaser arrays were of a brand new type, a compact iteration of the Type XII array first seen in the USS Sovereign. The torpedo tubes were a mix – the photon tubes being proven Type 9 MagRails, while the quantum torpedo launcher was a smaller and lower capacity version of the Sovereign one. The shield grid marked a return to the classic deflector-shield arrangement, long favoured by the OSF for the adaptability that such an arrangement affords, with a virtually all-new generator design.
The computer systems follow current Starfleet practice, being a variation on the now-standard LCARS-equipped isolinear multitronic setup. The M23 from Daystrom Technologies was a well-proven design, and was just about compact enough to slot in place where the old duotronic core had been. Sensors are also proven designs, based around designs that can trace their ancestry back to the Galaxy Class but with improvements along the lines of those brought in with the Sovereign Class. The warp core was based around that of the Intrepid Class, but with twin M/AM streams and a larger dilithium array to provide the increased power required for the offensive and defensive systems. This required the use of a much higher capacity power grid along with increased coolant capacity.
Starfleet was hugely impressed by the concept, and with the Dominion War still raging was giving some serious thought to building a ship based to the same specifications. The OSF delivered a comprehensive set of designs and notes regarding the build, and Starfleet set about refitting another two vessels. One of the hulls they used had been one of the Shadow Fleet ships, USS Triclore SNCC-1719, which had been decommissioned due to damage received in an incident in 2301. The other was the former USS Indefatigable, decommissioned and placed in mothballs at Proxima Maintenance Yards in 2322. By this time Tezuka Republic had refined the nacelle design further and these newer units were used. Other changes made by Starfleet were in the power grid and cooling systems – these were of slightly lower capacity than the OSF plans called for. Work did not proceed at all smoothly, the Dominion War ending before the ships could enter service. Following several more months of work, the vessels were still not ready and many in Starfleet thought that work should be suspended. Fortunately for the supporters of the refit plans, events elsewhere intervened.
The USS Tigermoth NCC-61843 was destroyed in a classified incident, and her chief engineer became available temporarily. Commander James Smith was able to solve many of the issues that had cropped up, getting one ov the ships service ready in a little over a month. Smith was assigned to the ship as chief engineer, with the Tigermoth command crew and various other personnel joining him. In recognition of this fact, the ship was commissioned USS Tigermoth NCC-61843-A. Her shakedown would come under somewhat less than ideal circumstances, countering an ISC invasion of Federation space. Following the defeat of the ISC fleets, she proceeded on a proper shakedown cruise. The other ship had been completed using notes that Commander Smith had made during his work, and from initial experiences of the Tigermoth-A during the ISC conflict. She was comissioned as USS Mosquito NCC-77777. Her name and registry both provided nicknames for the vessel - while the Tigermoth-A had simply been nicknamed the 'Moth', as with both her plane and starship ancestors, the Mosquito picked up several informal designations as can be seen from certain dock and mission reports. These ranged from 'Mossie' and 'Woody', in honour of the aircraft she'd been named after, to 'Beans'. From Admiral Howard's "History Of The Consitution Class":
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"A fascinating insight into the mentality of certain Starfleet personnel can be gleaned from one of the nicknames that USS Mosquito picked up. Transcripts of conversations between dock workers reveal that Mosquito somehow picked up the nickname of 'Beans'. Apparently a reference to her Naval Construction Contract number, it is unclear to this author what the meaning is. I can confirm, however, that dock workers find this name utterly hilarious."
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The Tigermoth-A had proven to be a very effective combat ship during the ISC conflict that took place in the first four months of 2377, and remained on permanent attachment to TacFleet. The Mosquito remained in general Starfleet service, and accordingly had her lab spaces fitted out with equipment for exploration missions. Most of the lab spaces on the Tigermoth-A were taken up by storage areas for torpedo casings and spare parts, although she did retain some labs in order to allow her to perform other Starfleet missions.
2378 saw the arrival of Imperial Universe forces in Federation space, and a refit of many TacFleet ships including the Tigermoth-A. She gained her carbon-neutronium armour at this stage, increasing her resistance to battle damage. It was during Imperial engagements that the weaknesses in the power grid and cooling systems became critical. After the Imperial forces were driven out of our universe, she put back into dock for a refit of all affected systems. The Mosquito also put back into dock for similar modifications.
The Tigermoth-A would get to test the post-Imperial War modifications soon enough, as the inhabitants of the Gatrellus nebula attacked the Federation with the help of the Romulans. During a battle, once of her nacelles was heavily damaged. On attempting warp flight, she was pulled into a warp imbalance that threw her forward in time. At the time, Starfleet had assumed her destruction. In the years following her disappearance, a further refit of the Valiant was performed by the OSF and the plans sent to Starfleet for use on the Mosquito. A new M24A computer core was installed, along with a new M/AM reactor and transwarp drive. Control systems were also upgraded to take into account the new engines and computer. The modifications brought the ships back up to date. When the Tigermoth-A made it back in contact with Starfleet at the Briar Patch, she was refitted in the same manner. She served out the remainder of the war on the front lines with TacFleet, her new systems performing well.
With the reappearance of the Andromedans Starfleet has finished refitting of another vessel, commissioned as the USS Tempest NCC-96454. She featured the latest refinements to the design, with a new nacelle modification. Another vessel, the former USS Endeavour NCC-1895, is currently being refitted at the Antares Yards. The OSF are apparently constructing a new build to the Valiant specifications, investigating the possibility of a production run of the ships.
Current status of Tigermoth class ships:
USS Tigermoth NCC-61843-A – in service with TacFleet, Federation defense force against Andromedan incursions. Captain James R Smith commanding.
USS Tempest NCC-96454 – in service with TacFleet, Federation defense force against Andromedan incursions. General attachment to Antares Shipyards. Admiral David Harriman commanding.
USS Mosquito NCC-77777 - in general service with Starfleet. Currently assigned to patrol group 14.
USS Valiant NCC-4217 – unknown. No data available.
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Right. That would be my definitive spec for the Tigermoth now. To borrow from Doug Adams for a second - if it's wrong here, it's wrong for good. As for the history of the ship - the dates are now set in stone as far as my universe goes.
As for other ships of the class - obviously, I have no monopoly over refitted Connies entering service once more with Starfleeet in post-TNG timelines. Andy - if you want, I can muck about with this further and get the USS Mosquito shoe-horned in. I have half a mind to add the Mossie in, and to go back to an earlier chapter of ROTA and do a spot of editing. I'd therefore not have Tempest be the second Starfleet build, and have Mossie built and enter service a short while after Tigermoth (probably enter service sometime during the events of ROTISC, makes it 2377-2378 now). Let me know what you think.
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Right, Mossie is in there. Going to read that back to myself later and decide if I'm happy with it as it stands.
Topic: ST: Tigermoth – Ship Data Extract 10-0-1496B3 (Read 6660 times)