Ambassador class

The Ambassador-class was a type of Federation starship in use in the 24th century. (Reference book: Star Trek Encyclopedia)

Service history
The Ambassador-class was designed to be a replacement for the aging fleet of and  vessels which had been in service for over three decades, and to create a true front-line explorer. (Reference book: Star Trek: The Next Generation Technical Manual)

The prototype of the class, the USS Ambassador, was launched in the early 2320s, and several other vessels were in service by 2324, including the USS Gandhi. (ST computer game: Starship Creator)

One of the most famous ships of the class was the USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-C), the fourth starship to bear the name, which was launched in 2332 under the command of Captain Rachel Garrett. The Enterprise was destroyed in 2344 while responding to a distress call from a Klingon outpost on Narendra III. Upon arrival at the outpost they discovered that it was under attack by several Romulan warbirds. Regardless of the odds, the Enterprise put up a valiant fight and its act of sacrifice kick-started the peace process between the Federation and the Klingon Empire. (TNG episode: "Yesterday's Enterprise"; TOS novel: Vulcan's Heart)

Although the Ambassador-class was five decades old by the 2370s, many ships of the class continued to be in service, albeit refitted with the latest technologies which could be found aboard the more up-to-date models such as the explorers. (NF novel: Into the Void)

Known vessels

 * USS Adelphi (NCC-26849)
 * USS Ambassador (NCC-10521)
 * USS Aurora (Ambassador class)
 * USS Ayers
 * USS Breau
 * USS Cole
 * USS Colonial
 * USS Corvair
 * USS Cybele
 * USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-C) (NCC-1701-C)
 * USS Excalibur (NCC-26517) (NCC-26517)
 * USS Exeter (NCC-26531) (NCC-26531)
 * USS Gandhi (NCC-26632)
 * USS Hackabout
 * USS Hannibal (Ambassador class)
 * USS Hickok
 * USS Horatio (NCC-10532)
 * USS Independence (NCC-41452) (NCC-41452)
 * USS Kadosca (NCC-10994)
 * USS Krotus (NCC-26554)
 * USS Manassas
 * USS Memphis
 * USS Sanderon
 * USS Seattle
 * USS Thelian (NCC-26047)
 * USS Valdemar (NCC-26198) (NCC-26198)
 * USS Wolff (Ambassador class)
 * USS Yamaguchi (NCC-26510)
 * USS Zhukov (NCC-26136) (NCC-26136)

Appearances

 * Star Trek: The Original Series
 * Vulcan's Heart
 * Star Trek: The Next Generation
 * "Yesterday's Enterprise"
 * Reunion
 * "Data's Day"
 * "Redemption, Part II"
 * Foreign Foes
 * The Best and the Brightest
 * Q-Squared
 * Behind the Lines
 * Star Trek: Bridge Commander
 * Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
 * "Emissary"
 * Antimatter
 * Star Trek: New Frontier
 * House of Cards
 * Into the Void
 * The Two-Front War
 * End Game
 * Martyr
 * Fire on High
 * Once Burned
 * Double or Nothing
 * Double Time
 * Dark Allies
 * Star Trek: The Lost Era
 * Well of Souls
 * The Buried Age

Apocrypha

 * The RPG The Dominion War Sourcebook: The Fires of Armageddon, published by Last Unicorn Games after they had lost their Star Trek licence lists the USS Finian (NCC-47955) as an Ambassador-class starship.