Constitution class

The Constitution class is a type of starship used by Starfleet in the mid to late 23rd century.

History
The history of the development began in the 2230s, when many Starfleet officers started to believe that an all-purpose vessel was needed that could explore space, but also protect Federation space. The key supporters of the development of the Constitution-class were Admiral William M. Jefferies and Captain Robert April. By the late 2230's Dr. Lawrence Marvick and his design team had completed plans for the Constitution, and these were quickly authorized by Starfleet Command.

Originally, Starfleet granted the application that two vessels be constructed, the NX-1700 and the NX-1701, at the San Francisco Fleet Yards. Admiral Jefferies was charged with overseeing the construction of the Constitution, while Captain April was assigned to supervise the construction of the unnamed NX-1701. (TOS novel: Final Frontier).

By 2244, construction of the hull of the Constitution were completed and many systems were installed, including enhanced sensor systems and deflector shields. In late 2244, Admiral Jefferies took the Constitution out of drydock and raced to the Donatu system where she played an important part in the Battle of Donatu V. The Constitution rescued the USS Yorkshire and managed to repel the Klingon invasion force even without weapons. Unfortunately, the Constitution was badly damaged in the battle and the repair work was extensive. (TOS novel: Errand of Vengeance, #2: Killing Blow). By late 2244, construction on the NX-1701 had reached a similar level to the Constitution. The NX-1701 also benefitted from the new duotronic computer system that had been designed by Professor Richard Daystrom, which allowed the NX-1701 much greater control of her systems. Following a top secret mission into the Romulan Neutral Zone, Captain April decided to christen the NX-1701, the USS Enterprise. (TOS novel: Final Frontier).

By 2245, both the Constitution and the Enterprise had been launched on five-year mission' of exploration, and had impressed Starfleet Command so much that 9 more vessels be constructed. (ST reference book: Star Fleet Technical Manual). The design was highly successful. Aside from a number of refits the design itself did not undergo any major changes until the 2270s. It was decided then that the Constitution class design needed a total refit. The first vessel to undergo such a refit was the USS Enterprise. Following a successful refit of the Enterprise, the rest of the fleet underwent a major refitting program bringing the ships in line with more modern technologies and extending the life of the class even further (ST reference book: Starship Spotter).

At least one Constitution class was in service into the late 24th century where it was destroyed in the Battle of Wolf 359 (TNG episode: The Best of Both Worlds), and others remained in service, or were reactivated, to serve in the Dominion War (ST reference work: Star Trek: Fact Files).
 * The Star Trek: Fact Files list the Constitution class as being amongst the classes involved in the task force to retake Deep Space Nine

At least one Constitution class starship was decommissioned and sold to a private entity. This vessel, which later became known as the Glory was acquired by Romulans, who then gave it to the privateer Deigo DeBlazio to harass Federation shipping. (TNG novel Blaze of Glory).

Subclasses

 * Constitution-class (mk I)
 * (mk II)
 * (mk III)
 * (mk IV)
 * Enterprise-class (mk I)
 * mk II
 * mk III

Tactical summary
The Constitution vessels of the original series had slightly different features than the succeeding subclasses Bonhomme Richard, Achernar, Tikopai and Enterprise, with early laser and phaser weapons available to security teams onboard as hand-held weapons, as well as ship-mounted emplacements, in concert with accelerator cannons and photon torpedo launchers. The Constitution vessels of the 2240s and 2250s began the use of the class's standard emplacements, with forward arcs of fire. Most early Constitution variants had 6 phasers, usually dual mounted, in 3 or more phaser banks, although some variation exists between the various subseries. For example, the one modifications of the Enterprise modification had a series with 8 phasers in 4 banks. (RPG sourcebook: Federation Ship Recognition Manual)

Starships of the Bonhomme Richard modification, such as the Enterprise, had forward firing phaser banks that could fire beams or pulses, located on the lower saucer section, just above the sensor dome and a torpedo launcher. The Defiant was noted to use, with dramatic effect, its rear firing phaser and torpedoes located above the secondary hull's shuttlebay, as well as the upper saucer banks. (TOS, ENT)

Some vessels of the Achernar series, like USS Constitution had port and starboard upper saucer phasers as well as a forward firing phaser on the lower saucer, as well as upper and lower saucer torpedo tubes. All of the Achernar series weapons were forward or side firing, leaving the rear arc uncovered. (Reference book: Star Fleet Technical Manual)

The Enterprise subclass, with one more launcher than the preceding series, had a move in the torpedo launchers to an outrigged tub control room at the separation between the secondary hull and the connecting hull. By subsequent Enterprise modifications, the rear arcs had been restored. (TOS films)

Features
When the first Constitution class ships were built they were the largest and most elaborate vessels Starfleet had ever constructed affording the ships room for an unprecendented fourteen research labs, making the class the most extensive mobile research platform ever sent into space by the Federation. Consitution class ships were responsible for expanding the area of explored space by thousands of cubic parsecs. (ST reference book: Starship Spotter)

The Constitution class featured a level of modularity never before seen in Federation starships, but something that was so successful that it was soon spread throughout the fleet and it continues to be standard design practice to have modular design in starships. The modular nature allowed incremental changes in vessel configuration to occur with relative ease making the class highly flexible. It also resulted in an increasingly uniform fleet design in Starfleet as other classes made use of the components. (ST reference book: Starship Spotter) The Constitution class was also one of the first to feature saucer separation. Though this early version was only for use in emergency situations as it utilized explosive bolts to complete the separation and subsequently required starbase facilities to reconnect the separated sections (TOS manga: 'Til Death). It was not until the Galaxy class a century later that saucer separation became a routine maneuver (TNG episode: Encounter at Farpoint).

Various Constitution configuration

 * USS Ortisei
 * USS Venture (Constitution class)
 * USS Trojan (NCC-4200) (NCC-4200)
 * USS Boone
 * USS Huntington
 * USS Independence (Constitution)
 * USS Indomitable
 * USS Isshasshte
 * USS John F. Kennedy
 * USS Kelleghan
 * USS Lucas
 * USS Rauer
 * USS Salazar
 * USS Somers
 * USS Surak
 * USS Tao Feng
 * USS Tigress
 * USS Vengeance (Constitution class)
 * USS Zimbabwe (Constitution class)

Constitution (mk I)

 * USS Constitution (NX-1700) (NX/NCC-1700)
 * USS Enterprise (NCC-1701) (NCC-1701)
 * USS Endeavor (NCC-1001) (NCC-1001 or NCC-1705)
 * USS Constellation (NCC-1017) (NCC-1017)
 * USS Republic (Constitution class) (NCC-1371 or NCC-1373)
 * USS Intrepid (Constitution class) (NCC-1631 or NCC-1708 or NCC-1831)
 * USS Farragut (Constitution class) (NCC-1647 or NCC-1702)
 * USS Excalibur (Constitution class) (NCC-1664 or NCC-1705)
 * USS Exeter (Constitution class) (NCC-1672 or NCC-1706)
 * USS Potemkin (Constitution class) (NCC-1702 or NCC-1711)
 * USS Hood (Constitution class) (NCC-1703 or NCC-1707)
 * USS Lexington (Constitution class) (NCC-1703 or NCC-1709)
 * USS Yorktown (Constitution class) (NCC-1704 or NCC-1717)
 * USS Yorktown (Constitution class) (NCC-1704 or NCC-1717)
 * USS Valiant (Constitution class) (NCC-1709 or NCC-1718)
 * USS Kongo (NCC-1710) (NCC-1710)
 * USS Defiant (NCC-1764) (NCC-1764)
 * USS Asimov (NCC-1691)

Bonhomme Richard (Constitution mk II)

 * USS Bonhomme Richard (Constitution class) (NCC-1712 or NCC-1776)
 * USS Eagle (Constitution class) (NCC-956 or NCC-1719 or NCC-1738)
 * USS Bismark (NCC-1704)
 * USS Yamato (NCC-1705) (NCC-1705)
 * USS Monitor (NCC-1713) (NCC-1713)
 * USS Hornet (Constitution class) (NCC-1714 or NCC-1778)
 * USS Challenger (NCC-1715) (NCC-1715)
 * USS Merrimac (NCC-1715) (NCC-1715)
 * USS Defiance (NCC-1717)
 * USS Excelsior (NCC-1718) (NCC-1718)
 * USS Endeavor (Constitution class) (II) (NCC-1716 or NCC-1777 or NCC-1895)
 * USS Essex (Constitution class) (NCC-1719 or NCC-1727)
 * USS Lafayette (NCC-1720) (NCC-1720)
 * USS Saratoga (NCC-1724) (NCC-1720 or NCC-1724)
 * USS Kearsarge (NCC-1721) (NCC-1721)
 * USS Wasp (NCC-1721 and NCC-1734)
 * USS Ari (NCC-1723)
 * USS El Dorado (Constitution class) (NCC-1722 or NCC-1724)
 * USS Kent (NCC-1725)
 * USS Tori (NCC-1725)
 * USS Krieger (NCC-1726)
 * USS Constellation (II) (NCC-1017 or NCC-1728)
 * USS Farragut (II) (NCC-1729)
 * USS Intrepid (II) (NCC-1631 or NCC-1730)
 * USS Valiant (II) (NCC-1731)

Achernar (Constitution mk III)

 * USS Achernar (NCC-1732)
 * USS Littorio (NCC-1727)
 * USS Sol (NCC-1733)
 * USS Jupiter (NCC-1734) (NCC-1734)
 * USS Rigil Kentaurus (NCC-1735)
 * USS Ticonderoga (NCC-1736) (NCC-1736)
 * USS Quindar (NCC-1736)
 * USS Proxima (NCC-1737) (NCC-1737)
 * USS Androcus (NCC-1738)
 * USS Astrad (NCC-1739)
 * USS Mondoloy (NCC-1740)
 * USS Alfr (NCC-1741)
 * USS Santissima Trinidad (NCC-1742)
 * USS Thelonii (NCC-1742)
 * USS Xanthii (NCC-1743)
 * USS Sirius (NCC-1744) (NCC-1744)
 * USS Marseille (NCC-1744)
 * USS Shahr (NCC-1745)
 * USS Pilar (NCC-1746)
 * USS Tholus (NCC-1747)
 * USS Horok (NCC-1748)
 * USS Ghondr (NCC-1749)
 * USS Langley (NCC-1749)
 * USS Pelione (NCC-1750)
 * USS Richelieu (NCC-1750)
 * USS Tali (NCC-1751)
 * USS Forrestal (NCC-1751)
 * USS Annobon (NCC-1752)
 * USS Caspan (NCC-1753)
 * USS Jassan (NCC-1754)
 * USS Kitty Hawk (NCC-1754)
 * USS Paegan (NCC-1755)
 * USS Procyon (NCC-1756)
 * USS Phardos (NCC-1757)
 * USS Ndele (NCC-1758)
 * USS Zindar (NCC-1759)
 * USS Chikuma (NCC-1759)
 * USS Za'faran (NCC-1760)
 * USS Victory (NCC-1760) (NCC-1760)
 * USS Oomaru (NCC-1761)
 * USS Yaan (NCC-1762)
 * USS Temir (NCC-1763)
 * USS Galina (NCC-1764)
 * USS Samaara (NCC-1765)
 * USS Rivoli (NCC-1765)
 * USS Kestral (NCC-1766)
 * USS Kep Salu (NCC-1767)
 * USS Ketoi (NCC-1768)
 * USS Kars (NCC-1769)
 * USS Sinuiji (NCC-1770)
 * USS Ekinus (NCC-1771)
 * USS Oblik (NCC-1772)
 * USS Mengen (NCC-1773)
 * USS Salayna (NCC-1774)
 * USS Qizan (NCC-1775)
 * USS Qual'at (NCC-1776)
 * USS Tulan (NCC-1777)
 * USS Mazda (NCC-1778)
 * USS Akagi (NCC-1779)
 * USS Esabl (NCC-1779)
 * USS Zaahm (NCC-1780)
 * USS Kaga (NCC-1780)
 * USS Alferaz (NCC-1781)
 * USS Hajj (NCC-1782)
 * USS Tajarhi (NCC-1783)
 * USS Kasimar (NCC-1784)
 * USS Mongo (NCC-1785)
 * USS Ghar (NCC-1786)
 * USS Pari (NCC-1787)
 * USS Mirazh (NCC-1788)
 * USS Eskiis (NCC-1789)
 * USS Ahzdar (NCC-1790)
 * USS Jenshahn (NCC-1791)
 * USS Ark Royal (NCC-1791)
 * USS Elohim (NCC-1792)
 * USS Radetsky (NCC-1792)
 * USS Hiemdal (NCC-1793)
 * USS Maat (NCC-1794)
 * USS Shaandra (NCC-1795)
 * USS Alam'ak (NCC-1796)
 * USS Behr'ak (NCC-1797)
 * USS Czar'ak (NCC-1798)
 * USS Discovery (NCC-1798)
 * USS Tutakai (NCC-1799)

Tikopai (Constitution mk IV)

 * USS Tikopai (NCC-1800)
 * USS K'ushui (NCC-1801)
 * USS K'hotan (NCC-1802)
 * USS Altair (NCC-1803)
 * USS Fomalhaut (NCC-1804)
 * USS Nakarat (NCC-1805)
 * USS Vega (NCC-1806)
 * USS Arcturus (NCC-1807)
 * USS Pollux (NCC-1808)
 * USS Capella (NCC-1809)
 * USS Darion (NCC-1810)
 * USS Sardar (NCC-1811)
 * USS Aldebaran (NCC-1812)
 * USS Hor (NCC-1813)
 * USS Canopus (NCC-1814)
 * USS Spica (NCC-1815)
 * USS Agena (NCC-1816)
 * USS Vena (NCC-1817)
 * USS Acrux (NCC-1818)
 * USS Binar (NCC-1819)
 * USS Antares (NCC-1820)
 * USS Anak (NCC-1821)
 * USS Betelgeuse (NCC-1822)
 * USS Lux (NCC-1823)
 * USS Rigel (NCC-1824)
 * USS Helios (NCC-1825)
 * USS Deneb (NCC-1826)
 * USS Adhara (NCC-1827)
 * USS Alioth (NCC-1828)
 * USS Alkaid (NCC-1829)
 * USS Alnilam (NCC-1830)
 * USS Arided (NCC-1831)
 * USS Bellatrix (NCC-1832)
 * USS Castor (NCC-1833)
 * USS Dubhe (NCC-1834)
 * USS El Nath (NCC-1835)
 * USS Miaplacidas (NCC-1836)
 * USS Mirfak (NCC-1837)
 * USS Murzim (NCC-1838)
 * USS Polaris (NCC-1839)
 * USS Regulus (NCC-1840)
 * USS Shaula (NCC-1841)
 * USS Wezen (NCC-1842)

Various Enterprise configuration

 * USS Furious (NCC-1704) (NCC-1704)
 * USS Ranger (NCC-1707) (NCC-1707)
 * USS Apollo (NCC-1725) (NCC-1725)
 * USS Kestral (NCC-1766)
 * USS Musashi (NCC-1804) (NCC-1804)
 * USS Agincourt (NCC-1813) (NCC-1813)
 * USS Explorer (NCC-1966) (NCC-1966)

Enterprise (mk I)

 * USS Valley Forge (NCC-1732) (NCC-1732)
 * USS Oriskany (NCC-1733)
 * USS Hancock (NCC-1735)
 * USS Minsk (NCC-1752)
 * USS Republic (NCC-1753) (NCC-1753)

Enterprise (mk II)

 * USS Zuiho (NCC-1716)
 * USS Graf Zepplin (NCC-1726)
 * USS Soryu (NCC-1730)
 * USS Hiryu (NCC-1731)
 * USS King George V (NCC-1740)
 * USS Prince of Wales (NCC-1741)
 * USS Franklin (NCC-1743)
 * USS Scharnhorst (NCC-1772)
 * USS Gneisenau (NCC-1773)
 * USS Kashima (NCC-1775)
 * USS Freidland (NCC-1781)
 * USS Konigsberg (NCC-1782)
 * USS Clemenceau (NCC-1784)

Enterprise (mk III)

 * USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-A)
 * USS Bunker Hill (NCC-1745)
 * USS Emperador (NCC-1774)
 * USS Ukrania (NCC-1783)
 * USS Marcello (NCC-1785)
 * USS Fontana (NCC-1793)
 * USS Java (NCC-1794)

Mirror universe

 * ISS Constellation
 * ISS Enterprise (NCC-1701)
 * ISS Excalibur
 * ISS Yorktown

Appearances
The Constitution class appeared as the USS Enterprise (NCC-1701) and (NCC-1701-A) and a handful of other vessels throughout TOS and other TOS subseries including TAS and the Early and Untold Voyages in all media. Appearances, apart from the Enterprise in TOS and related series include:


 * Harbinger (VAN novel)
 * In a Mirror, Darkly (ENT episode)
 * Interphase (SCE eBook)
 * Reunion (TNG novel)
 * Star Trek: Judgment Rites (TOS game)
 * Star Trek: Klingon Academy (TOS game)
 * Star Trek: Starfleet Academy (TOS game)
 * The Brave and the Bold: The First Artifact (TOS novella)
 * The Best of Both Worlds (TNG episode) (seen briefly as wreckage)
 * The Captains' Honor (TNG novel)
 * The Doomsday Machine (TOS episode)
 * The Omega Glory (TOS episode)
 * The Tholian Web (TOS episode)
 * The Ultimate Computer (TOS episode)
 * The Wounded Sky (TOS novel)
 * These Are the Voyages... (ENT episode)
 * Trials and Tribble-ations (DS9 episode)
 * Worf's First Adventure (TNG:SA novel)