Achilles class

The Achilles-class starship was a warship developed by the Federation during the Dominion War in response to the massive warships used by the Dominion Alliance, including the Cardassian Hutets and the Jem'Hadar Super Carriers.

It measured at 612 meters in length and was considered a class IV starship.

History and Features
The main spur for the development of the Achilles was a realization that what would be required to shut down the Dominion war machine was the destruction of the Ketracel-white creation facilties in the Alpha Quadrant. It was realized, however, that the Federation and its allies lacked many ships heavy enough for such a mission, limited to Galaxy-class ships and Klingon Negh'Var-class warships. A new ship class would be required to exploit this "achilles heel" from which the ship's name was derived.

Slightly smaller than a Galaxy-class, the Achilles was a far cry from the size of the Dominion heavy ships, but was of a sleeker design, and armed with the advanced weapons used for the Defiant-class starships for fighting the Borg. It held a total of eight pulse-phaser cannons, two torpedo tubes for quantum torpedoes and eight new mini quantum torpedo tubes arranged in a special "phalanx" position to cause massive destruction. (DS9 video game: Dominion Wars).

One of the critical strategic problems faced by Starfleet Command, if the Federation was going to win the Dominion war,was that the Federation forces were being spread too thin. Between defending the Federation territory from the Dominion, and keeping a wary eye on the Romulans and trying to go on the offensive against the Dominion, Starfleet found it had too many obligations and too few resources. This problem became even more acute when Starfleet strategists had determined that the 'Achilles Heel' of the Dominion was the dependency of the Jem'Hadar on Ketracel-White. If the Federation- Klingon Alliance could destroy, or even severely threaten, the Ketracel-White facilities the Dominion's Alpha Quadrant Offensive would grind to a halt. Unfortunately the only ships the either Starfleet or the KDF had that could do the job were the Galaxy and Negh'Var class ships. Unescorted long-range strikes against heavily defended multiple targets currently could not be performed by any existing vessel. The Defiant-class with its firepower and cloak had too limited operating range and the Galaxy/ Negh'Var classes, while having the range were too expensive in to be feasible. Neither the Federation nor the Klingons were willing to commit such large fleets required to hit these targets. To do so would have entailed compromising defense of key Federation and Klingon systems. A new ship of revolutionary design would be required.

Ship designers of Utopia Planitia were up to the change. They not only designed a totally new class ship, the Achilles, they designed and built it in under two years. By adapting current anti-Borg designs to the new threat a ship with revolutionary features that would enable the Achilles to fulfill the role as long-range cruiser with firepower equal to a Sovereign Class cruiser. This was accomplished with the new micro-torpedoes arranged in a 'phalanx' array allows an astoundingly high rate of fire that will cripple any Dominion ship. With the 'broadside' arrangement of the 'phalanx' the Achilles can defend itself against Strike fighters defending the Ketracel-White facilities while it maintains its focus on destroying the target. Redundant warp and impulse nacelles were designed so the Achilles can sustain heavy damage, and still maneuver. Quad rapid-fire Quantum torpedoes and enhanced Pulse Phasers enables the Achilles sufficient firepower to destroy most large fixed targets in one pass. The new retro-thrusters enable the Achilles to maneuver as well as any Class 3, and most Class 2 ships. And finally, the Achilles has an unsupported, self-serviceable range equal to the Galaxy Class exploration vessels that is required to operate effectively behind the Dominion defensive perimeter.

Known vessels

 * USS Achilles (NCC-22376) (NCC-22376)
 * USS Gruganu
 * USS Harbinger
 * USS Imperius
 * USS Katimi
 * USS Kelwyn
 * USS Royal Knight
 * USS Wuuf

Connections

 * Dominion Wars website