- For other uses, see Daedalus.
The Daedalus-class was a type of starship cruisers in service with the United Earth Starfleet in the 22nd century. It was first utilized around the 2140s decade and was later maintained in service by the Federation Starfleet throughout the latter half of that century. (ST reference: The Star Trek Encyclopedia)
History and specifications[]
By the mid-2150s the Daedalus-class was considered somewhat outdated, superseded by the newer Intrepid-class and advanced NX-class designs. However, the growing conflict with the Romulan Star Empire gave the class a new lease on life. Daedalus-class ships, upgraded with technology from the NX program, could be built at roughly three times the rate as NX-class vessels, as well as refitting existing ships to the new standard. With wartime pressures on Starfleet to emphasize numbers over quality, the refitted Daedalus design was put into full production. (ENT - The Romulan War novel: Beneath the Raptor's Wing)
Five Daedalus-class ships were launched in the two years up to May 2159. (ST video game: Legacy)
Daedalus-class vessels would go on to serve as a primary exploratory starship for the fledgling Federation Starfleet following a complete overhaul in 2161. One Daedalus vessel was awaiting completion of its retrofit in that year, and was of sufficiently advanced characteristics that its command was a sought after posting for several Earth captains. The Daedalus-class would serve with distinction until they were finally retired from service in 2196. (ST novel: Starfleet: Year One; Decipher RPG module: Starfleet Operations Manual; ENT novel: Last Full Measure; TNG episode: "Power Play")
The Daedalus-class Discovery was retired from service and became a walk-through exhibit at the Starfleet Museum in San Francisco. (DS9 - Millennium novel: The War of the Prophets)
Despite the class's decommissioning at the end of the previous century, at least three original Daedalus-class vessels were brought back into service by the mid-23rd century. The USS Lovell, USS Masao and USS Zander were taken from a Federation surplus depot, repaired and refitted by the Starfleet Corps of Engineers, and used to transport teams of engineers to various assignments where their technical and engineering skills were needed. (SCE novel: Foundations; Star Trek Magazine Issue 162: "Blast Off!")
By the late 24th century, at least two Daedalus-class vessels were further refit, and docked at Starbase 25. (LD episode: "An Embarrassment Of Dooplers")
Specifications[]
In 2159, these vessels were equipped with five phase/laser banks and two spatial torpedo and photonic torpedo launcher banks, and were protected by polarized hull plating. (ST video game: Legacy)
Images[]
Known vessels[]
- USS A.G. Robinson
- USS Adirondack
- USS Anson
- USS Archon (NCC-189)
- USS Armstrong
- USS Bach (NCC-174)
- USS Benjamin Franklin (NCC-013)
- USS Carolina
- USS Cowpens
- USS Daedalus (NCC-129)
- USS Discovery
- USS Drake
- USS Dykstra
- USS Essex (NCC-173)
- USS Franklin Roosevelt (NCC-217)
- USS Gettysburg
- USS Heinlein
- USS Heisenberg
- USS Horizon (NCC-176)
- USS Jein
- USS Kearsarge
- USS Kon-Tiki
- USS Lindbergh
- USS Lovell (NCC-470)
- USS Masao
- USS Nez Perce
- USS Nightingale (NCC-192)
- USS Nimrod
- USS Okuda
- USS Olympus
- USS Pilgrim (NCC-178)
- USS Probert
- USS Ptolemy (NCC-169)
- USS Republic
- USS Shepard
- USS Stephen Decatur
- USS Valiant
- USS Valley Forge
- USS Wakefield
- USS William Clark
- USS Yeager (NCC-76)
- USS Yorktown (NCC-108)
- USS Zander
- USS Zefram Cochrane
- USS Zheng He (NCC-150)
Appendices[]
Connections[]
| Starship classes and spacecraft types of Earth | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arrow • Assist • Cavalry • Christopher • Cosmos • CZ-100 • DY-100 • DY-500 • DY-700 • DY-1100-class • Daedalus • Discovery • Doppler (scout) • Edison • Galliant • Ganges • Hopkins • Horizon • Intrepid (22nd century) • J (freighter) • Long • Marshall • Mercury (scout) • Messier • Minuteman • Neptune • NX • Poseidon • Strider • Vanguard (transport) • Verne (Earth) • Y (freighter) • Yorktown • Zeus | 
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Background[]
No explanation is given for these vessels' Federation Starfleet-style registry numbers and their use of the "USS" name prefix, despite existing years before the inception of the Federation.
The game software for Legacy included numerous other names for ships of this class that were not prepared to be used in gameplay, and are hidden in the game's source code, including USS Achernar, USS Acrux, USS Archon, USS Belknap, USS Bellatrix, USS Binar, USS Boston, USS Capella, USS Caspan, USS Daedalus, USS Decatur, USS Deneb, USS Durret, USS Explorer, USS Helios, USS Homer, USS Lexington, USS Lubien, USS Merrimac, USS Monitor, USS Olympic, USS Potemkin, USS Republic, USS Rigel, USS Saratoga, USS Sirius, USS Wasp and USS Yorktown. Possibly, these vessels were intended for some feature of the game that was not completed. For example, none of these ships are coded with registry number graphics like those the included ships possess.
External link[]
- Daedalus class article at Memory Alpha, the wiki for canon Star Trek.