Recon destroyers in 2411.
In 25th century starship classification, the recon destroyer was a spacecraft type, a destroyer class vessel geared for reconnaissance in Khitomer Alliance service in the 2410s decade. (STO website: Victory Is Life: Announcing the Recon Destroyer Bundle!)
History and specifications[]
The beginning of the 25th century was marked by long periods of conflict between major powers of the Milky Way Galaxy. (STO novel: The Needs of the Many)
In the late 2400s decade, the Khitomer Alliance designed the recon destroyer in response to the astropolitical atmosphere in the galaxy, a time dominated by unceasing conflict and hostilities that made reconnaissance and exploration at the edges of the frontier more dangerous. As a combination of a reconnaissance science vessel and a destroyer, the recon destroyer was conceived to provide a combat-focus to a science vessel otherwise dedicated to scientific study and intelligence gathering.
Starfleet adapted the 24th century New Orleans-class frigate to form the basis of the recon destroyer. The class underwent a refit for service as a ship of the line, and the Lafayette-class was launched as its 25th century counterpart.
The Klingon Empire added the Ketha-class, built on the raptor escort platform, to its Klingon Defense Force. Both ships were equipped with the new hyper-focusing trinary array, a trio of external sensor modules based on pods on the hull of the New Orleans class. Conceived as hyper-accurate long range sensor, the array could fire a powerful radiation beam at enemy targets. (STO website: Victory Is Life: Announcing the Recon Destroyer Bundle!)
The recon destroyer classes were launched in the year 2410, during the Hur'q invasion. (STO - Victory Is Life mission: "Welcome to Earth Spacedock")
In 2411, soon after the Shattering of the Klingon Empire during the Klingon Civil War, the Navy of the Romulan Republic contributed the RRW Rahhae, first of the Rahhae-class warbirds to the recon destroyer classes. In addition, the Dominion's Vanguard Fleet under Ambassador Odo launched the JHV Recon Destroyer, offering the Jem'Hadar Vanguard recon destroyer for service in the Alliance. (STO website: House Shattered: Two New Recon Ships!)
List of recon destroyer classes[]
- Federation Starfleet New Orleans-class
- Klingon Empire Defense Force Ketha-class raptor
- Romulan Republic Navy Rahhae-class warbird
- Dominion Vanguard Fleet Jem'Hadar recon destroyer