Romulan shuttle (24th century)

Romulan shuttle Theta class
Romulan shuttle with extended landing gear.
Affiliation:	Romulan Star Empire, Imperial Romulan Fleet
Classification:	long-range warp shuttle
Service period:	2370s
Dimensions
Length:	24.23 meters
Width:	15.98 meters
Height:	6.57 meters
Specifications
Capacity:	15+ officers, crew, and troops
Maximum speed:	warp 9.6
Armaments:	6 disruptor arrays; 2 photon torpedo launchers
Defences:	cloaking device

The Romulan shuttle was a small, long-range warp shuttle in use by the Romulan Star Empire in the late-24th century. It was approximately the same size as a Federation Danube-class runabout. (DS9 reference: Technical Manual)

While this class has not been explicitly named, ST reference: Starships annotates the single canon appearance of the shuttle as being of the Theta-class, despite showing that class name in association with the scout vessel starship design of Jarok's ship in TNG episode: "The Defector". This indicates a considerable variation in hull shape for this shuttle's subclass. ST video game: Star Trek Online calls a later variant of the design the Tiercel-class and beyond that, a later runabout evolution known as the Kestrel-class.

History and specifications

Shuttle at Station: Gray.

This class of shuttle was launched in the 24th century. Such a shuttle was powered by an artificial quantum singularity. (TOSC Issue 77: "Romulan Shuttle")

This type of shuttle served as a long-range shuttle. It was 24.23 meters long, 15.98 meters wide and its height measured 6.57 meters. 15 officers plus crew and troops could be accommodated. Its maximum speed was rated at warp factor 9.6. Armaments included six disruptor arrays and a pair of photon torpedo launchers. The shuttle's defenses included a Romulan cloaking device. (DS9 reference: Technical Manual)

Another classification of this type was as the shuttle variant Theta-class swift courier. (Last Unicorn RPG - The Way of D'era: The Romulan Star Empire module: The Romulans)

The design of this shuttle was mirrored by a much larger starship type, the Kestrel-class assault ship, also active in the 2370s. (ST video game: Armada II)

In 2374, a shuttle of this type brought Senator Merken Vreenak to Deep Space 9. (DS9 episode: "In the Pale Moonlight")

At least four of these shuttles were in attendance during the refit of a D'deridex-class warbird at the Romulan shipyard Station: Gray. (SOTL calendar: 2010)

In the 25th century, the Navy of the Romulan Republic maintained the Kestrel-class runabout, which replicated the appearance of the 24th century Romulan shuttle. The Tiercel-class was a more compact variant. (STO - From the Ashes mission: "Explore the Flotilla")

Kelvin timeline

Security shuttle Avem-4 in 2258.

In the Kelvin timeline, the Romulan Star Empire operated shuttles of this class by the late 2250s decade. The Avem-4 served as a security shuttle on Romulus before it was commandeered by the Romulan Resistance to rescue Pardek and Ambassador Spock from the relentless Romulan justice system in the year 2258. (TOS - Legacy of Spock comic: "Part 2")

Known vessels

• Security Shuttle Avem-4
• RIS D'era (IRC-13210) (Vreenak's shuttle)
• RIS Rilidam
• RIS S'narvak
• RIS Surin (IRC-13499)
• RIS Theta
• RIS T'lava
• RIS Vastara (IRC-13389)
• RIS V'teldam

Appendices

Appearances and references

Appearances

• DS9 episode: "In the Pale Moonlight" (first appearance)
• Decipher RPG module: Starships
• Last Unicorn RPG - The Way of D'era: The Romulan Star Empire module: The Romulans (named Theta class)
• DS9 reference: Technical Manual
• SOTL calendar: 2010 (April image: "Refit at Station: Gray")
• TOSC Issue 77: "Romulan Shuttle"
• TOS - Legacy of Spock comic: "Part 2"

External link

• Romulan shuttle (24th century) article at Memory Alpha, the wiki for canon Star Trek.