Type 9 shuttlecraft



The Class-2 shuttle, also referred to as a Type-9 shuttlecraft, was an auxiliary space vessel utilized by Starfleet for use as an embarked craft from starships.

This class was widely used during the 2360s by Starfleet Academy, and were often the cause of "Class 2 claustrophobia" for the cadets who served aboard them, as they were, according to B'Elanna Torres, "fast, maneuverable, but not built for comfort." Tom Paris added that "they used to shoehorn half a dozen cadets into one of these things for weeks at a time," adding, "you did not want to be around when they opened up that airlock."

A standard Class-2 shuttle has a top speed of warp 4. However, in 2372, the crew of USS Voyager discovered a new form of dilithium that could remain stable at a much higher warp frequency, and modified the Class 2 shuttle to achieve high-warp engine performance, reaching significantly past warp 9.

A Class 2 shuttle's hull is made from a tritanium alloy. As with other Starfleet shuttles of the era, these shuttles were equipped with phasers, and can be retrofitted with photon torpedoes.

According to Tom Paris, the decision to construct the Delta Flyer was based on the fact that "class-2 shuttles just don't cut it in the Delta Quadrant." He added that "we've needed something bigger and better since we got here."