Rhode Island class

The Nova class refit was a refit of the Nova class starship, a Federation science vessel and scout starship in service in the 24th century, first entering service in 2368.

The disappearance of the USS Equinox near the Badlands in 2370 forced Starfleet to conduct an evaluation of the entire project. It was not until much later that the Equinox was discovered in the Delta Quadrant by the USS Voyager, having survived in conditions far beyond its design parameters, that the true effectiveness of the design was proven. By 2380, Starfleet had begun employing a refit version of the Nova-class starship which incorporated many of the lessons learned from the starship Voyager, the Equinox, as well as many others.

While the interior of the ship remained largely unchanged, the exterior had undergone a number of changes with notable alterations to the hull design; adding a new dome over the bridge and filling the gap at the front of the saucer section. The variant design also had superior firepower and shield strength over its predecessors.