| STARSHIP CLASS | |
|---|---|
| Columbia class | |
| |
| Affiliation: | Federation Starfleet |
| Type: | cruiser (2160s), escort (2410s) |
| Service period: | 2150s-2410s |
| Dimensions | |
| Length: | 225 meters |
| Width: | 135.8 meters |
| Specifications | |
| Crew: | 132 |
| Speed: | warp factor 5 |
| Maximum speed: | warp factor 6.3 for 8 hours |
| Armaments: | phase cannons, phase banks, photonic torpedo launchers |
| Defences: | polarized hull plating, deflector shields |
| Auxiliary craft: | shuttlepods |
| |
The Columbia class was a United Earth starship type borne of the NX-class cruiser. Following the formation of the Federation in 2161, the amalgamated Federation Starfleet began with the production of additional Columbia-class ships.
History[]
22nd century[]
The Columbia-class was born out of the existing, and proven, NX-class design, and included retrofitted ships such as Enterprise and USS Endeavour. In 2156, Enterprise was the first vessel to be receive the upgraded spaceframe. It was named, at the insistence of Admiral Jonathan Archer, after the first vessel of the NX-class to be lost in action, the Columbia. As of September 2162, the refit Endeavour was the last active survivor of the NX-class. All future vessels would be of the new Columbia-class.
As part of newly appointed UESPA Chief of Staff Admiral Archer's fleet modernization program, eight new Columbia-class vessels were slated for construction. By July of 2165, USS Buran and USS Shenlong were completed, USS Apollo and the USS Soyuz were expected to launch around October of the same year, the USS Ares and USS Charybdis in spring of 2166 and the USS Phoenix and USS Valiant by 2167.
23rd century[]
Ships of the class received a major upgrade in the 23rd century, and were classified as an escort duty.
The refit of the 2280s decade
In the 2280s decade, the Columbia class received another refit, incorporating Starfleet's art deco-style new outfit. In particular, the appearance of the prototype's components, the USS Columbia, shared its visual design language with the Oberth-class science vessel.
25th century[]
In 2410, and as a result of the Iconian and Temporal Cold Wars, Columbia (NX-02) returned to active service. Columbia and newer sister ships were retrofitted with 25th century technology.
Following the Battle of Excalbia in 2411, the NX class and its two Columbia-class refit designs were overhauled to become legendary temporal operative escorts. This saw a return of the USS Columbia (NCC-2200) to service.
Specifications[]
Design[]
The most noticeable difference between the NX and Columbia classes was the addition of a secondary hull which was slung underneath the saucer section. This new hull had a deep rear undercut allowing it to be positioned in the warp field's secondary node while in flight and a more powerful, circular navigational deflector. It also housed the new, larger warp core which allowed speeds in excess of warp factor six. The extra room liberated in the primary hull by the removal of warp engineering allowed for larger senior officers' quarters.
The dorsal connector to the saucer was located where the NX's main shuttlebay used to be, so the shuttlepod drop bays were moved to either side of it.
Livery[]
In the 25th century, the design of the Columbia-class escort refit allowed its commanding officer to choose from different designs of livery, which could be modified further at starbases. These options were designated Type 0-7, NX, NX Refit, Upgrade and Veteran.
Furthermore, the installation of deflector shields from specific factions modified the hull appearance, including shields from the Reman Resistance, the Breen Confederacy and the Dominion.
Technology[]
As well as polarized hull plating, the Columbia-class featured deflector shields of Andorian design. For a while after the class was brought into service, use of the shields while at warp necessitated an adjustment of the warp field. This adjustment, due to difficulties in reconciling Human and Andorian technology, meant that warp speed was limited to just over warp factor three.
The class was also equipped with a tractor beam of Vulcan origin which, but the Andorian shields distorted the targeting system. However all compatibility issues were solved in 2163 by Doctor Tobin Dax and his engineering team.
The newly built ships were upgraded with more advanced impulse assemblies and navigational deflectors manufactured by the Rigel based Grennex Aerospace shipbuilding company.
Known vessels[]
| ship name | registry | ship commissioning | disposition |
|---|---|---|---|
| Enterprise | NX-01 | 2151, refit 2156 | decommissioned (2161) |
| Columbia | NX-02 | 2154, refit 2410 | active (2410) |
| USS Endeavour | NCC-06 | 2156, refit 2161 | active (2165) |
| USS Buran | 2165 | active (2165) | |
| USS Shenlong | 2165 | active (2165) | |
| USS Apollo | 2165 | under construction (2165) | |
| USS Soyuz | 2165 | under construction (2165) | |
| USS Ares | 2166 | under construction (2165) | |
| USS Charybdis | 2166 | under construction (2165) | |
| USS Phoenix | 2167 | under construction (2165) | |
| USS Valiant | 2167 | under construction (2165) | |
| USS Columbia | NCC-2200 | 2280s | active (2411) |