ACTD - Advanced Starship Design Bureau

Advanced Technical Specifications for the Ambassador-Class Production Vehicle

1.0 Ambassador-Class Introduction
1.1 Mission Objectives
1.2 Original Design Statistics
1.3 Refit Hull Design Statistics
1.4 General Overview
1.5 Construction History

2.0 Command Systems
2.1 Main Bridge
2.2 Main Engineering
2.3 Tactical/Security Office

3.0 Tactical Systems
3.1 Phasers
3.2 Torpedo Launchers
3.3 Deflector Shields

4.0 Computer Systems
4.1 Computer Core
4.2 LCARS
4.3 Security Levels
4.4 Universal Translator

5.0 Propulsion Systems
5.1 Warp Propulsion System
5.2 Impulse Propulsion System
5.3 Reaction Control System

6.0 Utilities and Auxiliary Systems
6.1 Navigational Deflector
6.2 Tractor Beam
6.3 Transporter Systems
6.4 Communications

7.0 Science and Remote Sensing Systems
7.1 Sensor Systems
7.2 Tactical Sensors
7.3 Stellar Cartography
7.4 Science Labs
7.5 Probes

8.0 Crew Support Systems
8.1 Medical Systems
8.2 Crew Quarters Systems
8.3 Recreational Systems
8.4 The Lounge

9.0 Auxiliary Spacecraft Systems
9.1 Shuttlebays
9.2 Shuttlecraft

10.0 Flight Operations
10.1 Mission Types
10.2 Operating Modes
10.3 Separated Flight Mode
10.4 Landing Mode

11.0 Emergency Operations
11.1 Emergency Medical Operations
11.2 Lifeboats
11.3 Rescue and Evac Operations

Appendix A - Variant Designations

Appendix B - Basic Technical Specifications

Appendix C - Deck Layout

Appendix D - Author's Notes

Appendix E - Credits and Copyright Information

Pursuant to Starfleet Exploration Directives 902.3 & 914.5, Starfleet Defense Directives 138.6 & 141.1, and Federation Security Council General Policy, the following objectives have been established for an Ambassador Class Starship:

Length: 526 meters
Width: 322 meters
Height: 128 meters
Weight: 3,700,00 metric tons
Cargo capacity: 42,500 metric tons

Hull: Duranium hull planting over duranium/tritanium structural members
Number of Decks: 26 Total, 25 Habitable

Length: 514 meters
Width: 322 meters
Height: 128 meters
Weight: 2,350,000 metric tons
Cargo capacity: 41,200 metric tons

Hull: Duranium hull planting over duranium/tritanium structural members
Number of Decks: 26 Total, 25 Habitable

History written by: Steve Mallory - based on information found in Star Trek: First Contact, Star Trek: Voyager, Star Trek Technical Manual, Star Trek: The Next Generation Technical Manual, Star Trek: Deep Space 9 Technical Manual, and Star Trek: The Magazine. The style of the history is based on histories presented in the Startrek Spaceflight Chronology by Stan Goldstein, Fred Goldstein, and Rick Sternbach. Please keep in mind that this is a history developed based on canon information presented in various sources and filled in with logical conjecture.

Now an important footnote in the lineage of many a starship, the Ambassador Class is no longer the backbone of Starfleet's exploration nor defensive arms. Once the pride of the fleet and considered, at the time, to be the pinnacle of starship development, technology developed for the Ambassador class has exploded into common usage among other classes of starships, while the grand spaceframe has slipped from active production and is slowly being replaced by newer designs, it still remains a notable class of vessel that continues to serve with distinction.

The Ambassador Class starship was a large departure from current trends in ship design when it was conceived. Nearly twice as large as the current mainstay, the Excelsior Class starship, the Ambassador class would change the face of Starfleet and influence ship design for decades to come. Initial design concepts were developed and toyed with at the newly formed Advanced Starship Design Bureau, Mars in 2249; some of the first concept models and drawings are still on display at the ASDB Museum. However, given the scale of the craft, the concept would remain just that until 2292, when a dramatic shift in Galactic Politics occurred. A shift that would effect the Federation, the Romulan Star Empire and the Klingon Empire well into the next century.

In early 2290, a marked increase of hostilities along the Klingon and Federation border occurred. This disturbing trend reached a peak in 2291 when the USS Oberon (NCC 4998) was forced to withdraw from an engagement against 2 B'rel Class Birds of Prey. According to published reports, Captain Oded Hammlin believed the vessel to be an arms smuggling corvette enroute from Andor to Klingon Space, and stopped the vessel before entering the neutral zone. 2 B'Rel Class Birds of Prey intercepted the Oberon and threatened to defend the corvette, accusing the Oberon of piracy. When the Oberon refused to withdraw, the B'Rel vessels engaged and disabled the Oberon while taking minimal damage. The Klingon Council quickly learned of their new vessels clear advantages against the backbone of the Federation and became increasingly daring in their action in and around the Neutral Zone. Up until the Ambassador class was launched, several more incidents of Excelsior class starships being forced to withdraw from tense confrontations due to being outgunned and out shielded by the newer B’rel class Birds of Prey occurred. The withdrawals illustrated just how dated and stagnant the United Federations of Planets Starfleet had become. Immediately, the design teams at Utopia Planitia quickly addressed this situation and, blowing the dust off of their concept models, quickly began work on the Ambassador Class Starship. Official sanctioning by Starfleet occurred in 2311 after the Tomed incident and funding and resources were allocated for the development of a new Defense Cruiser.

The Ambassador project would prove to set a new standard in starship design for the Federation, giving Starfleet a starship that was better armed, better equipped and more diversely equipped than any other starship ever before. The design brief for the Ambassador class starship called for a heavily armed Battlecruiser which could also serve the non-combat roles of heavy transport and deep space exploration. The resulting design exceeded expectations and the Ambassador class was quickly put into service.

Several design aspects of the Ambassador class made the space frame unique and were carried over into future designs. Among these was the increased internal cargo, crew and fuel capacity combined with an increased lift capability that gave the Ambassador class not only great size, but an endurance that rivaled the Excelsior Class and crew amenities allowing for much longer on station and patrol times, meaning more Ambassador class starships could remain on patrol longer and with less crew fatigue. Some of the last Ambassador class starships also had thick duranium armor, the precursor to the Defiant Class ablative armor, added to protect the vulnerable areas of the ship. Finally, the development of Phaser Array, which replaced the traditional Phaser Turret found on previous hull types such as the Excelsior and Miranda class hulls, were made standard for the Ambassador class. The arrays allowed for quicker recharge times and the ability to fire at multiple targets out of one array, rather than targeting turrets individually.

So successful were the Ambassador Class vessels, that the production team began looking at designing an improved Ambassador Class vessel. While shaving nearly 15 meters of length, resulting in a much smaller cargo hauling capability, the team was able to make the already hearty Ambassador Class more nimble in combat situations. The addition of 4 more phaser arrays also gave the class more bite. Further improvements in shielding, sensor, and computer technology would be implemented in the Ambassador-Refit design, but these advancements would not be enough to warrant a further production contract beyond the initial 1000 starships ordered by Starfleet. While the final 150 Ambassador Class vessels were of the Refit variety, the improvements and advancements made by the Ambassadors would be short-lived as a new age of Starship production was about to begin.

However, with the advent of the successful Akira and the announcement of the "Grand Redesign of the Fleet" with the Cheyenne, Galaxy and Nebula class starships, production of the Ambassador class slipped markedly. The Nebula Class, the new workhorse of the fleet, could fill the same roles as the Ambassador class, and could do them more efficiently and with greater range. As a result, the Ambassador mission role became more and more limited to the role of border patrol and defensive specialist with fewer and fewer assigned to deep space exploration and diplomatic transport. Continued refits kept the majority of the Ambassador class starships in service, despite the end of their active production run. The currently active starships serve the Federation well, but the recent Borg incursions and war with the Dominion has cut down severely the number of Ambassador class starships that remain in active service. Most of the Ambassador class starships were lost or damaged beyond repair, resulting in the decommissioning of the majority of active Ambassador starships. The current trend in Starship has also phased the Ambassador class out, with less crew intensive starships being the order of the day.

Construction of the first hull for the as yet unnamed Ambassador Class, designated NXC-9331NA, began in early 2315 - a full four years after the project's official start date. The primary research team, being based out of Utopia Planitia while the engineering team being based out of San Francisco, let to a small increase in development and simulation testing times, along with an increased debate about final hull design and engineering assembly. This, despite the fact that the two teams were supplied with several completed hull structure simulations and theoretical spaceframe hull shapes through knowledge and experimentation gained from the Starfleet Experimental Propulsion Division. By the end of 2317, with the aide of computer models, sufficient progress had been made to the point that a working 1500 cochrane warp reactor - a version 3.5 NNEC Warp Core, the standard Excelsior Class warp core of the day - could be used to power a warp field capable of exceeding its design specifications for limited amounts of time.

Due to the increased tensions in the political arenas, and fearing the development of a comparable or superior craft to the NXC-9331NA project, and due to the hull's large size, Starfleet decided to announce the development of a new "Exploration Cruiser" and given the class name of Ambassador. This was done in the hopes that the title and benign nature of the class name would ease the tensions between the Federation and Klingons over rumors about the size and estimated capabilities of the new hull.

NXC-9331NA, the first Ambassador Class test hull, began warp flight tests within Sector 001 during Spring of 2318 and made use of an experimental deflector dish that preformed well in early test simulations and low-speed warp trials on Miranda and Oberth test hulls. After a year of rigorous warp testing, in which additional hull mass was added to the primary hull structure to simulate actual warp engine performance in a standard, estimated, Ambassador Class hull configuration, the Warp Core functioned admirably. The performance of the Scarbak IV impulse engines, standard for the Excelsior Class, was another matter. Acceleration was rated as poor, its sublight maneuverability was subpar, consuming far too much fuel far too quickly, and therefore deemed ineffective in simulations against Klingon threat vessels. Dwayne Lewis, an engineer with the NNEC (see Excelsior Class Warp Core specifications) who lead a team that specialized in theoretic impulse dynamics, proposed the addition of space time driver coil similar to the warp-field coils utilized in the standard warp drive nacelle. By pushing the energized plasma through a thermo-magnetic driver, the plasma energy is accelerated through the coil, thereby creating a subspace field around the vessel, which aids in negating the mass of the large hull and improve impulse engine performance.

The inclusion of the Sub-space driver coil in the Scarbak V impulse drives, called "Peacemakers" by the Scarbak Development team, was deemed a design breakthrough, and the first full production vessel, NX-10521, had its primary frame members gamma-welded at a brief ceremony at the San Francisco Fleet Yard. Hull NX-10521, being built from the ground up, saw further design improvements with the addition of the Duotronic Mk.20 Core and the newly designed Peacemaker Impulse Engines, designed specifically for the Ambassador class, along with the latest breakthrough in phaser technology - the strip phaser array - which allowed much more powerful and focused phaser beams to be discharged at multiple targets (See weapons discharge tests: Type IX discharge pattern). This meant that a Starship was no longer limited to targeting specific starships with individual phaser turrets, but could now strike any target in its firing arcs.

During the following year, NX-10521 saw rapid construction and the spaceframe was ready for testing in late 2319, two additional Ambassador spaceframes rested in drydock at Utopia Planitia as a ceremony was held at Earth's Spacedock 1 in November of 2320 as hull NX-10521, christened the U.S.S. Ambassador, left the space doors and warped out of the system to begin its shakedown cruise near the Tholian border. In December and January, the sister ships of the Ambassador, the U.S.S. Horatio NCC-10232 and the U.S.S. Farragut NCC-10233 launched from their drydocks, both bound for the Klingon border. The first real test of the Ambassador class against threat vessels occured in 2321 and would pit the U.S.S. Excalibur, responding to an SOS from a Neutronic Fuel carrier - the SS Haro Maru - against a Klingon raiding party of three B'rel class Birds-of-Prey led by the IKS Burunk. In a brief firefight, the Burunk was destroyed and a second Bird-of-Prey was severely damaged. This would be the beginning of numerous forays between the new Ambassador class vessels and the Klingons; the new vessels turning the tables against the IKC D-7's and Birds of Prey.

The numerous forays between the two entities would continue until 2344 when the USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-C), under the command of Captain Rachel Garret, responded to a distress call from a Klingon colony on Narendra III. Four Romulan Warbirds (of the D-7 design lineage) had engaged and destroyed the lone Bird of Prey and were systematically destroying the colony from orbit when the Enterprise arrived. The Enterprise engaged the Romulans, and succeeded in destroying two of the four Romulans while crippling a third before being destroyed by enemy fire. The bravery of the Enterprise crew was recorded by the Klingon taskforce approaching Narendra III and so impressed the Klingon High council that hostilities ended almost immediately between the Klingons and the Federation. A lasting peace agreement would not be reached until 2352, but the cessation of nearly 60 years of hostilities between the Klingons and the United Federation of Planets was a welcome step toward galactic peace.

The class would see production until 2359, and while it has taken heavy losses defending the Federation during its many wars, the Ambassdor Class is still a proud and familiar symbol of Starfleet's engineering ingenuity and imagination.

The lifetime of the Ambassador Class spaceframe had been projected to be some 80 years, with scheduled refits and major overhauls to take place at 40-year intervals. Unlike minor layovers, repairs and restocking missions to major fleet yards and bases, these major refits were intended to update the class with technologies that have since emerged after production of the class began. While the class is no longer in production, more then a hundred and fifty Ambassador Class Heavy Cruisers are still in use by Starfleet as of this publication, and the spaceframe was designed to allow for easy upgrades during its entire operational lifetime. To date, the Ambassador class starship has had two major refits after its initial launch.

First Refit: The first refit for the Ambassador-class took place in January of 2345 when the U.S.S. Yamaguchi entered drydock 10 at Starfleet's Utopia Planitia Fleet Yards in orbit around Mars. The average time for the refit was approximately 13 weeks, or roughly 3 months.

Second Refit: Originally scheduled to take place around 2379, key events in the local galactic theater prompted an early review for the proposed second refit to the Ambassador class. In 2371, shortly after the discovery of the Dominion threat on the Gamma Quadrant side of the Bajoran Wormhole, Starfleet Intelligence and the Federation Council expressed major concerns over the status of Starfleet's assets. This concern became a reality when all out war broke loose along the Cardassian demilitarized zone when the Cardassian Empire joined the Dominion, and declared its intent to take over the Alpha Quadrant. Federation and ally ship production went into full sway, and efforts were made to upgrade all existing spaceframes currently active in the fleet inventory. In addition, a number of decommissioned and mothballed hulls were brought back to operational status, among them were several retired or incomplete Ambassador spaceframes decommissioned for various reasons during the past two decades. Rearmed with Type-X phaser emitters, improved M/ARA for increased power and various other upgrades, the Ambassador Class played an active role in the defense of the Federation. With many advances for the spaceframe already tested in the field, several ships saw refits during and immediately after the war to help maintain the capabilities of the fleet. This constitutes the final refit for the class.

Notice: Not all upgrade information has been made available in this document for various reasons, including security concerns as well as length considerations.

General Overview: Primary operational control of the Ambassador Class is provided by the Main Bridge, located at the top of the primary hull. It is located on Deck 1. The Main Bridge directly supervises all primary mission operations (with the exception of the Flight bay and assorted craft) and coordinates all departmental activities.

The Main Bridge is a highly restricted area; only Level 4 security clearance personnel (Officers with the Rank of Ensign or Higher) and authorized bridge personnel are allowed on the bridge. All bridge officers have access to a small armory on the bridge that carries both type I and type II phasers.

The Main Bridge is an ejectable module, allowing for a wider variety in mission parameters.

Layout: The new primary Bridge configuration is a simplified version of the new Galaxy Class configuration, though due to the age of the Ambassador class, bridge configurations can vary from vessel to vessel. The central area of the Main Bridge provides seating and information displays for the Captain and two other officers. The Captain’s Chair is raised from the rest of the Bridge Officers, to that of the surrounding level which includes Tactical and Operations. The two Officer seats are equipped with fully programmable consoles for a variety of uses.

Directly fore and to the right of the command area is the Flight Control Officer, who faces the main viewer. The FCO is equipped with a console that proceeds around at a 45 degree angle.

Directly fore and to the Captain's left is the Operations manager's console. Identical in size and design to the Helm station, the Operations console is one of the most sensitive consoles to access on the bridge, due to the wide variety of information available there.

At the very front of the bridge chamber is a large viewscreen. This main viewer performs all the standard duties expected of it. However, the viewscreen is not always activated like most other Starships. It is a full Holographic display, that can be activated upon request. When the screen is not active, the screen remains dark.

Aft and to starboard of the command area is an elevated platform on which is located the tactical/security control station (comprised of two consoles, one for tactical, and one for security, located directly behind tactical and along the back of the bridge area). These consoles are to the starboard side of the Captain’s Chair, no longer in the direct middle.

Against the port side walls of the main bridge are the consoles for Science and others that are programmable for a multitude of functions. There are two Science consoles with Science 2 being a fully programmable multi-mission Console. Science I, which is the primary science console. Science I has priority links to Conn, Ops, Computers, and Tactical.

Science II is the ASO's (Assistant Science Officer's) console, which can be used by any personnel. Science II has access to all science, navigational, sensor, and communications systems. Science II can be configured to operate in tandem with Science I, although security links and all other non-science data is withheld from Science II. Science II usually works independently of Science I.

Against the aft wall of the main bridge is the large engineering console. This has a smaller cutaway diagram of the starship, which displays all engineering-relevant data and shows warp fields and engine output. This console also has priority links to the computers, the WPS (Warp Propulsion System), the IPS (Impulse Propulsion System), navigation, SIF, and IDF. Although usually unattended, the Chief Engineer can bring this console to full Enable mode by entering voice codes and undergoing a retinal scan. Also located on the platform, against the aft wall of the bridge, is a large master systems display monitor, similar to the one in main engineering. All relative ship information (such as damage, power distribution, etc.) is displayed on the cutaway image of the starship. This monitor can be used to direct ship operations and can be configured for limited flight control if necessary. Also located in the Bridge Engineering is the Engineering II console, which is fully programmable to run any Secondary Console function, including Sciences, Medical, Operations, Limited Helm control, or Security.

This console, as does every console on the bridge, also has the hand-input sub-console for use in setting the auto-Destruct of starship. The auto-destruct sequence follows Standard Starfleet security procedures which can be accessed via any secured Memory Alpha ODN connection.

There are two turbolifts on the bridge that can handle normal transit around the starship. There is also an emergency ladder that connects the bridge to Deck three. There is also one door, on the aft platform of the bridge, that leads to the Conference Room, which is directly aft of the Main Bridge. Other connected rooms to the Main Bridge include the Captain's Ready Room.

There are no escape pods connected to the bridge. Pods are located on all decks below Deck three. Each pod can support two people for 4 hours in space, and has a maximum speed of half impulse. Two pods are reserved for the top four officers in the chain of command on the starship, because they are the last four to leave the ship. These are located on Deck two. As the number of experienced Captains dwindles in Starfleet, the notion of a Captain going down with his ship has been abolished. If the ship is abandoned, the top four officers in the chain of command will wait until everyone else is off the ship, opt to arm the auto-Destruct (not always necessary, but there if needed), and then leave in the two escape pods.

Located on Deck 21, Main Engineering is the ‘heart’ of the ship, comparable to the bridge as ‘brain’. It has access to almost all systems aboard the starship, and manages repairs, power flow, and general maintenance.

Entrance to Main Engineering is provided by two large blast doors that can be closed for internal or external security reasons. Just inside of that is an observation area where technicians monitor various systems of the ship. Also in that area, is a floor-mounted situational display similar to the Master Systems Display found on the Bridge. Affectionately referred to as the ‘pool table’, the Chief Engineer can use the display to more easily get a broad view of the situation with just a glance.

Farther in from the observation area is the warp core and main control systems. Semi-circular in shape, the room was designed to be small but exceedingly functional to save space inside the ship. Usable consoles are mounted on every piece of ‘real estate’ around the circumference of the room and provide primary control access for the engineers and technicians.

Off to the port side of Main Engineering is the Chief Engineer’s Office, which is equipped with a diagnostics table, assembly and repair equipment, a small replicator, and a personal use console with built-in private viewscreen.

In the center of Main Engineering is the Matter/Anti-Matter Assembly (M/ARA). This is where primary power for the ship is generated inside the Matter/Anti-Matter Reaction Chamber (M/ARC). This system is checked on a regular basis due to its importance to the ship. Access to the warp core is restricted, with a front port to get to the Dilithium matrix as well as an over side port for access to the warp plasma conduits.

A second tier rings the second level of Main Engineering. A small single-person elevator, as well as a ladder on the opposite end, provides access to this catwalk.

Access to the Jefferies Tubes is provided in various places on both the First and Second Tier of Main Engineering.

Typical crew compliment in Main Engineering consists of thirty engineers and forty technicians of various grades. During Red or Yellow Alert, that number is increased.

This multi-room department is located in a Restricted area on deck 9. Within it are the entrances to the Brig holding cells, the torpedo/probe magazine, the weapon control room and to the Ship's Armory, as well as the Chief Tactical Officer's office.

The CTO's office is decorated to the officer's preference. It contains a work area, a personal viewscreen, a computer display, and a replicator.

Brig: Located on deck 17, the brig is a restricted access area whose only entrance is from within the Security department. The Ambassador class has 8 double occupancy cells, which contain beds, a retractable table and chairs, a water dispenser, and a toilet. The cells are secured with a level 10 forcefield emitter built into each doorway. A smaller set of secondary holding cells are located on deck 5.

Ship's Armory: This room is located in a restricted area on deck 5 and is under constant guard. The room is sealed with a level 10 forcefield and can only be accessed by personnel with Alpha 3 security clearance. Inside the armory is a work area for maintenance and repair of phasers as well as multiple sealed weapon lockers. The starship carries enough type-I and type-II phasers to arm the entire crew. Type-III phaser rifle and the new compression phaser rifles are available as well, but only in enough numbers to arm approximately 1/3 of the crew. Heavy ordinance is available in limited numbers.

Torpedo/Probe Magazine: This restricted area is for storing unarmed photon torpedoes, quantum torpedoes (if the mission dictates), and science probes I - VI (VII - X if mission dictates). Also stored here are the components for manufacturing new photon torpedoes as well as the equipment to put it all together. This room is also accessed by the loading mechanism for the torpedo launchers.

Phaser Array arrangement: Three dorsal arrays on the saucer section, one for the forward, starboard and port sides. These arrays are duplicated on the ventral side of the primary saucer. Two smaller arrays cover the aft side firing arcs, are mounted on the nacelle pylons. Two small arrays cover the aft firing arc and are located on the aft, dorsal portion of the saucer section.

Phaser Array Type: The Ambassador Class starship utilizes the Type IX system. The eight arrays are all type IX arrays. Each array fires a pulsed beam of phaser energy, discharging the phasers at speeds approaching .986c (which works out to about 182,520 miles per second - nearly warp one). The phaser array automatically rotates phaser frequency and attempts to lock onto the frequency and phase of a threat vehicle's shields for shield penetration.

Phaser Array Output: Each phaser array takes its energy directly from the impulse drive and auxiliary fusion generators. Individually, each type IX turret can discharge approximately 3 MW (megawatts).

Arrangement: Two fixed-focus torpedo launchers, located just above the main deflector dish in the neck of the vessel. A third launcher is set to fire dead aft and is located on the rear of the engineering hull just below the aft shuttlebay. These launchers are the second generation of automated, high-speed launcher originally found on the Excelsior Class starships. Since the launch of the Ambassador Class, however, the vessel has had continuous upgrades to keep the vessel up to date with modern Torpedo Weapon technology.

Type: Mark XXV photon torpedo, capable of pattern firing (sierra, etc.) as well as independent launch. Independent targeting once launched from the ship, detonation on contact unless otherwise directed by the Chief Tactical Officer.

Type: A symmetrical subspace graviton field. This type of shield is fairly similar to those of most other Starships. However, besides incorporating the now mandatory nutation shift in frequency, the shields alter their graviton polarity to better deal with more powerful weapons, such as the neutron-carbide beams of Tamarian vessels. During combat, the shield sends data on what type of weapon is being used on it, and what frequency and phase the weapon uses. Once this is analyzed by the tactical officer, the shield can be configured to have the same frequency as the incoming weapon - but different nutation. This tactic dramatically increases shield efficiency.

Output: There are twelve shield grids on the Ambassador Class starship, and each one generates 145.9 MW, resulting in a total shield strength of approx. 1750 MW. The power for the shields is taken directly from the warp engines and impulse fusion generators. If desired, the shields can be augmented by power from the impulse power plants. The shields are now comparable to the original New Orleans class and can protect against approximately 12% of the total EM spectrum (whereas the Galaxy Class Starship's standard shields can protect against about 23%), This improvement was made possible by the multi-phase graviton polarity flux technology incorporated into the shields, which is now standard issue on Federation starships.

Range: The shields, when raised, stay extremely close to the hull to conserve energy - average range is ten meters away from the hull.

Primary purpose: Defense from enemy threat forces, hazardous radiation and micro-meteoroid particles.

Number of computer cores: Two; The primary core occupies space on decks 6, 7 and 8 - located centrally in the main saucer section. The secondary, emergency core is much smaller than the first and is located adjacent to Environmental Control on Decks 17 and 18.

Type: The updated Computer cores found on the Ambassador class are smaller versions of the Galaxy Class Isolinear Processing cores. The system is powered by a smaller, regulated EPS conduit directly from the warp core. Cooling of the isolinear loop is accomplished by a regenerative liquid nitrogen loop that is vented directly to space. For missions, requirements on the computer core rarely exceed 75-80% of total core processing and storage capacity. The rest of the core is utilized for various scientific, tactical, or intelligence gathering missions - or to backup data in the event of a damaged core.

Acronym for Library Computer Access and Retrieval System, the common user interface of 24th century computer systems, based on verbal and graphically enhanced keyboard/display input and output. The graphical interface adapts to the task which is supposed to be performed, allowing for maximum ease-of-use. The Ambassador Class operates on LCARS build version 5.2 to account for increases in processor speed and power, and limitations discovered in the field in earlier versions, and increased security.

Access to all Starfleet data is highly regulated. A standard set of access levels have been programmed into the computer cores of all ships in order to stop any undesired access to confidential data.

Security levels are also variable, and task-specific. Certain areas of the ship are restricted to unauthorized personnel, regardless of security level. Security levels can also be raised, lowered, or revoked by Command personnel.

Note: Security Levels beyond current rank can and are bestowed where, when and to whom they are necessary.

The main computer grants access based on a battery of checks to the individual user, including face and voice recognition in conjunction with a vocal code as an added level of security.

All Starfleet vessels make use of a computer program called a Universal Translator that is employed for communication among persons who speak different languages. It performs a pattern analysis of an unknown language based on a variety of criteria to create a translation matrix. The translator is built into the Starfleet badge and small receivers are implanted in the ear canal.

The Universal Translator matrix aboard Ambassador Class starships consists of well over 100,000 languages and increases with every new encounter.

Type: Consolidated Fusion's version 8 Standard Matter/Anti-Matter Reaction Drive, developed by Utopia Planitia Warp Propulsion Laboratories. Information on this Warp Drive can be found in any Starfleet Library or Omnipedia.

Cruising Speed as pursuant to Warp Limitations, as a cause of subspace pollution: Warp 6.6

Note: Vessels equipped with the CF version 8 series M/ARA Drive System no longer have the maximum cruising speed limit of Warp 6.3, thanks to innovations discovered and utilized in the General Electric Type 8 M/ARA Warp Drive outfitted in the new Sovereign Class Starship. Pursuant to Starfleet Command Directive 12856.A, all Starships will receive upgrades to their Warp Core system to prevent further pollution of Subspace.

Type: Standard Scarbak V "Peacemakers" Ambassador Class mass drivers, developed specifically for the Ambassador Class

Output: The engine (there is one impulse engine, located on the neck) can propel the Ambassador Class at speeds within the area known as Standard impulse operations. These speeds are limited to a maximum speed of .25c, due to time dilation problems. Quarter impulse is rated at .0625c, half impulse being .125c and full impulse is rated at .25c or 1/4th the speed of light.

Type: Standard Version 5 magnetohydrodynamic gas-fusion thrusters, developed specifically for the Ambassador Class starship.

A standard Ambassador Class main deflector dish is located along the fore portion of the Ambassador Class's secondary hull, and is located just forward of the primary engineering spaces. Composed of molybdenum/duranium mesh panels over a tritanium framework (beneath the Duranium-Tritanium hull), the dish can be manually moved four degrees in any direction off the ship's Z-axis. The main deflector dish's shield and sensor power comes from two graviton polarity generators located on deck 21, each capable of generating 128 MW, which can be fed into two 550 millicochrane subspace field distortion generators.

Type: Multiphase subspace graviton beam, used for direct manipulation of objects from a submicron to a macroscopic level at any relative bearing to the starship. Each emitter is directly mounted to the primary members of the ship's framework, to lessen the effects of isopiestic subspace shearing, inertial potential imbalance, and mechanical stress.

Output: Each tractor beam emitter is built around three multiphase 15 MW graviton polarity sources, each feeding two 475 millicochrane subspace field amplifiers. Phase accuracy is within 1.3 arc-seconds per microsecond, which gives superior interference pattern control. Each emitter can gain extra power from the SIF by means of molybdenum-jacketed waveguides. The subspace fields generated around the beam (when the beam is used) can envelop objects up to 920 meters, lowering the local gravitational constant of the universe for the region inside the field and making the object much easier to manipulate.

Range: Effective tractor beam range varies with payload mass and desired delta-v (change in relative velocity). Assuming a nominal 15 m/sec-squared delta-v, the multiphase tractor emitters can be used with a payload approaching 116,380,000,000 metric tons at less than 2,000 meters. Conversely, the same delta-v can be imparted to an object massing about one metric ton at ranges approaching 30,000 kilometers.

Personnel Transporters: 6 (Transporter Rooms 1-2 - each with 3 transporter stations)

Long range and navigation sensors are located behind the main deflector dish, to avoid sensor "ghosts" and other detrimental effects consistent with main deflector dish millicochrane static field output. Lateral sensor pallets are located around the rim of the entire Starship, providing full coverage in all standard scientific fields, but with emphasis in the following areas:

Each sensor pallet (twenty in all) can be interchanged and re-calibrated with any other pallet on the ship.

Warp Current sensor: This is an independent subspace graviton field-current scanner, allowing the starship to track ships at high warp by locking onto the eddy currents from the threat ship's warp field, then follow the currents by using multi-model image mapping.

There are twenty independent tactical sensors on Ambassador Class Starships. Each sensor automatically tracks and locks onto incoming hostile vessels and reports bearing, aspect, distance, and vulnerability percentage to the tactical station on the main bridge. Each tactical sensor is approximately 50% efficient against ECM, and operates modestly in particle flux nebulae - measuring somewhere between 40-50% accuracy on primary and secondary scans.

One small stellar cartography bay is located on deck 14, with direct EPS power feed from engineering. All information is directed to the bridge and can be displayed on any console or the main viewscreen. The Chief Science Officer's office is located next to the Stellar Cartography bay.

There are Fifteen science labs on an Ambassador Class starship; five labs are on deck 7 - adjacent to Sickbay, 5 labs are on deck 8, and 5 multifunction labs on deck 16. The 5 labs on deck 5 are bio-chem-physics labs that can also be reconfigured for Medical labs and used primary by the Medical staff. The 5 labs on deck 7 are a mixed batch; two are bio-chem-physics, two are XT (extra-terrestrial) analysis labs, and one eugenics lab. The final 5 on deck 16 are multi-functional labs that can be equipped for various experiments.

There is one large sickbay facility located on deck 7, equipped with an intensive-care ward, a laboratory, a nursery, the CMO's office, four surgical suites, a null-grav therapy ward, a morgue, a biohazard isolation unit, and a dental care office. Also pursuant to new Medical Protocols, all Medical Facilities are equipped with holo-emitters for the emergency usage of the Emergency Medical Holographic System.

The Ship's Counselor has his office located on Deck 7, near the Medical section. It consists of a private office, with standard furnishings (decorated to the Counselors preference), personal viewscreen, a computer display, and replicator. An individual therapy room furnished with chairs and couch for one on one sessions, as well as a large, group therapy room, consisting of several couches and chairs, are located adjacent to the Counselor's office.

In the event of a crewmember suffering a psychotic episode, and needing to be isolated from the crew, the ill crewman is kept in sickbay, in the isolation unit, or in the intensive care units, as determined by bed availability.

General Overview: All crew and officers' (except for the Commanding officer's and Executive Officer's, which are located on deck 2) crew quarters are located on decks 3,4,8 and decks 13-15.

Individuals assigned to the Ambassador Class starships for periods over six months are permitted to reconfigure their quarters within hardware, volume, and mass limits. Individuals assigned for shorter periods are generally restricted to standard quarters configuration.

Crew Quarters: Standard Living Quarters are provided for both Starfleet and non-commissioned Officers. This includes their families as well. Those officers with children are assigned quarters with viewports.

Two NCO's are assigned to a suite. Accommodations include 2 bedrooms with standard beds, connected by a living/work area. A washroom with ultrasonic shower is located off of each bedroom. A food replicator and a personal holographic viewer are located in the living area. Small pets are allowed to NCO's.

Enlisted crewmembers share quarters with up to 4 others. Accommodations include 2 bedrooms with twin beds, connected by a living/work area. A washroom with ultrasonic shower is located off of each bedroom. A food replicator and a personal holographic viewer are located in the living area. Pets are not allowed to enlisted crew.

Crewmen can request that their living quarters be combined to create a single larger dwelling.

Officers' Quarters: Starfleet personnel from the rank of Ensign up to Commander are given one set of quarters to themselves (they do not need to share).

These accommodations typically include a small bathroom, a bedroom (with standard bed), a living/work area, a food replicator, an ultrasonic shower, personal holographic viewer, and provisions for pets.

Officers may request that their living quarters be combined to form one large dwelling.

Executive Quarters: The Captain and Executive Officer of the Ambassador Class starship both have special quarters, located on Deck 2. They are located on a higher deck because these two people must be closer to the bridge in the event of an Alert situation.

These quarters are much more luxurious than any others on the ship, with the exception of the VIP/Diplomatic Guest quarters. Both the Executive Officer's and the Captain's quarters are larger than standard Officers Quarters, and this space generally has the following accommodations: a bedroom (with a nice, fluffy bed), living/work area, bathroom, food replicator, ultrasonic shower, old-fashioned water shower, personal holographic viewer, provisions for pets, and even a null grav sleeping chamber. These quarters are nearly identical in "comfort" to those of a high-ranking officer's quarters on a Galaxy Class Starship.

VIP/Diplomatic Guest Quarters: The Ambassador Class is a symbol of UFP authority, a tool in dealing with other races. Starfleet intends to use most of its starships in a diplomatic role, with the Ambassador Class being no exception. The need to transport or accommodate Very Important Persons, diplomats, or ambassadors may arise, to which the Ambassador Class may respond.

These quarters are located on Deck 3. These quarters include a bedroom, spacious living/work area, personal viewscreen, ultrasonic shower, bathtub/water shower, provisions for pets, food replicator, and a null-grav sleeping chamber. These quarters can be immediately converted to class H, K, L, N, and N2 environments.

General Overview: The Ambassador Class design has been maximized for diplomatic and scientific usage. However, it is realized that the stress of operating at 99% efficiency on a ship that is built for deep-space exploration and diplomatic missions can be dangerous, so there are some recreational facilities on the Ambassador Class.

Holodecks: There are two standard holodeck facilities on the Ambassador Class, both located on deck 6.

Holosuites: These are smaller versions of standard Federation Holodecks, designed for individual usage (the two Holodecks themselves are to be used by groups or individual officers; enlisted crewmen and cadets are not allowed to use the Holodecks under normal circumstances). They do everything that their larger siblings do, only these Holosuites can't handle as many variables and are less detailed. They are equivalent to the Holodecks on an Intrepid class Starship. There are eight Holosuites aboard an Ambassador Class, all of them located on deck 3 of the saucer section.

Phaser Range: Sometimes the only way a Starfleet officer or crewman can vent his frustration is through the barrel of a phaser rifle. The phaser range is located on deck 14. The phaser range is heavily shielded, the walls being composed of a Duranium alloy, which can absorb setting 16 phaser blasts without taking a scratch.

Normal phaser recreation and practice is used with a type III phaser set to level 3 (heavy stun). The person stands in the middle of the room, with no light except for the circle in the middle of the floor that the person is standing in. Colored circular dots approximately the size of a human hand whirl across the walls, and the person aims and fires. After completing a round, the amounts of hits and misses, along with the percentage of accuracy is announced by the ship's computer.

The phaser range is also used by security to train ship's personnel in marksmanship. During training, the holo-emitters in the phaser range are activated, creating a holographic setting, similar to what a holodeck does. Personnel are "turned loose" either independently or in an Away Team formation to explore the setting presented to them, and the security officer in charge will take notes on the performance of each person as they take cover, return fire, protect each other, and perform a variety of different scenarios. All personnel on Ambassador Class are tested every six months in phaser marksmanship.

There are 25 levels of phaser marksmanship. All personnel are trained in the operation of phaser types I and II up to level 14. All security personnel on an Ambassador Class must maintain a level 17 marksmanship for all phaser types. The true marksman can maintain at least an 80% hit ratio on level 23. The Ambassador Class carries both the standard phaser rifle and the new compression phaser rifles.

Weight Room/ Gymnasium: Some Starfleet personnel can find solace from the aggravations of day-to-day life in exercising their bodies. The Security department encourages constant use of this facility; tournaments and competitions are held regularly in this room.

The weight room is located on deck 15. This weight room has full body building and exercise apparatuses available for your disposal; any kind of exercise can be performed here, be it Terran, Klingon, Vulcan (it isn't logical to let your body atrophy), Bajoran, Trill, or others.

There is also a wrestling mat in the weight room, which can be used for wrestling, martial arts, kick-boxing, or any other sort of hand-to-hand fighting. There are holo-diodes along the walls and ceiling which generate a holographic opponent (if you can't find someone to challenge), trained in the combat field of your choice. The computer stores your personal attack and defense patterns as it gains experience on your style of fighting, and adapts to defeat you. All personnel on the Ambassador Class must go through a full physical fitness and hand-to-hand combat test every six months.

There are also racks of hand-to-hand combat weapons, for use in training. Ancient weapon proficiencies for Starfleet personnel are recommended by Ambassador Class's security division; phasers may not always be available for use in contingencies. Terran, Klingon, Betazoid, Vulcan, Bajoran, and other non-energy weapons are available for training.

This is a large lounge, located on deck 15, starboard. It has a very relaxed and congenial air about it; the "Lounge" is the only place on the ship where rank means nothing - "sir" need not be uttered when a person of lower rank addresses an officer, and everyone is on an equal footing. Opinions can be voiced in complete safety. This lounge is the social center of the ship.

The lounge has a battery of recreational games and assorted "stuff". 3-D chess, pool tables, poker tables (complete with holographic dealer and chips), windows that look out into space, heavily cushioned seats, and numerous other games. There is also a bar (with holographic bartender), and it stores various potent alcoholic beverages, such as chech'tluth, Aldebaran whiskey, Saurian brandy, Tzartak aperitif, Tamarian Frost, C&E Warp Lager, Warnog, Antarean brandy, and countless others.

General Overview: Located at the dorsal bow of the ship, the Flight bay module has replaced the shuttlebay module that is in previous Classes Starships. This Flight bay contains the latest in Starfleet shuttle and runabout designs. The Flight bay is controlled by a space/air-traffic control room, known as "Flight Ops". This is located against the forward wall of the Flight bay, next to the exit for the turbolift. The Flight bay contains the following:

Type: Light short-range sublight shuttle.
Accommodation: Two; pilot and system manager.
Power Plant: Two 500 millicochrane impulse driver engines, four RCS thrusters, three sarium krellide storage cells.
Dimensions: Length, 3.6 m; beam, 2.4 m; height 1.6 m.
Mass: 0.86 metric tones.
Performance: Maximum delta-v, 12,800 m/sec.
Armament: Two Type-IV phaser emitters.

The Type-15 Shuttlepod is a two person craft primarily used for short-ranged transportations of personnel and cargo, as well as for extravehicular inspections of Federation starships, stations and associated facilities. Lacking the ability to obtain warp speeds, the Type-15 is a poor candidate for even interplanetary travel, and is traditionally used as a means of transport between objects only a few kilometers apart. The craft is capable of atmospheric flight, allowing for routine flights between orbiting craft or stations and planetside facilities. Ships of this type are stationed aboard various starship classes and stations, both spaceborne and planetside.

A variant of this type, the Type-15A Shuttlepod, shares the same specifications of its sister craft, but is capable of reaching a maximum delta-v of 13,200 m/sec. The Type-15A was a limited production craft and the information gained from its service allowed for further streamlining of what would eventually become the Type-16 Shuttlepod. Still, the 15A remains in active service, and existing Type-15 spaceframes can easily be converted to the 15A provided that off the shelf parts are available. However, it should be noted that Starfleet Operations has deemed that the 15A spaceframe exhausts its fuel supply rather quickly and its production at major assembly plants is now discontinued.

Type: Light short-range warp shuttle.
Accommodation: Two flight crew, six passengers.
Power Plant: One 50 cochrane warp engine, two 750 millicochrane impulse engines, four RCS thrusters.
Dimensions: Length, 6.0 m; beam, 4.4 m; height 2.7 m.
Mass: 3.38 metric tones.
Performance: Sustained Warp 3.
Armament: Two Type-IV phaser emitters.

The Type-6 Personnel Shuttlecraft is currently in widespread use throughout Starfleet, and is only recently being replaced by the slightly newer Type-8 Shuttle of similar design. The Uprated version of this vessel is considered to be the ideal choice for short-range interplanetary travel, and its large size makes it suitable to transport personnel and cargo over these distances. A short-range transporter is installed onboard, allowing for easy beam out of cargo and crew to and from their destination. Atmospheric flight capabilities allow for this shuttle type to land on planetary surfaces. Ships of this type are currently in use aboard virtually every medium to large sized starship class, as well as aboard stations and Starbases.

The Type-6 is perhaps the most successful shuttle design to date, and its overall structure and components are the foundations upon which the Type-8, -9, and -10 spaceframes are based.

Major technological advancements in the 2370’s allowed for further upgrades to be made to the engine systems aboard shuttlecraft. These upgrades make this craft more capable of long-range spaceflight and, like its starship counterparts, no longer damages subspace.

Type: Heavy long-range warp shuttle.
Accommodation: Two flight crew, two passengers.
Power Plant: One 250 cochrane warp engine, two 800 millicochrane impulse engines, four RCS thrusters.
Dimensions: Length, 9.64 m; beam, 5.82 m; height 3.35 m.
Mass: 19.73 metric tones.
Performance: Warp 5.
Armament: Three Type-V phaser emitters, two micro-torpedo launchers, jamming devices.

Developed specifically for the Defiant-class starship project, the Type-10 Personnel Shuttle is the largest departure from the traditional role of an auxiliary craft that Starfleet has made in the past century. Short of a dedicated fighter craft, the Type-10 is one of the most powerful auxiliary ships, with only the bulkier Type-11 being more heavily equipped. Nonetheless, the shuttle sports increased hull armor and the addition of micro-torpedo launchers, as well as a suite of tactical jamming devices. A larger warp coil assembly, as well as torpedo stores, makes the Type-10 much more heavier then other shuttles. Elements from the Defiant-class project that were incorporated into the shuttle include armored bussard collectors, as well as a complex plasma venting system for use during possible warp core breech situations. This bulky craft is equipped with a powerful navigation deflector that allows it to travel at high-warp, and a complex sensor system makes this shuttle suitable for reconnaissance work. Able to hold its own in battle situations, the Type-10 is seeing limited deployment on Defiant-class starships, as well as border patrol vessels and combat-ready ships.

Operations aboard an Ambassador class starship fall under one of three categories: flight operations, primary mission operations, and secondary mission operations.

Flight Operations are all operations that relate directly to the function of the starship itself, which include power generation, starship upkeep, environmental systems, and any other system that is maintained and used to keep the vessel spaceworthy.

Primary Mission Operations entail all tasks assigned and directed from the Main Bridge, and typically require full control and discretion over ship navigation and ship's resources.

Secondary Mission operations are those operations that are not under the direct control of the Main Bridge, but do not impact Primary Mission Operations. Some examples of secondary mission operations include long-range cultural, diplomatic or scientific programs run by independent or semi-autonomous groups aboard the starship.

Despite the fact that the Ambassador Class design philosophy leaned heavily toward Exploration and Diplomatic Missions, she is still classified as a multi-role Starship, in keeping with Federation Council Policy. This offers the Federation, and Starfleet, flexibility in assigning nearly any objective within the realm of Starfleet's assigned duties.

Missions for an Ambassador Class starship may fall into one of the following categories, in order of her strongest capable mission parameter to her weakest mission parameter.

The normal flight and mission operations of the Ambassador class starship are conducted in accordance with a variety of Starfleet standard operating rules, determined by the current operational state of the starship. These operational states are determined by the Commanding Officer, although