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New Orleans-Class Frigate
UNITED FEDERATION OF PLANETS: STARFLEET DIVISION Advanced Technical Specifications for
the New Orleans-Class Production Vehicle
Note: Information present in this document should be assumed to be referring to the Second Refit of the New Orleans-class spaceframe, unless otherwise specified. Previous advanced technical specifications for this starship class are currently declassified and available in the Starfleet Database.
1.0 NEW ORLEANS-CLASS INTRODUCTION
Pursuant to Starfleet Exploration Directives 902.3 & 913.6, Starfleet Defense Directives 137.2 & 154.2, Theoretical Propulsion Group Mandate 317.2 and Federation Security Council General Policy, the following objectives have been established for the New Orleans-Class Starship:
Length: 345 meters Hull: Duranium/Tritanium Hull
Editor's Note: History written by Robert Siwiak - based on information found in Star Trek: First Contact, Star Trek: Voyager, Star Trek Encyclopedia, Star Trek: The Next Generation Technical Manual, Star Trek: Deep Space 9 Technical Manual, and Star Trek: The Magazine. Please keep in mind that this is a history developed based on canon information presented in various sources and filled in with logical conjecture. The New Orleans Class Development Project began in 2334 with the intent of expanding upon the successful Springfield-class design and ushering in a new era of warp propulsion originally conceived for the Transwarp project. While falling far short of the expected speeds that the Transwarp project promised, new advances in warp geometry allowed computer simulations to postulate that speeds in excess of Warp 9.2 were possible, greatly improving over the Warp 8.9 limit that the Springfield suffered. While retaining the familiar saucer section of the Springfield, the most noticeable addition to the New Orleans spaceframe is the engineering section and redesigned warp nacelles. Coupled with a revolutionary isolinear computer system and the unique ability to be equipped with mission-specific pods, the New Orleans quickly became a favorite during the mid-24th Century. Initial production of the New Orleans-class began at Starfleet's San Francisco Fleet Yards before spreading to several other production areas within the Federation, most notably the nearby Copernicus Fleet Yards and the ship building facilities at Starbase 134, as well as other yards specialized in the construction of frigates, light cruisers and medium cruisers. Taking the Springfield design to the next level, an engineering hull was attached to the lower saucer and, unlike the Ambassador and later Galaxy-class, the absence of a connecting "neck" between the primary and secondary hull produced a smaller profile that was more difficult to hit. This design would see further development with the Nebula and Intrepid-class designs, which also lack the vulnerable connecting segment that was blamed for the loss of several Galaxy-class starships during the Dominion War. With the launch of a hull capable of separating and then reattaching some 20 years away, as well the New Orleans's relatively small size, it was deemed unnecessary to develop the ability to separate the ship in a manner similar to the Excelsior and Ambassador classes. While conceived in an era of relative peace in the United Federation of Planets, Starfleet Intelligence anticipated potential flare-ups on the Federation border, most notably the Tholian, Cardassian and Talarian frontiers, as well as the anticipated return of the Romulan Star Empire to the galactic foreground. Running side-by-side in development with the Steamrunner-class, Starfleet Command required that, like the Springfield, the New Orleans would be superbly equipped to handle skirmishes and border conflicts because of developing delays with the Steamrunner, which was intended to become the choice defensive cruiser. The standard hull of the New Orleans sports a total of six phaser array segments and two torpedo launchers, quickly replacing both the Springfield and Merced-class as the premier frigate in Starfleet's inventory. When approached with the daunting task of upgrading the design to support further armament midway through the project, a young researcher proposed the idea of attaching pods to the outer hull. While opening the way for further developments, it also meant that specialized torpedo pods could be attached to further increase the fire power of the vessel. These pods also saved the New Orleans from early retirement when the class took heavy losses in the Dominion War during the mid-2370's, for it allowed the surviving spaceframes to be equipped with various pods types to perform specific tasks outside the ship's original border patrol responsibilities, which has now been passed on to the completed Steamrunner line of starships. It should be noted that the class preformed admirably during the Galen Border Conflicts of the 2350's, where the first production line of New Orleans-class vessels, serving alongside the aging Constellation-class, mounted a successful defensive against Talarian forces encroaching on the disputed Galen System. While the colony on Galen IV was destroyed in 2356, the heavy losses in the Talarian fleet resulted in the successful peace accords later that year. The Cardassian Wars of the 2350's and 60's was the result of the first large-scale conflict between the Federation and the Cardassian Union in the Galactic Northwestern most portion of the Federation's holdings in the Alpha Quadrant. Several New Orleans-class starships represented the bulk of a mixed fleet that included Miranda and newly produced Akira-class vessels responsible for defending established colonies in that region. The first disappointment in the New Orleans's service record occurred in the Borg Incursion of 2366, where a relatively small handful of ships were lost in the total of 39 at Wolf 359. That handful, however, contained the U.S.S. Kyushu which acted as the pride of New Orleans line. Her loss was somewhat dimmed by the overall scope of the battle, where many more ships of the line were destroyed while intercepting the Borg Cube on its way to Earth. Many years prior to the engagement at Wolf 359, the first production line of the New Orleans-class was entering their 20th year of service and in 2359 the first of four scheduled refits in the spaceframe's 80-year expected lifetime began as the U.S.S. Salzburg entered Drydock 14 at Utopia Planitia Fleet Yards. On March 28, 2359, after nearly three months of overhauls, the Salzburg left the dock a practically new ship. The metal decks that had been a signature design feature for the past 100 years were now being replaced with carpeting and softer color tones throughout the ship, in some respects reflecting the change in overall look aboard Starfleet ships as Nebula and soon-to-be launched Galaxy-class starships did in promoting a family environment, even while these ships were on the edge of known space. No New Orleans-class ships were present when the Borg attempted a second assimilation attempt of Earth in 2373, but the class incurred its heaviest losses to date in the same year as minor skirmishes erupted into a war on the Cardassian frontier. Forces of an alliance between the Cardassian Union and the Dominion engaged Federation and Klingon forces across the former demilitarized zone. Forced to take on larger Galor-class ships on their own in some instances, the shortcomings of the New Orleans became apparent. Further losses occurred at the unsuccessful defense in the Battle of Betazed while the Federation Tenth Fleet was caught out of position on a training exercise, allowing the planet to be taken and putting nearby Federation worlds at risk of invasion. Elements of the Fifth Fleet, including several New Orleans-class vessels, did however help in the rapid evacuation of key facilities in the area before the Dominion could secure its hold on the planet. Pulled away from hotspots along the Cardassian border, the majority of the remaining New Orleans-class ships still in service were assigned interior defense duties or attached to outposts and deep space stations along the Federation's relatively quiet borders to the galactic west. The remaining vessels were immediately put into drydock where components originally destined for the class's second refit in 2379 were installed earlier to increase the effectiveness of the ship. Now revamped with Type-X phaser arrays and increased power output, as well as defense against Breen energy dampening weapons, several ships made it back to the frontlines to participate in Operation Return in 2374 when station Deep Space Nine was taken back from its Cardassian captors. Seeing only limited participation in the final Invasion of Cardassia Prime in 2375, the New Orleans remains a member of the peace keeping force in that area to date. Approximately one-third of the remaining New Orleans-class vessels are presently equipped with their torpedo pods and on duty around the Federation border, steadily being replaced by the Steamrunner-class. The majority of the remaining two-thirds are presently assigned to various mission-specific tasks throughout the Federation, ensuring that while their numbers have fallen sharply, the class still stands as a proud symbol of the Federation. The remaining ships are in drydocks throughout the Federation, undergoing their second refit. Projections show that the class will most likely be retired before the end of the century, twenty years short of its original design lifetime. This early retirement is the result of current predictions in overall fleet production. Several hulls that were originally decommissioned or only partially completed prior to the end of the class's production run in 2359 were brought back to full operational status during and after the Dominion War in an effort to reinforce the falling numbers in the Federation fleet. With most of the New Orleans-class's original mission objectives taken over by starships developed in the past half-century, it is not surprising to see that the ship has been tailored for more mission-specific applications. The use of the design's pods has allowed for the starship to easily be reassigned for multi-mission applications, making it one of the smallest designs capable of handling an endless amount of customized applications in the medium-sized starship range. Still, design shortcomings will no doubt eventually lead to the retirement of the class as state-of-the-art ships launch from various drydocks. Until that day, however, it will continue to be a lasting symbol of Federation ingenuity and pride.
Construction of the New Orleans pathfinder vessel, designated NXP-1983NF, began in early 2336 - just one year after the project's official start date. The primary research team, based at Starfleet's San Francisco Fleet Yard, had already finished the overall hull structure and shape of the eventual spaceframe through knowledge gained from the Springfield Class Development Project. By the end of 2335, with the aide of computer models, sufficient progress had been made to the point that a working 1500 cochrane warp reactor could be used to power a warp field capable of exceeding its design specifications for limited amounts of time. While the reactant injectors for the primary M/ARA were indeed capable of increased firing rates before the project, problems existed in the containment of the warp plasma through the transfer conduits due to the higher rate of energy transfer. The hulk of a partially-constructed Springfield-class starship was towed into Drydock 12 of Starfleet's Copernicus Fleet Yards in orbit above Earth's Moon while the primary research team transferred the final exterior hull configuration for a full-scale mockup test. By late 2336, the warp nacelles and coils had been completely redesigned three times as models indicated flaws that would result in microfracturing within the coils when field output crossed the Warp 9 threshold. Increased structural integrity field output was proposed, but the eventual solution came about when Dr. Tobin D'Strata proposed elongating the warp nacelles, allowing for the plasma output to be better spread across more warp coils and reduce overall tension on individual coils. Marginal improvements were also made to the three impulse engines mounted on the saucer and aft spine of the ship, allowing the starship to literally fly circles around larger vessels. NXP-1983NF began warp flight tests within Sector 001 during Spring of 2337 and made use of an experimental deflector dish that preformed well in early test flights. The pathfinder vehicle, manned by a crew of 25, managed to reach Warp 9.1 with marginal strain on the warp propulsion system. Deemed a design breakthrough, the first full production vessel, NX-57012, had its primary frame members gamma-welded at a brief ceremony at the San Francisco Fleet Yard. Hull NX-57012, being built from the ground up, saw further design improvements while the pathfinder continued to relay data from the test site. Disaster came about in November of that year when a redesigned structural integrity field failed while at high warp. In addition to the shearing of the starboard warp nacelle, various sections on both hulls gave way from subspace stress, concentrated mostly at the forward most portions of the ship. Questioning of the 12 surviving test crewmembers, as well as investigation into salvaged computer records found an error in the computer-controlled regulation of the system. While some members of the Federation Council demanded a halt to the project, the majority recognized the need for the ship and pushed onward with NX-57012. The hulk of NXP-1983NF was towed back to Utopia Planitia where it participated in full-scale early weapons tests of the experimental Type-X phaser emitter and was subsequently destroyed. During the following year, NX-57012 saw rapid construction and the spaceframe was ready for testing in late 2338. The New Orleans-class was one of the first classes to integrate isolinear-based computer systems, a system which is only recently being improved upon with advances in bioneural circuitry. Further design modifications allowed for the NX-57012 to reach Warp 9.2, and with all internal spaces and systems installed, the ship was ready for its official launch. However, a new mandate arrived late in the project from the ASDB as Starfleet Intelligence had learned of a powerful warship in development by the Cardassians, later known as the Galor-class. Concerns arose that the New Orleans-class would not be able to adequately defend against such a target. Increased firepower would be required, and the obvious choice was to install more torpedo launchers. Advanced computer simulations indicated that mounting internal launchers would require the removal of some 65-percent of the science labs in the forward saucer section, as well as several residential areas since the saucer was the only location to mount additional launchers, due mostly to the fact that the main deflector occupied almost the entire forward-most section of the secondary hull. By April of 2339, two additional New Orleans spaceframes rested in drydock at San Francisco and Copernicus as arguments continued over the internal layout of the ship. It was obvious by this point that they would not scrap the overall proven design of the ship, and many on the team did not look forward to the ship being turned into the equivalent of a torpedo boat (A concept that would only be revisited during the Akira and Defiant class projects). The solution finally came later that month when several members of the development team were being pulled away to begin work on a new proposed Miranda-class refit, and after a heated discussion, the idea of mounting an outboard roll bar came about. This idea was quickly scrapped due to the instabilities that would result in creating a warp field to take into account the roll bar, but the idea later blossomed into the pod design that is in use on New Orleans-class ships to this day. Nathan Thormer, a young researcher being transferred to the Miranda team, was responsible for the idea after calculating locations within the warp field that would allow for enough manipulation to mount exterior pods without causing field degradation. Two areas on the dorsal surface of the primary hull, as well as one area on the ventral surface of the engineering hull, were chosen to be ideal places to handle exterior mission-specific pods. Originally designed to handle both a forward and aft launcher, as well as torpedo stores, more ideas sprung about as to the possible uses of the pod design. Ideas ranging from additional cargo spaces to sensor packages were discussed, and more pod designs would spring up long after full production began on the class. A ceremony was held at Earth's Spacedock 1 in August of 2339 as hull NX-57012, christened the U.S.S. New Orleans, left the space doors and warped out of the system to begin its shakedown cruise near the Tholian border. In December and January, the U.S.S. Organia NCC-57267 and the U.S.S. Rutledge NCC-57295 launched from their respective drydocks, both bound for the Cardassian border. The class would see production until 2369, and while it has taken heavy losses defending the Federation during its many wars, the New Orleans is still a proud and familiar symbol of Starfleet's power to this day. The estimated lifetime of the New Orleans spaceframe has been projected to be some 80 years, with scheduled refits and major overhauls to take place at 20-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 New Orleans frigates 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 New Orleans-class starship has had two major refits after its initial launch. First Refit: The first refit for the New Orleans-class took place in January of 2359 when the U.S.S. Salzburg entered drydock 14 at Starfleet's Utopia Planitia Fleet Yards in orbit around Mars. While the average time for the refit was approximately 13 weeks, or roughly 3 months, the planning for the upgrades had taken some four years to complete. This upgrade included:
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 New Orleans class. In 2371, shortly after the discovery of the Jem'Hadar, Founders and Vorta 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 New Orleans 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 New Orleans 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. The remainder of the ships are seeing refits in the near future. This upgrade includes:
Notice: Not all upgrade information has been made available in this document for various reasons, including security concerns as well as length considerations.
The primary command and control center aboard a starship is its bridge, located on Deck 1 at the top of the primary hull. Though the entire bridge module can be replaced at a starbase layover with a variety of types, the most common found aboard New Orleans-class vessels is a model originally conceived as an upgrade to the Galaxy-class starship. Though only slightly different in terms of overall layout to the original Galaxy-class bridge that premiered with the launch of the class's first ship, and eventually found its way to use aboard Nebula, New Orleans and a handful of other ship classes. Just like the commanding position of the bridge itself at the top of the saucer, the captain's chair is located at the center of the bridge atop a raised platform where all bridge consoles can be viewed with a simple rotation of one's chair. The captain's chair itself has built in consoles on both armrests, allowing the seat's occupant to access either issue commands, view data or even take control of ship functions with proper authorization. To the captain's right is a seat used by the ship's first officer, and while it lacks armrests, it does have a dedicated console with various access functions. Another seat mirrors the first officer's and is located to the captain's left, normally reserved for either a visiting dignitary, mission specialist, or one of the ship's senior staff. Down a small set of stairs and to the front of the command area is the Ops and Conn stations, as well as the main viewscreen. Dominating the bridge, the main viewer measures 4.8 x 2.5 meters and often displays a feed from one of the forward optical scanners, though it can easily be reconfigured for communications, as well as displaying various types of data like any smaller console viewscreen. The display matrix includes omni-holographic display elements, allowing for information to be displayed in three dimensions. The flight control station, often simply referred to as "Conn," is located to the captain's right and features controls that regulate the actual physical movement of the starship, whether it be entering orbit of a planet or plotting a course for another starsystem. Mirroring this station in general appearance is the Ops station, responsible for helping to regulate starship operations, from shuttlecraft clearance, allocation of sensor time, communications and even power allocation. To the left of the command area and raised on a platform next to a ramp that leads to the bridge's aft section is a series of consoles dedicated for scientific use. A forward console, reserved for the Chief Science Officer, gives primary access to the sensor arrays and allows for the seat's occupant to have full view of the main viewer. Three consoles run along the wall and can easily be reconfigured to display other types of data, such as information from the mission-specific pods. Mirroring the science station is the engineering station, which too has three consoles running along the wall which can be configured for various purposes, including damage control, environmental support, etc. A large Master Systems Display (MSD) runs across the aft section of the bridge, flanked by a console on each side. The MSD features a cutaway of the starship, and displays information pertaining to the ship's status. The console to its left is typically configured as an environmental station while its sister console is configured as a mission operations center. Between the command area and the MSD is the tactical railing, which is made of sturdy redwood and wraps around the command area. Three panels are built into the surface of the railing, allowing access to the ship's tactical systems. Though normally operated by one person, there is easily enough room for up to three crewmembers to work side-by-side. The port side of the front of the bridge features access to a turbolift, as well as the Captain's Ready Room. A replicator is located just next to this junction allowing on-duty officers to take only a few steps to reach a refreshment. The port side provides access to an emergency-use turbolift that allows direct access to Main Engineering, should significant damage to the bridge force the crew to evacuate the room. The port side of the aft section of the bridge features a standard turbolift, while the starboard side has access to the main observation lounge, as well as the bridge head.
Main Engineering is located on Deck 15 and is the central point for control of all engineering systems aboard the vessel, especially those relating to propulsion and power generation. Main Engineering also features the dilithium chamber housing for the Matter Antimatter Reaction Chamber, also known as the Warp Core. The main entrance to the room has a large monitor featuring a cutaway of the starship and is called the master situation monitor. Warp and impulse propulsion systems status displays on opposite walls allow for easy monitoring of starship propulsion, while a Master Situation Display (MSD) rests on a table top and permits duty engineers to gain an overall understanding of the "health" of the spacecraft. Towards the warp core is a duty engineer's station on the right, and the Chief Engineer's office on the left. The Chief Engineer's office is located behind a transparent aluminum window and has repeater displays of most key monitors in engineering. The workstation allows seating for the Chief Engineer, as well as two assistants. The warp core itself has a railing running around it, permitting someone to view the entire six stories of the reactor by looking in either direction. The entire room can be sealed off through the use of isolation doors during emergency situations. Engineering also features easy access to surrounding Jefferies tube junctions, and the room can act as a command center should the main bridge be damaged.
The New Orleans class currently employs six Type-X phaser arrays at key locations throughout the ship's hull, although early versions made use of the older Type-IX phaser array. This upgrade was rather relatively simple to do, since the design of the New Orleans phaser system took into account the anticipated completion of the then experimental Type-X emitter. Starships older then the New Orleans, such as the Ambassador, Merced and Renaissance classes, had been designed during a time when the Type-IX phaser emitter was still the state-of-the-art phaser package. Traditionally the choice defensive weapon onboard Starfleet vessels since close to the dawn of the Federation, the standard emitter makes use of a particular class of superconducting crystals known as fushigi-no-umi, which allow high-speed interactions within atomic nuclei that create a rapid nadion effect, which in turn is directed into a focused beam at a target. The resulting beam is discharged at speeds approaching .986c, and as per standard tactical procedures, the frequencies of these beams are rotated to make it more difficult for a threat vehicle's shields to adjust to the beam. Through the use of ACB jacketed beams, phaser arrays now have limited capabilities in warp environments, though the power output is greatly limited and is by no means as useful as a torpedo weapon in this environment. Phaser array arrangement: Two large phaser arrays located on the dorsal and ventral surfaces of the saucer section provide the largest firing arcs, and are thus equipped to handle the most energy through EPS taps that supply the one hundred plus emitter segments with the power needed to generate a sustained beam. Two additional arrays are located on the ventral surface of the engineering hull, although both are slightly blocked by the lower mission-specific pod - an oversight from the rushed production designs. Two final arrays are mounted on the nacelle pylons, just below the ejection assemblies for the warp nacelles and provide sweeping coverage of targets laterally. Phaser Array Range: Maximum effective range is 300,000 kilometers.
Even without torpedo pods mounted to the ship's exterior, the New Orleans is equipped by default with both a forward and aft launcher. Originally, these tubes were upgraded versions of launchers designed for the Ambassador and Niagra-class. During the class's first refit, these launchers were replaced with custom assemblies designed specifically for the New Orleans, with the added benefit of being able to fire weapons and probe packages that differ from the traditional photon torpedo casing. Like more recent ships in the Federation fleet, this allows for the New Orleans to handle quantum torpedoes and tri-cobalt devices - although it should be stressed that the class is only equipped with such devices for select special operations due to supply limits. The forward torpedo launcher, like the aft, is a fixed-focus system consisting of a standard gas pressure chamber, elevator assembly, torpedo magazine and launcher, capable of holding eight torpedoes for simultaneous launch. It is located just above the main deflector on Deck 12, but due to the relatively short connecting neck between the hulls, its firing arc during launch is limited with the primary hull only a few decks up. Nonetheless, already-launched torpedoes have internal guidance systems that can maneuver the weapon towards targets not directly in the launcher's arc. The aft launcher is the only defensive weapon aboard the ship capable of firing directly to the aft of the starship, and is located on Deck 15. Torpedo Pods: New Orleans-class vessels benefit by the ability to be equipped with specialized mission-specific torpedo pods, allowing for greater tactical flexibility in combat operations. These pods are equipped with both a forward and aft launcher that are both capable of tilting 12-degrees in all directions, allowing for the launchers to better line up with targets not directly along the vehicle centerline. Type: All New Orleans-class vessels are currently equipped with a total of 85 Mark XXV photon torpedoes. Individual torpedo pods are capable of containing an additional 45 photon torpedoes each.
Quite well defended for a ship of its size, the New Orleans-class makes use of a total of seven symmetrical subspace graviton generators feeding several strategically located deflector grids embedded into the ship's hull. Upgraded since the class's initial launch, these graviton field generators consist of a cluster of twelve 32 MW graviton polarity sources feeding a pair of 625 millicochrane subspace field distortion amplifiers. Three generators are located within the primary hull, two are located in the engineering hull and there is one generator located on each of the nacelle pylons, just below the nacelles themselves. When compared to her precursor, the Springfield-class, the potential shield output on the New Orleans is a great improvement, thanks not only to the larger number of actual shield generators, but the additional clustering of graviton polarity sources to the total of twelve, up from the nine clustered sources on the Springfield. These same generators would be used throughout the rest of the design lineage, spreading on to the Cheyenne, Nebula and Galaxy classes. Shield regulation software continues to see upgrades, most notably during the last two Borg Incursions and the Dominion War. These relatively simple algorithms automatically cycle through shield nutations when being fired upon by both energy and projectile weapons. In the case of a particle beam or projectile energy device (such as a torpedo), the incoming beam or torpedo's energy signature is recorded, then analyzed by the ship's tactical officer. The shields can then be adjusted to match the energy frequency of the incoming energy signature, but switch to a different nutation to dramatically increase efficiency. Near full-spectrum shielding prevents onboard sensors from gathering scientific and tactical information, so the operation of shields at full output is deemed undesirable and unrealistic if a ship is to make full use of its onboard sensors. Instead, Cruise Mode operating procedures dictate that the system always operate at 5% output at specific frequency bands necessary to protect the spacecraft's habitable volume to SFRA-standard 347.3(a) levels for EM and nuclear radiation. Shields operate at two basic ranges when fully activated. The first is a large bubble field that has a common center within the ship and expands outward in the rough shape of the starship, allowing for objects close to the hull, such as smaller vessels, to be protected. The other is a mode that operates at a uniform distance from the hull, averaging ten to twelve meters. Both modes make use of relatively new design modifications that protect the spacecraft from new energy weapons, such as the Breen dampening device.
Number of computer cores: Two. Two twin computer cores rest near the center of the primary hull, each spreading across a total of three decks. While a single core is capable of operating all computer functions aboard the ship, a second core not only offers redundancy should the first core fail, but gives the added benefits of increased storage capacity and processing speeds. The upper third of each core is capable of faster-then-light (FTL) processing speeds accomplished through the usage of subspace fields. Additionally, a network of 160 quadritronic optical subprocessors throughout the ship augment these processing abilities. These subprocessors also operate as a redundant backup system in the event that both cores are inoperable. Currently, computer simulations indicate that upgrading the entire computer system to make use of bioneural gelpack processors is unfeasible and too costly in terms of labor and time. Like all other ships, the New Orleans class will receive periodic upgrades to various components and software through minor refits.
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 being performed, allowing for maximum ease-of-use and efficiency. The New Orleans class operates on the most up-to-date LCARS build version to account for increases in processor speed and power. The operating version receives minor upgrades any time they are available when contact with another Starfleet vessel or facility is made.
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. Security levels in use aboard the New Orleans class are:
Note: Security Levels beyond current rank can and are bestowed where, when and to whom they are necessary. Often, members of the ship's senior staff are granted higher levels of access due to the their position. High-ranking staff in the tactical department, for instance, have access to key data regarding the ship's defenses. Medical staff have access to crew personnel reports and medical information. Aside from the command crew, the Operations Manager and Chief Engineer perhaps have the most unrestricted access to ship's files due to the responsibilities that come with their positions. All levels, however, are by default not allowed to access files marked private or files marked with specific eyes-only designations, such as Top Secret and so forth. Access logs are maintained by the main computer to monitor usage and possible abuse of access privileges. 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 for access to certain files.
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 commbadge, as well as handheld devices like PADDs and Tricorders. The Universal Translator matrix aboard New Orleans-class starships consists of well over 100,000 languages and increases with every new encounter.
At the time of its launch, the New Orleans was equipped with the most capable Warp Propulsion System (WPS) Starfleet had to offer, breaking performance records with its revolutionary design. While the Niagara-class had already tested the general shape and structure of these new nacelles, they had not yet been fitted onto a starship with a similar shape of the ultimate accomplishment of this research - the Galaxy-class starship. While the New Orleans represented a scaled down version that appears to be most closest with the Nebula-class starship, the components in both of these classes would be the foundation upon which the Galaxy would be built. Many lessons had been learned through the failed Transwarp Development Project, and Starfleet made sure all of these advances were adequately tested. The most noticeable difference between the nacelles of the New Orleans and her cousins of larger size is the increased length. This was essentially a shortcut at the time to better regulate warp plasma to produce more efficient warp fields, though later advances would prove that procedure obsolete. Upgrades to the New Orleans WPS now allow ships of this class to travel up to Warp 9.98 for limited amounts of time. The Matter/Antimatter Reaction Assembly (M/ARA) spreads across Deck 12-17, with the reaction chamber itself being located within Main Engineering on Deck 15. It is well protected within the engineering hull, located just forward of the area where the warp nacelle pylons meet the secondary hull, and just aft of the main deflector. The warp plasma transfer conduits, after exiting the reaction chamber, run vertically through Deck 10-15 before making 90-degree turns to travel through the nacelle pylons to be injected into the warp coils. EPS power taps allow for the transfer of produced energy to be used for ship functions at regular intervals throughout this expanse. Ejection of the entire M/ARA and the ship's antimatter containment pods can be accomplished through a three-stage procedure. Should a mission-specific pod be attached to the underside of the secondary hull, explosive bolts blow the pod in a downward-aft direction to clear the way for ejected systems. Antideuterium and deuterium feeds to the M/ARA are cut off upstream, and the entire assembly is ejected from the ship. Shortly after, the antimatter pods exit the ship and all ejected devices can be programmed to detonate after reaching a safe distance, should the situation allow such leeway. Alternately, individual components may be ejected separately and/or recovered should scans show all components to be working properly. Both warp nacelles are held to the nacelle pylons by a series of explosive bolts that can also be detonated, should an undesirable overload or other incident warrant the need to remove these components from the ship. Type: Theoretical Propulsion Group [TPG] Class-6 Matter/Anti-Matter Reaction Drive feeding two warp nacelles, developed by Theoretical Propulsion Group in conjunction with the Advanced Starship Design Bureau - San Francisco Division. Limited access to information about this drive is currently available on Starfleet Omnipedia Databases. Normal Cruising Speed: Warp 6 Maximum Speed: Warp 9.98 for twelve hours Note: Vessels equipped with the TPG M/ARA Drive System no longer have the maximum cruising speed limit of Warp 5, thanks to innovations discovered and utilized in the development of the Intrepid- and Sovereign-class starships. Pursuant to Starfleet Command Directive 12856.A, all starships have received upgrades to their WPS to prevent further pollution of subspace.
Like the Ambassador-class, the New Orleans utilizes space-time driver coils within its impulse engines to create a non-propulsive symmetrical subspace field that effectively lowers the ship's mass, making it capable of pushing the entire spacecraft using less fuel. There are three impulse engines on the ship, two at the aft section of the saucer, and one along the main structural spine of the secondary hull. While all three engines are capable of propelling the entire vehicle up to .25c, or full impulse, alone, the main impulse engine in the secondary hull is typically used to provide all impulse propulsion in cruise mode. During combat situations, the saucer engines supplement the main impulse engine and, together with the main impulse engine, allow the ship to reach speeds approaching .75c, or maximum impulse. Due to time displacement concerns, speeds greater then .25c are avoided except during emergency circumstances. The saucer impulse units also provide additional thrust should the ship be equipped with a tractor towing pod, allowing it to ferry ships much larger then the New Orleans. Type: Series 6 Mark-IV HighMPact impulse units, developed in conjunction between HighMPact Propulsion and the Theoretical Propulsion Group for usage by the Advanced Starship Design Bureau.
The Reaction Control System (RCS) thrusters are adapted from thruster packages from Ambassador-class vessels. A total of fourteen thruster groups are installed; four on the primary hull, two on the secondary hull and four at the aft of each nacelle. Deuterium is supplied by the primary tankage on Decks 14 and 15, as well as immediate-use tanks within thruster packages. Output: Each thruster quad is capable of producing 4.2 million Newtons of exhaust.
6.0 UTILITIES AND AUXILIARY
SYSTEMS
Without some sort of deflector system, space travel at high velocities, let alone warp speeds, would be impossible due to collisions with objects ranging from stray hydrogen atoms to large planetary fragments. Vessels of the New Orleans class make use of two scaled down deflectors systems of what was later developed to become the standard deflector systems aboard Nebula and Galaxy-class starships. The main navigation deflector is located at the forward-most part of the engineering hull and spreads across Decks 14-18, with the dual subspace field distortion amplifiers located on Deck 15. Composed of molybdenum/duranium mesh panels over a duranium framework, the dish can be manually moved 7.2° in any direction off the ship's Z-axis. The main deflector dish's subspace field and sensor power comes from three graviton polarity generators located on Decks 14 and 17, each capable of generating one hundred twenty-eight megawatts which feed into the two 550 millicochrane subspace field distortion amplifiers. A backup deflector is located on the ventral side of the primary hull, and in addition to its role as a backup, the secondary deflector serves to reinforce the ship's warp field at speeds exceeding Warp 8.5. Originally seen as a means to augment the warp field due to technological limitations in graviton field generation during the development of the pathfinder vehicle, the saucer deflector is actually identical to the primary deflector of the Springfield-class and is more or less a carry-over in the design process.
Type: Multiphase subspace graviton beam, used for direct manipulation of objects from a submicron to a macroscopic level at any relative bearing. 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. Large steerable tractor emitters are located on the underside of the engineering hull at both the front and aft, allowing for easy towing or pushing of objects. Smaller mooring tractor emitters are located on each RCS thruster quad, which are located throughout the ship. A series of emitters, located around the Main Shuttlebay, allow for automated guiding of shuttles and small vessels into the ship's bay. Output: Each tractor beam emitter is built around two variable phase sixteen megawatt graviton polarity sources, each feeding two 475 millicochrane subspace field amplifiers. Phase accuracy is within 2.7 arc-seconds per microsecond. Each emitter can gain extra power from the Structural Integrity Field by means of molybdenum-jacketed waveguides. The subspace fields generated around the beam (when the beam is used) can envelop objects up to one thousand 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 five m/sec-squared delta-v, the primary tractor emitters can be used with a payload approaching 7'500'000 metric tons at less than one thousand meters. Conversely, the same delta-v can be imparted to an object massing about one metric ton at ranges approaching twenty thousand kilometers.
Number of Systems: 13
Standard Communications Ranges:
Standard Data Transmission Speed: 18.5
kiloquads per second
7.0 SCIENCE AND REMOTE
SENSING SYSTEMS
Long-range and navigational sensors are located behind the main deflector dish to avoid sensor "ghosts" and other detrimental effects consistent with the millicochrane static graviton field output of the deflector system. 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, one hundred sixty in all, can be interchanged and recalibrated with any other pallet on the ship, including those in storage. In addition, the New Orleans class can be equipped with mission-specific sensor pods of various types to increase range and power.
There are twelve independent tactical sensors on the New Orleans Class. Each sensor automatically tracks and locks onto incoming hostile vessels or hazardous objects and reports bearing, aspect, distance, and vulnerability percentages to the tactical station on the main bridge. Each tactical sensor is approximately seventy-nine percent efficient against Electronic Counter Measures (ECMs).
The entrance to the main stellar cartography bay is located on Deck 9, within the Stellar Sciences Division. This dedicated bay has been recently upgraded with new holographic systems that are capable of rendering stellar locations in three dimensions. Comparable in ability to other medium-sized Federation vessels, the bay is only as good as the information it is capable of receiving. When equipped with dedicated sensor pods, the abilities of the bay are increased substantially thanks to the additional sensor power.
There are typically some thirty-five scientific research labs aboard a New Orleans-class vessel, though like almost all medium to large-sized starships developed in the last century, the internal volume of the ship can be rearranged to accommodate more labs for surveys, or less labs for other mission types. Only a handful of labs will remain under the same discipline of science during the ship's lifetime, and are typically in areas of basic sciences vital to Starfleet's mandates of knowledge and exploration. Most labs share the same basic design due to their modular nature, and can actually be compacted to fit into storage if space is at a premium. This modular design also creates a standard, which makes it relatively easy for mission specialists with specialized equipment to quickly come aboard and setup. All scientific experiments fall under the direct authority of the Chief Science Officer, as well as the Chief Medical Officer depending on the nature of said experiment or study. Sensor allocation time is still approved by the Operations Manager.
A probe is a device that contains a number of general purpose or mission specific sensors and can be launched from a starship for closer examination of objects in space. There are nine different classes of probes, which vary in sensor types, power, and performance ratings. The spacecraft frame of a probe consists of molded duranium-tritanium and pressure-bonded lufium boronate, with sensor windows of triple layered transparent aluminum. With a warhead attached, a probe becomes a photon torpedo. The standard equipment of all nine types of probes are instruments to detect and analyze all normal EM and subspace bands, organic and inorganic chemical compounds, atmospheric constituents, and mechanical force properties. All nine types are capable of surviving a powered atmospheric entry, but only three are special designed for aerial maneuvering and soft landing. These ones can also be used for spatial burying. Many probes can be real-time controlled and piloted from a starship to investigate an environment dangerous hostile or otherwise inaccessible for an away-team. The nine standard classes are:
Sickbay: Protected within the inner-hull on Deck 8, the medical facilities actually consist of several separate areas surrounding the main sickbay. The primary sickbay facility houses some of the finest crew support technology available in Starfleet. A biobed at the center of the room is located directly beneath an overhead sensor cluster, which feeds a wall mounted display capable of showing vital statistics of a person or other lifeform. Four other biobeds line one of the walls, providing for care several individuals at one time. Attached to this area is the Chief Medical Officer's office. Directly attached to sickbay is a secondary ward and the primary medical laboratory. Nearby also rests an intensive-care ward, a nursery, two dedicated surgical suites, and a physical therapy facility. All of these areas have recently been upgraded with holographic emitters that allow for the latest version of the Emergency Medical Holographic System to be used. Counselor's Office: Located near the Arboretum on Deck 9, this office is a medium sized room created with comfort in mind to provide a relaxing environment for the ship's Counselor to perform his or her duty. Away from the busy medical centers on Deck 8, the Counselor's quarters are usually not far from the office.
General Overview: Between the development of the Ambassador and Galaxy-class starships there was a major shift in the overall look and feel of Starfleet ships, turning away from the more militaristic bare-metal decks of a previous generation to the more family-friendly designs of today. During the first major refit of the class, the standard living quarters on Decks 2, 6, 7, and 9 were upgraded to residential apartments that provide more appropriate facilities for ship's crew with family aboard, as well as better accommodations for high-ranking officers and senior staff. The arrangement of living quarters was designed to be modular, so that at any time, a particular area could be reconfigured to create larger or smaller residential areas. Individual areas make up what has come to be known as a "bay," which is equal to the size of the smallest available module. These modules are connected together to create all available standard living accommodations on the ship. Standard Living Quarters: Located on Decks 8, 10, 11, 13, 14 and 16, these quarters are where the majority of the crew live.
Residential Apartments: Located on Decks 2, 6, 7, and 9, these quarters offer more privacy and flexibility for officers, as well as those with family onboard. Unlike the standard living quarters, these apartments can be configured to suit the needs of those living in them. Listed below is the base configuration for the living space, which can then be tailored by the resident for his needs.
Understandably, only a limited number of residential apartments exist aboard a starship. Allocation of available rooms falls under the authority of the Executive Officer, who is then responsible to make arrangements with Operations, Engineering, and the ship's Counselor concerning assignment of personnel.
General Overview: Serving the Federation's needs on both extended border patrol and scientific missions, the New Orleans class is equipped with a large number of dedicated recreational areas that help to maintain the crew's morale. Holodecks: There are three standard holodeck facilities on the New Orleans class located on Deck 7. Phaser Range: Normal phaser recreation and practice is used with a Type-III phaser rifle or Type-II hand unit 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 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 board are tested every six months in phaser marksmanship. There are 25 levels of phaser marksmanship. All personnel on board are trained in the operation of Types-II and I up to level 14. All security personnel on board must maintain a level 17 marksmanship for all phaser types. The true marksman can maintain at least an eighty percent hit ratio on level 23. Gymnasium: Some Starfleet personnel can find solace from the aggravations of day-to-day life in exercising their bodies. The Security department on board encourages constant use of this facility; tournaments and competitions are held regularly in this room. There is also a wrestling mat in the weight room, which can be used for wrestling, martial arts, kickboxing, or any other sort of hand-to-hand fighting. There are holo-diodes along the walls and ceiling which generate a holographic opponent, trained in the combat field of one's choice. The computer stores personal patterns of attack and defense as it gains experience on a particular user's style of fighting, and adapts to defeat him. There are also racks of hand-to-hand combat weapons, for use in training. Ancient weapon proficiencies for Starfleet personnel are recommended by Starfleet's security division as phasers may not always be available for use in contingencies. Swimming Pool: Located immediately next to the gymnasium, the swimming pool features four lanes which are each 25 meters in length. While most personnel choose to use the holodeck for their swimming needs, the pool exists mainly for physical fitness. Arboretum: This area on Deck 9 is housed within the interior of the deck and is unique to each starship. Artificial sunlight simulates both day and night to the many different plant types that grow here. Recreation Rooms: There are several such rooms located aboard the starship that provide entertainment in various forms. Such rooms can be used to feature films both ancient and holographic based to large audiences. Many tend to be equipped with various games such as terrestrial pool, dom-jot, dabo, kal-toh while some can be converted into small auditoriums for musical recitals or theatrical performances.
This large lounge is located at the forward-most portion of Deck 7, and serves as a place of social gathering for all members of the crew and their guests. Serving as the social center of the ship, it has a number of tables that line the six windows that grant a spectacular view of what lies ahead of the ship. A bar lines the length of the aft-facing wall of the room and is serviced by an on-duty bartender. Two replicators provide the crew with beverages and food, while a limited stock of alcoholic beverages is available beneath the counter. Most crews decide to give the lounge a nickname that in someway relates to the ship's name or history.
9.0 AUXILIARY SPACECRAFT
SYSTEMS
General Overview: One Main Shuttlebay serves all the necessary auxiliary flight needs of the starship. Spreading across Decks 3 and 4, the bay is also supported by machine shop and maintenance facilities below it on Deck 5. Approximately 35% of bay storage compartments is reserved for mission-specific craft of various types, as well as leaving space for craft from other vessels or stations to dock for the duration of their stay. Due to the nature of the ship's ability to be customized for mission-specific applications, Cargo Bays 7-9 are equipped with fuel transfer lines and necessary equipment to convert them into limited launch and recovery facilities for shuttle operations. This practice normally comes into use when the vessel is used for colonization activities, where the need for transfers of large amount of materials and people is hampered by local phenomena that prevent safe transport, such as some worlds undergoing terraforming activity that may interfere with transporter beams. A landing on Deck 3 houses a sealed space/air-traffic control room known as "Flight Ops," which handles all flight operations locally. Flight Ops works in conjunction with the duty Operations Officer on the bridge by taking much of the burden of coordination involving scheduling, launch and recovering of shuttles and other auxiliary craft.
The standard shuttle loadout aboard a New Orleans-class vessel is as follows:
9.2.2 TYPE-16 SHUTTLEPOD
Type:
Medium short-range sublight shuttle. Like the Type-15, the Type-16 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-16 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, and its cargo capacity is slightly higher then that of the Type-15. Ships of this type are stationed aboard various starship classes and stations, both spaceborne and planetside.
9.2.3 TYPE-6 PERSONNEL SHUTTLE (UPRTD)
Type:
Light short-range warp shuttle. 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.
9.2.4 TYPE-8 PERSONNEL SHUTTLE
Type:
Light long-range warp shuttle. Based upon the frame of the Type-6, the Type-8 Shuttlecraft is the most capable follow-up in the realm of personnel shuttles. Only slightly larger, the Type-8 is equipped with a medium-range transporter and has the ability to travel within a planet’s atmosphere. With a large cargo area that can also seat six passengers, the shuttle is a capable transport craft. Slowly replacing its elder parent craft, the Type-8 is now seeing rapid deployment on all medium to large starships, as well as to Starbases and stations throughout the Federation.
9.2.5 TYPE-9 PERSONNEL SHUTTLE
Type:
Medium long-range warp shuttle. The Type-9 Personnel Shuttle is a long-range craft capable of traveling at high warp for extended periods of time due to new advances in variable geometry warp physics. Making its debut just before the launch of the Intrepid-class, this shuttle type is ideal for scouting and recon missions, but is well suited to perform many multi-mission tasks. Equipped with powerful Type-VI phaser emitters, the shuttle is designed to hold its own ground for a longer period of time. Comfortable seating for four and moderate cargo space is still achieved without sacrificing speed and maneuverability. As is standard by the 2360’s, the shuttle is equipped with a medium-range transporter and is capable of traveling through a planet’s atmosphere. With its ability to travel at high-warp speeds, the Type-9 has been equipped with a more pronounced deflector dish that houses a compact long-range sensor that further helps it in its role as a scout. The Type-9 is now being deployed throughout the fleet and is especially aiding deep-space exploratory ships with its impressive abilities.
9.2.6 TYPE-10 PERSONNEL SHUTTLE
Type:
Heavy long-range warp shuttle. 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 situat |
