U.S.S. Exeter

3D Model

An original post-TNG era Star Trek design, which was meant to replace the Excelsior class as it became clear that very few would survive the Dominion War. This class of ship is roughly equivalent in firepower to a Lakota type Excelsior variant, and comparable in size. The normal crew complement is 580, and the spaceframe can sustain a maximum speed of warp 9.6. Eight cargo bays around the edge of the saucer double as mission-specific hardpoints for mounting weapons, sensors and additional crew modules, while two additional hardpoints between the warp pylons enable the ship to carry a mission-specific pod similar to the Nebula class. The first two ships ordered in 2374 were the Exeter and the Essex, with the Lexington, Excalibur and Excelsior scheduled for construction within the decade.