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This page details Constitution class in the primary universe; for the Constitution class in the mirror universe see Constitution class (mirror); for the Constitution class in the alternate reality created by Nero's temporal incursion see Constitution class (alternate reality); for the Constitution class in all other alternate universes see Constitution class (alternates).

The Constitution-class was a Federation heavy cruiser starship in Starfleet service in the mid-to-late 23rd century. The design underwent several refits in its many decades of service. The original configuration and refit variants of this class influenced starship design significantly, and accelerated the standardization of the fleet.

Celebrated members of the class included the USS Enterprise and the USS Enterprise-A—two of the most venerated starships in Federation history, having risen to prominence under the captaincy of James T. Kirk.

The Constitution-class was a Federation Starship-class, Class I Heavy Cruiser. They were the premier frontline Starfleet vessels in the latter half of the 23rd century.

They were designed for long duration exploration and patrol missions with minimal outside support and were best known for their celebrated missions of galactic exploration and diplomacy and were capable of operating on five-year mission cycles.

History[]

Development[]

Development of the Constitution-class began in the 2230s when key Fleet personnel, including Admiral William Jefferies and Captain Robert April, came to see the necessity of an all-purpose vessel that could explore space while protecting Federation interests and expanding its reach. When a design team led by Doctor Lawrence Marvick finished plans late in that decade for just such a ship, a new class was swiftly approved by Starfleet Command.

Starfleet authorized its Fleet Yards in San Francisco to build two vessels, with Admiral Jefferies overseeing NX 1700 -- christened Constitution -- and Captain April supervising its sister ship 1701, as yet unnamed.

The USS Constitution's hull was completed in 2244, with enhanced sensor and deflector shield systems installed. When hostilities broke out late in the year, Jefferies pulled her from drydock to take decisive part in the Battle of Donatu V. Blunting the Klingon invasion force -- without weaponry -- she rescued USS Yorkshire but was badly damaged and required extensive repairs.

USS Enterprise, This Side of Paradise

The USS Enterprise (NCC-1701)

Construction on NX 1701 continued apace, employing new Duotronic computer systems designed by Doctor Richard Daystrom, which afforded 1701 better control of her systems. After a secret mission into the Romulan Neutral Zone, April christened her the Enterprise.

By 2245, both the Constitution and the Enterprise had begun their first five-year missions of exploration, the results of which led Starfleet to order nine more ships of the class.

Refit[]

USS Constitution

One of many proposals for the Constitution refit project

Beyond minor modifications, the successful design saw no major changes until the 2270s, when a significant refit had been more than earned. Upgrade proposals all shared a more efficient power plant, with some versions streamlining the hull for better warpfield geometry, and others emphasizing enhanced weaponry or science capability; the final design merged many of the proposals.

ISS Enterprise refit

The refitted USS Enterprise

The first major refit was Enterprise, and its success ensured the refit of the rest, bringing the fleet in line with newer technologies and extending its life.

USS Explorer

Refit USS Explorer

Later service[]

A Constitution-class ship served into the late 24th century and was destroyed in battle at Wolf 359; others, reactivated or still in service, fought in the Dominion War, and took part in the task force to retake Deep Space 9.

At least one decommissioned Constitution-class ship was sold to a private entity; later known as Glory, it was acquired by Romulans and given to privateer Deigo DeBlazio to harass Federation shipping.

Another Constitution-class ship, the USS New Jersey, survived in a fleet museum. (TNG episode: "Relics", PIC episode: "The Bounty")

The construction of the Constitution-class started again in late 24th and early 25th centuries, it was designated as a standard cruiser and the commanding officer was commonly a Lieutenant Commander. When the Alpha Quadrant Alliance began to get involved in Temporal Cold War, Starfleet commissioned new vessels with experimental molecular reconstruction technology that allowed the vessels to assume their original, refit, Vesper, Excalibur and Exeter appearances, and allowed the ship to assume offensive, defensive and support configurations during combat. These variants were designated Temporal Light Cruisers and were commandeered by a select group of Admirals.

Alternate timeline[]

USS Farragut alternate

The Constitution-class sarship of the alternate timeline

In an alternate timeline, the Federation was at war with the Klingon Empire in 2400. The USS Hoshi Sato was more advanced in weaponry and very similar to the Kelvin timeline Constitution class starship. The Constitution-class of this timeline had a more militaristic design then that of its primary universe counterpart, with phaser banks firing both multiple short burst rounds or steady beams along with torpedoes simultaneously in a barrage. The torpedo bay was located in the same position as the post-refit version from the original timeline. The phaser arrays are located on the dorsal and ventral sides of the saucer section and resemble the ball-turret style, also used in the post-refit version of the original timeline's class; firing red pulses (like proximity blasts), capable of continuous fire. The bridge is located on deck 1 and sickbay is located on deck 7. The crew size is 1100.

Specification[]

Shuttlebay exterior

Aft view, with a shuttle exiting the open hangar bay

The largest and most elaborate vessel class Starfleet had yet fielded, with an unprecedented fourteen research labs each, ships of the Constitution-class became the most extensive mobile research platforms ever deployed by the Federation, and were responsible for expanding known space by thousands of cubic parsecs.

The class utilized a greater level of modularity, which allowed for incremental changes to configuration -- so flexible that it became standard starship design practice. As other classes began to employ such modularity, Fleet design became increasingly more uniform.

Seperated

The Enterprise en route to Starbase 13 after a saucer separation

The Constitution class were also among the first to allow for primary-hull saucer separation -- though only in emergencies, since the separation's use of explosive bolts required starbase facilities for reconnection. By the 24th century, the saucer separation had become a routine maneuver with Galaxy-class starships having the ability to separate their saucers, and reconnect them.

Enterprise landed

The USS Enterprise landed in 2266

The saucer section of the class was also capable of making an emergency planetary landing using retractable landing gear. A boarding ramp could be lowered from the dorsal connector point to allow crew on and off the ship.

Constitution-class ships were normally crewed by roughly 400 people but could be crewed by less should the need arise. At minimum, discounting any special modifications to aid in operating the ship, twenty-three crewmembers were required.

Subclasses[]

Legendary miracle worker light cruiser classes

Some Constitution subclasses

  • Constitution-class, mk I
    • Bonhomme Richard-subclass, mk II
    • Achernar-subclass, mk III
    • Tikopai-subclass, mk IV
  • Enterprise-subclass, mk I
    • mk II
    • mk III
    • mk IV

Tactical summary[]

subseries beam armaments launcher armaments defensive arrangement
Constitution (mk I) FL-6 laser weapons (6 in 3 banks, port, starboard, fore) FAC-3 accelerator cannons (2, fore) FSG deflector shield
Bonhomme Richard (Constitution mk II) FH-3 phasers (6 in 3 banks, port and starboard or aft, fore) FP-1 torpedo launchers (2, fore or fore and aft) FSN deflector shield
Achernar (Constitution mk III) FH-3 phasers (6 in 3 banks, port, starboard, fore) FP-1 torpedo launchers (2, fore) FSO deflector shield
Tikopai (Constitution mk IV) FH-3 phasers (6 in 3 banks, port, starboard, fore) FP-1 torpedo launchers (2, fore) FSO deflector shield
Enterprise (mk I) FH-11 phasers (6 in 3 banks, port, starboard, fore) FP-4 torpedo launchers (2, fore) FSP deflector shield
Enterprise (mk II) FH-11 phasers (6 in 3 banks, port, starboard, fore) FP-4 torpedo launchers (2, fore) FSP deflector shield
Enterprise (mk III) FH-11 phasers (8 in 4 banks, port, starboard, fore, aft) FP-4 torpedo launchers (3, fore, aft) FSP deflector shield
Enterprise (mk IV) FH-11 phasers (8 in 4 banks, port, starboard, fore, aft) FP-4 torpedo launchers (4, fore, aft) FSP deflector shield

The Constitution vessels of the original series had slightly different features than the succeeding subclasses Bonhomme Richard, Achernar, Tikopai and Enterprise, with early laser and phaser weapons available to security teams onboard as hand-held weapons, as well as ship-mounted emplacements, in concert with accelerator cannons and photon torpedo launchers. The Constitution vessels of the 2240s and 2250s began the use of the class's standard emplacements, with forward arcs of fire. Most early Constitution variants had 6 phasers, usually dual mounted, in 3 or more phaser banks, although some variation exists between the various subseries. For example, the one modifications of the Enterprise modification had a series with 8 phasers in 4 banks.

Starships of the Bonhomme Richard modification, such as the Enterprise, had forward firing phaser banks that could fire beams or pulses, located on the lower saucer section, just above the sensor dome and a torpedo launcher. The Defiant was noted to use, with dramatic effect, its rear firing phaser and torpedoes located above the secondary hull's shuttlebay, as well as the upper saucer banks.

Some vessels of the Achernar series, such as the USS Constitution had port and starboard upper saucer phasers as well as a forward firing phaser on the lower saucer and upper and lower saucer torpedo tubes. All of the Achernar series weapons were forward or side firing, leaving the rear arc uncovered.

The Enterprise-subclass, with one more launcher than the preceding series, had a move in the torpedo launchers to an outrigged tube control room at the separation between the secondary hull and the connecting hull. By subsequent Enterprise modifications, the rear arcs had been restored.

Known vessels[]

USS Defiant orbiting Earth, 2155

The USS Defiant

USS Intrepid Constitution class

The USS Intrepid

Various Constitution configuration[]

  • USS Boone
  • USS Huntington
  • USS Independence
  • USS Indomitable
  • USS Isshasshte
  • USS John F. Kennedy
  • USS Kelleghan
  • USS Lucas
  • USS Ortisei
  • USS Rauer
  • USS Salazar
  • USS Somers
  • USS Surak
  • USS Tao Feng
  • USS Tigress
  • USS Trojan (NCC-4200)
  • USS Vengeance
  • USS Venture
  • USS Zimbabwe

Constitution (mk I)[]

  • USS Constitution (NX/NCC-1700)
  • USS Enterprise (NCC-1701)
  • USS Endeavor (NCC-1001 or NCC-1705)
  • USS Constellation (NCC-1017)
  • USS Republic (NCC-1371 or NCC-1373 or NCC-1378)
  • USS Intrepid (NCC-1631 or NCC-1708 or NCC-1831)
  • USS Farragut (NCC-1647 or NCC-1702)
  • USS Excalibur (NCC-1664 or NCC-1705)
  • USS Exeter (NCC-1672 or NCC-1706)
  • USS Potemkin (NCC-1657 or NCC-1702 or NCC-1711)
  • USS Hood (NCC-1703 or NCC-1707)
  • USS Lexington (NCC-1703 or NCC-1704 or NCC-1709)
  • USS Yorktown (NCC-1704 or NCC-1717)
  • USS Valiant (NCC-1709 or NCC-1718)
  • USS Kongo (NCC-1710)
  • USS Defiant (NCC-1717 or NCC-1764)
  • USS Asimov (NCC-1691)

Bonhomme Richard (Constitution mk II)[]

  • USS Bonhomme Richard (NCC-1712 or NCC-1776)
  • USS Eagle (NCC-956 or NCC-1719 or NCC-1738)
  • USS Bismark (NCC-1704)
  • USS Yamato (NCC-1705)
  • USS Monitor (NCC-1713)
  • USS Hornet (NCC-1714 or NCC-1778)
  • USS Challenger (NCC-1715)
  • USS Merrimac (NCC-1715)
  • USS Defiance (NCC-1717)
  • USS Excelsior (NCC-1718)
  • USS Endeavor or Endeavour (II) (NCC-1716 or NCC-1777 or NCC-1895)
  • USS Essex (NCC-1697 or NCC-1719 or NCC-1727)
  • USS Lafayette (NCC-1720)
  • USS Saratoga (NCC-1720 or NCC-1724)
  • USS Kearsarge (NCC-1721)
  • USS Wasp (NCC-1721 and NCC-1734)
  • USS Ari (NCC-1723)
  • USS El Dorado (NCC-1722 or NCC-1724)
  • USS Kent (NCC-1725)
  • USS Tori (NCC-1725)
  • USS Krieger (NCC-1726)
  • USS Constellation II (NCC-1017 or NCC-1706 or NCC-1728)
  • USS Farragut II (NCC-1702 or NCC-1708 or NCC-1729)
  • USS Intrepid II (NCC-1631 or NCC-1708 or NCC-1730)
  • USS Valiant II (NCC-1731)

Achernar (Constitution mk III)[]

  • USS Achernar (NCC-1732)
  • USS Littorio (NCC-1727)
  • USS Sol (NCC-1733)
  • USS Jupiter (NCC-1734)
  • USS Rigil Kentaurus (NCC-1735)
  • USS Ticonderoga (NCC-1736)
  • USS Quindar (NCC-1736)
  • USS Proxima (NCC-1737)
  • USS Androcus (NCC-1738)
  • USS Astrad (NCC-1739)
  • USS Mondoloy (NCC-1740)
  • USS Alfr (NCC-1741)
  • USS Santissima Trinidad (NCC-1742)
  • USS Thelonii (NCC-1742)
  • USS Xanthii (NCC-1743)
  • USS Sirius (NCC-1744)
  • USS Marseille (NCC-1744)
  • USS Shahr (NCC-1745)
  • USS Pilar (NCC-1746)
  • USS Tholus (NCC-1747)
  • USS Horok (NCC-1748)
  • USS Ghondr (NCC-1749)
  • USS Langley (NCC-1749)
  • USS Pelione (NCC-1750)
  • USS Richelieu (NCC-1750)
  • USS Tali (NCC-1751)
  • USS Forrestal (NCC-1751)
  • USS Annobon (NCC-1752)
  • USS Caspan (NCC-1753)
  • USS Jassan (NCC-1754)
  • USS Kitty Hawk (NCC-1754)
  • USS Paegan (NCC-1755)
  • USS Procyon (NCC-1756)
  • USS Phardos (NCC-1757)
  • USS Ndele (NCC-1758)
  • USS Zindar (NCC-1759)
  • USS Chikuma (NCC-1759)
  • USS Za'faran (NCC-1760)
  • USS Victory (NCC-1760)
  • USS Oomaru (NCC-1761)
  • USS Yaan (NCC-1762)
  • USS Temir (NCC-1763)
  • USS Galina (NCC-1764)
  • USS Samaara (NCC-1765)
  • USS Rivoli (NCC-1765)
  • USS Kestral (NCC-1766)
  • USS Kep Salu (NCC-1767)
  • USS Ketoi (NCC-1768)
  • USS Kars (NCC-1769)
  • USS Sinuiji (NCC-1770)
  • USS Ekinus (NCC-1771)
  • USS Oblik (NCC-1772)
  • USS Mengen (NCC-1773)
  • USS Salayna (NCC-1774)
  • USS Qizan (NCC-1775)
  • USS Qual'at (NCC-1776)
  • USS Tulan (NCC-1777)
  • USS Mazda (NCC-1778)
  • USS Akagi (NCC-1779)
  • USS Esabl (NCC-1779)
  • USS Zaahm (NCC-1780)
  • USS Kaga (NCC-1780)
  • USS Alferaz (NCC-1781)
  • USS Hajj (NCC-1782)
  • USS Tajarhi (NCC-1783)
  • USS Kasimar (NCC-1784)
  • USS Mongo (NCC-1785)
  • USS Ghar (NCC-1786)
  • USS Pari (NCC-1787)
  • USS Mirazh (NCC-1788)
  • USS Eskiis (NCC-1789)
  • USS Ahzdar (NCC-1790)
  • USS Jenshahn (NCC-1791)
  • USS Ark Royal (NCC-1791)
  • USS Elohim (NCC-1792)
  • USS Radetsky (NCC-1792)
  • USS Hiemdal (NCC-1793)
  • USS Maat (NCC-1794)
  • USS Shaandra (NCC-1795)
  • USS Alam'ak (NCC-1796)
  • USS Behr'ak (NCC-1797)
  • USS Czar'ak (NCC-1798)
  • USS Discovery (NCC-1798)
  • USS Tutakai (NCC-1799)

Tikopai (Constitution mk IV)[]

  • USS Tikopai (NCC-1800)
  • USS K'ushui (NCC-1801)
  • USS K'hotan (NCC-1802)
  • USS Altair (NCC-1803)
  • USS Fomalhaut (NCC-1804)
  • USS Nakarat (NCC-1805)
  • USS Vega (NCC-1806)
  • USS Arcturus (NCC-1807)
  • USS Pollux (NCC-1808)
  • USS Capella (NCC-1809)
  • USS Darion (NCC-1810)
  • USS Sardar (NCC-1811)
  • USS Aldebaran (NCC-1812)
  • USS Hor (NCC-1813)
  • USS Canopus (NCC-1814)
  • USS Spica (NCC-1815)
  • USS Agena (NCC-1816)
  • USS Vena (NCC-1817)
  • USS Acrux (NCC-1818)
  • USS Binar (NCC-1819)
  • USS Antares (NCC-1820)
  • USS Anak (NCC-1821)
  • USS Betelgeuse (NCC-1822)
  • USS Lux (NCC-1823)
  • USS Rigel (NCC-1824)
  • USS Helios (NCC-1825)
  • USS Deneb (NCC-1826)
  • USS Adhara (NCC-1827)
  • USS Alioth (NCC-1828)
  • USS Alkaid (NCC-1829)
  • USS Alnilam (NCC-1830)
  • USS Arided (NCC-1831)
  • USS Bellatrix (NCC-1832)
  • USS Castor (NCC-1833)
  • USS Dubhe (NCC-1834)
  • USS El Nath (NCC-1835)
  • USS Miaplacidas (NCC-1836)
  • USS Mirfak (NCC-1837)
  • USS Murzim (NCC-1838)
  • USS Polaris (NCC-1839)
  • USS Regulus (NCC-1840)
  • USS Shaula (NCC-1841)
  • USS Wezen (NCC-1842)
  • USS Emden (NCC-1856)

Various Enterprise configuration[]

  • USS Agincourt (NCC-1813)
  • USS Apollo (NCC-1725)
  • USS Explorer (NCC-1966)
  • USS Furious (NCC-1704)
  • USS Kestral (NCC-1766)
  • USS Musashi (NCC-1804)
  • USS Ranger (NCC-1707)

Enterprise (mk I)[]

  • USS Valley Forge (NCC-1732)
  • USS Oriskany (NCC-1733)
  • USS Hancock (NCC-1735)
  • USS Minsk (NCC-1752)
  • USS Republic (NCC-1753)

Enterprise (mk II)[]

  • USS Zuiho (NCC-1716)
  • USS Graf Zepplin (NCC-1726)
  • USS Soryu (NCC-1730)
  • USS Hiryu (NCC-1731)
  • USS King George V (NCC-1740)
  • USS Prince of Wales (NCC-1741)
  • USS Franklin (NCC-1743)
  • USS Scharnhorst (NCC-1772)
  • USS Gneisenau (NCC-1773)
  • USS Kashima (NCC-1775)
  • USS Freidland (NCC-1781)
  • USS Konigsberg (NCC-1782)
  • USS Clemenceau (NCC-1784)

Enterprise (mk III)[]

  • USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-A)
  • USS Bunker Hill (NCC-1745)
  • USS Emperador (NCC-1774)
  • USS Ukrania (NCC-1783)
  • USS Marcello (NCC-1785)
  • USS Fontana (NCC-1793)
  • USS Java (NCC-1794)

Mirror universe[]

  • ISS Banshee (NCC-1798 or NCC-1885)
  • ISS Carnage (NCC-1785)
  • ISS Constellation (NCC-1017 or NCC-1656)
  • ISS Constitution (NCC-1700 or NCC-1705)
  • ISS Deceiver (NCC-1502 or NCC-1821)
  • USS Defiant (NCC-1764)
  • ISS Defiant (NCC-1764-A)
  • ISS Enterprise (NCC-1701)
  • ISS Enterprise (NCC-1701-A)
  • ISS Excalibur (NCC-1664)
  • ISS Farragut (NCC-1708)
  • ISS Hood (NCC-1703)
  • ISS Intrepid (NCC-1631 or NCC-1831)
  • ISS Kodos (NCC-1585)
  • ISS Lexington (NCC-1704)
  • ISS Nixon (NCC-2285)
  • ISS Nobunaga (NCC-2315)
  • ISS Potemkin (NCC-1657 or NCC-2435)
  • ISS Relentless (NCC-1735 or NCC-1745)
  • ISS Yorktown (NCC-1704 or NCC-1717)

Appearances[]

The Constitution class appeared as the USS Enterprise (NCC-1701) and USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-A) and a handful of other vessels throughout TOS and other TOS subseries including TAS, Early Voyages and Untold Voyages in all media. Appearances, apart from the Enterprise in TOS and related series include:

  • The Wounded Sky
  • These Are the Voyages...
  • Trials and Tribble-ations
  • Worf's First Adventure
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