For other uses, see Daedalus.

The Daedalus-class was a type of starship cruisers in service with the United Earth Starfleet in the 22nd century. It was first utilized around the 2140s decade and was later maintained in service by the Federation Starfleet throughout the latter half of that century. (ST reference: The Star Trek Encyclopedia)

History and specifications

By the mid-2150s the Daedalus-class was considered somewhat outdated, superseded by the newer Intrepid-class and advanced NX-class designs. However, the growing conflict with the Romulan Star Empire gave the class a new lease on life. Daedalus-class ships, upgraded with technology from the NX program, could be built at roughly three times the rate as NX-class vessels, as well as refitting existing ships to the new standard. With wartime pressures on Starfleet to emphasize numbers over quality, the refitted Daedalus design was put into full production. (ENT - The Romulan War novel: Beneath the Raptor's Wing)

Five Daedalus-class ships were launched in the two years up to May 2159. (ST video game: Legacy)

Daedalus-class vessels went on to serve as a primary exploratory starship for the fledgling Federation Starfleet following a complete overhaul in 2161. One Daedalus vessel was awaiting completion of its retrofit in that year, and was of sufficiently advanced characteristics that its command was a sought after posting for several Earth captains. The Daedalus-class served with distinction until they were finally retired from service in 2196. (ST novel: Starfleet: Year One; Decipher RPG module: Starfleet Operations Manual; ENT novel: Last Full Measure; TNG episode: "Power Play")

In mid-2162, Starfleet's Warp 7 Project launched five new Daedalus ships: USS Daedalus, USS Essex, USS Horizon, USS Valiant, and USS Archon. They were successful, but their fate was marked by tragedy. (ST reference: Federation: The First 150 Years)

The Daedalus-class Discovery was retired from service and became a walk-through exhibit at the Starfleet Museum in San Francisco. (DS9 - Millennium novel: The War of the Prophets)

Despite the class's decommissioning at the end of the previous century, at least three original Daedalus-class vessels were brought back into service by the mid-23rd century. The USS Lovell, USS Masao and USS Zander were taken from a Federation surplus depot, repaired and refitted by the Starfleet Corps of Engineers, and used to transport teams of engineers to various assignments where their technical and engineering skills were needed. (SCE novel: Foundations; Star Trek Magazine Issue 162: "Blast Off!")

By the late 24th century, at least two Daedalus-class vessels were further refit, and docked at Starbase 25. (LDs episode: "An Embarrassment Of Dooplers")

Specifications

While in service to United Earth Starfleet these vessels were armed with Phase cannons and Spatial torpedoes but after being refit in 2162 following the formation of the United Federation of Planets and Federation Starfleet they were armed with 5 Laser cannons and 3 Photon torpedo launchers. Their Warp cores could generate enough power to move at a standard cruising speed of warp 3 and a maximum speed of warp 6 for 12 hours. (Decipher RPG module: Starfleet Operations Manual)

Originally protected by Polarized hull plating they were later refitted with more effective Deflector shields, along with Transporters. Their Impulse engines, originally capable of reaching a speed of .4c, were eventually replaced with newer models capable of reaching .66c. (Last Unicorn RPG module: Star Trek: The Original Series Core Game Book)

Images

Known vessels

Appendices

Connections

Starship classes of the Earth-Romulan War
United Earth, Starfleet	Arrow • Assist • Cavalry • Christopher • Cosmos • Daedalus • Discovery • Doppler (scout) • Edison (research ship) • Galliant • Ganges • Hopkins • Horizon • Intrepid (22nd century) • Liberty (picket cruiser) • Long • Marshall • Mercury (scout) • Messier • Minuteman • NX • Poseidon • Strider • Verne (Earth) • Vanguard (transport) • Yorktown • Zeus
Coalition of Planets allies	Alpha Centauri Concordium of Planets: Djartanna • Zoenamy	Andorian Empire: Kumari • Taholsin • Tanathooef • Thofsin
	United Planets of Tellar: Degbaxis • G'buqoff • Phinda	Confederacy of Vulcan: D'Kyr • Suurok • Toj Lol
Romulan Star Empire, Imperial Fleet	22nd century bird-of-prey • 2150s bird-of-prey • late-2150s bird-of-prey • 22nd century cargo ship • biogenic transport • Alocala • Battlehawk • Hathos • Klivai Vang'radai • Morlasam Cl'vangas • Re'ravsam • Skyhawk • Stelai'deletham • S'ten Talasam • Swarm • Swiftwing • Takaan • T'Liss • Vas'maklaram • Vas'rosvlai • Vastagor Vastarum • Vastari Sanalam

Starship classes and spacecraft types of Earth

Arrow • Assist • Cavalry • Christopher • Cosmos • CZ-100 • DY-100 • DY-500 • DY-700 • DY-1100-class • Daedalus • Discovery • Doppler (scout) • Edison (research ship) • Galliant • Ganges • Hopkins • Horizon • Intrepid (22nd century) • J (freighter) • Liberty (picket cruiser) • Long • Marshall • Mercury (scout) • Messier • Minuteman • Neptune • NX • Poseidon • Strider • Vanguard (transport) • Verne (Earth) • Y (freighter) • Yorktown • Zeus

Starship classes of the Federation Starfleet
subclass groups	Akira (Alita • Armitage • Thunderchild) • Ambassador (Alaska • Narendra • Yamaguchi) • Apollo (Akula frigate / light cruiser) • Cardenas (Buran) • Chesapeake (Mongrel) • Cheyenne (Dakota • Stargazer) • Chimera heavy destroyer (Manticore) • Concorde (Geneva battlecruiser • Presidio) • Constellation (Challenger deep space explorer) • Constitution (Achernar • Bonhomme Richard • Tikopai • Enterprise • Exeter • Excalibur • Vesper • Kirk • Crossfield (Glenn • 32nd century refit) • Danube (Yellowstone) • Decatur (Dreadnought) • Defiant (Gallant • Incursion • Nachthexen • Sao Paulo • Valiant • Vigilant escort) • Dervish (Gryphon • Hermes escort • Maelstrom • Tempest) • Destiny (Nimbus • Oracle • Trident) • Engle (Earhart) • Excelsior (Bismarck • Curry • Kirov • New Jersey • Resolute) • Galaxy (Andromeda (25th century) • Celestial • Envoy • Galaxy X • Monarch cruiser • Ross • Venture cruiser • Yamato dreadnought) • Hermes scout (Cygnus • Monoceros) • Inquiry (Avenger battlecruiser • Arbiter) • Hoover (Edison) • Intrepid (Bellerophon • Cochrane science vessel • Discovery (25th century) • Janeway • Pathfinder • Trailblazer • Yeager) • Kumari (Charal • Khyzon) • Luna (Comet • Polaris • Sol • Titan) • Magee (Shran (escort)) • Malachowski (Helios (tug)) • Miranda (Anton • Reliant • Soyuz) • Merian (Merian (dreadnought)) • Nebula (Magellan) • New Orleans (Lafayette) • Nimitz (Europa) • Norway (Oslo) • Nova (Aurora • Quasar • Rhode Island) • NX (Columbia • Poseidon) • Oberth (Clarke • Gagarin (23rd century) • Grissom • Sagan) • Odyssey (Verity • Yorktown (cruiser)) • Olympic (Hope • Horizon science vessel) • Prometheus (Cerberus • Hephaestus • Hestia • Phoenix) • Ptolemy (Dollond • Doppler • Keppler) • Remora (Charger) • Saladin (Cochise • Siva) • Santa Fe (Newport) • Saber (Gladius • Rapier • Ushaan) • Sentinel (Emissary • Nomad cruiser • Vanguard) • Shepard (Gagarin (25th century)) • Solanae (Helios • Montgomery • Omega) • Sovereign (Archon • Imperial • Majestic • Noble cruiser • Regent) • Steamrunner (Appalachia • Zephyr) • Vesta (Aventine • Rademaker) • Walker (Georgiou • Shenzhou ) • Wells (Eternal • Ouroboros • Verne)
other named classes	AA class • Aakenn • Achilles • Advance • Aegian • Aeolus • Aerie • Akula destroyer / escort • Ambassador Hardin • Andes • Andor • Andromeda (24th century) • Angelou • Antares • Apache • Aquarius • Archer • Archimedes • Ariel • Ark Royal • Ascendant • Atrox • Avenger (scout) • Babcock • Bader • Baker • Baton Rouge • Berena • Bode • Bolarus • Bonaventure • Bradbury • Brenton • California • Canada • Canopus • Capella • Castor • Centaur • Centaurus • Ceres • Cestus • Challenger • Chandley • Chariot • Chimer • Chimera fast frigate • Christopher • Clarke (25th century) • Cle Dan • Cochrane transport • Columbia • Condor (raider) • Continent • Contortrix • Copernicus • Courage • Daedalus • Dauntless • Decker • Defender • Delta • Deneva • Derf • D'Kyr • Drexler • Durrett • Eagle • Eclipse • Edward • Einstein • Eisenberg • El Dorado • future Enterprise • Epoch • Epsilon • Erewon • Eternal • Federation • Fenlon • Fermi • Fiji • Freedom • Friendship • Frontier • Gagarin (24th century) • Galen • Gallant • Ganges • Gemini • Geneva • Genser • Graceful • Gral • Grayson • Griffon • Guardian • Hale • Hermes fast cruiser • Heston • Hogan • Hokule'a • Horizon cruiser • Icarus • Ilthirin • Indomitable • Intrepid (22nd century) • Iowa • Istanbul • Iwo Jima • Class J • Jupiter • Karekh • Keith • Kethkin • Kiev • K'Kmarak • Kolm-An • Korolev • Larson • Lauro • Laweya • Legacy • Lenthal • Lexington • Liberty • Loki • Loknar • London • Madison • Makin • Mann • Marklin • Mars • Marshall • M'Benga • Mediterranean • Merced • Mercury (courier) • Mercury (escort) • Mercury (scout) • Merian • Merian (dreadnought) • Messier • Meteor • Midway • Mission • Missouri • Mobulai • MoKal • Moscow • Mulciber • Narcine • Nautilus • Nelson • Niagara • Noble laboratory vessel • Nomad escort • Northampton • Obena • Oberon • Odin • Odysseus • Okinawa • Oppenheimer • Orion • Osaka • Overfield • Paladin battlecruiser • Paladin destroyer • Paladin (24th century) • Parliament • Perseus • Phalanx • Phantom • Philadelphia • Pinnacle • Pioneer • Piper • Pollux • Portsmith • Pralim • Premonition • Protostar • Proxima • Pyotr Velikiy • Pyrenees • Rakota • Ranger battlecruiser • Ranger explorer • Ranger scout • Renaissance • Rickenbacker • Rigel • Rochester • Royal Sovereign • Rubin • Sagittarius • Samson • Saturn • Sawyer • Scorpio • Scryer • Scylla • Sequoia • Sevaijen • ShiKahr • Sierra • Solar • Springfield • Sulek • Surak • Sydney • Tangent • Theophrastus • Theseus II • Thomas Paine • Thucydides • Thufir • Tiberius • Ticonderoga • Tripper • Tritium • Typhon • Typhoon • Ukora • Ulysses • Universe • Ural • Utah • Venture scout • Vigilant scout • Voyager • Wallenberg • Wambundu • Wei-Fa • Wellington • Wilkerson • Wizard • Yamato • Yorkshire • Yorktown • Zodiac • unnamed
general type	Defiant pathfinder • Raging Queen • Sun Tzu • Valley Forge • Federation assault ship • Federation battleship • Federation cargo ship • Federation colony ship • Federation construction ship • Federation cruiser • deep galaxy ship • Federation dreadnought • Federation freighter • Federation frigate • Federation galaxy ship • Federation holoship • Federation heavy cruiser (2380s heavy cruiser) • Federation light cruiser (Constitution-variant light cruiser • Intrepid-variant light cruiser) • Federation medium cruiser (Excelsior-variant medium cruiser) • Federation mining freighter • Federation repair ship • Starfleet tanker

Background

No explanation is given for these vessels' Federation Starfleet-style registry numbers and their use of the "USS" name prefix, despite existing years before the inception of the Federation.

The game software for Legacy included numerous other names for ships of this class that were not prepared to be used in gameplay, and are hidden in the game's source code, including USS Achernar, USS Acrux, USS Archon, USS Belknap, USS Bellatrix, USS Binar, USS Boston, USS Capella, USS Caspan, USS Daedalus, USS Decatur, USS Deneb, USS Durret, USS Explorer, USS Helios, USS Homer, USS Lexington, USS Lubien, USS Merrimac, USS Monitor, USS Olympic, USS Potemkin, USS Republic, USS Rigel, USS Saratoga, USS Sirius, USS Wasp and USS Yorktown. Possibly, these vessels were intended for some feature of the game that was not completed. For example, none of these ships are coded with registry number graphics like those the included ships possess.

External link

• Daedalus class article at Memory Alpha, the wiki for canon Star Trek.