New Orleans Class

Classed as a frigate, the New Orleans can be one of Starfleet’s most lethal vessels in combat situations, if used correctly and against the right enemy. Thanks to the brutally impressive bolt-on torpedo cannon, its sheer forward firepower is rivalled by few in the following years, although it is heavily lacking in terms of Phasers having only five Type IX arrays. Thanks to a major refit, each cannon currently has a capacity approximately 85% that of the launchers found on Galaxy class starships. Warp field dynamics remain a problem, of course, but a final series of alterations to the layout of the aft series of warp coils and to the flow characteristics of the nacelle pylons themselves seem to have rectified it. Moreover, what were once considered disadvantageous power setbacks have since been dealt with, thanks to ongoing work in the field and new and improved power distribution systems coming into service throughout the fleet.

In other areas, the New Orleans performs far better than comparable sized starships that preceded it. Its saucer’s configuration provided for more internal volume than the concave-and semi-convex shapes then in existence while the unique shape of its deflector dish called for an expanded secondary hull. The new layout was unexpectedly sound in terms of structural integrity thanks to the ship’s squat vertical profile and the refined warp fields employed. Moreover, its shield generators, some of the most advanced in the fleet, exceeded the level of effectiveness originally called for by almost 5%. Later refits increased this margin by another 5% and, in a move owing more to an attempt to scale down phaser systems than the ongoing Cardassian War, the Type VIII arrays on the New Orleans were replaced by their Type IX counterparts in the early-to mid-2360s.

The New Orleans is not quite the predecessor of the Galaxy and Nebula classes that many believe. In truth, it would be more apt to regard it as phase one in the development of later designs. At the time, it incorporated some of Starfleet’s most advanced technologies, from warp systems to armaments, but its prototypical nature has led to considerable impediments that offset any advantages. As a test bed, the New Orleans is amazingly successful, but as an independent starship class, its abilities are sometimes contested. Some among Starfleet Command would have preferred simply mothballing the USS New Orleans as soon as the USS Galaxy and USS Nebula first left their respective construction yards, but others pushed for a full-scale production run, citing the opportunity to use the New Orleans both as an ongoing test bed for new Galaxy-and Nebula-related technologies and as a standard explorer/heavy frigate in normal operations. Whilst the New Orleans is slowly being supplanted in frontline service by other classes, it remains a popular starship amongst most Starfleet Captains.

It should also be noted that due to it's age, the New Orleans Class is one of the slowest in the fleet.

Ships of the Class

USS Wakeful (NCC-45444)