Technical Manual Starfleet Command DEFIANT CLASS STARSHIP United Federation of Planets

CHAPTER FOUR - Standard Ship's Systems 4.1 Main Bridge Although the Defiant Class Starship remains truest to it's primary mission of combat, it is capable of performing all missions expected of a Starfleet Vessel. The main bridge is quite small by Starfleet standards, but still contains all of the stations standard to a Starfleet vessel. The Defiant Class Starship is equipped with a battle-ready bridge for shipwide systems control. The bridge contains the typical complement of control stations, with the addition of a redundant tactical station designed to handle increased weapons system crew workloads. It is installed as a modular unit to facilitate necessary upgrades without the need of an extensive overhaul. This design, though compact, accommodates the familiar ENGINEERING, TACTICAL, SCIENCE, CONN, and OPS components essential to starship operations. The command chair is located center aft, resting on a small, elevated platform with interactive control panels located on each side. From these panels the Commanding Officer is able to moniter the ships essential functions. A single forward flight control (conn) and operations (ops) station replaces the traditional helm and navigation stations, and represents a trend in control design and computer-aided guidance and navigation. This station is set just before the command chair, and encorporates all the functions of a standard ships helm, but also monitors basic ships operations as well. The CONN can be operated manually or automatically. When in friendly space, both CONN and OPS are generally operated automatically, while in emergencies, the CONN/OPS officer assumes manual flight, coordinating with Engineering to ensure available power is allocated where needed. The interactive control panel is generally activated by touch, but has voice command capability as well. The main viewscreen occupies its standard location in the Commanding Officer's direct line of vision, on the forward bulkhead. The viewscreen can be used to display communications, visual, technical or tactical information, and is generally controlled by the CONN/OPS officer. The number two tactical station(TACTICAL 2) is located on the port bulkhead aft. While this station is generally configured as the primary sensor station, it has the capability to take over all ship's weapons, cloaking device*, shields and tractor beam functions primarily operated by the TACTICAL 1 station. Located on the starbord bulkhead aft is the number one tactical station (TACTICAL 1). Again, both tactical stations are interchangeable, but the primary duties of TACTICAL 1 is control of ship's weapons, cloaking device*, shields and tractor beam. The port bulkhead forward houses the ENGINEERING station. All of the ships propulsion can be monitored or controlled from this station. The forward starbord bulkhead houses the SCIENCE station. This station is not configured to function as it would on exploration ships, but was adapted to provide maximum aid in reconnaissance and combat maneuvers. The Defiant Class Starship has the capability to perform highly detailed scientific missions, with an emphasis on those concerned with defensive operations. While not outfitted for extended scanning and analysis tasks, the suite of onboard systems is well suited for 82 percent of the standard astrophysical, biological, and planetological sweeps and accompanying data reduction. A loadout of ten mixed class-1, -3, and -5 probes is normally carriedon board and can be supplemented with class -8 and -9 quantum torpedo-derived probes. The external long- and short-range sensors are adapted from standard sensor pallets and set behind selectively EM-opaque hull plating. In most battle situations, the sensor clusters can retreat into reinforced wells until action levels have been reduced and then brought into closer contact with the hull plates. All sensor inputs are recorded and analyzed within the computer core and displayed at the science panels on the bridge, or on padds, tricorders, or other displays around the ship. Most sensor systems have been optimized for reconnaissance and spacecraft combat maneuvers. The aft area behind the command chair is dominated by a mission ops table(shown left) equipped with computer access terminals recessed in each side. This area is used by the tactical crew to analyse and plan military maneuvers and operations. On the bulkheads near the table, multi purpose display panels display data for mission ops (secondary mission activities), engineering, damage, and environmental control. The two aft doorways provide access to other parts of the ship. The port door(shown right) leads to the transporters, while the starboard door offers the most direct route to the crew's mess facilities. The commission plaque of the U.S.S. Constitution NCC-74214 is mounted on the bulkhead near the starboard access door. Emergency medical supplies are found near the port access door. Another bridge feature is the replicator, conveniently installed in the aft area.

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