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| Noble-class cruiser | |
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| Production information | |
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Type |
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Preceded by |
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Succeeded by |
Universe-class cruiser |
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Manufacturer |
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| Technical specifications | |
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Length |
692 metres (2,270 feet) |
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Beam |
253 metres (830.1 feet) |
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Depth |
92 metres (301.8 feet) |
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Mass |
3,200,000 metric tons |
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Maximum warp |
Warp factor 9.985 for 18 hours |
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Engine |
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Propulsion systems |
Type-III configuration |
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Armament |
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Defensive systems |
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Other systems |
Many others |
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Hull |
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Decks |
28 (variable layout) |
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Auxiliary spacecraft |
172 vessels
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Complement |
705 people
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| Usage | |
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Began service |
April 12, 2409 |
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Ended service |
June 9, 2443 |
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Roles |
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Affiliation |
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| [Source] | |
The Noble-class cruiser was a class of multi-role cruiser that was in service with Federation Starfleet from 2409 until it was phased-out during the early-2440s. It sported many advanced starship technologies that were considered new and experimental. Despite having been heavily armed and very battle-capable, it was designed with deep-space exploration in mind. For example, many of these vessels were intended to venture deeper into the Delta and Gamma Quadrants, in what was evidently going to be the Federation's last wave of ships tasked with charting the unknown regions of the Milky Way Galaxy, "seeking out new life and new civilizations," and boldly going where the Federation has never gone before. In other words, the Noble-class would see the end of the galactic era, and usher in a new, intergalactic era for the denizens of the Milky Way.
History[]
Prototype[]
The NX-91001, the prototype that ultimately gave rise to the Noble-class was designed with the intent to finish what the Federation started centuries earlier, to chart and spread their influence throughout the entire galaxy. It was one of the first multi-role Starfleet starship designs since the Sovereign-class decades prior, but as proved in the past, a well-rounded ship would endure in most situations.
After the NX-91001 was created and launched in 2409, Starfleet was astounded by the efficiency and success of the design. After the engineers felt that their prototype model was out of its beta-stage, they registered it as the USS Noble, in honor of the previous USS Noble, which was destroyed in 2376, after a deadly warp core malfunction, due to a flaw that was now identified and fixed with this new model. Because of this, the line of starships that it spawned were considered Noble-class vessels.
Technical description[]
Design[]
The Noble-class was 692 meters long, 253 meters across, 92 meters tall, and weighed roughly 3,200,000 metric tons.
One notable and unique feature was that it possessed two up-swept pylons that curved inward, so that a small bridge-like structure connected its two warp nacelles. This link is the highest accessible location onboard the ship, and is usually only accessible via engineering access tunnels and Jefferies tubes. This section, however, is not present on some ships of the line, or any of those produced after their 2416 refit.
Following the conventional Starfleet ship design, the saucer section was located at the front of the vessel, beneath the nacelles. The starship's navigational deflector is located on the dorsal side of the saucer. The ships interior sections were supported by victurium alloy support structures.
The Noble-class was outfitted with some of the most advanced and exclusive systems that the Federation had at their disposal. For instance, it featured an ablative tetraburnium alloy outer hull, making it extremely heat and damage-resistant, regenerative shields, such as those first fielded on the Prometheus-class, and bio-neural circuitry, such as that which was incorporated into the USS Voyager sometime around 2371.
The Noble-class also sported a unique, concealed sensor pod which could be operated remotely from the bridge or directly. The sensor systems included telemetric observation VISOR technology, allowing a science officer to interface with data transmitted from a robotic exo-probe.
The Noble-class' combat systems were also kept up to date. 16 type XIV phaser arrays, 8 above and another 8 beneath, all rounding the saucer at even intervals give it an advantage regardless of what direction the vessel is facing. Following this philosophy, the ship also wielded the new type B torpedo launchers, designed to hold both photon and quantum torpedos. It also possesses 6 phaser cannons, however, there is one more set facing forward than there is backward because of the position of the pylons.
The Noble-class was in the first wave of Federation starships to recommission cloaking devices after the dissolution of the Treaty of Algeron which was just put in place over two-decades after the collapse of the Romulan Star Empire in 2387. It had a unique advantage, considering that it was equipped with the still-experimental phasing cloaking device, which allowed it not only to become completely invisible, but to actually travel through matter for limited periods of time.
It was built around a class 10 warp drive and a hyper impulse drive, which greatly increased the rate of travel in both warp and at space-normal speeds. Ships in this class possessed a cruising speed of warp factor 8, but were capable of traveling at speeds of up to warp factor 9.985, due to their quantum sublimating theta-matrix compositor, which recrystallised their dilithium into a more stable form than previously possible.
It was also equipped with holographic technologies throughout. These included holographic consoles and astrometric labs, but was also equipped so that emergency medical and emergency command holograms could function throughout the ship.
Despite the Noble-class being of average size, it still contained many shipboard facilities and departements, and did not compromise in any respects. In fact, it was widely considered the most advanced design in the fleets.
The Noble-class USS Noble served as a test-bed for a number of new Starfleet technologies, including quantum slipstream drive. Systems installed as part of the slipstream drive included a quantum field focus controller at the front of the ship's main deflector, and a chroniton integrator; the latter of which could be used to take sensor readings several seconds into the future when the ship was using its slipstream drive.
Deck layout[]
Below is a general deck layout that most Noble-class ships follow. This list does not include the general access corridors, emergency access corridors, Jefferies tubes, turbolifts, or turboshafts that appear on all floors. Because public restrooms appear on most every floor they are not listed either. In this list, offices, scientific laboratories, quarters, and lifeboats are not listed specifically according to their designations or numerically.
Keep in mind how in starship terminology, the term "deck" can be applied to a function present on a specific deck of a ship if it is the main function occurring on that deck. For instance, the deck housing the most teleporter rooms could be referred to as the "teleporter deck" if there is not much else present on the deck. "Bay" is used to indicate an arrangement of rooms sharing the same general purpose, while the word "room" indicates only one. As an example, an arrangement of teleporter rooms make up a teleporter bay. Please note that some areas take up multiple decks.
Ships of the line[]
| Name | Registry | Commissioned | Ended service | Status |
| USS Noble | NX-91001 | April 12, 2409 | February 11, 2410 | Decommissioned |
| USS Enterprise | NCC-1701-G | February 3, 2412 | June 28, 2419 | Destroyed |
| USS Paris | NCC-102930 | April 24, 2420 | Active |
External links[]
- Noble class article at Memory Beta, the non-canon Star Trek wiki.
- Noble class article at Star Trek Expanded Universe.
- Assault cruiser article at The Star Trek Online Wiki.