The Independence-class starship was a battleship utilised by Starfleet from the mid-26th century.

The first ship of its kind was the USS Enterprise-J, which started construction four years after the original plans had been first introduced, in 2558.

The second ship had the title of it's class, the USS Independence, constructed in 2565.

The USS Arella-I, the third Independence-class ship to be constructed, began its creation in 2575.

The three Independence-class ships constructed by this point were proving invaluable and a stunning success, and the Federation became less and less threatened by its enemies. This led to a period when no ships were constructed, until 2595, when work began on the USS Pioneer.