Saber Class

Saber-class
Accommodation:	60 (15 Officers - 45 Enlisted Crew) {Evacuation Limit 500}
Classification:	Fast Frigate [Scout/Science/Diplomatic/Patrol]
Development Project Started:	2336
Production Start Date:	2358
Production End Date:	Still in production.
Length:	190 meters
Width:	193.19 meters
Height:	48.60 meters
Weight:	2,756,000 metric tons
Cargo Capacity:	9,954 Metric Tons
Hull Composition:	Duranium-Tritanium composite with micro-fiber reinforced ablative armor over critical compartments
Number of Decks:	10 Total, 9 Habitable.

Locations of Saber Class Construction:

Utopia Planitia Fleet Yard, Mars, Copernicus Fleet Yard, Luna, San Francisco Fleet Yards, Earth, Avondale Production Facility, Rigel II and Seskon Trella, Tellar

Saber Class Mission Profile

The Saber Class design was intended to provide a mobile platform for a range of defensive, diplomatic, or scientific projects. Supplement the Oberth and Miranda class Starships in some specific missions, as an instrument of Federation deep-space explorative, scientific or defensive roles. Provide autonomous capability for full execution of Federation defensive, cultural, scientific, and explorative policy in deep space or border territory. Serve as a frontline support vehicle for primary assets during times of war and emergencies. Provide a mobile platform for testing and implementation of mission-specific or new technology of any kind.

GENERAL INFORMATION:

The Saber Class starship entered service in 2358 with the purpose to replace the out-dated Oberth class science/scout ships, as well as to fill the role of an escort/police vessel for the internal security of the Federation. She was envisioned as an extension of the Steamrunner class light cruiser, so that, when working in tandem, the two classes would complement and support each other. With limited facilities, long-term missions were generally outside of its design, but for internal Federation missions, or specific deep space objectives, the Saber proved to be a very capable ship.

Small, fast, highly maneuverable, and well armed, the Saber has also proven its worth as a defensive vessel. Many ships of this class were involved in the defense of Sol during the Second Borg Incursion, as well as being involved in the conflict against the Cardassian/Dominion alliance. While not specifically a warship, the Saber held its own and showed itself to be a valuable asset for Starfleet and the Federation.

PHASER ARRAY

The Saber Class is fitted with two dorsal Phaser arrays on the primary hull, extending from the aft 1/3 of the saucer and converging on either sides of the bridge. One ventral Phaser array with a 90 degree arc on the forward half of the primary hull.

Originally the Saber-class vessel was launched with three Type IX Phaser arrays. After the fleet wide refit, the Saber-class, even though it is a small sized vessel, was fitted with the Type X array system, the new standard in Phaser emitters. Each array fires a steady beam of Phaser energy and the forced-focus emitters discharge the Phasers at speeds approaching .986c (which works out to about 182,520 miles per second - nearly warp one). The Phaser array automatically rotates Phaser frequency and attempts to lock onto the frequency and phase of a threat vehicle's shields for shield penetration.

Each Phaser array takes its energy directly from the impulse drive and auxiliary fusion generators. Individually, each type X -emitter can only discharge approximately 5.1 MW (megawatts). However, several emitters (usually two) fire at once in the array during standard firing procedures, resulting in a discharge approximately 10.2 MW.

The maximum effective range of the Type X emitter is 300,000 kilometers.

TORPEDO LAUNCHERS

The Saber Class is fitted with two fixed-focus torpedo launchers that are used for photon or quantum torpedo/science probe deployment. The forward launcher is located on deck three. The aft torpedo tube is located on Deck one. In the uprated Saber, these launchers are the second generation of automated, high-speed launcher found on the smaller, newer starships (such as the Intrepid, Defiant and the Nova) and each is capable of firing 3 devices at a time, giving the ship a salvo of 6 torpedoes at a time (3 forward, 3 aft).

The Saber Class is equipped with the Mark XXV photon torpedo, capable of pattern firing (sierra, etc.) as well as independent launch. Independent targeting once launched from the ship, detonation on contact unless otherwise directed by tactical.

Payload: Sabers can carry 45 torpedoes. Quantum torpedoes are carried as the mission dictates.

Range: Maximum effective range is 3,000,000 kilometers.

DEFLECTOR SHIELDS

The Saber Class is equipped with a symmetrical subspace graviton field. This type of shield is fairly similar to those of most other Starships. During combat, the shield sends data on what type of weapon is being used on it, and what frequency and phase the weapon uses. Once this is analyzed by the tactical officer, the shield can be configured to have the same frequency as the incoming weapon - but different nutation. This tactic dramatically increases shield efficiency.

There are eight shield generators on a Saber. Each generator consists of a cluster of ten 28 MW (megawatt) graviton polarity sources feeding into a 575 millicochrane subspace field distortion amplifier. Each generator produces 280 MW of shield power, and each can approach 98,000 MW for 150 nanoseconds during peak momentary loads.

The power for the shields is taken directly from the warp engines and impulse fusion generators. If desired, the shields can be augmented by power from the impulse power plants. The shields can protect against approximately 23% of the total EM spectrum (similar to a Galaxy Class Starship's shields).

The shields, when raised, stay extremely close to the hull to conserve energy - average range is seven meters away from the hull, but can be extended to surround a nearby object, though at the loss of shield strength.

COMPUTER CORE

Number of computer cores: Two; the primary core occupies space on decks 2 & 3, set to the starboard of the bridge module. The secondary, emergency core is located in a mirror position on the port side.

Type: The FFU Computer cores found on the Saber class are smaller versions of the New Orleans' Isolinear Processing cores, spread out to take two rather than four decks. A smaller, regulated EPS conduit directly from the warp core, powers the system. For missions, requirements on the computer core rarely exceed 80-85% of total core processing and storage capacity. The rest of the core is utilized for various scientific, tactical, or intelligence gathering missions - or to backup data in the event of a damaged core.

WARP PROPULSION SYSTEM

The warp core is located in the engineering section and lies horizontally on deck 2. The matter-antimatter reaction assembly (M/ARA) is embedded within Deck 2, with the surrounding systems on the balcony above (Deck 1, Main Engineering). The B-grade warp reactor is extremely powerful for a ship of this size, and as such, the Saber-class vessels put out a warp signature equivalent to much larger starships.

Advances in variable warp field geometry ensure that all ships of this class will not cause harmful subspace damage. All regulation warp engine controls and procedures apply to Saber-class vessels.

Normal Cruising Speed: Warp 7

Maximum Safe Speed: Warp 9.8 for 12 hours

Note: Vessels equipped with the Ceres B-Grade M/ARA Drive System no longer have the maximum cruising speed limit, thanks to innovations discovered and utilized in the M/ARA Warp Drive outfitted in the new Intrepid Class Starship. Pursuant to Starfleet Command Directive 12856.A, all Starships will receive upgrades to their Warp Drive system to prevent further pollution of Subspace.

IMPULSE PROPULSION SYSTEM

Standard Saber Class mass-drivers developed and built by HighMPact Propulsion. Output is comparable to New Orleans Class. Each engine (there are two impulse engines) can individually propel a Saber class ship at speeds just under 0.50c. 'Maximum Impulse' is 0.75c (three-quarters of 186,282 miles per second, which is warp one), and requires both engines working at approximately 3/4 strength. Due to time dilation problems, standard impulse operations are limited to 0.25c ('Full Impulse'). 'Half Impulse' is 0.125c, while '1/4 impulse' is 0.0625c.

NAVIGATION DEFLECTOR

A standard Saber-class main deflector dish is located along the ventral portion of the hull, on decks 8 & 9. Composed of molybdenum/duranium mesh panels over a tritanium framework (beneath the Duranium-Tritanium hull), the dish can be manually moved five degrees in any direction off the ship's Z-axis. The main deflector dish's shield and sensor power comes from two graviton polarity generators located on deck 10, each capable of generating 128 MW, which can be fed into two 480 millicochrane subspace field distortion generators. Navigational Deflector controls are located on deck 8.

TRACTOR BEAM

The Saber Class is equipped with a multiphase subspace graviton beam, used for direct manipulation of objects from a submicron to a macroscopic level at any relative bearing to the ship. Each emitter is directly mounted to the primary members of the ship's framework, to lessen the effects of isopiestic subspace shearing, potential inertial imbalance, and mechanical stress.

Each tractor beam emitter is built around two multiphase 12 MW graviton polarity sources, feeding two 475 millicochrane subspace field amplifiers. Phase accuracy is within 1.3 arc-seconds per microsecond, which gives superior interference pattern control. Each emitter can gain extra power from the SIF by means of molybdenum-jacketed waveguides. The subspace fields generated around the beam (when the beam is used) can envelop objects up to 920 meters, lowering the local gravitational constant of the universe for the region inside the field and making the object much easier to manipulate.

Effective tractor beam range varies with payload mass and desired delta-v. Assuming a nominal 15 m/sec-squared delta-v, the multiphase tractor emitters can be used with a payload approaching 650,000,000 metric tons at less than 2,000 meters. Conversely, the same delta-v can be imparted to an object massing about one metric ton at ranges approaching 30,000 kilometers.

TRANSPORTER SYSTEMS

The Saber Class is equipped with a total of two personnel transporters capable of a maximum payload mass of 800kg (1,763 lbs) at a maximum range: 40,000 km. The maximum beam Up/Out Rate is approximately one hundred persons per hour per Transporter

The Nebula Class also has a single cargo transporter capable of a maximum payload Mass of 500 metric tons.

Finally there is a single emergency transporter which are capable of a maximum range of only 15,000 km (send only) [range depends on available power] with a maximum beam out rate of one hundred sixty persons per hour.

COMMUNICATIONS

Standard Communications Range: 42,000 - 100,000 kilometers with a Standard Data Transmission Speed: 18.5 kiloquads per second. The Subspace Communications Speed: Warp 9.9997

SENSOR SYSTEMS

Long range and navigation sensors are located behind the main deflector dish, to avoid sensor "ghosts" and other detrimental effects consistent with main deflector dish millicochrane static field output. LRS controls are located on deck 8.

Lateral sensor pallets (Short Range Sensors) are located around the rim of the entire Starship, providing full coverage in all standard scientific fields, but with emphasis in the following areas: Astronomical phenomena, planetary analysis, remote life-form analysis, EM scanning, passive neutrino scanning, parametric subspace field stress (a scan to search for cloaked ships), thermal variances and quasi-stellar material.

Each sensor pallet (sixteen in all) can be interchanged and re-calibrated with any other pallet on the ship.

TACTICAL SENSORS

There are eighteen independent tactical sensors on a Saber. Each sensor automatically tracks and locks onto incoming hostile vessels and reports bearing, aspect, distance, and vulnerability percentage to the tactical station on the main bridge. Each tactical sensor is approximately 80% efficient against ECM, and can operate fairly well in particle flux nebulae, (which has been hitherto impossible).

Warp Current sensor: This is an independent subspace graviton field-current scanner; allowing Saber class vessels to track ships at high warp by locking onto the eddy currents from the threat ship's warp field, then follow the currents by using multi-model image mapping.

SCIENCE LABS

There are eight science labs located on deck 4. Two of the labs are dedicated Biology/Chemistry labs, capable of being used as Medical Labs. The remaining six labs are multi-purpose facilities that can be adjusted to the needs of the mission. The botany department maintains the small hydroponics bay on deck 5 for research purposes.

The Chief Science Officer's office is located adjacent to Science Lab 1. It is decorated to the CSO's preferences as well as containing a work area, a personal viewscreen, a computer display, and a washroom/head.

MEDICAL SYSTEMS

Sickbay is located on Deck 4 near the science labs. While not considered large, this department has a 5-bed treatment room, a 2-bed intensive care ward, an isolation room, and a morgue/stasis unit. Sickbay is also equipped with a limited surgical facility, which is primarily intended to stabilize patients until they can be delivered to a medical facility. A small medical laboratory and dental care office are located next to Sickbay.

The CMO's office is located adjacent to Sickbay with doors connecting to the hallway as well as directly to sickbay. The office is decorated to the Chief Medical Officer's preference and also contains a personal viewscreen, a computer display, and a washroom/head.

The Cargo bay is designated as the first location for additional medical space if needed for mass casualty situations, with the Shuttlebays designated as the secondary location. VIP quarters can be adapted to act as additional Intensive Care Units, and the lounge can be modified to act as a treatment ward.

The Ship's Counselor has an office located on Deck 4, near the Medical section. It consists of a private office, with standard furnishings (decorated to the Counselors preference), a personal viewscreen, a computer display, and a washroom/head. An individual therapy room furnished with chairs and couch for one on one sessions, as well as a large, group therapy room, consisting of several couches and chairs, are located adjacent to the Counselor's office.

In the event of a crewmember suffering a psychotic episode, and needing to be isolated from the crew, the ill crewman is kept in sickbay, in the isolation unit, or in the intensive care units, as determined by bed availability.

CREW QUARTERS

Officer quarters and VIP/Guest accommodations are located on deck 2. Enlisted crew quarters and diplomatic facilities are located on deck 3. Individuals assigned to a Starfleet vessel for periods over six months are permitted to reconfigure their quarters within hardware, volume, and mass limits. Individuals assigned for shorter periods are generally restricted to standard quarter's configuration.

Standard Living Quarters are provided for all crewmembers. Only senior officers may have families accompanying them during their assignment to a Saber class vessel, due to the limited space.

Non-commissioned officers (NCO's) and enlisted quarters are on deck 3. Two NCO's are assigned to a suite. Accommodations include 2 bedrooms with standard beds, connected by a living/work area. A washroom with ultrasonic shower is located off of each bedroom. Two computer displays and a personal viewscreen are located in the living area. Pets are not allowed to NCO's.

Enlisted crewmembers share quarters with up to 4 others. Accommodations include 2 bedrooms with twin beds, connected by a living/work area. A washroom with ultrasonic shower is located off of each bedroom. Two computer displays and a personal viewscreen are located in the living area. Pets are not allowed to enlisted crew.

Ensigns share a suite. Accommodations include 2 bedrooms with standard beds, connected by a living/work area. A washroom with ultrasonic shower is located off of each bedroom. Two computer displays and a personal viewscreen are located in the living area. Pets are allowed.

Starfleet personnel from the rank of Lieutenant JG to Commander are given one set of quarters to themselves (they do not need to share). Families may accompany senior officers. Those officers with children are assigned quarters with viewports. Single officer accommodations typically include a small bathroom with an ultrasonic shower, a bedroom (with standard bed), a living/work area, a computer display, a personal viewscreen, and provisions for pets.

Family accommodations include 2 or 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms with ultrasonic showers. The rest of the accommodations are as described above. Officers may request that their living quarters be combined to form one large dwelling.

The Captain and Executive Officer have special quarters, located on Deck 2. These quarters are much more luxurious than any others on the ship, with the exception of the VIP/Diplomatic Guest quarters. Both the Executive Officer's and the Captain's quarters are larger than standard Officer Quarters. This space generally has the following accommodations: a living/work area, a food replicator, a personal holographic viewer, a computer display, provisions for pets, a bedroom (with a luxurious bed), and a bathroom with ultrasonic shower and an old-fashioned water shower.

The Saber Class is a symbol of UFP authority, a tool in dealing with other races. Starfleet makes use them in occasionally in diplomatic situations and the need to transport or accommodate Very Important Persons, diplomats, or ambassadors will arise.

These quarters are located on Deck 2. VIP quarters include a spacious living/work area, a food replicator, a personal holographic viewer, an ultrasonic shower and bathtub/water shower, a bedroom with a null-grav sleeping chamber, and provisions for pets. These quarters can be immediately converted to class H, K, L, N, and N2 environments.

RECREATIONAL

The Saber class is a small sized Starship and its design has been maximized for scientific and tactical usage. However, it is realized that the stress of operating at 99% efficiency on a ship that is built for extended field operations and exploration can be dangerous, so there are some limited recreational facilities on board.

There are two Holosuites, both of them located on deck 5. These are smaller versions of standard Federation holodeck, designed for individual use. They do everything that the larger holodeck can do; only these Holosuites can't handle as many variables and are less detailed.

Sometimes, one must walk among the greenery and smell the roses. Located on deck 4, the hydroponics bay is maintained by the botany department, and is used for research into plant-life. Crewmembers are allowed to wander the small 'hanging garden' type facility, which has twisting paths among the multitude of plant-life that provide some privacy. 'Natural' lighting is provided on a day/night schedule that provides maximum benefit to the plant-life.

MESS HALL

Ships of the Saber-class lack many of amenities common to the larger ships. Since food replicators are not available in crew quarters (the exception being in the XO/CO's quarters, the Captain's Ready Room, the Observation Lounge, and in the VIP quarters) meals are served in the Mess Hall located on Deck 3. The replicators have a huge menu of foods and drinks that can be instantly available for culinary adventurers, and variations can be created by the crew and stored in files for easy access and trading.

At the head of the room are three open slots that serve as dispensers for the replicators. A counter extends from the underside and is used for the placement of trays, mugs and eating utensils. Seating inside the mess hall is provided by metallic tables arranged in a semicircle at the wider end of the room. These tables are approximately one meter square, and each has four stools connected to its legs.

In addition, the mess hall doubles as a makeshift meeting area that could be used to conduct crew briefings and mission profiles. A tall screen panel located on one of the walls can be used as a visual aid to display tactical graphics.

The captain's mess is located on deck 2 and can seat about eight persons comfortably.

OBSERVATION LOUNGE

This is a small lounge located on deck 5 and is set in the forward edge of the primary hull. It has a very relaxed and congenial air about it; The Observation Lounge is the only place on the ship where rank means nothing - "sir" need not be uttered when a person of lower rank addresses an officer, and everyone is on an equal footing. Opinions can be voiced in complete safety. This lounge is the social center of the ship.

The Observation Lounge has a small number of recreational games and assorted "stuff". 3-D chess and other games can all be found here. There is also a bar (self-service) which is stocked (at the Captain's discretion) with various potent alcoholic beverages, such as chech'tluth, Aldebaran whiskey, Saurian brandy, Tzartak aperitif, Tamarian Frost, C&E Warp Lager, Warnog, Antarean brandy, and many others as well as a small food/drink replicator that can make the synthahol versions of these and other drinks.

The Observation Lounge is often named by the crew, and is decorated as the crew decides and usually has a theme, to some extent. A small number of tables and chairs, as well as some benches, provide seating for the crew. Large windows set into the forward wall allow a breathtaking view from the bow of the ship, giving a clear view of what lies before the ship. Situated under the forward torpedo tubes, they also allow for a 'you-are-there' view of the launching of these destructive devices.

FLIGHT BAY

Located on the aft portion of the ship, the two shuttle bays are accessed by a flight path between the nacelles. The shuttle bays contains facilities to refuel/rearm, to repair, and to provide routine maintenance to the shuttle complement assigned to the ship. A flight control room, known as "Flight Ops", controls the shuttle bays and directs flight vectors for incoming and outgoing craft. This is located against the forward wall of shuttle bay 1, next to the exit for the turbolift on deck 4.

Shuttle bay 2 is located on deck 5. It is the larger of the two shuttle bays, and is the location of the maintenance facilities for the shuttles.

The Flight Control Officer's office is located adjacent to the Flight Ops center. It is decorated to the FCO's preferences and contains a work area, a personal viewscreen, a computer display, and a washroom/head.

The standard shuttle bays (FF) contain the following: Two Type-18 Shuttlepods, Two Type-6 Shuttlecrafts and Two Worker Bees

The uprated shuttle bays (FFU) contain the following: Two Type-8 Shuttlecraft, One Type-10 Shuttlecraft, Two Type-18 Shuttlepods, Two Worker Bees

OPERATIONS

Saber-class ships are classified as mission-oriented vessels. While it can be used for any mission that is necessary, to be absolutely efficient in achieving its goals, a Saber should be of the proper variant for the mission assigned to it. Saber-class vessels make use of modular technology, just as do most other Starfleet vessels. But, due to the compact, intertwined nature of the ship's systems, when a Saber has a change in its mission parameters, it requires a significant change-out time (typically weeks to months) to adapt to a new variant. Each Saber falls into one of four types of variant and focuses on those mission for which that types was built.

The following is a list of mission types and the variants that typically are assigned to them:

Federation Policy and Diplomacy: The FF/FFU -D is a Diplomatic Courier. Its main mission is transportation of diplomatic personnel to various destinations, to provide diplomatic facilities for low level conferences, summits, and treaty discussions, and to transport vital cargo of a political nature. It has decreased scientific and weapon capacities, to allow for addition VIP quarters, conference rooms, meeting halls, and private offices, secured communication equipment, and increased entertainment facilities.

Deep-space Exploration / Contact with Alien Life forms: The FF/FFU -E is a Scout ship. It is the variant described in the previous documentation, with a mission of exploration, observation/data gathering, first-contact, scientific and patrol type missions.

Ongoing Scientific Investigation: The FF/FFU -S is a Science ship. The main purpose of this vessel is to act as a base of operations for the gathering of scientific data. This variant has decreased weapon load-outs, and next to no diplomatic facilities, to allow room for increased science labs, probes, and mission specific experiments/equipment.

Tactical/Defensive Operations: The FF/FFU -P is a Patrol ship, with the main purpose of guarding borders and patrolling shipping lanes. It has decreased scientific and diplomatic facilities to allow room for increased torpedo storage, additional security personnel, additional shield generators, and improved tactical sensors and communication equipment.

Emergency/Search and Rescue: Any variant can be called in to aid in an emergency. Typical Missions include answering standard Federation emergency beacons, extraction of Federation or Non-Federation citizens in distress, retrieval of Federation or Non-Federation spacecraft in distress, small scale station/outpost evacuation - planetary evacuation is not feasible.

LIFEBOATS

Ever present is the possibility that a ship will become disabled or otherwise damaged to such extent that it can no longer support life. In such situations the crew has to option of abandoning ship by using the Escape Pod system. There are 56 5-person Escape Pods on a Saber class starship. Each pod has a life support for 90 days in space, and has a maximum speed of 4,200 m/sec. Subspace radio and beacon are permanently activated once the pod is ejected from the ship, to aid in locating the pod. Escaped pods have atmospheric entry and landing capability.

There are no escape pods connected to the bridge. Pods are located on all decks below Deck two. Two pods are reserved for the top four officers in the chain of command, because they are the last four to leave the ship. As the number of experienced Captains dwindles in Starfleet, the notion of a Captain going down with his ship has been abolished. If the ship is abandoned, the top four officers in the chain of command will wait until everyone else is off the ship, opt to arm the auto-Destruct (not always necessary, but there if needed), and then leave in the two escape pods.

DECK CONFIGURATION

Deck 1 Main Bridge, Captain's Ready Room, Conference Room, Stellar Cartography, Main Engineering (upper), CEO's Office, Aft Torpedo Launcher

Deck 2 Officer's Quarters, VIP Quarters, XO's Office, Main Engineering (Lower), Warp Core, Fore and Aft Torpedo/Probe Magazines, Computer Core and Control Room, Captain's Mess

Deck 3 Crew Quarters, Diplomatic Facilities, Transporter Rooms 1 & 2, Mess Hall, Forward Torpedo Launcher, and Computer Core

Deck 4 Sickbay, CMO's Office, CNS' Office, Science Labs 1 - 8, CSO's Office, Hydroponics bay, Shuttlebay 1, FCO's Office

Deck 5 Lounge, Holosuites, Gymnasium, CTO's office, Security Dept/Brig, Ship's Armory, Phaser Range, Shuttle Bay 2, Shuttle Maintenance, Docking Ports

Deck 6 Cargo Bay 1, Cargo Transporter 1, Aux. Weapon Controls

Deck 7 Deuterium Storage, Anti-Matter Storage Pods, Life Support Systems

Deck 8 Navigation Deflector Control room, LRS Control room, Navigational Deflector

Deck 9 Navigational Deflector, LRS

Deck 10 Waste Processing/Recycling Center (Life Support optional on this deck)

Saber Class Starship