New Orleans class starship - Definition and Overview

A New Orleans class starship

In the Star Trek fictional universe, the New Orleans class is a rarely seen starship class used by Starfleet, the military and exploration arm of the United Federation of Planets. New Orleans class starships appear to be related to the Galaxy class; the saucer appears to be merely a scaled down version of the Galaxy's primary hull, the engineering section is similar, though lacking the thin engine-pylon-attachment section at the stern and likewise scaled down, and the nacelles appear to be a small version of the Galaxy's, though with a smaller width:length ratio.

The design of the New Orleans class mostly follows conventional Federation starship design with a saucer-shaped primary hull attached to a roughly cylindrical engineering section by a short, thick neck and with two warp engines attached to the dorsal side of the secondary hull by long, backward-angled, upward-curving pylons. The most unusual features of ships of this class are the three forward-facing pods, two mounted on top of the saucer and the other connected to the ventral engineering hull by a short pylon. The pods are possibly weapons and or enhanced sensor pods.

In real life, the New Orleans class was built by Ed Miarecki for the Battle of Wolf 359 graveyard scene for the TNG episode "The Best of Both Worlds". The New Orleans was based on existing parts from a model of the Galaxy class starship with minor additions and customized parts.

Specifications

• Type: Frigate
• Dimensions:
  • Height: 90 m
  • Length: 340 m
  • Beam: 246 m
• Accommodation: Unknown
• Propulsion:
  • One matter/antimatter reactor powering two warp engines
  • Three impulse engines
• Performance: Top speed unknown though warp-capable
• Weaponry:
  • Three weapons pods (possibly one or more phaser banks, pulse phaser cannon, and/or torpedo launchers each)
  • Several phaser strips of unknown type
  • Possibly several in-hull torpedo launchers
  • Possibly other weapons
• Defenses: Deflector shields
• Auxiliary vessels: Unknown shuttlecraft and/or other vessels in at least one shuttlebay on the saucer

Known New Orleans class frigates

• USS Kyushu (NCC-65491)
  • Named for the Japanese island of Kyushu, the starship Kyushu was destroyed by the Borg at the Battle of Wolf 359 circa stardate 43997 in 2366.
• USS New Orleans (Registry unknown)
  • Named for the city of New Orleans, the starship New Orleans was the pathfinder of its class. Fate unknown.
• USS Renegade (NCC-63102)
  • Commanded by Captain Tryla Scott, the starship Renegade met with the Enterprise-D at Dytallix B in 2364 when alien agents were attempting to take over Starfleet Command.
• USS Rutledge (NCC-57295)
  • Named for Edward Rutledge, the starship Rutledge was commanded by Captain Benjamin Maxwell during the Cardassian War and a former assignment of Chief Miles O'Brien. In 2373, the Rutledge joined the starship Tecumseh in a counterattack against Klingon forces in the Archanis sector.
• USS Thomas Paine (NCC-65530)
  • Named for Thomas Paine, the starship Thomas Paine was commanded by Captain Rixx and met the Enterprise-D at Dytallix B in 2364 when alien agents were attempting to take over Starfleet Command. Circa stardate 46357.4 in 2368, the Thomas Paine was assigned to a diplomatic mission to Aldaraan. The Thomas Paine was also part of the Romulan tachyon blockade of 2368 during the Klingon Civil War.

External links

• "New Orleans class" at Memory Alpha (http://www.memory-alpha.org/en/index.php/New_Orleans_class)
• "New Orleans Class Reconstruction" at Ex Astris Scientia (http://www.ex-astris-scientia.org/articles/neworleans.htm)
• "New Orleans class" (http://www.lcarscom.net/fsd/starships/neworleans.html) at LCARScom.Net
• "New Orleans class" at the Neutral Zone Starship Database (http://www.neutralzone.de/database/Federation/StarFleet/NewOrleans.htm)