Ambassador Class

Ambassador
Affiliation	United Federation of Planets / Starfleet
Year Beginning Service	2315
Design Specifications
Ship Type	Cruiser
Length	526 meters
Beam	320 meters
Height	125 meters
Crew	700
Tactical Specifications
Armament	12 Type IX Collimated Phaser Array, 2 Photon Torpedo Launchers (Two Forward)
Defenses	Deflector Shields
Engineering Spefications
Top Speeds	Warp 6.0 (Standard Cruising), Warp 8.5 (Maximum Cruising), Warp 9.0 (Maximum Attainable)
Impulse Engines	Two Impulse systems

History

The origins of the Ambassador-class date back to the first half of the 24th century.

One of the most notable Ambassador-class ships was the USS Enterprise-C. In 2344, while under the command of Captain Rachel Garrett, the ship responded to a distress call from a Klingon colony on Narendra III. Four Romulan warbirds had ambushed the colony. The Enterprise responded to the attack, and despite being destroyed there, defended it long enough to impress the Klingon High Council; hostilities ended almost immediately between the Klingon Empire and the Federation. A lasting peace agreement would not be reached until 2352, but the cessation of nearly sixty years of conflict between the two powers was a welcome step toward galactic peace. (TNG: "Yesterday's Enterprise")

Ships of the Ambassador-class were utilized during the Klingon Civil War, and fought against the Borg and the Dominion. (TNG: "Redemption II"; DS9: "Emissary", "You Are Cordially Invited")

Technical Data

Physical arrangement

The Ambassador-class featured the saucer section-engineering section-warp nacelle layout common to most Starfleet vessels. It was intermediate in size between the Excelsior-class and the Galaxy-class. In addition, the class boasted at least three engineering levels. (TNG: "Yesterday's Enterprise")

Several Ambassador-class ships were seen with minor alterations from the original design. The saucer section's connection to the engineering hull was shifted slightly aft, with the nacelle pylon assembly moved a corresponding distance in the same direction. Cowlings were added around the Bussard collectors, making them appear closer to that of the Galaxy-class, while the impulse engine exhaust changed from a blue to a red glow. The lower sensor dome became more elaborate and closer in appearance to the Excelsior-class and the deflector dish was modified. Finally, the width of the shuttlebay was increased and a second facility resembling that on the Excelsior-class engineering hull was mounted directly underneath the original one. Graphics were upgraded with the Starfleet insignia of the 2360s. (TNG: "Data's Day"; DS9: "Emissary")

Families were allowed aboard Ambassador-class ships, but only if they were related to a Starfleet crewmember who had served on the ship exceeding six months. (TNG: "Second Chances")

Tactical systems

The Ambassador-class was armed with both phaser banks and photon torpedoes with coverage to both fore and aft firing arcs.

A phaser emitter was also located on the secondary hull in proximity of the deflector dish. (DS9: "Emissary")

According to Natasha Yar, during the 2340s, the Ambassador-class had "a lot more maneuverability than the Romulan counterparts of that era." Yar went on to explain that in her alternate timeline, deflector shield technology of the 2360s would advance considerably during the war, allowing the Galaxy-class to posses a heat-dissipation rate that was almost double those of the Ambassador-class, allowing the Galaxy to hang in a firefight longer. (TNG: "Yesterday's Enterprise")

Interior Design

Main bridge

Primary operational control of the Ambassador-class starship was provided by the main bridge. Located on top of the primary hull, the bridge directly supervised all primary mission operations and coordinated all departmental activities.

In 2344, the central area of the bridge provided seating for the captain only. Directly fore and to the right of the captain was the ops station, with the helm station to the left. The consoles were similar to that used on the bridges of Excelsior- and Galaxy-class starships. At the very front of the bridge was a large viewscreen, with a freestanding console located directly below. Against the back walls of the bridge were consoles for the tactical, engineering, and science positions. Additional displays flanked the aft consoles. The bridge was accessed through two doors, located on the forward halves of the port and starboard walls. (TNG: "Yesterday's Enterprise")

The original design incorporated flat-panel, LCARS-based, control panels using the interface introduced in the late 23rd century. (TNG: "Yesterday's Enterprise") By the 2360s, the Ambassador-class bridge was upgraded to include the standard LCARS interface and consoles typically found on board modern vessels of that era. (TNG: "Redemption II")

Ships Using This Class in Star Trek: Second Fleet Online

There are currently no ships in ST:SFO using this class.

References

Specifications for the ship: Memory Alpha and Ships of the Starfleet, Volume I

Pictures: From Paramount and CBS through Memory Alpha