Class F Shuttle
Typ lode:
Shuttlecraft
Počet lodí:
2532 built in total. 415 have been lost in all. 2117 have been retired from service.
Výška lode:
2,44 m
Šírka lode:
3,20 m
Dĺžka lode:
7,32 m
Hmotnosť lode:
5,45 ton
Počet palub:
1
Počet členov posádky:
1
Diplomatické vybavenie:
2
Cestovná rýchlosť:
Warp 5,00
Maximálna rýchlosť:
Warp 6,00
Kritická rýchlosť:
Warp 6,20
Shuttlecraft
Počet lodí:
2532 built in total. 415 have been lost in all. 2117 have been retired from service.
Výška lode:
2,44 m
Šírka lode:
3,20 m
Dĺžka lode:
7,32 m
Hmotnosť lode:
5,45 ton
Počet palub:
1
Počet členov posádky:
1
Diplomatické vybavenie:
2
Cestovná rýchlosť:
Warp 5,00
Maximálna rýchlosť:
Warp 6,00
Kritická rýchlosť:
Warp 6,20
Obranný systém:
Standard shield system, total capacity 810 TeraJoules Standard Duranium Single hull. Low level Structural Integrity Field
Zbraňové systémy, phasery:
1 x Type III phaser bank, total output 50 TeraWatts
Vývoj, vypustenie, používanie:
2252 - 2275
Životnosť:
16
Minimálny cyklus opráv:
1
Štandardný cyklus opráv:
1
Maximálny cyklus opráv:
4
Standard shield system, total capacity 810 TeraJoules Standard Duranium Single hull. Low level Structural Integrity Field
Zbraňové systémy, phasery:
1 x Type III phaser bank, total output 50 TeraWatts
Vývoj, vypustenie, používanie:
2252 - 2275
Životnosť:
16
Minimálny cyklus opráv:
1
Štandardný cyklus opráv:
1
Maximálny cyklus opráv:
4
The Class F shuttlecraft was undoubtedly one of the most important shuttles of its time. With the introduction of the transporter, Starfleet had come to believe that the day of the shuttlecraft was over, and by the mid 2220's it had begun phasing these craft out of service. Design and production of shuttles was abandoned in 2233; the total number of shuttles in Starfleet declined from some 850 in 2235 to less than 200 in 2245; of these, over 90% where in service with facilities or vessels too small or unimportant to have recieved transporter systems yet.
By 2249, Starfleet was beginning to have second thoughts about this policy. The transporter had proved to be somewhat less reliable than had been hoped, especially when operating in the presence of even moderate levels of radiation or other natural forms of interference. It was hoped that improvements to the basic technology would soon correct this problem, but until then a capability gap was forming. In addition, the transporter had a range limit of some 30 - 40,000 km; while many confidently predicted that this figure would soon be greatly extended, even to interstellar distances, Starfleet reluctantly decided to produce a new shuttle design to 'fill in the gap' until this predicted new technology arrived. The Class F prototype was duly launched in 2251. The design was a simple boxlike structure with a small engineering compartment at the rear and control position at the front. A pair of nacelles gave the craft considerable warp capability, as it was thought that once the transporter eliminated the need for orbit-to-surface and interplanetary missions, only the interstellar tasks would remain until these too where eliminated by the expected interstellar transporters.
Modest shielding and weapons capability where designed in, but the Class F was never intended to serve any serious combat role. Since it was expected to be retired within a decade or so at most, little effort was made to design the craft to last. The Class F was produced in limited numbers only, and at first only selected ships and facilities where equipped with the it.
By 2249, Starfleet was beginning to have second thoughts about this policy. The transporter had proved to be somewhat less reliable than had been hoped, especially when operating in the presence of even moderate levels of radiation or other natural forms of interference. It was hoped that improvements to the basic technology would soon correct this problem, but until then a capability gap was forming. In addition, the transporter had a range limit of some 30 - 40,000 km; while many confidently predicted that this figure would soon be greatly extended, even to interstellar distances, Starfleet reluctantly decided to produce a new shuttle design to 'fill in the gap' until this predicted new technology arrived. The Class F prototype was duly launched in 2251. The design was a simple boxlike structure with a small engineering compartment at the rear and control position at the front. A pair of nacelles gave the craft considerable warp capability, as it was thought that once the transporter eliminated the need for orbit-to-surface and interplanetary missions, only the interstellar tasks would remain until these too where eliminated by the expected interstellar transporters.
Modest shielding and weapons capability where designed in, but the Class F was never intended to serve any serious combat role. Since it was expected to be retired within a decade or so at most, little effort was made to design the craft to last. The Class F was produced in limited numbers only, and at first only selected ships and facilities where equipped with the it.