Heavily armed, the design philosophy for the Phoenix class was shaped by the discovery of Species 8472 in the Zaridian System. The Phoenix Project attempted to push the envelope as far as possible when it came to computer power, shielding, armament and systems capabilities. The Phoenix Class vessel combines the creature comforts associated with the larger Galaxy-class vessels with the tactical power of the new Prometheus Class. Two forward and Two aft rapid fire torpedo launch systems are coupled with twelve type-XIV advanced phaser emitters. The type-XIV phaser arrays are the most powerful phaser systems to be installed aboard an Imperial Starship to date, capable of delivery crippling blows to enemy shields and armor.

Construction & Design History

Project Phoenix was born out of sheer necessity and the stark reality of impending Orion Invasion, and the Species 8472 threat. As the reports and intelligence gathered by the Avalon-A were studied and applied, Fleet Command came to the humbling conclusion that its grand fleet may be no match for the massive 8472 Hive Ships. While the threat was full of dark portent,Fleet Command decided to tackle the problem behind closed doors.

Analysis of the 8472 weapons system, particularly the tractor and cutting beams, illustrated the limitations of Fleet shielding. The fixed-frequency, symmetrical oscillating subspace graviton field common to starships of the Fleet proved to be a severe limitation in combat against the ever-adapting 8472. Starships had to constantly randomize their shield frequency in order to affect a reliable defense, which in the heat of combat proved to be difficult at best - at least in readings gathered in the Avalon-A's initial encounter with Species 8472. Janus Defense Systems, a manufacturer of photon torpedo casings, proposed a new type of shield system. This shield system would automatically and constantly shift its nutation and frequency based on the frequency of the attacking vessel's weaponry. Each time the enemy attacked the shield, it would shift and match the opposing weapons frequency and nutation, regenerating its power load to the maximum available for defense. This system, known as Project Valkyrie, was still in the initial design stages when Project Phoenix was launched. So impressed was Fleet Command that they signed a specialized product development agreement with Krups for a modern shield system based on the prototypes in the Valkyrie project. So successful was the Valkyrie Project that all star ships constructed or refit since 2370 have had this technology integrated into their shield systems.

Another advancement in shielding, developed by Frevfare Defensive Systems, was the concept of Regenerative Shielding. Designed with Species 8472 in mind, the newly developed Regenerative Shielding was seen as a major step forward in the development of defensive technologies, given the 8472 Threat and the newly recognized Orion threat. The concept behind Regenerative Shielding was to not only constantly shift the nutation and frequency of the shield while engaged, but also to constantly and completely re-initialize the shield grid, maintaining maximum coverage with maximum protective power during combat situations. This would be accomplished with a redundant system of shield generators - when one particular portion of the grid fell below acceptable levels, back-up generators would immediately activate and strengthen the damaged portion of the grid. When the primary generators rebuilt the shields to standard operating levels, the back-up generators would immediately switch to hot-standby until the shield grid was attacked again. Seeing the inherent benefit of a starship designed to utilize Regenerative Shielding, Fleet Command requested a full grid of generators, 30 shield generators in total, to be constructed for testing. FDS delivered the first thirty shield generators in 2364, where they were stored at Janus until completion of the Phoenix hull.

Due to the speed at which the shields and phasers would have to retask themselves, a new generation of computing technology was introduced with the Intrepid Class - the Bio-Neural Gel Pack Computer technology. Based on the synaptic firing of neurons within the brain, the Bio-Neural Gel-based system was by far the fastest computer ever devised by TIFC, giving the ship-board computers unprecedented computing speeds. The heart of the BNG is a packet of neural clusters, grown copies of strands similar to those found in the brains of sentient beings. These clusters give the ship’s computer ‘instinctive’ data processing and routing ability as well as allowing the ship’s computer to utilize ‘fuzzy logic’ to speed up probability calculations much as a living, breathing entity would. Given the tremendous processing needs that the Regenerative and Rotating Shield system required, Project Phoenix decided to utilize the BNGP system for the Phoenix class, a quick upgrade over the standard Isolinear Computer Cores.

The impulse engines proved to be on the shining successes of Project Phoenix. Given the propensity of Species 8472 to engage targets at sublight speeds, Project Phoenix called upon the propulsion firm known as Terminal Velocity, to design her Impulse Engine system. The requirements were steep - a set of impulse engines that could effectively propel the vessel

Phaser Arrays:

Traditionally the choice defensive weapon onboard TIFC vessels since close to the dawn of the Takimora Empire, the standard emitter makes use of a particular class of superconducting crystals known as fushigi-no-umi, which allow high-speed interactions within atomic nuclei that create a rapid nadion effect, which in turn is directed into a focused beam at a target. The resulting beam is discharged at speeds approaching .986c, and as per standard tactical procedures, the frequencies of these beams are rotated to make it more difficult for a threat vehicle's shields to adjust to the beam. Through the use of ACB jacketed beams, phaser arrays now have limited capabilities in warp environments, though the power output is greatly limited and is by no means as useful as a torpedo weapon in this environment. The Type-XIV shipboard array is by far the most powerful phaser to be fielded by a starship to date.

Phaser array arrangement: Five dorsal phaser arrays on the primary hull, one extending around the saucer section, giving it an oval appearance. Four more arrays, roughly a quarter of the size of the original, cover the aft dorsal firing arcs and are located along the aft portion of the saucer section. Two ventral phaser arrays on the primary hull, extending around in nearly a half circle on both the starboard and port ventral sides of the saucer section. A single phaser array, harking back to the belly phaser of the Galaxy Class engineering hull, is located along the ventral section of the engineering hull, running perpendicular to the hull.

Phaser Type: The Phoenix class utilizes the latest in starship armament technology, the Type XIV array system. 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.

Phaser Array Output: Each phaser array takes its energy directly from the impulse drives and auxiliary fusion generators. Individually, each type XII -emitter can only discharge approximately 8.0 MW (megawatts) per second. However, several emitters (usually two) fire at once in the array during standard firing procedures, resulting in a discharge approximately 16 MW.

Phaser Array Range: Maximum effective range is 300,000 kilometers.

Primary purpose: Assault

Secondary purpose: Defense/anti-spacecraft/anti-fighter

Torpedo Systems:

Warp Propulsion System

Designed specifically for the Phoenix-class starship, the BRC Propulsion Class 8 M/ARA Trans warp Drive and Power System was a first for TIFC. Compared to other starships of similar size and mass, the Class 8 would at first appear to be quite over-powered for the Sovereign, but this is not so. Originally equipped with a more standard Class 6, the inability of the reactor to produce sufficient power was perhaps the primary reason for the initial failing of the prototype Phoenix during trail runs.

A breakthrough design came about with the advent of the Class 7 warp reactor during the Defiant Class Project, which makes use of four-lobed magnetic constriction segment columns that allow for additional reactant streams to surround the primary stream that travels down the center of the magnetic constrictor columns. Advances in pressure vessel construction and compact reactor injector nozzles made the Class 8 reactor a reality, with a four-lobed design that allowed for a total of eight reactant streams of both matter and antimatter to collide in the dilithium articulation chamber, resulting in the most powerful starship-grade reactor output to date. The matter/antimatter reactor assembly spans 14 decks with the dilithium chamber and plasma transfer conduits located on the second level of Main Engineering.

Another large advancement utilized in the development of the warp propulsion system was the utilization of a rotatable dilithium articulation chamber within the warp core, where the matter and antimatter reactants are combined to create the high-energy warp plasma needed to power the engine nacelles, as well as shipboard systems through the use of EPS power taps. Computer-controlled rotation of the frame allows for manipulation of the manner in which the reactants meet, allowing for further control of the warp plasma into a "cleaner" power source. Redesigned verterium cortenide components within each pair of warp field coils is then able to use the warp plasma to generate a more energy-efficient subspace field with less particle waste products and stresses that were found in older propulsion systems to damage subspace. After the fleet-wide installation of this new variable warp geometry system, TIFC was able to remove the so-called "Warp Speed Limit" of Warp 5, established in 2370 after the discovery of pollution by Dr. Ser ova in the Hekaras Corridor. Pursuant to TIFC Command Directive 12856.A, all starships traveling within Imperial space are required to receive engine upgrades that prevent the further pollution of subspace by 2380.

Impulse Drives

On any other Starship, the standard Phoenix class Impulse Engines would be rated ‘excessive’, providing thrust far in excess of the highest estimated needs. So great is the thrust provided by each individual engine that the Phoenix class has 0% loss of performance with the loss or destruction of one of her Impulse engines. Like other ships before her, Phoenix-class vessels utilizes space-time driver coils within its impulse engines to create a non-propulsive symmetrical subspace field that effectively lowers the ship's mass, making it capable of pushing the entire spacecraft using less fuel. There are two impulse engines on the ship, each operating at 25% rating for standard operations, but can boost their output to 50% for combat operations.

Type: Two standard Phoenix class mass drivers developed and built by Terminal Velocity Propulsion.

Output: Each engine (there are two impulse engines) can propel a Phoenix-class vessel at speeds just under .25c at “Full Impulse” and an upper ceiling of .75c at three quarters the speed of light. Generally, TIFC Vessels are restricted to .25c speeds to avoid the more dramatic time dilation effects of higher relativistic speeds. However, such restrictions can be overridden at the behest of the ship’s captain. Due to the size of the Impulse Engines found on the Sovereign class, a single engine can propel the vessel at standard operating speeds without a loss in performance or combat maneuverability. class Impulse Engines would be rated ‘excessive’, providing thrust far in excess of the highest estimated needs. So great is the thrust provided by each individual engine that the Sovereign class has 0% loss of performance with the loss or destruction of one of her Impulse engines. Like other ships before her,Phoenix-class vessels utilizes space-time driver coils within its impulse engines to create a non-propulsive symmetrical subspace field that effectively lowers the ship's mass, making it capable of pushing the entire spacecraft using less fuel. There are two impulse engines on the ship, each operating at 25% rating for standard operations, but can boost their output to 75% for combat operations.

Type: Two standard Sovereign class mass drivers developed and built by Terminal Velocity Propulsion.

Output: Each engine (there are two impulse engines) can propel a Sovereign-class vessel at speeds just under .25c at “Full Impulse” and an upper ceiling of .75c at three quarters the speed of light. Generally, Imperial Vessels are restricted to .25c speeds to avoid the more dramatic time dilation effects of higher relativistic speeds. However, such restrictions can be overridden at the behest of the ship’s captain. Due to the size of the Impulse Engines found on the Sovereign class, a single engine can propel the vessel at standard operating speeds without a loss in performance or combat maneuverability.

Thruster System:

Type: The Reaction Control System (RCS) thrusters are adapted from thruster packages from the successful Galaxy-class vessel. A total of thirty five thruster groups are installed; ten on the primary hull, five on the secondary hull and five at the aft of each nacelle. Deuterium is supplied by the primary tank age on Decks 13 and 14, as well as immediate-use tanks within thruster packages

Output: Each thruster quad can produce 4.5 million Newton's of exhaust.

Auxillary Systems:

Another advancement developed for the class was a new breed of navigational deflectors. Unique, at this point, to the Phoenix class, the navigational array has a much higher stress tolerance to High-Warp and High-Energy discharges than any navigational array before it. This is, in part, to the increased number of graviton polarity generators, but also due to the amount of power provided to the assembly itself.

Without some sort of deflector system, space travel at high velocities, let alone warp speeds, would be impossible due to collisions with objects ranging from stray hydrogen atoms to large planetary fragments. Vessels of the Sovereign class make use of a single, large, main navigation deflector is located at the forward-most part of the engineering hull and spreads across Decks 15-18, with quad subspace field distortion amplifiers located on Decks 16 and 17. Composed of molybdenum/duranium mesh panels over a duranium framework, the dish can be manually moved 8.5° in any direction off the ship's Z-axis. The main deflector dish's subspace field and sensor power comes from six high-generating graviton polarity generators located on Decks 16 and 17, each capable of generating two hundred megawatts which feed into the four 650 millicochrane subspace field distortion amplifiers.

A backup deflector is located on the ventral side of the primary hull, on deck 12, and in addition to its role as a backup, the secondary deflector serves to reinforce the ship's warp field at speeds exceeding Warp 8.5. Originally seen as a means to augment the warp field due to technological limitations in graviton field generation during the development of the pathfinder vehicle, the saucer deflector is actually identical to the primary deflector of the Defiant class and is more or less a carry-over in the design process.

Tractor Beam:

Type: Multiphase subspace graviton beam, used for direct manipulation of objects from a sub micron to a macroscopic level at any relative bearing to the Sovereign class. Each emitter is directly mounted to the primary members of the ship's framework, to lessen the effects of isopiestic subspace shearing, inertial potential imbalance, and mechanical stress.

Output: Each tractor beam emitter is built around three multiphase 15 MW graviton polarity sources, each 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 wave guides. 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.

• Max Payload Mass: 800 metric tons. Standard operation is molecular resolution (Non-Lifeform).

• Set for quantum (life form) resolution: 1 metric ton

• Max Beam Up/Out Rate (Quantum Setting): Approx. 100 persons per hour per Transporter

Each sensor pallet (fifty in all) can be interchanged and re-calibrated with any other pallet on the ship. The storage of additional is handled in the secondary shuttle bay, where adjustments and repairs can be made. Modified shuttle pods are used to remove and attach sensor pallets throughout the ship's hull. Additional sensor pallets are located on both the dorsal and ventral portions of the ship, allowing for greater coverage in the Z+ and Z- ranges.

Along with the standard sensors, Starship Avalon Posses an Experimental Towed Sensor Array. The Length of the array and the placement of the sensors on the array enable more sensitive and lower frequency detection. The TSA is made os a high tensile strength Alloy encasing a BIO Neru coundiut outfitted with compressional dampeners to compensate for a dudden change in Ship to Array inertia. The Bio Neru Conduit is made with the Bio Neru Gel pack technology to transfer power and data signals to and from the Shipse tatical computer systems.

There is also a wrestling mat in the weight room, which can be used for wrestling, martial arts, kick-boxing, or any other sort of hand-to-hand fighting. There are holo-diodes along the walls and ceiling which generate a holographic opponent (if you can't find someone to challenge), trained in the combat field of your choice. The computer stores your personal attack and defense patterns as it gains experience on your style of fighting, and adapts to defeat you. All personnel on the Phoenix class must go through a full physical fitness and hand-to-hand combat test every six months.

Ship's Lounge:

Mustang Class Runabout - "Freedom I"

Stats provided by: Raqolbap Quintero

Type: Runabout
Class: Mustang
Status: Active

Length: 25.2 meters
Width: 15.6 meters
Height: 6.9 meters
Decks: 1
Mass: 163.7 metric tons [Assumed mass.]

Hull: Duranium-Tritanium Composite with 1cm shuttle grade ablative armor plates around vital modules
The Mustang class also has the modular design of Danube class runabouts comprising of a propulsion module, command module, and a readily exchangeable Cargo/Habitat module for specific mission objectives.

Warp Propulsion: Matter/Antimatter Reactor (Dilithium Mediated.)
Nacelles: 2
Cruising Speed: Warp Factor 4 [Lowered speed to fit SAC Warp 4 technology maximum for shuttlecraft.]
Max Speed: Warp Factor 4.45 for 22 hours

Impulse Propulsion: Standard Fusion Propulsion Engines originally design for the Danube class runabout.
Engines: 2

Phaser arrays: (6) Type XI arrays

Torpedo systems:
Standard:
Mark 2 Micro Photon Torpedo [Originally Quantum, figured Photon more realistic.]
Location: (2) fore and (2) aft
Magazine: 12 casings [More realistic load out than 24, wouldn’t be enough space for a warp core…]
Shields: Grid-projected (TDS)/Distance-projected, regenerative shielding
Optional upgrade:
Mark 1 Micro Quantum, rare uprating.
1 mini delivers same punch as 1.5 full size photons. Because of Avy inability to produce own, One has only 50 rounds and
can carry up to 12 in her magazine.

Crew: 2 (Pilot + Ops) with a maximum accommodation of 25

• Tactical/Defensive Operations: Typical Missions include patrolling the Xazon Border, Orion Occupation Zones, interdiction missions, or protecting any Imperial interest from hostile intent in planetary or interstellar conflicts.

  Emergency/Search and Rescue: Typical Missions include answering standard Imperial emergency beacons, extraction of Imperial or Non-Imperial citizens in distress, retrieval of Imperial or Non-TIFC spacecraft in distress, small-scale planetary evacuation - medium or large scale planetary evacuation is not feasible.

  Imperial Policy and Diplomacy: An Phoenix-class starship can be used as an envoy during deep-space operations.

  Deep-space Exploration: The Pheonix class is equipped for long-range interstellar survey and mapping missions, as well as the ability to explore a wide variety of planetary classifications.

  Contact with Alien Lifeforms: Pursuant to Imperial Policy regarding the discovery of new life, facilities aboard the Pheonix class include a variety of exobiology and xenobiological suites, and a small cultural anthropology staff, allowing for limited deep-space life form study and interaction.

• Ongoing Scientific Investigation: A Phoenix-class starship is equipped with scientific laboratories and a wide variety of sensor probes and sensor arrays, giving her the ability to perform a wide variety of ongoing scientific investigations.

The normal flight and mission operations of the Phoenix-class starship are conducted in accordance with a variety of TIFC standard operating rules, determined by the current operational state of the starship. These operational states are determined by the Commanding Officer, although in certain specific cases, the Computer can automatically adjust to a higher alert status.The major operating modes are:

• Cruise Mode: The normal operating condition of the ship.

  Yellow Alert: Designates a ship wide state of increased preparedness for possible crisis situations.

  Red Alert: Designates an actual state of emergency in which the ship or crew is endangered, immediately impending emergencies, or combat situations.

• Blue Alert: A Blue Alert, also known as Code Blue or Condition Blue is an alert signal status used in the Star Trek universe to indicate a situation on a starship or outpost such as docking maneuvers, separation maneuvers, landing, or an environmental issue.

• External Support Mode: State of reduced activity that exists when a ship is docked at a star base or other support facility.

• Reduced Power Mode: this protocol is invoked in case of a major failure in spacecraft power generation, in case of critical fuel shortage, or in the event that a tactical situation requires severe curtailment of onboard power generation.

• Cloaked Operation: (Pending)

• EMCON Emmission Control Operation:

During Cruise Mode, the ship’s operations are run on three 8-hour shifts designated Alpha, Beta, and Gamma. Should a crisis develop, it may revert to a four-shift system of six hours to keep crew fatigue down.

Typical Shift command:
Alpha Shift – Captain (CO) (0600-1400)
Beta Shift – Executive Officer (XO) (1400-2200)
Gamma Shift - Second Officer / Night Conn (2200-0600)
*Times in Furcadia Standard Time aka Central Standard Time

Pursuant to Imperial General Policy and TIFC Medical Emergency Operations, at least 40% of the officers and crew of the Phoenix class are cross-trained to serve as Emergency Medical Technicians, to serve as triage specialists, medics, and other emergency medical functions along with non-medical emergency operations in engineering or tactical departments. This set of policies was established due to the wide variety of emergencies, both medical and otherwise, that a Imperial Starship could respond to on any given mission.

The ship's lounge on deck 2 along with the VIP/guest quarters on deck 2 can serve as emergency intensive care wards, with an estimated online timeframe of 30 minutes with maximum engineering support. Further, the primary flight deck has 2 mobile hospitals that can be deployed either on the flight deck, or transported to the Gate Room for emergency overflow triage centers. Shuttle bay 2 also provides for the emergency atmosphere recalibration to type H,K, or L environments, intended for non-humanoid casualties. All facilities are equipped with full Bio-hazard suites, to minimize and prevent crew exposure to potentially deadly diseases.

Maintenance Procedures:

Though much of a modern starship’s systems are automated, they do require regular maintenance and upgrade. Maintenance is typically the purview of the Engineering, but personnel from certain divisions that are more familiar with them can also maintain specific systems.

Maintenance of onboard systems is almost constant, and varies in severity. Everything from fixing a stubborn replicator, to realigning the Dilithium matrix is handled by technicians and engineers on a regular basis. Not all systems are checked centrally by Main Engineering; to do so would occupy too much computer time by routing every single process to one location. To alleviate that, systems are compartmentalized by deck and location for checking. Department heads are expected to run regular diagnostics of their own equipment and report anomalies to Engineering to be fixed.

Systems Diagnostics: All key operating systems and subsystems aboard the ship have a number of preprogrammed diagnostic software and procedures for use when actual or potential malfunctions are experienced. These various diagnostic protocols are generally classified into five different levels, each offering a different degree of crew verification of automated tests. Which type of diagnostic is used in a given situation will generally depend upon the criticality of a situation, and upon the amount of time available for the test procedures.

Level 1 Diagnostic - This refers to the most comprehensive type of system diagnostic, which is normally conducted on ship's systems. Extensive automated diagnostic routines are performed, but a Level 1 diagnostic requires a team of crew members to physically verify operation of system mechanisms and to system readings, rather than depending on the automated programs, thereby guarding against possible malfunctions in self-testing hardware and software. Level 1 diagnostics on major systems can take several hours, and in many cases, the subject system must be taken off-line for all tests to be performed.

Level 2 Diagnostic - This refers to a comprehensive system diagnostic protocol, which, like a Level 1, involves extensive automated routines, but requires crew verification of fewer operational elements. This yields a somewhat less reliable system analysis, but is a procedure that can be conducted in less than half the time of the more complex tests.

Level 3 Diagnostic - This protocol is similar to Level 1 and 2 diagnostics but involves crew verification of only key mechanics and systems readings. Level 3 diagnostics are intended to be performed in ten minutes or less.

Level 4 Diagnostic - This automated procedure is intended for use whenever trouble is suspected with a given system. This protocol is similar to Level 5, but involves more sophisticated batteries of automated diagnostics. For most systems, Level 4 diagnostics can be performed in less than 30 seconds.

Level 5 Diagnostic - This automated procedure is intended for routine use to verify system performance. Level 5 diagnostics, which usually require less than 2.5 seconds, are typically performed on most systems on at least a daily basis, and are also performed during crisis situations when time and system resources are carefully managed.