Inquiry Class
Overview
In the wake of the Synth Attack on Mars in 2385, Starfleet required a new design that could be built quickly and in large numbers at its dispersed shipyards throughout the Federation. First entering Starfleet service in 2394, the Inquiry-class and its Curiosity-class subclass have been jokingly referred to as the "copy-and-paste class" due to their ease and speed of production in addition to their increased automation to increase efficiency and reduce crew levels.
Capabilities
Designed to patrol the former Romulan Neutral Zone in the wake of the destruction of Utopia Planitia and the Romulan Supernova, flexibility was a requirement of the Inquiry-class; the new design was going to have to be able to function independently for extended periods of time, conduct the standard missions assigned to Starfleet vessels, while also being well-armed and able to out0fight any hostile force it might come across. In addition to advanced sensors taken from the Sovereign-class, the Inquiry-class was armed with rapid-fire Quantum Torpedo launchers and included facilities to refill empty magazines.
While not able to accommodate mission-specific pods like the earlier Nebula and Luna classes, the Inquiry-class was designed to be internally modular - areas devoted to science labs on one ship might be an expanded sickbay or shuttlebay on another, while other vessels might be equipped with extra torpedo magazines or higher-resolution sensors for tactical or espionage missions.
Mission Profile
As Starfleet's new "jack-of-all-trades", the Inquiry-class can be assigned to any mission Starfleet feels it is needed for. Under normal circumstances, however, Inquiry-class starships are usually assigned to exploration, crisis response, or tactical and diplomatic operations.
Vessels of Note
Name | Registry | Status |
---|---|---|
USS Magellan | NCC-86509 | Active |
USS Nathan Hale | NCC-86501 | Active |
USS Rustazh | NCC-86503 | Active |
USS Shackleton | NCC-86517 | Active |
USS Zheng He | NCC-86505 | Active |