FANSHIP DESIGN & STATS: Brad R. Torgersen, 1996 - 2002
Triton Class XVI Heavy Frigate
 NOTES:  The Cygnus class ships emerged from the same peacetime melting pot that produced larger classes such as the Galaxy and Nebula exploration cruisers.  Originally intended as a heavy companion for the defense of both the Galaxy and Nebula classes when exploring hostile areas, the Cygnus is not as large as either of the previous ships, lacking much of the expanded research and scientific facilities of the Cygnus's sisters.  There is also little room for passengers or civilians, seeing as how the class charter specifies a warship design that often goes into harm's way where large compliments of non-Starfleet personnel would be inappropriate.  Instead, the Cygnus devotes much of its surplus interior space to the housing of a sizeable compliment of marines, and their equipment.
        The original Cygnus design, as laid down in 2365, called for a modest installation of off-the-shelf armament: FP-4 torpedoes and FH-12 phasers; the same weapons featured on the Mark I Galaxy class.  The original Cygnus design also employed a standard configuration of two warp nacelles, slung in the downward position like the Nebula and Miranda classes.
        However, the skeleton for the prototype USS Cygnus was still in spacedock in 2365 when the Galaxy class USS Enterprise returned from a far-flung encounter with the new alien menace known as the Borg; an encounter instigated by the omnipotent alien intelligence known as Q.  As one might expect, Federation scientists and engineers were forced to seriously reassess all of their prototype ship designs in the face of such a potent and technologically advanced threat as the Borg.  Construction on the USS Cygnus was halted and a six-month emergency refit project was announced, intending to sharpen the teeth of the new frigate before it went into production.
        The reliable, yet dated FH-12 and FP-4 systems were the first components to get cut.  In their places engineers installed the FAHW-22 and the FP-13 weapons systems, both of which yield superior damage when compared to older models.  All was not well, however.  Computer simulations revealed that a two-nacelle configuration would not be able to provide enough power to the frigate if it had to energize phasers and shields at the same time.  After several failed attempts to upgrade the frigate with a larger warp nacelle model, a backward-seeing junior engineer suggested that the Cygnus project team take a page from one of the Federation's old designs: the Triton.
        The retired Triton class dated from the previous century, and had been built with an unorthodox configuration of three warp engines; the third engine used exclusively as a bonus power generator whose energy was employed for shields and weapons.  While the other two engines on the Triton maintained warp field geometry, the third engine dumped all its output into the ship's power grid.  What was more, if one of the two main warp engines were to be damaged or destroyed, the third engine could then be employed in an asymmetric warp field to power the ship at standard warp speeds in spite of damage that would cripple other vessels.
         Seeing as how the Cygnus was facing similar issues as had faced the Triton in its time, the Cygnus project team was intrigued by their junior engineer's suggestion.  Computer simulations commenced immediately, and the team was pleased to see that the addition of a third nacelle identical to the Cygnus's original two nacelles would nicely resolve the energy deficiency issue.  The warp core was summarily reconfigured and the aft superstructure strengthened to support a warp pylon that would be mounted centerline along the spine.  In short order the profile of the Cygnus had been reborn, with a 'shark fin' dorsal warp pylon sprouting from the rear and a third nacelle perched at its top.  Not only did the third nacelle dramatically increase the ship's total power output, it lent a striking cosmetic improvement to what had initially been a somewhat dull-looking class.
        With more power at their disposal, and the superstructure already strengthened as a result of the addition of the third warp nacelle, the Cygnus team revamped the shield system to complete the process.
        Full-time construction on the naked frame of the USS Cygnus began once again, this time using plans for what had officially become known as the Mark II version (the Mark I having never even reached the point of trials.)  Construction would continue through 2365 and into 2366, with the USS Cygnus being commissioned into Starfleet late in 2366.  The ship spent nine months in trials, ironing out problems with the standard and asymmetric warp geometry, as well as fire control and shielding systems difficulties.  Satisfied with the quick shake-down cruise, Starfleet ordered additional Cygnus hulls into production at four Federation facilities.  Shortly afterward, a Borg cube invaded Federation space and reached Earth, destroying an entire Starfleet armada at Wolf 359 in the process.
        Ironically, the USS Cygnus was undergoing minor maintenance at a starbase while escorting the Nebula class USS Kirilenko to the Beta Quadrant, and was therefore unable to return to either Wolf 359 or Earth in time to test its mettle against the very enemies it had been re-designed to combat.
        The decimation of the Wolf 359 fleet only redoubled Starfleet's efforts to get more dedicated warships into action.  Several modern vessels, like the Nebula class, as well as a host of older designs, had all proven to be poorly matched against the Borg at Wolf 359.  The need for the Cygnus class heavy frigate seemed to be greater than ever, with both Galaxy and Nebula class exploration cruisers continuing to push into uncharted territory, at grave risk of encountering either more Borg, or advanced foes as yet unknown.
        By 2370 over thirty Cygnus class frigates had been built, and had seen relatively routine service escorting various large Federation cruisers on exploration duties.  A few had seen actual combat, with no losses, but Starfleet believed that the ship's true test lay in the future.
        This hunch proved ominously prophetic, when hostilities with the Gamma Quadrant's powerful Dominion government broke out that same year.  As with the battle of Wolf 359, the Cygnus class missed yet another vital chance to prove itself against a worthy adversary.
        A group of vacationers, under the auspices of Deep Space Nine station commander Benjamin Sisko, was captured in the Gamma Quadrant by the then as yet unheard of military muscle behind the Dominion: the fearsome Jem'Hadar.  A Federation rescue effort was hastily organized, and the Galaxy class starship USS Odyssey, under the command of Captain Keogh, arrived at Deep Space Nine to lead a rescue effort through the Bajoran wormhole.  Ignoring advice from Starfleet Command that he wait until a trio of Cygnus class ships could reach Deep Space Nine to enter the Gamma Quadrant alongside the Odyssey, Keogh was confident in that the puissance of his Galaxy class ship and decided precious time was wasting.  The Odyssey was thus escorted into the Gamma Quadrant by a paltry squadron of Danube class runabouts, each crewed by officers from Deep Space Nine.
        A quick and deadly battle ensued, with the Odyssey being disabled almost immediately.  The more maneuverable yet weakly-armed runabouts were able to complete their mission, but the Odyssey herself was obliterated when a Jem'Hadar attack ship made a suicide run on the secondary hull, puncturing the Odyssey's matter and anti-matter containment fields near the warp core, which caused an uncontrolled matter/anti-matter reaction.
        Though the rescue of Sisko and his party was itself successful, the Galaxy class had proven remarkably cumbersome and awkward against the much smaller and much faster Jem'Hadar attack ships.  The Odyssey had been dispatched with ease, and to this day many strategists and military historians in Starfleet wonder what might have happened had Keogh waited for the trio of Cygnus ships to arrive.
        Properly escorted, the USS Odyssey might have withstood the attack by the Jem'Hadar.  Indeed, the Cygnus class is smaller, faster, and more maneuverable than the Galaxy class.  The Cygnus ships might have been able to combat the Jem'Hadar attack craft on an even footing, allowing Keogh and the Odyssey to fight from a distance with torpedo volleys and crippling phaser strikes.  If the Federation had won that initial battle with the Dominion, showing coordinated force instead of bungling weakness, it is just possible that the Dominion might have reconsidered their eventual invasion of the Alpha Quadrant, and the resulting Dominion War might never have taken place.
        Thus, even though Keogh and his crew were heralded for their sacrifice in the rescue of Sisko, and even though the Federation did put up a brave--if muted--first fight against the Jem'Hadar, in hindsight it is difficult to measure how much the destruction of the Odyssey eventually cost the Federation, as the first major defeat at the hands of Dominion forces only seemed to embolden the Founders and demoralize Starfleet.
        In the wake of the destruction of the Odyssey, engineers across the Federation once again entered into a period of frenzied re-evaluation.  Virtually every modern class of starship was slated for some kind of weapons upgrade, much like after first contact with the Borg.  Research and development of better weapons systems--initiated since the Borg invasion of 2367--was already starting to offer shipbuilders a new array of slings and arrows with which to combat advanced alien threats, and the Cygnus class was at the top of the list of classes being refitted.  Having missed out on its first two chances to fulfill its primary combat role alongside both the Nebula and Galaxy classes, Starfleet was determined that the Cygnus would be ready and available for the next fight.  The Mark III debuted in early 2371, featuring improvements across the board, from structural strength to shield power to weapons potency.  All Mark II Cygnus class ships were scheduled for upgrade to the Mark III, and work was begun on still another possible upgrade of the Cygnus class, deemed the Mark IV, which would use some of the most powerful weapons in the experimental inventory.
        When the Mark III Cygnus class finally did get its trial by fire, it came not at the hands of the Borg, nor the Dominion, but rather against former friends: the Klingon Empire.  Under the paranoid leadership of Chancellor Gowron, the Klingons attacked the Cardassians in 2372 out of fear that Dominion shapeshifters had infiltrated the Cardassian government and were planning to use the Cardassians as a puppet nation through which they would stage a takeover of the Alpha Quadrant.  Balking at this unwarranted and unprovoked aggression, the Federation split with the Klingons and the Klingon Empire went on the offensive against not only Cardassia, but the Federation as well.
        Suddenly besieged on borders that had been friendly for almost a century, the Federation hurled every available warship into the fray, as Gowron's hostile Klingon nationalist policy undid virtually all of the progress made between the Federation and the Klingons since the signing of the Khitomer Accords.
        The moment of truth came for the Cygnus class in 2373 while escorting several battle-damaged Starfleet ships back to a friendly starbase.
        The Mark III Cygnus class frigates USS Mezek and USS Gan'ylar were escorting three wounded Excelsior class ships and one wounded Nebula class ship away from the Klingon border, when no less than five Klingon cruisers of varying age and design de-cloaked and attacked from two different angles.  One of the Excelsior ships was destroyed, but the Mezek and Gan'ylar responded quickly.  Concentrating torpedo volleys from both their frigates, the Captains of the Mezek and the Gan'ylar wiped out the lead Klingon cruiser.
        Thrown off by the loss of their flag vessel, two of the three Klingon ships from the main Klingon formation evaded fire and began swinging around, while the other two cruisers in the second formation reached killing distance.  All of the limping Federation ships tried to return what fire they could, but a second Excelsior had both its warp nacelles blown apart before the Cygnus frigates could swing about and drive off the Klingons by destroying a second Klingon cruiser with a combined phaser barrage.
        Their sterns facing the wrong direction, both the Mezek and the Gan'ylar sustained damage as the three remaining Klingon vessels regrouped and attacked from the rear with torpedoes and disruptors.  Shields collapsing, the Mezek lost a warp Nacelle and part of its saucer section, while the Gan'ylar sustained damage to her secondary hull.  The two Cygnus ships had rearward torpedoes armed, however, and again they concentrated their volleys on a single Klingon ship, smashing it to bits before the two surviving Klingon cruisers broke off their attack and began to make a getaway.
        With warp-charged phasers blazing, the Gan'ylar used her impulse maneuverability to pursue the Klingons.  The Mezek assumed a defensive stance between her charges and the Klingons while her sister, the Gan'ylar, lanced at the flanks of the Klingons with concentrated phaser strikes.  One of the Klingon ships was disabled before it could jump to warp, and the Gan'ylar cruised into position alongside the foundering Klingon craft as the frigate's compliment of heavily armed marines hit their transporter pads.
        The taking of the Klingon cruiser was a brutal piece of work, but Starfleet marine casualties were within acceptable limits.  The disabled Klingon cruiser and its surviving crew were thus hauled back to the join the injured Starfleet flotilla, and were towed home as a war prize.  The crews of the two Cygnus class vessels were given commendations for their actions, while the Klingons were sent to prison as P.O.W.'s and their ship was impounded for Starfleet military R&D purposes.
       As if the recent Klingon and Dominion aggression had not been bad enough, a second Borg cube invaded Federation space in late 2373, again intent on taking Earth.  Unlike at the Battle of Wolf 359, however, several Cygnus class ships were in the vicinity of Earthm and able to intercept the cube along with the rest of the Starfleet defense forces, including the Sovereign class USS Enterprise and Defiant class USS Defiant.  One Cygnus class ship was destroyed and another hopelessly crippled before the fleet was able to destroy the cube using critical combat information provided by Enterprise captain Jean Luc Picard.
        At the end of 2373, all surviving Cygnus class frigates had been refitted to Mark III specifications, and the Mark IV was officially brought into use.  Again, the ship's systems were upgraded virtually across the board, again with the idea of keeping the class armed with the latest technology so as to better fight the advanced threats of the day.  Of special note was the addition of the new quantum torpedo, which is quickly making even advanced photon torpedo technology obsolete.  The quantum torpedo requires more power than tried and tested models like the reliable FP-4, but the damage yield can be staggering.
        At least ten Mark IV ships were built in 2374 and thrust into battle against the Dominion alongside the surviving Mark III's.  With the Klingons finally re-allied with the Federation, and the Federation joining the Romulans in an Alpha Quadrant-wide alliance against the Dominion and its Alpha Quadrant puppets--the Breen and the Cardassians--Mark III and Mark IV Cygnus class ships saw tremendous fighting as a final push was made to drive the Jem'Hadar back to the shores of Cardassia itself, and force the Founders to the bargaining table.  By the time the Dominion War came to an end, scores of Cygnus class ships had seen fierce combat against the best the Breen, Cardassians, and Dominion had to offer.  In some cases the Cygnus came out the winner, in other cases, the loser.
        As of 2377, the Dominion War is over and the Jem'Hadar have vacated Federation space.  The political climate of the Alpha Quadrant has been altered dramatically, with the Cardassian government a ruin and the Federation/Klingon alliance slowly healing under the care of the new chancellor, a man friendly to the Federation: General Martok.
        The Romulans still pose a vexing problem, as they have somewhat returned to their catty aloofness after a brief warming while battling the Dominion.  The Breen are still around too, and more dangerous than before thanks to Dominion meddling.  Occasional attacks by rogue Cardassian ships or Jem'Hadar vessels stranded in the Alpha Quadrant after the end of the war make things more interesting still.  Thus, even after eleven years of service, and even with new ship types like the advanced Intrepid class, Steamrunner class, and Akira classes being rushed into service for the war, the Cygnus class is still playing a vital role in maintaining the restored security of the Federation, as well as safeguarding the continued exploration of uncharted regions in the Beta Quadrant and elsewhere.
        There are currently no plans for a Mark V Cygnus, though the original charter for the frigate envisioned a productive lifespan of at least seventy years, so by the dawning of the 25th century there are very likely going to be still more changes to the design.
        Production is currently steady at a combined rate of 8 ships per year at two different shipyards.  All of the remaining Mark III models are slated for eventual upgrade to the Mark IV, and out of the entire combined production run to date--Mark IIs, IIIs, and IVs--thirty five ships have been destroyed, twenty three more have been scrapped as a result of crippling damage, six are used exclusively by Starfleet Academy for training purposes, four are detailed to Starfleet Reserve, and the rest are registered and active with Starfleet Command.
        Ships of this class are often named for popular star constellations in the various tongues of Federation member species.

* Special thanks to Bryan for figuring out the D and WDF for this fanship!

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