BRAD'S COMMENTS:  Who says that the NX-01 is based purely on the TNG-era Akira design?  The moment I saw the NX-01 Enterprise, I didn't think of the Akira as much as I thought of the old FASA Loknar design!  At last, another thread tying an otherwise apocryphal FASA design to the bedrock of Trek canon!  Or, well, maybe...  You've got to admit that the two ships are remarkably similar.  Fans have taken to derisively calling the NX-01 the "Akiraprise" in reference to its thinly-veiled resemblance to the Akira.  To heck with that, I say, that's no damned Akiraprise!  It's really the Loknarprise!
        The Loknar class is one of the most powerful TOS-era ships in the entire STSTCS system, with later models--refitted to TMP-era stats--being more than a match for many mid-range Klingon cruisers.  The triple-forward torpedo armament gives the Loknar a brutal first punch, while good warp engines provide generous power for both phasers and shields.  Next to the Chandley, the Loknar is my most favorite Federation frigate and I have played it in numerous campaigns, most notably against the Klingon Empire.  The Mark V Loknar is a good opponent for the Type G D-10 Riskadh cruiser, or the Types B and E L-9 Saber.
        The backstory for the class is rubbish by current canon, but contains some notable references, especially to the "blue fleet" which is mentioned in other parts of the STSTCS.  Though there is no official mention in Trek of any such entity within Starfleet, given the developments with the Andorians in ST:ENT it does seem plausible.  The Andorians are aggressive, war-bent, and not just a little racist.  I have no trouble that the Andorians would seek out warship design, and would push to crew warships exclusively so that they could get away from all those damned "pink skins".
        One Neutral Zone skirmish that gamers may find interesting is as follows:  A Mark VI Anton Class science cruiser from Starfleet has gone missing near the Klingon Neutral Zone.  Suspecting foul play, Starfleet sends a Mark III Constitution Class along with two Mark IV Loknars to investigate and possibly retrieve the Anton.  Set up a map sheet littered with asteroids, and place the Anton in the middle of the asteroid field.  The UFP player controls the Anton, but the Anton is damaged and has only a third its normal power output and half its normal superstructure.  The other three UFP ships should be arrayed along one edge of the map sheet.  Along the opposite edge are two M type Klingon D-7 cruisers.  Somewhere within the asteroid field are three cloaked Type C D-18 Gull destroyers.  The goal of the Federation player is to get the Anton back to the UFP side of the mapsheet intact, along with at least one of the other Starfleet vessels.  The goal of the Klingon player is to lure as many Starfleet ships into the asteroid field as possible, using the wounded Anton as bait, then destroy the Federation search fleet without destroying the Anton.
        The Klingons will have superior numbers, but the Federation has superior firepower.  The Anton cannot be used as an offensive weapon lest it be destroyed, nor can the Klingons destroy it because they want it as a war prize.  At no time can any ship flee the map sheet.
        As always, many thanks to fan/gamer Neale Davidson for the superb re-draw of the schematic!  I especially like the use of the deflector dish, mounted beneath the saucer module, reminiscent of Franz Joseph's starship designs from the apocryphal "Star Fleet Technical Manual."

From the FASA Star Trek FEDERATION SHIP RECOGNITION MANUAL, circa 1985
Loknar Class VIII - X Frigate
NOTES:  The Loknar Class frigates were built during "The Great Awakening", a period of expansion by the Federation. During this time, many research and exploration vessels were designed and built to aid in the effort to solidify an enlarged and growing United Federation of Planets.  Also during this period, a smaller number of warships were built.  The Loknar, the most noted of these warships, is still in service to this day, a tribute to the quality of the Andorian design.
        Soon after the Federation Appropriations Committee granted Star Fleet the funds necessary to construct fleets to expand and patrol the limits of the UFP, Andorian factions began pushing for warship construction.  The basic Andorian philosophy was that, in expanding, the Federation might come upon races as hostile as the Romulans and Klingons, leading to another protracted war broke out for which the Federation and Star Fleet were unprepared.  The Andorians argued that, were this to happen or were the Klingons or Romulans to escalate hostilities, Star Fleet needed to be better prepared and would need ships to protect the new borders and colonies.  The Andorian arguments were successful, and Star Fleet began a limited build-up of warships.  Several ship-building facilities were constructed by Andorian firms to design and manufacture these warships, the most notable of these on Sol IV and Salazaar, the largest and most productive in the Federation.
        Introduced on Stardate 1/9010, the Loknar Class frigate mounted the new, but already proven, FWE-1 warp drive, in Star Fleet's inventory for only two years.  The FIC-2 impulse engine was introduced on the Loknar and has since proven itself to be one of the most reliable of all production.  The Loknar Mk I was considered a 'muscle' ship because of its four heavy lasers and single accelerator cannon, making it equal to all but the largest Klingon vessels and more powerful than any ship in the Romulan navy.  In addition, the Loknar mounted FSH shield generators, more efficient than any used by the enemies of the Federation.
        During the Four Years War, the Loknar saw more action than any other vessel in Star Fleet.  Although it was considered to be successful, the Andorian designers felt a need to improve it.  The FWE-2 warp drive systems, still being tested, would produce 60% more power than the FWE-1 and would increase the ship's overall performance.  The Mk II was commissioned into service on Stardate 1/9801 mounting the FWE-2, even though this engine was not officially adopted by Star Fleet until Stardate 2/0002.
        The most significant advance in starship technology came with the phaser and photon torpedo. The phaser delivers more firepower at longer ranges, weighs less, and requires less structural reinforcing than the laser.  The newly developed photon torpedo delivered the same explosive power at 75% less power requirement, was considerably lighter, and required less structural reinforcement than the accelerator cannon.  Eight FH-5 phasers and four FP-3 torpedoes were incorporated into the Mk II, making it more powerful than anything in the Klingon fleet with the exception of the D-10.  The Mk II also mounted an upgraded binary shield generator, the FSK, giving 33% more protection at the same output level as they earlier system.
        The next major change in the Loknar's design came with the introduction of the FWD-2 warp drive to the Mk IV.  This increased the power output and overall performance by 40%.  Furthermore, this model was modified to fire the FP-1 photon torpedo.
        Loknar Class frigates have served Starfleet faithfully for 33 years and will remain in the inventory for many years to come.   Loknars are produced at the Salazaar and Sol VI facilities at a rate of 2 ships per year, including refits.  The current production rate is low due to the number of ships required and the high levels of reliability in the existing ships.
        The Loknar Class frigates are named after cities and provinces of the Federation.  More than half of these vessels are crewed by Andorians and the majority of these are assigned to the 'Blue Fleet'; ships whose crew and officer contingent are entirely Andorian.  The USS Loknar was the first ship commissioned into the Blue Fleet, Serving as the flagship for many years.
        The infamous IKVS Staav'eMara (Slave of Justice), was originally the USS Morgan City, a Loknar Class frigate captured by Admiral Kamato's forces during the Four Years War and later used in Kamato's abortive coup attempt on the Klingon throne.  After failing, Kamato retreated into the Triangle, taking the Loknar Class frigate with him.  From their location within the Triangle, the rebels began attacking unprotected convoys and merchant vessels by using the Staav'eMara to lure them in.  This ruse lasted for several years, then a general recall of all Loknar Class vessels made it difficult for the Klingon vessel to operate as though it were from Starfleet.  The IKS Admiralty then decided to have the vessel painted in the standard steel gray color of their navy.  The Staav'eMara still operates with the IKS Navy and has been seen as recently as stardate 2/2301.

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