Challenger Specifications

Vehicle Type: Combat enhanced cruiser based on Excelsior-class
Statistical Data:
Unit Run (To Date): NCC-42768, USS Lakota, NCC-1986, USS Challenger
(*Further production is planned, as vessels come up for re-fit*)
Re-commissioned: 2372: USS LakotaUSS Challenger
Dimensions
Length : 467 m
Beam : 185 m
Height : 100 m
Decks : 28
Mass 1, 925, 000 tons
Crew 300
Armament:
30 x Type IX Phaser banks, total output 40, 000 TeraWatts
4 x Type X Phaser arrays, total output 30, 000 TeraWatts
4 x Type IX Phaser banks, modified to fire Phased Polaron Beams, total output estimated to be 17, 500 TeraWatts
(*These banks are still part of the 30 normal Type IX system, but can be reconfigured to fire the Phased Polaron Beams as needed*)
4 x Pulse fire Quantum Torpedo tubes + 500 torpedoes
4 x Pulse fire Photon Torpedo tubes + 500 torpedoes
4 x Pulse fire Transphasic Torpedo tubes + 500 torpedoes
(*The Transphasic Torpedo modification is specific to NCC-1986, USS Challenger*)
Antimatter spread emitter

Defense Systems
Auto modulated shield system, total capacity 3, 862, 500 TeraJoules
Stellardyne Systems Auto modulated Ablative Armour Generator
(*The Ablative Armour Generator modification is specific to NCC-1986, USS Challenger*)
Standard Duranium/Tritanium double hull plus 7.10 cm Ablative Armour
High level Structural Integrity Field

Warp Speeds:
Normal Cruise : Warp Factor 6
Maximum Cruise : Warp Factor 9
Maximum Rated : Warp Factor 9.4 for twelve hours
Notes:
This variant of the Excelsior design was intended to extend the usefulness of the class by incorporating new technology to give a much greater weapons capability. It was hoped that the whole fleet could be similarly refitted to give Starfleet a far greater combat power during its current crises. However, the unfortunate battle between the USS Lakota and the USS Defiant clearly established the superiority of the latter; it is also actually easier to build a whole new Defiant-class vessel than to upgrade an Excelsior-class to Lakota standard. When full production of the Defiant-class begun, the Lakota subclass was therefore dropped and only the original prototype vessel remains in service. This may well have been the end of this experiment. However, as the ship losses during the Dominion War continued to mount up, Starfleet was forced to rethink its position. The Excelsior-class was, and still is, the most prevalent class of starship in Starfleet, with four hundred and ninety three vessels having been constructed during its amazing production run. Even with losses, it still numbers as the most common vessel type within the 'Fleet. With the capture of a Dominion warship by Captain Sisko of Deep Space Nine, Starfleet was able to get a first hand look at some of the technology that so far had been carving pieces out of the Federation Starfleet. They found that some of it could be adapted their ships. This, combined with a need for greater firepower in its starships, led Starfleet to dust off the plans for the USS Lakota. This time, they took it a step further. The vessel retained its thirty Type-IX phaser banks, and had four Type-X phaser arrays added to increase the ship's field of fire. Another interesting addition was the development of Phased Polaron weapons. This type of system was new to Starfleet, and the highly adaptable spaceframe of the Excelsior-class was chosen as a testbed for this new application. Four of the Lakota's Type-IX phaser banks were modified to be able to fire a Phased Polaron discharge. Starfleet also incorporated its new BioNeural Gelpack Interface Systems to enhance the vessel's computers. This modification allowed the total crew needs to be reduced to three hundred. By reducing the crew needs, more internal space was made available, which was utilized for increased torpedo storage. The ship was also given and auto-modulated shield system, a higher power Structural Integrity Field, and 7.10 cm of Ablative Armour, a modification that has proven itself on the USS Defiant. An improved warp core provided more raw power, though the vessel's speed saw only marginal increases. The reduced crew needs also allowed for more power to be utilized during combat. Once the modifications were completed, the Lakota engaged in trial runs which included simulated combat manoeuvres. The results were so impressive that Starfleet gave the green light for the upgrades. The next vessel to undergo the refit was NCC-1986, USS Challenger. Both ships saw heavy combat action during the latter stage of the Dominion War, and both were on the frontlines during the Advance on Cardassia which ultimately saw the Federation emerge victorious. With the war now over, Starfleet intends to slowly upgrade its aging Excelsior fleet. With their new lease-on-life, this class of starship will once more take a more active role at the forefront of Federation deep space exploration.

Admiral Mallory's story:

Vehicle Type:	Combat enhanced cruiser based on Excelsior-class
Statistical Data:
Unit Run (To Date):	NCC-42768, USS Lakota, NCC-1986, USS Challenger (Further production is planned, as vessels come up for re-fit)
Re-commissioned:	2372: USS LakotaUSS Challenger
Dimensions
Length :	467 m
Beam :	185 m
Height :	100 m
Decks :	28
Mass	1, 925, 000 tons
Crew	300
Armament:
30 x Type IX Phaser banks, total output 40, 000 TeraWatts 4 x Type X Phaser arrays, total output 30, 000 TeraWatts 4 x Type IX Phaser banks, modified to fire Phased Polaron Beams, total output estimated to be 17, 500 TeraWatts (These banks are still part of the 30 normal Type IX system, but can be reconfigured to fire the Phased Polaron Beams as needed) 4 x Pulse fire Quantum Torpedo tubes + 500 torpedoes 4 x Pulse fire Photon Torpedo tubes + 500 torpedoes 4 x Pulse fire Transphasic Torpedo tubes + 500 torpedoes (The Transphasic Torpedo modification is specific to NCC-1986, USS Challenger) Antimatter spread emitter
Defense Systems
Auto modulated shield system, total capacity 3, 862, 500 TeraJoules Stellardyne Systems Auto modulated Ablative Armour Generator (The Ablative Armour Generator modification is specific to NCC-1986, USS Challenger) Standard Duranium/Tritanium double hull plus 7.10 cm Ablative Armour High level Structural Integrity Field
Warp Speeds:
Normal Cruise :	Warp Factor 6
Maximum Cruise :	Warp Factor 9
Maximum Rated :	Warp Factor 9.4 for twelve hours
Notes:
This variant of the Excelsior design was intended to extend the usefulness of the class by incorporating new technology to give a much greater weapons capability. It was hoped that the whole fleet could be similarly refitted to give Starfleet a far greater combat power during its current crises. However, the unfortunate battle between the USS Lakota and the USS Defiant clearly established the superiority of the latter; it is also actually easier to build a whole new Defiant-class vessel than to upgrade an Excelsior-class to Lakota standard. When full production of the Defiant-class begun, the Lakota subclass was therefore dropped and only the original prototype vessel remains in service. This may well have been the end of this experiment. However, as the ship losses during the Dominion War continued to mount up, Starfleet was forced to rethink its position. The Excelsior-class was, and still is, the most prevalent class of starship in Starfleet, with four hundred and ninety three vessels having been constructed during its amazing production run. Even with losses, it still numbers as the most common vessel type within the 'Fleet. With the capture of a Dominion warship by Captain Sisko of Deep Space Nine, Starfleet was able to get a first hand look at some of the technology that so far had been carving pieces out of the Federation Starfleet. They found that some of it could be adapted their ships. This, combined with a need for greater firepower in its starships, led Starfleet to dust off the plans for the USS Lakota. This time, they took it a step further. The vessel retained its thirty Type-IX phaser banks, and had four Type-X phaser arrays added to increase the ship's field of fire. Another interesting addition was the development of Phased Polaron weapons. This type of system was new to Starfleet, and the highly adaptable spaceframe of the Excelsior-class was chosen as a testbed for this new application. Four of the Lakota's Type-IX phaser banks were modified to be able to fire a Phased Polaron discharge. Starfleet also incorporated its new BioNeural Gelpack Interface Systems to enhance the vessel's computers. This modification allowed the total crew needs to be reduced to three hundred. By reducing the crew needs, more internal space was made available, which was utilized for increased torpedo storage. The ship was also given and auto-modulated shield system, a higher power Structural Integrity Field, and 7.10 cm of Ablative Armour, a modification that has proven itself on the USS Defiant. An improved warp core provided more raw power, though the vessel's speed saw only marginal increases. The reduced crew needs also allowed for more power to be utilized during combat. Once the modifications were completed, the Lakota engaged in trial runs which included simulated combat manoeuvres. The results were so impressive that Starfleet gave the green light for the upgrades. The next vessel to undergo the refit was NCC-1986, USS Challenger. Both ships saw heavy combat action during the latter stage of the Dominion War, and both were on the frontlines during the Advance on Cardassia which ultimately saw the Federation emerge victorious. With the war now over, Starfleet intends to slowly upgrade its aging Excelsior fleet. With their new lease-on-life, this class of starship will once more take a more active role at the forefront of Federation deep space exploration.