Specifications, USS Chimera

The Chimera Class is a versatile starship designed to fulfill a number of operations requirements. The design boasts a catamaran hull design similar to the Akira class. A modifiable pod and two large nacelles are connected to the catamaran hull via pylons. The pod (consisting of three decks) contains four torpedo launchers (2 forward, 2 aft), an array of sensor pallets, the dorsal tractor beam emitter as well as storage for photon, quantum and verteron torpedoes. The catamaran hull (consisting of six decks) connects to the main saucer section. It mainly contains enlisted crew quarters, escape pods and maintenance access to the nacelles and the pod. The main variation of the Manticore subtype is its inclusion of docking support between the catamaran sections towards the rear of the saucer section for Defiant class and similarly sized vessels. Localised tractor emitters and clamps secure the docked vessel to the ship’s hull, allowing the ship to achieve high warp with an escort craft attached. Battle manoeuvres with an escort attached is highly discouraged, as is docking procedures at high warp, considering that the docking mechanisms may be easily damaged resulting in structural to both ships.

The saucer section houses the main research, medical and accommodation facilities on the ship. It is equipped with several phaser arrays, phase pulse cannons and torpedo launchers. Intelligence labs and covert research facilities allow for detailed in-depth analyses of information. Tactical labs offer strategic planning and weapon research. The medical bays and associated facilities are capable of handling large-scale medical emergencies; medical labs provide assistance and offer covert medical research capabilities. Science facilities are equipped to study temporal and transdimensional anomalies; the biology labs are capable of studying a large number of alien lifeforms and the aquatic labs can host large size aquatic lifeforms. Four impulse engines provide impressive sublight maneuverability to a starship of the Chimera Class’ size.

The Flight Deck is the single largest design feature of the ship and stretches the entire width of the saucer section from the port side to the starboard side, with retractable space doors on each side. The bay is three decks high and is capable of housing a wide variety of shuttles and support craft; it can also serve as a limited fight craft carrier for specialised operations. During an evacuation emergency, the Flight Deck can serve as a platform to temporarily house up to 5,000 people. It is also modifiable to accommodate different atmospheric types. The ship contains large-size holographic training decks capable of simulating a wide variety of environments, perfect for security training simulations; the decks also contain comfortable accommodation for several troops allowing the ship to serve as a troop carrier. Large-scale personnel transporters are capable of deploying crew and troops rapidly to planetary surfaces or ships/bases without the use of shuttlecraft. When transport is not possible, the troops can be deployed via twelve Type-6 shuttlecraft stored in the Flight Deck specifically modified for the deployment of ground forces into hostile territory. Another innovative feature of the refit subtype is its inclusion of civilian facilities and Fleet-level command accommodation for the 1st Taskforce. A Fleet Operations room acts as a command centre for the entire taskforce and dedicated labs serve the taskforce staff.

Due its size, the Chimera Class does not use a standard cloaking device, but instead utilizes a holographic cloak. This allows the ship to appear as any object up 1.5 times its own size. It has the ability to fool passive and certain light active scans, but in depth sensors will be able to detect the ship through the device. The holographic cloak does not function when an escort craft is docked with the ship.

The ship was also designed bearing deep space reconnaissance missions in mind. It has the ability to appear as a normal heavy cruiser/carrier/explorer to any ships who might want to investigate. Sensitive areas of the ship, like the intelligence labs and ODA decks, have the ability to camouflage with the help of internal holographic emitters, making these areas appear to be normal crew quarters, laboratories, etc. Certain areas automatically require clearance codes and are not accessible to civilians or unauthorised personnel. These measures are activated with Grey Mode, during which all sensitive areas on the ship are cordoned off and the ship assumes the appearance of a “normal” Starfleet ship.

In accordance with Starfleet Special Forces Directives, the following objectives have been established for the Chimera Class Starship. These include, but are not limited to: