Description:

The Celeres-Class Medium Cruiser, developed by San Francisco Fleet Yards by order of Starfleet Command in 2288. The first prototype was built in 2291 and after a successful field test, the first batch of Celeres-Class vessels would be built in very limited numbers up until 2294 when the Excelsior-Refit variant was introduced. After 2394, the Celeres-Class would be more closely based on the Excelsior-II variant, and while this strengthened the class considerably, it also was in conjuction with it's demise. Just as the Excelsior-II variant would be discontinued in favor of the orginal hull design, and the Celeres-Class would be discontinued altogether in favor of the already successful Miranda and Constellation.

This starship's design was derived directly from the successful Excelsior-Class, using it's saucer section, warp nacelles, and two modified sets of nacelle pylons. The pylon support structure mounted to the ventral side of the ship supports a pair of Excelsior-Class warp nacelles, while the dorsal pylons are mounted in the same orientation, but attaching directly to the saucer section with the pylon support hub being raised over the aft portion of the saucer. The hub would be used to house the ship's main deflector and as a weapons pod, similar to that of a Miranda-Class Starship for which served as the inspiration behind the project. The Constitution-Class was already being forced into retirement, perhaps prematurely, and many anticipated the same for the Miranda. Essentially, the Celeres would be the Miranda of the new age; a less costly vessel than her flagship kin but nearly just as formidable in a fight and perhaps faster at high warp speeds. Such vessels were thought to be more suitable for patrol duties and other routine assignments while the larger ships could focus on more demanding ventures which required the full resources of an Excelsior-Class starship.

Trouble was, the Celeres-Class was an overlooked middle-child in an era during which Starfleet's focus on defense was on the wane. The Khitomer Accords had swayed the Federation away from the posture of defense and more towards ongoing diplomacy. This hopeful new era of peace meant that Starfleet would have to slow it's stride towards more powerful starships, this being part of the reason behind the demise of the Excelsior-II and the Celeres. By the time these new designs had begun to show promise, Starfleet had already found ways to incorporate the latest technology into what it already had. It simply would be more cost-effective to upgrade the already existing Excelsior, Miranda, Soyuz, and Constellation than it would be to toss them out and build a whole new fleet from the ground up. Unfortunately for the Constitution, this decision was made too late for a resurrection.

Despite the changing times, the Celeres-Class made for an exceptionally formidable starship. She couldn't carry quite as many torpedoes as an Excelsior-Class, but she had just as many launchers and phaser turrets while her maneuverability actually surpassed the larger ship. The Celeres-Class never needed additional impulse drive units due to her size, but the housings for these units were incorporated into the saucer in order to provide room for two large shuttle bays with more than adequate cargo storage space compared to the cramped cargo bay incorporated into the original design.

Using the same warp drive propulsion system as the Excelsior, the Celeres was certainly more than a step ahead of the Miranda-Class. The only drawback in this was that this system was at the top of the class in it's time and was considered too costly for use in anything less than an Excelsior-Class starship. The Celeres would require much the same maintenance as an Excelsior but with only the half the number of crewmen. Computerized automation was not yet in it's prime, as it would be another 30 years before duotronic circuitry would be replaced with isolinear chips.

The slow production of the Celeres-Class would end a mere decade after it was begun. The remaining ships would remain in service for decades, with a brief interest in the class revived shortly after the Tomed Incident which called for most ships of the class to be refitted with improved weapons systems for service along the Neutral Zone. Today, the Celeres-Class is a rare sight in any dry dock. Most were decommissioned decades ago although a handful remain in service as transport ships and excorts. It is rumored that there may have been a few of these starships refitted during the Dominion War, although it's uncertain as to what fate they were dealt.

Like her big sister, the Excelsior-Class, the Celeres-Class also derives it's name from latin. Celeres refers to the mythical devision of soldiers which defended Romulus, the founder of ancient Rome. The word translates quite literally as "the swift."

Artist's Notes:

I came up with the concept for this design by looking at a small model of the Enterprise-B made in Japan by Futura. The parts come apart and reattach quite easily so I was looking for the best Miranda-style variation I could come up with without creating something that is obviously a crappy kitbash. What I've come up with seems more sensible most attempts I've seen so I'll stick with it and maybe it'll catch on somewhere. If anyone finds it tempting enough, I'd love the idea of creating a 3D rendering of this ship. Aside from her background story, I don't have much in the way of details at this particular moment. But, I'll be glad to build on it if there's enough interest. Just contact me if you have any thoughts or would like to create an image or mesh based on my design.

Star Trek (c) Paramount Pictures
Celeres-Class (c) me!