2261

Historical Events

• USS Sheridan (NCC-4463, Larson destroyer) is lost with all but three hands on her maiden voyage due to a power system explosion that could not be contained.

The loss was not dated (in the original text), but had to have occurred prior to the crash of Cromwell, a later ship, in the same year.

• The Memory Alpha planetoid is selected—as an event during the Centennial Survey—as the archive of the UFP's cultural and scientific knowledge. The eight-year development of the project begins.

• The plight of Uzor becomes apparent to the people of Boliax: it will be uninhabitable in less than a decade as solar instability threatens to wipe out the entire Uzor system.

The date of this awareness is SFC-canon.

• USS Skagerrak (NCC-G504, Bering class) is lost to "therspace" after rescuing a Tellarite crew.

• After final funding for the last 26 vessels of the Larson class destroyers is procured, destroyer funds are redirected to experiments intended to address the inherent shortcomings of the single-nacelled configuration of the Syracuse family class.

• The Pershing subclass (of the Sherman class) cargo drone enters service with Star Fleet.

• USS Virgo (NCC-1572, Taurus cruiser) is lost to unknown causes while scouting in the direction of Zeta Persei.

• Having completed a multi-year refit, USS Byrd (first of her class) launches on her second galactic survey, a 13-year voyage.

Presumption, based on that each of the three ships completed 2 surveys, and the Smith was the last to return from her own 13-year voyage.

• The Constitution class heavy cruisers start receiving transporter upgrades.

This occurred after 2260.

• The crew of USS Cromwell (NCC-4477, Larson destroyer) takes refuge on Delta Canaris VI after her nacelle is ripped off and life support compromised by a relativistic-speed meteoroid cloud.

• Construction of the Mk VI Larson class destroyer begins.

• The first conversion of a Mk II Larson class destroyer to Mk VI begins.

• The third (of three) attempt at further production of the Larson class destroyer is deferred.

Presumably this refers to an expansion of contracts for the present new-builds.

• USS Pompey (NCC-506) is the first of three Siva Flight II subclass vessels to receive a second nacelle, initiating the Pompey subclass.

• The final Flight I Loknar class frigate is upgraded to Flight IA standard.

• Some older Aakenn subclass heavy transports are relegated to Star Fleet training duty.

• Six Westminster subclass heavy transports are transferred from the SMM to Star Fleet and begin modification into Abbott subclass heavy repair ships begun.

• Eight of the Coventry class strike frigates enter a yard period where they receive auxiliary deflector spires.

• The Samson fleet tug/tender class enters service with Star Fleet.

• Deneb IV visited by a Star Fleet mission.

• The final Sulek class prospector is produced.

• The Velikovski class prospector, an improved Sulek subclass, enters service with prospectors subsidized by the Resources Division.

• Star Fleet acquires a limited number of Questor class runabouts for an evaluation period.

• The vessel selected for the "high" track of the Prospecting And Reconnaissance Integrated Scoutship (PARIS) project was put into production.

• The Graynet class support corvette enters service with Star Fleet

• The civilian Karekh class prospector enters production.

• The Karekh class intel scout enters service with Star Fleet.

• The Epsilon proposal for an updated cutter class is accepted.

• Star Fleet grants Bruce-Partington SCW a contract to develop a variable-environment shuttlecraft, capable of exploring water worlds.

• Star Fleet establishes the Grankite Order of Tactics for the "[d]emonstration of exceptional tactical acumen".

• A Star Fleet veterans' organization founds the Karagite Order of Heroism, to recognize the "[d]emonstration of exceptional valor & heroism in the defense of the Federation worlds and people during times of conflict".

• This is the final year in which persistent monetary-based cross-border commerce conducted between Federation frontier colonies and the Klingon Empire accounts for 40% of export revenue for mining colonies.

This was first achieved in 2259.

• Early: USS Smith (Byrd class galactic survey cruiser) begins the first round of experimental modifications in an exploration of cruiser-carrier concepts.

• February: The Klingon Empire provides overt support to the Monarchist Front on Altair IV. This leads to a considerable increase in tensions between the indigenous Palkeo Est and the Altairians and Humans that have resided there for generations.

• March: The Raktajino Revolution is crushed by a reinvigorated Imperial Navy enjoying the suborned support of the Great Houses.

• May 8th: The "Strategic Resource Denial Bill" is introduced to the Federation Council.

• May 15th: The Strategic Resource Denial Bill is amended to authorize spatial minelaying by Star Fleet.

• May 31: The Federation Council officially passes the Strategic Resource Denial Act.

• June 5: President Byss Th'Rhalat signs the Strategic Resource Denial Act into law.

• June 12: The USS Kyoto seizes an Orion freighter's cargo, marking the first enforcement of the Strategic Resource Denial Act.

• June 24: The Klingon Imperial Navy authorizes attacks on Star Fleet vessels interfering with Klingon trade, marking the official start of the "War of the Merchant".

• Mid: The Klingon campaign of eradication against the Suliban ends.

• July 14th: Star Fleet initiates Operation Kadis-Khot, a major minelaying initiative to enforce the Strategic Resource Denial Act by seeding spatial mines across 16 vital choke points.

• August: Operation En Passant begins, using Federation minefields as cover to push Klingon raiders away from Mardikian II.

• August 12th: The United Federation of Planets celebrates the centenary.

• Late August: The Battle of the Masuria Field occurs; the newly launched Klingon battleship IKS Qo'noS is heavily damaged by a Star Fleet mine.

• September 30th: A Star Fleet vessel is caught in a Klingon minefield, marking the Federation's first encounter with gravitic mines.

• October 18th: The Klingon Empire begins using gravitic mines to shut down trade lanes, catching several Star Fleet and merchant vessels unawares.

• November 16th: In what becomes termed the Third Battle of Altair, the Monarchist Front attacks large numbers of targets on Altair IV, including government buildings, cultural sites important to Altairian & Human citizens, and shipping—grounded and orbital—associated with any species not aligned with the Palkeo Est nor Klingons.

The UFP and Klingon Empire both deploy starships to the region to ensure "their" side does not face intervention.

• December: The Klingon Empire ships arms to Acamarian opposition clans.

Characters

• Ivy Knightwick is commissioned a lieutenant.

• Agatha Drake is assigned as Commanding Officer, Galactic South West Command.

New Technology

• Type 6 Disrupters
• Class Alpha Disrupter Targeting System
• Class Alpha Torpedo Targeting System

References

2260

23rd century 2260s

2262