Category:Active Frigate Classes

This category lists the currently active frigate classes.

Guide Definition

Frigate

1. Dedicated medium defense and escort starship, larger than corvette but smaller than destroyer. Often capable of transatmospheric operations. Designation used until late 22nd century. Classes include Iceland and Mustang.
2. A common designation for defense and escort starships ranging from light frigates (small patrol and escort ships typically lacking torpedo armament) to heavy frigates (versatile multipurpose ships similar to light cruisers), used in late 23rd and early 24th century. Light and medium classes include Loknar, Daran and Ianar, with numerous subclasses. Heavy classes include Surya, Coventry and Miranda, with numerous subclasses.
3. Dedicated medium defense starship, typically carrying mission gear in switchable modules. Designation used in mid- to late 24th century, until merged with light cruiser. Classes include Miranda, Renaissance, Springfield, New Orleans and Saber.

When optimized for planetary assault support, these vessels are often designated strike frigates. Ships initially designed as frigates but later adopted for other missions are sometimes classified as e.g. medical frigates or survey frigates, creating an apparent contradiction in terms. Still, these designations are more informative than mere ‘medical ship’ or ‘surveyor’ in these cases, since the modified frigates usually retain at least the main phaser armament and thus have significant defensive capabilities. Examples include Soyuz class as well as several less drastic modifications of Miranda frigates.

Recognized line variants include: heavy, light, strike and survey.

Game Definition

In the game, frigates are the smallest of the primary ships-of-the-line (only corvettes mass less). They are physically single-hulled, with only one nacelle (rare exceptions had dual-nacelle frigates equipped on one shared pylon) and tend to be fast at warp and nimble at sublight (though not to the extent of corvettes). In peacetime, they are often tasked with border patrols, both along threat corridors and more benign ones. In wartime, they will screen fleet and task formations at a distance, providing early warning capabilities, as well as limited-duration independent operations for reconnaissance, search and rescue and covert insertion. While not as prevalent as with destroyers, they can also be equipped with modules that enhance their capabilities, such as with weaponry or sensors. They tend towards the phaser-based defensive weaponry, though may sometimes host a limited number of torpedo launchers.

• Role: independent border patrols, fleet screening (for low sensor profile threats), some recon and fleet-level SAR
• Size: between corvettes and destroyers
• Weapons: primarily phaser use, with some torpedo use