22nd Century
2156
The immense Cabbage class cruisers (so designated by Starfleet) enter service in the Romulan Star Empire and are sighted by Earth forces. Built for the specific purpose of large fleet advances across interstellar distances, the fusion-powered Cabbage cruisers are able to transport large numbers of missiles for ship-to-ship and ship-to-surface attacks. Each mounts a powerful plasma cannon (predecessor to the warp-powered unit used in the next century), Mothra or Mambo long-range attack missiles, and Moolah short-range defensive missiles. A spherical fusion reactor mated to the rear of the command hull powers 3 pedunculated warp nacelles mounted in a 120-degree configuration yielding an estimated maximum speed of warp 2.5. The Cabbage class cruiser carries a crew complement of 1,000 and is also known as a Sabinus class cruiser to Starfleet Intelligence and informally as "jellyfish" by Starfleet crewmen. Some 105 are believed to have been built through late 2158. Observed variants include the Tonsil class carrier, Rodent class sensor/communications ship, and Syrup class troop carrier.
[Starfleet Museum (Internet)]
The SS Phoenix NCC-020 Dauntless class cruiser enters service under the command of Captain Joe Ehrlich. The first vessel to encounter a Romulan Preybird following the formal declaration of war, the Phoenix will destroy 2 enemy ships before pulling back to effect repairs.
[Biraktes Shipyards (Internet)]
The Starfleet propulsion engineers at Utopia Planitia speculate that dividing a spacecraft's enveloping warp field into two lobes, a smaller forward "penetrating" lobe and a larger trailing lobe, would decrease subspace resistance. To test this theory, the Fireball XL-5 is designed with the then-unusual feature of a small comand hull separated by a thin neck from the larger engineering hull. In addition, the warp nacelles are slightly raised above the ship's midline in an attempt to decrease subspace vortical interference. The Fireball experimental cruiser uses an early version of the SSWR-IV reactor that would later be used for the Daedalus class. Substantially smaller and lighter than the SSWR-II series of reactors used in earlier Starfleet small cruisers, the Fireball is designed to be much smaller than any previous cruiser with a true matter/antimatter drive. Two NOP Energomash Typhoo C warp nacelles gives the craft warp 4.4 maximum warp with a crew complement of 87. Another first is the horizontal arrangement of decks rather than stacked vertically along the longitudinal axis. Not put into production, only 2 ships of this type would be built, the Rocket XL-6 the sistership.
[Starfleet Museum (Internet)]
An Earth ship, the Endeavor, encounters a Romulan ship in orbit of Cheron IV bombarding the surface with nuclear bombs. The Endeavor is fired on by nuclear missles and retreats to Gamma Hydra IV.
[Last Unicorn Games]
The First Romulan War is perhaps also known as the Earth-Romulan War over the next four years due to the proximity to the Terran system and/or the heavy involvement of Earth ships.
[My Brother's Keeper: Republic (SFA/TOS)]
February
The UE War Council decides to make production of the matter/antimatter powered warships a priority. As a result, 50 trillion new solar dollars per year will be dedicated to matter/antimatter reactor development.
[Starfleet Museum (Internet)]
The SS Halsey FR-261 Durance class cargo/tug is used as an experimental test ship.
[USS Durance Class Cargo/Tug Class Blueprints]
Ursula Yare of Terra is the Federation Council Secretary General at approximately this time.
[FASA]
Sered is born during this period. He will be a classmate of Sarek at the Vulcan Science Academy. A brilliant student, he will favor Vulcan's secession from the UFP in the 23rd Century and eventually become mentally deranged. He will also have contact with the Romulans.
[Vulcan's Forge (TOS)]
The Lyrans, a felinoid race probably related to the Kzinti, attack what they believe is a Klingon mining colony. The outpost is, instead, from the Hydrans, and not previously known to the Lyrans. Thus begins the first Lyran-Hydran War. Warp technology is developed by most Far Side races at this stage, though the KCA (Krebiz Capitalist Alliance) delays implementing this new technology.
[Starfleet Battles]
May
Starfleet Command and several leading universities co-publish a report on the Romulan race. This study examines all available information on the Romulans and describes their threat to the Federation.
[FASA]
The Second Battle of Gamma Hydra II is fought. The Mann class heavy destroyers SS Mann D-230, SS Zukovski D-237, and SS Dunlap D-241 are lost along with the rest of the Fifth Earth Fleet.
[Galactic Engineers Concordance Logbook V6N4]
(8650 Vulcan Years)
The Vulcan Outreach period begins.
[Starfleet Medical Reference Manual]
The Redjac entity kills two women in Heliopolis on Alpha Proxima (Eridani) II.
[Wolf in the Fold (TOS)]
2157, January
After several months of careful analysis and discussion, ranking Starfleet officers at Starbase 3 report their decision. All subsectors within Sectors 5, 7, and 10 go to Code 1 War-Alert status to combat the Romulans' irregular hit-and-run tactics.
[FASA]
Production begins on the Ogre class battlecruiser. A cruiser-sized vessel with sufficient range and speed to pose a serious threat to the Romulans, and designed expressly to serve in the Romulan wars, the Ogre features 5 phase cannons and 3 torpedo launchers and carries a crew of 65. Warp capacity is an impressive warp 5.1. However, when the Ogre is ready to enter service, the Battle of Cheron will have already been fought and subspace negotiations with the Romulans will already be defining the terms of peace. Only one other Ogre class vessel will be built: the Troll.
[Starship Catalogue (Internet)]
Izar (Epsilon Bootis III) becomes the 9th UFP member.
[Star Trek Maps]
March
The improved SSWR-IIA reactor is formally certified by the UESN Propulsion Board for installation in naval vesels. The Krechet class cruisers will be the first ships to use the new reactor.
[Starfleet Museum (Internet)]
Alonzo Richter is born.
[Prime Directive (TOS)]
The Doppler class, 50-man scouts with second generation warp drive, enter service.
[Spaceflight Chronology]
July
The Krechet class cruisers enter service, based on the earlier fusion-powered Amarillo class. These 368-crew cruisers carry 12 Spider area-defense missiles, 24 Narwhal long-range antiship missiles, and 2 turret-mounted phase cannons. Powered by a SSWR-IIB reactor with a single midline Bison IX nacelle and 2 Jaguar II directional nacelles, warp 3.1 is their maximum velocity. This class will total 8 vessels.
[Starfleet Museum (Internet)]
22 July
Two Romulan gunboats are surrounded and crippled in the Sexton system by units from Starfleet's 123rd Combat Squadron. The Romulan ships self-destruct while several Federation ships maneuver close for boarding. Four UFP destroyers are lost with all hands.
[FASA]
August
The Tannhauser class heavy cruiser enters service, essentially a lengthened Pioneer class cruiser adapted to utilize the new SSWR-IIIA reactor, designed for ships with displacements greater than 300,000 tons. Carrying complements of 1,254, the Tannhauser class has warp 3 capacity via one midline Spitfire VI warp nacelle and two Jaguar I directional nacelles placed in a unique forward "hammerhead" arrangement in an attempt to increase warp maneuverability. Ordnance consists of 36 Spider area-defense missiles, 96 Narwhal long-range antiship missiles, 4 twin turret-mounted phase cannons, and 10 Grand Slam orbit-ground attack missiles. The class will total 15 vessels, with the SS Tannhauser CHM-55, SS Vicksburg CHM-57 and SS Marathon CHM-60 joining the fleet just in time to take part in the Battle of Hell's Gate.
[Starfleet Museum (Internet)]
12 September
The Battle of Hell's Gate is fought when Earth ships go on the offensive and destroy a Romulan invasion fleet. The Romulan invasion fleet is discovered when two Starfleet M/AM-powered cruisers, the SS Krechet CCM-1 and SS Bowen CCM-2, on patrol in Sector 23, followed Romulan tankers attempting to rendezvous for refuelling. Remaining safely out of sensor range to avoid alerting the tankers, they fired a message torpedo towards Starbase 44 then continued along the projected course of the tankers found penetrating one light year into UE Alliance space. The invasion fleet self-destructs to avoid capture following the arrival of reinforcements including Tannhauser class heavy cruisers. The strategies available are severely limited by the poor quality of UE warships. Ship-to-ship combat at this time most often takes the form of long-range missile duels. Opposing ships would cautiously venture out from their bases until long-range sensor contact was made. The ships would then usually close within extreme missile range, fire a volley of missiles, then attempt to evade their opponent's missiles. As a result, many engagements end without significant damage to either ship. For the UE to undertake offensive operations, a power source enabling more dynamic warp flight is obviously needed beyond mere fusion-powered warp drive systems.
[Starfleet Museum (Internet)]
October
In the aftermath of the failed Romulan invasion, a call goes up throughout United Earth space for immediate retribution. Citizens of Earth and her colonies now believe that merely defending UE space against the Romulans is no longer sufficient; instead, they feel that the Romulan worlds must be directly attacked. However, Starfleet will not be able to immediately mount offensive operations as fusion-powered ships are simply too large, too slow, and have payloads and unrefuelled ranges too small to successfully attack across distances of more than a few light years. Even after 50 Romulan ships were destroyed several light years within UE space in the Battle of Hell's Gate, the largest piece of Romulan ship recovered by the UE Office of Technology Assessment weighs under 10 tons. Romulan ship data will be based upon long-range scans and microtorpedo reconnaissance probes.
[Starfleet Museum (Internet)]
November
Starfleet Command's Marshall class destroyer becomes operational and is rushed into immediate full-scale production. Equipped with many of the most recent technological advances, this warship is the mainstay of Starfleet's combat fleet during the latter part of the Romulan War. The Marshall class will remain in active service for 60 years, longer than any other major warship class before or since. A total of 2,900 ships are built. These destroyers have warp 3.8 capacity, are the first ships with warp-generated defensive shielding, carry a crew of 157, and have an impressive ordanance consisting of 14 forward lasers, 8 rear lasers, 8 forward phase cannons, 2 rear phase cannons, and 400 photon torpedoes.
[FASA]
Sectors 1-4 and 7-10 go to Code 1 Alert Status as the Romulan Empire continues its "hit and run" tactics.
[FASA]
07 December
Two Romulan vessels are crippled by a Starfleet strike force. The Romulan commanders wait until several ships maneuver close for grappling and boarding, then self-destruct taking the UFP ships with them as they explode. Standard orders are issued prohibiting UFP vessels from closing with even a badly-damaged Romulan vessel.
[FASA]
09 December
Discussions are held at the highest echelons of the Federation and Starfleet Command. As a result, Secretary General of the Federation Council Cristofur Thorpe issues a sealed, standing order by subspace radio to all individuals possessing the rank of Admiral, Council Secretary, or Senior Ambassador. If formal contact is made with the official Romulan government, the Federation will demand that all hostilities cease immediately, or a state of war will be declared. Any military or governmental official receiving this order has the full authority of the UFP to authorize such a declaration.
[FASA]
The availability of antimatter becomes a primary concern of the Admiralty as the only use is fuel for Starfleet starship reactors and its production is a high cost at a small number of facilities, all on Earth.
[Starfleet Museum (Internet)]
2158, January
The SSWR-IID reactor is introduced.
[Starfleet Museum (Internet)]
The Lyran-Klingon War ends when several Lyran clans abandon the war to protect their homes from the Hydrans. The Lyrans are forced to accept an unfavorable settlement.
[Starfleet Battles]
February
Torsk class destroyers enter service, designed with two distinct missions in mind: to gather intelligence along border areas and to hunt and destroy enemy scout ships. Carrying crews of 236, ordnance of 10 Spider area-defense missiles, 16 Narwhal long-range antiship missiles, and 2 phase cannons, these warp 3.5 capacity ships will eventually be superceded by the significantly more capable Powhatan class. This class will total 14 ships.
[Starfleet Museum (Internet)]
June
The matter/antimatter/fusion-powered Minotaur class fighter and the matter/antimatter-powered Yorktown class carrier are introduced in an attempt to overcome the operational limitations of early matter/antimatter ships by combining the speed and range of matter/antimatter-powered warp flight with the maneuverability of high-impulse fighters. The Yorktown is based on the Pioneer class cruiser with a new SSWR-IIIB matter/antimatter reactor and four paired Jaguar III warp nacelles. Sensors, navigational deflector, command centers, computer core, crew facilities, and life support are located at the front cylindrical forehull. Docking cradles for 5 Minotaur long-range fighters line the center section of the forehull, with deuterium tanks, missile room, and fighter support facilities located in the aft section of the forehull. In the extreme stern of the ship is located the impulse drive and its fusion reactor. The Yorktown class has a displacement of 670,000 tons, by far the largest Earth-designed warship produced to date and not surpassed until the Ambassador class of the 2330s. The ship's complement is 1,560, warp capacity is 3.6, and ordnance consists of 24 Spider area-defense missiles, 2 turret-mounted phase cannons, and 5 Minotaur fighters. The class will total 46 ships. The Minotaur fighter is approximately 50 meters long with a hybrid warp drive system consisting of 10 44J matter/antimatter power modules and a 6N-3A fusion reactor, allowing limited warp 2 capacity via 1 midline Powerstar IV warp nacelle. Weaponry consists of 16 Corsair attack missiles and 4 nose-mounted pulse laser cannons. Each fighter carries a complement of 3: commander/pilot, weapons officer/navigator, and engineer.
[Starfleet Museum (Internet)]
July
The UE Alliance goes on the offensive. Krechet class cruisers are largely relegated to secondary roles by newer and more capable Conqueror and Powhatan classes. The Olympus Mons class combat transports and Reid Fleming class deuterium tankers help establish a fast, reliable logistic trail from the core areas of UE space to the front lines. With reactor and nacelle upgrades, both classes will serve with Starfleet Transport Command until the mid 2230s.
[Starfleet Museum (Internet)]
21 August
The Yorktown class carrier SS Saratoga CVM-27 and 4 other ships of the 3rd Fleet's 14th Carrier Assault Group participates in attacking targets along the Romulan frontier with the goal of destroying active subspace sensor arrays in preparation for a planned large-scale advance into Romulan space. (Active subspace sensors, like most subspace radio transmitters of this time, are too large to mount on ships.) The Saratoga departs Starbase 10 at warp 2.65 accompanied by the Powatan class escorts SS Cyane CEM-22 and SS Choctaw CEM-31.
[Starfleet Museum (Internet)]
07 September
The Saratoga launches Minotaur fighters at a point 98 AU southeast and below the designated targets, each successfully destroys the targets.
[Starfleet Museum (Internet)]
24 September
The Saratoga and her escorts return to Starbase 10.
[Starfleet Museum (Internet)]
October
The Daedalus class exploration craft are 104 meter long, warp 5 capacity starships. Initially designated light cruisers, they are rushed into service because of the Romulan threat. The class will total 20 vessels (NCC-170-NCC-189), each armed with 4 phase cannon emplacements and carrying complements of 120. The same general design will be carried over to the Horizon and Archon classes in the late 22nd Century. Durng the Romulan War attempts will be made to improve the performance of the Daedalus class by enhancing the sensor suite, adding matter/antimatter containment bottles, increasing the flow capacity of the matter/antimatter injectors, and installing higher-output warp nacelles. However, these measures will further decrease space for crew quarters, laboratories, and life support equipment and will place additional stress on the reactor (SSWR-IIIC). In the 2160s, catastrophic warp core breaches will be especially high among the Daedalus class, as safety was seriously compromised by the ships being pushed dangerously past the limits inherent in their light cruiser design.
[Galactic Engineers Concordance Logbook Vol 9 #1, Jackill's Daedalus Class Exploration Craft Data Sheets]
The Romulans begin production on Chowder class cruisers. Essentially scaled-down Cabbage class cruisers, Chowder ships carry complements of 200 and have warp 3.2 capacity. Weaponry consists of a plasma cannon, Mambo or Misfit long-range attack missiles, Moolah short-range defensive missiles, and lasers. Some 150 Chowders will be commissioned, also known as squids or Veronus by Starfleet Intelligence.
[Starfleet Museum (Internet)]
Kirk will favor a bottle of Ridley Cabernet of this year's vintage.
[Twilight's End (TOS)]
December
The last of the Torsk class destroyers enter service.
[Starfleet Museum (Internet)]
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