Danube Class

Small Federation starships used for relatively short-range interstellar travel.

Type General purpose interstellar craft
Unit Run U.S.S. Danube
U.S.S. Ganges, NCC 72454
U.S.S. Mekong, NCC 72917
U.S.S. Orinoco, NCC 72905
U.S.S. Rio Grand, NCC 72452
U.S.S. Rubicon, NCC 72936
U.S.S. Yangtzee Kiang, NCC 72453
U.S.S. Yukon, NCC 74602
plus 1,865 approx. since 2365. 1,200 remain in service, the remainder having been lost to various causes.
Commissioned 2365 - present
Dimensions
Length 23.1 m
Width 13.7 m
Height 5.4 m
Decks 1
Mass 158.7 tons
Crew 1 - 4 crew. 40 person evacuation limit for short duration flights.
Warp Speeds
Normal Cruise Warp 4
Maximum Cruise Warp 5
Maximum Rated Warp 5.2 for twelve hours
Armament 6 x Type IV phaser arrays, total output 750 TeraWatts 2 x Micro-photon torpedo tube + 24 torpedoes Up to 4 full size photon or quantum torpedoes can be carried Defence Systems Shield system, total capacity 56,700 TeraJoules
Light Duranium/Tritanium single hull
Low level Structural Integrity Field
Strength Indices (Galaxy Class = 1,000)
Beam Firepower 15
Torpedo Firepower 10
Weapon Range & Accuracy 25
Shield Strength 20
Hull Armour 5
Speed 130
Combat Manoeuvrability 36,000
Overall Strength Index 55
Diplomatic Capability Grade 1/2
Expected Lifetime 60 years
Refit Cycle
Minor 6 months
Standard 2 years
Major 10 years

The Starfleet Runabout is a development of the warp capable shuttle craft which have been in use since the earliest days of the Federation. The first requirement for the Runabout, issued in 2342, called for a vessel based on the Type 9A cargo shuttle but capable of short and medium range interstellar operations carrying out limited spatial and planetary surveys. The fuselage was lengthened from 10.5 to 14.8 metres, allowing a much larger antimatter fuel cell to be installed to increase the vessels endurance from 36 hours to fifteen days at Warp 2.2. The two person emergency transporter was replaced by a one person fully functional model, and the rear of the cargo bay was fitted with four bunks. The remaining cargo space was used to expand the front cabin and install extra electronics systems.

The Type 10 Runabout proved reasonably successful in service, though the small cabin size limited its operations somewhat. Starfleet has gradually enlarged and improved the Runabout concept over the next twenty years or so, culminating in the Danube class Runabout first fielded in 2365. This is a much larger, more capable craft than previous designs. It features a large front cabin for the pilot and co-pilot / navigator plus up to three mission specialists. A two person transporter is at the rear of the cabin, with a small cargo area and engineering spaces behind this. A short passageway to one side connects the front cabin to the cargo bay and rear area. This incorporates six bunks, each of which can be closed off behind a privacy screen. The rear cabin is thirty feet long and fifteen feet wide; it can be fitted out according to the mission type with scientific instruments, extra weapons, a first aid station, evacuation support system, or other such equipment. Below the main spaces are the warp core and power transfer conduits, impulse drive system and fuel tanks. The nacelle supports contain two small escape pods, a group of emergency communications beacons and various other equipment.