Nebula starships are very similar to the Galaxy Class, only slightly smaller. (The Wounded, TNG)
Type Explorer
Unit Run U.S.S. Bellerephon, NCC-62048
U.S.S. Endeavour, NCC-71805
U.S.S. Farragut, NCC-60591
U.S.S. Hera NCC-62006
U.S.S. Honshu, NCC-60205
U.S.S. Lexington, NCC-61832
U.S.S. Merrimac, NCC-61827
U.S.S. Monitor, NCC-61826
U.S.S. Phoenix, NCC-65420
U.S.S. Proxima, NCC-61952
U.S.S. Sutherland, NCC-72015
U.S.S. T'Kumbra
U.S.S. Ulysses, NCC-66808
List includes both basic and uprated Nebula class vessels; Starfleet refuses to specify precisely which ships are uprated, or which carry the enhanced weapon pod. Civilian sources state that in total 50 are currently the basic model; 25 of these carry the enhanced weapon pod. All new Nebula production is of the Uprated model, with enhanced weapon pod now fitted as standard.
Commissioned 2355 - present
Dimensions
Length 452 m
Width 470 m
Height 145 m
Decks 42 (including pod)
Mass 4,500,000 tons
Crew 780 including family members
Warp Speeds
Normal Cruise Warp 6
Maximum Cruise Warp 9
Maximum Rated Warp 9.4 for twelve hours
Armament 8 x Type X Phaser arrays, total output 32,500 TeraWatts 3 x Type 3 burst fire photon torpedo tubes + 180 torpedoes Antimatter spread emitter Defence Systems High capacity shield system, total capacity 2,160,000 TeraJoules
Standard Duranium/Tritanium double hull plus 9.0 cm High Density armour
Standard level Structural Integrity Field
Strength Indices, no weapon pod (Galaxy Class = 1,000)
Beam Firepower 650
Torpedo Firepower 1,000
Weapon Range & Accuracy 800
Shield Strength 800
Hull Armour 1,000
Speed 865
Combat Manoeuvrability 1,500
Overall Strength Index 835
Strength Indices, with weapon pod (Galaxy Class = 1,000)
Beam Firepower 650
Torpedo Firepower 2,000
Weapon Range & Accuracy 800
Shield Strength 800
Hull Armour 1,000
Speed 865
Combat Manoeuvrability 1,500
Overall Strength Index 1,110
Diplomatic Capability Grade 7
Expected Lifetime 100 years
Refit Cycle
Minor 1 year
Standard 5 years
Major 20 years

The Nebula class was fielded in the 2350's to provide a smaller, more numerous counterpart to the Galaxy class then under construction. The design was intended to parallel that of the Galaxy class as closely as possible in order to allow for many identical systems to be installed in both classes; this has resulted in significant improvements in the design and construction processes for the Nebula class and thus allowed comparatively high numbers to be fielded. Compared to the Galaxy class the Nebula has a more compact shape - the engineering hull is mounted directly to the underside of the saucer section, a measure which saves some 200 metres in length.

The major difference in capability is the addition of a prominent housing aft of the saucer section of the Nebula class. This enables the vessel to carry any one of a variety of special equipment pods - current models include a high capacity sensor pod, an enhanced weapons pod, a colony transport pod, an emergency field hospital unit, or a science laboratory pod. Although the basic Nebula design has approximately 80% of the capability of a Galaxy class vessel in most areas, the addition of the mission pod brings that figure up to 95% or more in that specific area. This flexibility actually allows the Nebula design to accomplish almost almost identical missions despite its smaller size.