Starfleet ship registry and classes in Star Trek
Encyclopedia
The Star Trek
science fiction
franchise included a large number of starship
s, some of which were regular settings while others made only brief appearances. Many Starfleet
vessels follow various standard designs or ship class
es.
Starfleet starships are identified by a unique registry
consisting of a two- or three-letter prefix, a string of digits, and, in some instances, a one-letter suffix. The combination is also called a ship's registry number despite the presence of letters. The most well-known registry among Star Trek fans is "NCC-1701", which belongs to the original USS Enterprise
commanded by Captain James T. Kirk
. All subsequent Enterprises used the same registry with a suffix of A-E (with -J being seen in Star Trek Enterprise,) denoting each vessel in chronological order.
Unless otherwise indicated, registry numbers cited are either clearly visible on a ship's hull or clearly spoken aloud.
episode "The Best of Both Worlds", Lieutenant Commander
Elizabeth Shelby identifies ships destroyed by the Borg
based on their hull markings. In other episodes, such as TNG' s "The Wounded", ships are instead identified via a transponder
.
In "The Wounded", Star Trek Nemesis and other instances, computer displays represent a ship's position with an icon for its affiliated organization (e.g. a Starfleet
shield) next to both the ship's name and its registry number.
vessel in the franchise. The prefix first appears in Star Trek: The Original Series
and was created by designer Matt Jefferies
. The Star Trek Encyclopedia
says:
Jefferies attributed the extra "C" to a combination of the US aviation code "NC", and the Soviet
equivalent "CC CC".
According to non-canon print sources, "NCC" is short for "Naval Construction Code", "Navigational Contact Code" or "Naval Construction Contract". It is interesting to note that the original Enterprise is a "Constitution Class" (CC) starship.
The first of these is the USS Excelsior
, which first appears in the movie Star Trek III: The Search for Spock
, with the registry "NX-2000". It is the first of the new Excelsior class. By the time of Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country
, it is seen in active duty, with the registry "NCC-2000".
The USS Defiant
is the first of a class designed to fight the Borg
. Although the ship sees extensive service before and during the Dominion War
, it never loses the "NX" in its registry, even though other ships of its class bear "NCC" registries (e.g. the NCC-74210 for the USS Valiant and NCC-75633 for the USS São Paulo). The latter of which was renamed to the USS Defiant, along with the Defiant's NX registry, after the destruction of the original.
The experimental USS Prometheus has the registry number "NX-59650". However the registry on all the internal displays and the ship's dedication plaque is stated as "NX-74913".
The USS Dauntless, a ship made to look like a Federation starship, has the registry NX-01-A in the Star Trek: Voyager episode "Hope and Fear".
The Star Trek: The Next Generation Technical Manual
claims that the USS Galaxy is the first of the Galaxy class, and gives its registry as NX-70637. A Galaxy-class USS Galaxy is later seen in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
, with the registry NCC-70637.
. However, in that series, "NX" is not the designation for an experimental starship; rather, it indicates the vessel's class. The NX-01 is an NX class starship
in the same way that some starships in "later" series are Constitution or Excelsior class vessels.
Two freighters in the non-canon animated series
have the only two registries known to mix letters with the registry's digits: an unnamed robot freighter ("NCC-G1465") and the USS Huron ("NCC-F1513").
and "NX-02" for the Columbia
.However, in the Mirror universe, there is an ISS Avenger, "NX-09".
claims that the USS Archon, mentioned but not seen in "The Return of the Archons", has the registry "NCC-189".
Two of the major Starfleet vessels introduced in the TOS-era films – the USS Reliant and USS Excelsior
– also have four-digit registries: "NCC-1864" and "NX-2000" (later "NCC-2000"), respectively. Other vessels generally follow this pattern, although there are a few vessels with three-digit registries. The most obvious one is the use of "NCC-638" for the USS Grissom. Other examples include "NCC-621" and "NCC-595" for the scouts Columbia and Revere, respectively. In the Remastered version of "Star Trek" currently on air, the episode "Charlie X" visually features the cargo vessel "Antares" with the registry NCC-501 upon its hull, although the registry prior to the remastering was never seen or mentioned in the original episode.
, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
, and Star Trek: Voyager
generally use five-digit registry numbers. The most frequently seen "guest" ships are Excelsior class starships whose registries range from the USS Berlin' s "NCC-14232" to the USS Crazy Horse' s "NCC-50446". Most vessel registries in The Next Generation fall within this range. Registry numbers in the 60000s and 70000s are more common in Deep Space Nine (featuring the "NX-74205" and "NCC-75633" USS Defiants
) and Voyager (featuring the titular NCC-74656
).
of the USS Enterprise (NCC-1701)
.
s "NCC-1701" registry with each newly commissioned Enterprise, differentiating between vessels by affixing a letter to the end; "NCC-1701-E
" is the registry for the sixth starship Enterprise to carry "NCC-1701" as part of its registry. These Enterprises are generally differentiated by referring to them as, for example, "the Enterprise-B
" for the NCC-1701-B or "the Enterprise-C
" for the NCC-1701-C. After setting the self destruct on the Enterprise-E, Captain Jean-Luc Picard
quips that Starfleet will likely build another Enterprise because there are "plenty of letters left in the alphabet". Although not canon, an Enterprise-F appears in two Star Trek novels. An Enterprise-J serves in an alternate timeline's 26th century.
a Disruptor was being installed on the U.S.S. Excalibur, to be taken to Sector Alpha-9, to confront The Doomsday Machine. The Klingons, having learned of the Disruptor's existence, but not its purpose, and fearing its use against their empire, intercepted and disabled the Excalibur, leaving it up to the Enterprise. After the destruction of the Ambassador-class USS Excalibur (NCC-26517) in Peter David
's best-selling non-canon New Frontier
series, Starfleet commissions a Galaxy class Excalibur with the registry "NCC-26517-A".
William Riker
reads the registry of a phantom USS Yamato as "NCC-1305-E". However, this conflicts with the shooting model
, which bears the registry "NCC-71807" in both this and a subsequent appearance. Despite the dialogue, "NCC-71807" is the correct registry number.
is a ship type first posited by Franz Joseph's Star Trek Star Fleet Technical Manual. The Federation-class is similar to the Constitution-class, but has an additional nacelle. According to the scale presented in the Manual, it is also somewhat larger, with armament and a rear-facing "sensor dish" (note that the navigational deflector is labeled as a sensor dish in the Manual) on the secondary hull. Odd-nacelled designs are rarely seen on screen: the one-nacelled Freedom-class appears as a wreck, and the Enterprise-D has been fitted with a third nacelle in the possible future shown in "All Good Things...".
At the start of Star Trek: The Motion Picture
, the Dreadnought Entente, NCC-2120 is mentioned in radio chatter, matching the name and registry for one of the Federation-class ships given by Joseph. A picture of the Joseph's class appears on a computer screen in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan
.
Diane Carey
's novel Dreadnought! heavily features the three-nacelled, Federation dreadnought the USS Star Empire. Its registry disagrees with that given by Joseph (as does the claim that is it the class prototype: Joseph gives this as the USS Federation NCC-2100).
The Star Fleet Battles
gaming universe presents the dreadnought as 50% larger than the heavy cruiser (Constitution and Enterprise classes) but it has little increase in firepower and is not up to par with the dreadnoughts of other races. Its justification is mostly as a command ship in fleet operations but is eventually phased out in favor of the battlecruiser classes (represented by the Excelsior class cruisers).
Along with the Saladin class ships, the Federation class can be seen at various intervals throughout the simulator of the Enterprise bridge in The Wrath of Khan, displayed in a schematic view on various displays.
. However, the computer files were irrevocably corrupted before they could be used again following the movie. Therefore, very little is known about the ship. In fact, the actual design of the ship is slightly controversial, as there are two known images of the ship: One in the Star Trek tech manuals, and one in the background of the movie. The only known ship is the USS Budapest.
, the main ship of the series Star Trek: Enterprise
, have said that they based the general external layout of the NX-class on the Akira-class, since that class had only appeared in the background of effects shots and was never prominently featured.
This ship class makes an appearance in an "episode" of the Star Trek: 25th Anniversary computer game as the USS Masada, a starship taken over by Elasi pirates.
. The Technical Manual designates it is a "destroyer", and claims the first ship of this class is the USS Saladin, NCC-500. The ship has only one nacelle. The USS Kelvin (NCC-0514) seen in the 2009 film is broadly similar to the Saladin, but has considerably different hull detailing and adds a secondary hull mounted above the saucer.
The video game Star Trek: Legacy features a starship of the same design as the Saladin but instead refers to it as Apollo class. This ship can be used during the first part of the Original Series section of the game. Later, the ship gets a restyle similar to the Enterprise-A's refit, this time with two similar warp nacelles. This version is dubbed the "Apollo-class refit."
television show, it was used during the 24th century. Ships of this class were: The USS Enterprise
, the USS Yamato, USS Odyssey
USS Venture
and, though never prominently featured, the USS Galaxy
. Gene Roddenberry
speculated that six were built. This was not confirmed, and possibly more were built. .
timeship
class in the series Star Trek: Voyager
, appearing in the episode "Relativity". The episode's titular ship, the USS Relativity, is the only Wells-class ship to appear in Star Trek. The Relativity also appears in the non-canon Star Trek: New Frontier
comic book, attempting to prevent Mackenzie Calhoun from changing history.
The ship has a small, single hull with warp nacelles that are pod-like in appearance. The class is named after H. G. Wells
, author of The Time Machine
.
Star Trek
Star Trek is an American science fiction entertainment franchise created by Gene Roddenberry. The core of Star Trek is its six television series: The Original Series, The Animated Series, The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Voyager, and Enterprise...
science fiction
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
franchise included a large number of starship
Starship
A starship or interstellar spacecraft is a theoretical spacecraft designed for traveling between the stars, as opposed to a vehicle designed for orbital spaceflight or interplanetary travel....
s, some of which were regular settings while others made only brief appearances. Many Starfleet
Starfleet
In the fictional universe of Star Trek, Starfleet or the Federation Starfleet is the deep-space exploratory, peacekeeping and military service maintained by the United Federation of Planets . It is the principal means by which the Federation conducts its exploration, defense, diplomacy and research...
vessels follow various standard designs or ship class
Ship class
A ship class is a group of ships of a similar design. This is distinct from a ship-type, which might reflect a similarity of tonnage or intended use. For example, the is a nuclear aircraft carrier of the Nimitz class....
es.
Starfleet starships are identified by a unique registry
Registry
-Computing:* Windows Registry, a database of configuration settings in Microsoft Windows operating systems* Domain name registry, an organization that manages the registration of top-level internet domain names...
consisting of a two- or three-letter prefix, a string of digits, and, in some instances, a one-letter suffix. The combination is also called a ship's registry number despite the presence of letters. The most well-known registry among Star Trek fans is "NCC-1701", which belongs to the original USS Enterprise
USS Enterprise (NCC-1701)
The USS Enterprise, NCC-1701, is a fictional starship in the Star Trek media franchise. The original Star Trek series depicts her crew's mission "to explore strange new worlds; to seek out new life and new civilizations; to boldly go where no man has gone before" under the command of Captain James...
commanded by Captain James T. Kirk
James T. Kirk
James Tiberius "Jim" Kirk is a character in the Star Trek media franchise. Kirk was first played by William Shatner as the principal lead character in the original Star Trek series. Shatner voiced Kirk in the animated Star Trek series and appeared in the first seven Star Trek movies...
. All subsequent Enterprises used the same registry with a suffix of A-E (with -J being seen in Star Trek Enterprise,) denoting each vessel in chronological order.
Unless otherwise indicated, registry numbers cited are either clearly visible on a ship's hull or clearly spoken aloud.
Use
Registry numbers are painted on a starship's hull. In the Star Trek: The Next GenerationStar Trek: The Next Generation
Star Trek: The Next Generation is an American science fiction television series created by Gene Roddenberry as part of the Star Trek franchise. Roddenberry, Rick Berman, and Michael Piller served as executive producers at different times throughout the production...
episode "The Best of Both Worlds", Lieutenant Commander
Starfleet ranks and insignia
Starfleet ranks and insignia are fictional titles and badges that form the hierarchy of Starfleet in the Star Trek television shows and movies.-Overview:...
Elizabeth Shelby identifies ships destroyed by the Borg
Borg (Star Trek)
The Borg are a fictional pseudo-race of cybernetic organisms depicted in the Star Trek universe associated with Star Trek.Whereas cybernetics are used by other races in the science fiction world to repair bodily damage and birth defects, the Borg use enforced cybernetic enhancement as a means of...
based on their hull markings. In other episodes, such as TNG
Transponder
In telecommunication, the term transponder has the following meanings:...
.
In "The Wounded", Star Trek Nemesis and other instances, computer displays represent a ship's position with an icon for its affiliated organization (e.g. a Starfleet
Starfleet
In the fictional universe of Star Trek, Starfleet or the Federation Starfleet is the deep-space exploratory, peacekeeping and military service maintained by the United Federation of Planets . It is the principal means by which the Federation conducts its exploration, defense, diplomacy and research...
shield) next to both the ship's name and its registry number.
USS
In the original series, USS was referred to as standing for either "United Space Ship" or "United Star Ship." This designation was used as early as 2167 on the Daedalus-class starship, the USS Essex.NCC
"NCC" is the most common registry prefix, used by almost every known StarfleetStarfleet
In the fictional universe of Star Trek, Starfleet or the Federation Starfleet is the deep-space exploratory, peacekeeping and military service maintained by the United Federation of Planets . It is the principal means by which the Federation conducts its exploration, defense, diplomacy and research...
vessel in the franchise. The prefix first appears in Star Trek: The Original Series
Star Trek: The Original Series
Star Trek is an American science fiction television series created by Gene Roddenberry, produced by Desilu Productions . Star Trek was telecast on NBC from September 8, 1966, through June 3, 1969...
and was created by designer Matt Jefferies
Matt Jefferies
Walter Matthew Jefferies — known as Matt Jeffries — was an aviation and mechanical artist, set designer and writer, best known for designing the original Starship Enterprise for the Star Trek television series....
. The Star Trek Encyclopedia
The Star Trek Encyclopedia
The Star Trek Encyclopedia: A Reference Guide to the Future is an encyclopedia of all the in-universe information from the Star Trek live-action television series and films. The Encyclopedia was written by Michael Okuda and Denise Okuda, with Debbie Mirek, and illustrated by Doug Drexler...
says:
NCC doesn't stand for anything. It was devised by Matt Jefferies, art director of the first Star Trek series. Jefferies, who is a pilot, based NCC on 20th century aircraft registrationAircraft registrationAn aircraft registration is a unique alphanumeric string that identifies a civil aircraft, in similar fashion to a licence plate on an automobile...
codes. In such 20th century usage, an "N" first letter refers to an aircraft registered in the USA. A "C" second letter refers to a civil aircraft. Jefferies added a second "C", just because he thought it looked better. Think of it as being like the arbitrary three-letter code that's part of automobile license plate numbers in many states.
Jefferies attributed the extra "C" to a combination of the US aviation code "NC", and the Soviet
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
equivalent "CC CC".
According to non-canon print sources, "NCC" is short for "Naval Construction Code", "Navigational Contact Code" or "Naval Construction Contract". It is interesting to note that the original Enterprise is a "Constitution Class" (CC) starship.
NX
Three ships which were the first of their class seen on screen have a registry beginning with "NX".The first of these is the USS Excelsior
USS Excelsior (Star Trek)
The USS Excelsior is a starship in the Star Trek universe. The Excelsior was first seen in the 1984 film, Star Trek III: The Search for Spock. It later appeared in the 1986 film, Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home...
, which first appears in the movie Star Trek III: The Search for Spock
Star Trek III: The Search for Spock
Star Trek III: The Search for Spock is a 1984 motion picture released by Paramount Pictures. The film is the third feature based on the Star Trek science fiction franchise and is the center of a three-film story arc that begins with Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan and concludes with Star Trek IV:...
, with the registry "NX-2000". It is the first of the new Excelsior class. By the time of Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country
Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country
Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country is the sixth feature film in the Star Trek science fiction franchise and is the last of the Star Trek films to include the entire main cast of the 1960s Star Trek television series. Released in 1991 by Paramount Pictures, it was directed by Nicholas Meyer and...
, it is seen in active duty, with the registry "NCC-2000".
The USS Defiant
USS Defiant
The USS Defiant is a fictional starship in the television series Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and the feature film Star Trek: First Contact...
is the first of a class designed to fight the Borg
Borg (Star Trek)
The Borg are a fictional pseudo-race of cybernetic organisms depicted in the Star Trek universe associated with Star Trek.Whereas cybernetics are used by other races in the science fiction world to repair bodily damage and birth defects, the Borg use enforced cybernetic enhancement as a means of...
. Although the ship sees extensive service before and during the Dominion War
Dominion War
The Dominion War is an extended plot concept developed in a number of story arcs of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, an American science-fiction television series produced by Paramount Pictures...
, it never loses the "NX" in its registry, even though other ships of its class bear "NCC" registries (e.g. the NCC-74210 for the USS Valiant and NCC-75633 for the USS São Paulo). The latter of which was renamed to the USS Defiant, along with the Defiant's NX registry, after the destruction of the original.
The experimental USS Prometheus has the registry number "NX-59650". However the registry on all the internal displays and the ship's dedication plaque is stated as "NX-74913".
The USS Dauntless, a ship made to look like a Federation starship, has the registry NX-01-A in the Star Trek: Voyager episode "Hope and Fear".
The Star Trek: The Next Generation Technical Manual
Star Trek: The Next Generation Technical Manual
Star Trek: The Next Generation: Technical Manual is a paperback reference guide detailing the inner and other workings of the fictional Federation starship Enterprise-D and other aspects of technology that appeared in the television series Star Trek: The Next Generation.Authored by Rick Sternbach...
claims that the USS Galaxy is the first of the Galaxy class, and gives its registry as NX-70637. A Galaxy-class USS Galaxy is later seen in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine is a science fiction television series set in the Star Trek universe...
, with the registry NCC-70637.
NX class
A significant use of "NX" is in "NX-01": the registry for the centerpiece of the titular starship in Star Trek: EnterpriseStar Trek: Enterprise
Star Trek: Enterprise is a science fiction television series. It follows the adventures of humanity's first warp 5 starship, the Enterprise, ten years before the United Federation of Planets shown in previous Star Trek series was formed.Enterprise premiered on September 26, 2001...
. However, in that series, "NX" is not the designation for an experimental starship; rather, it indicates the vessel's class. The NX-01 is an NX class starship
Enterprise (NX-01)
The Enterprise is a fictional starship in the science fiction television series Star Trek: Enterprise. It is commanded by Captain Jonathan Archer.-History:...
in the same way that some starships in "later" series are Constitution or Excelsior class vessels.
Other prefixes
A handful of other prefixes sporadically appear in various Star Trek series.| Registry | Name | Class | Role |
|---|---|---|---|
| NV-01 | Intrepid | Intrepid | Earth starship |
| NAR-18834 | SS Vico | Oberth | Federation United Federation of Planets The United Federation of Planets, also known as "The Federation" is a fictional interplanetary federal republic depicted in the Star Trek television series and motion pictures... research vessel |
| NAR-32450 | USS Raven | Raven | Federation research vessel |
| NCV-474439-G | USS Relativity | Wells | Starfleet Starfleet In the fictional universe of Star Trek, Starfleet or the Federation Starfleet is the deep-space exploratory, peacekeeping and military service maintained by the United Federation of Planets . It is the principal means by which the Federation conducts its exploration, defense, diplomacy and research... time ship |
| NDT-50863 | SS Milan | Unknown | Starfleet transport |
| NFT-1327 | SS Lakul | Whorfin | Federation transport |
| NFT-7793 | SS Robert Fox | Whorfin | Federation transport |
| NGL-12535 | SS Odin | Unknown | Federation freighter |
| NSP-17938 | SS T'Pau | Unknown | Vulcan Vulcan (Star Trek) Vulcans, or sometimes Vulcanians, are an extraterrestrial humanoid species in the Star Trek universe who evolved on the planet Vulcan, and are noted for their attempt to live by reason and logic with no interference from emotion. They were the first extraterrestrial species in the Star Trek... transport |
| NCX-3001 | USS Proxima | Proxima Refit | Federation United Federation of Planets The United Federation of Planets, also known as "The Federation" is a fictional interplanetary federal republic depicted in the Star Trek television series and motion pictures... Battleship |
Numbers
Whereas the majority of known starships share the "NCC" prefix, the digits following that prefix (separated from it by a hyphen) are, with few exceptions, unique to each known vessel.Two freighters in the non-canon animated series
Star Trek: The Animated Series
Star Trek: The Animated Series is an animated science fiction television series set in the Star Trek universe following the events of Star Trek: The Original Series of the 1960s...
have the only two registries known to mix letters with the registry's digits: an unnamed robot freighter ("NCC-G1465") and the USS Huron ("NCC-F1513").
Star Trek: Enterprise era
Only two Earth Starfleet ships' registries are legibile on screen: "NX-01" for the EnterpriseEnterprise (NX-01)
The Enterprise is a fictional starship in the science fiction television series Star Trek: Enterprise. It is commanded by Captain Jonathan Archer.-History:...
and "NX-02" for the Columbia
Home (Star Trek: Enterprise)
"Home" is the name of the 79th episode from the television series Star Trek: Enterprise.It is the third episode from the fourth season of the series. Home initially aired on October 22, 2004 on the American television network UPN...
.However, in the Mirror universe, there is an ISS Avenger, "NX-09".
Between Enterprise and The Original Series
Few episodes refer to ships from this era and fewer still reveal those ships' registry numbers. The only firmly established registry number in this era is "NCC-173" for the USS Essex. The Star Trek EncyclopediaThe Star Trek Encyclopedia
The Star Trek Encyclopedia: A Reference Guide to the Future is an encyclopedia of all the in-universe information from the Star Trek live-action television series and films. The Encyclopedia was written by Michael Okuda and Denise Okuda, with Debbie Mirek, and illustrated by Doug Drexler...
claims that the USS Archon, mentioned but not seen in "The Return of the Archons", has the registry "NCC-189".
The Original Series and TOS film era
In The Original Series, the only registries seen on a ship's hull are for vessels of the same Constitution class as the Enterprise. Jeffries chose "1701" for legibility at a distance, rationalizing it as being the 1st ship of the 17th design. Most starships seen or mentioned in The Original Series have four-digit registry numbers beginning with "16", "17" or "18". One exception is the "NCC-1017" registry for the USS Constellation: the show's modelmakers used an old Enterprise model and simply rearranged the registry numbering.Two of the major Starfleet vessels introduced in the TOS-era films – the USS Reliant and USS Excelsior
USS Excelsior (Star Trek)
The USS Excelsior is a starship in the Star Trek universe. The Excelsior was first seen in the 1984 film, Star Trek III: The Search for Spock. It later appeared in the 1986 film, Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home...
– also have four-digit registries: "NCC-1864" and "NX-2000" (later "NCC-2000"), respectively. Other vessels generally follow this pattern, although there are a few vessels with three-digit registries. The most obvious one is the use of "NCC-638" for the USS Grissom. Other examples include "NCC-621" and "NCC-595" for the scouts Columbia and Revere, respectively. In the Remastered version of "Star Trek" currently on air, the episode "Charlie X" visually features the cargo vessel "Antares" with the registry NCC-501 upon its hull, although the registry prior to the remastering was never seen or mentioned in the original episode.
The Next Generation et al. era
Starfleet ships in Star Trek: The Next GenerationStar Trek: The Next Generation
Star Trek: The Next Generation is an American science fiction television series created by Gene Roddenberry as part of the Star Trek franchise. Roddenberry, Rick Berman, and Michael Piller served as executive producers at different times throughout the production...
, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine is a science fiction television series set in the Star Trek universe...
, and Star Trek: Voyager
Star Trek: Voyager
Star Trek: Voyager is a science fiction television series set in the Star Trek universe. Set in the 24th century from the year 2371 through 2378, the series follows the adventures of the Starfleet vessel USS Voyager, which becomes stranded in the Delta Quadrant 70,000 light-years from Earth while...
generally use five-digit registry numbers. The most frequently seen "guest" ships are Excelsior class starships whose registries range from the USS Berlin
USS Defiant
The USS Defiant is a fictional starship in the television series Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and the feature film Star Trek: First Contact...
) and Voyager (featuring the titular NCC-74656
USS Voyager (Star Trek)
The fictional Intrepid-class starship USS Voyager is the primary setting of the science fiction television series Star Trek: Voyager. It is commanded by Captain Kathryn Janeway....
).
Beyond TNG
The time ship USS Relativity from the 29th century has the six-digit registry "NCV-474439-G".Suffixes
In Star Trek canon, the addition of a one-letter suffix to the registry is most notably used by successorsStarship Enterprise
The Enterprise or USS Enterprise is the name of several fictional starships, some of which are the focal point for various television series and films in the Star Trek franchise created by Gene Roddenberry. It is considered a name of legacy in the fleet...
of the USS Enterprise (NCC-1701)
USS Enterprise (NCC-1701)
The USS Enterprise, NCC-1701, is a fictional starship in the Star Trek media franchise. The original Star Trek series depicts her crew's mission "to explore strange new worlds; to seek out new life and new civilizations; to boldly go where no man has gone before" under the command of Captain James...
.
USS Enterprise
Starfleet reuses the original EnterpriseUSS Enterprise (NCC-1701)
The USS Enterprise, NCC-1701, is a fictional starship in the Star Trek media franchise. The original Star Trek series depicts her crew's mission "to explore strange new worlds; to seek out new life and new civilizations; to boldly go where no man has gone before" under the command of Captain James...
s "NCC-1701" registry with each newly commissioned Enterprise, differentiating between vessels by affixing a letter to the end; "NCC-1701-E
USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-E)
The USS Enterprise is a Sovereign-class starship in the Star Trek franchise. It serves as the primary setting of the films Star Trek: First Contact, Star Trek: Insurrection, and Star Trek Nemesis...
" is the registry for the sixth starship Enterprise to carry "NCC-1701" as part of its registry. These Enterprises are generally differentiated by referring to them as, for example, "the Enterprise-B
USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-B)
The USS Enterprise is a fictional starship in the Star Trek science fiction franchise. It is an Excelsior-class upgrade Starfleet vessel that appears under the command of Captain John Harriman in the film Star Trek Generations...
" for the NCC-1701-B or "the Enterprise-C
USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-C)
The USS Enterprise is a fictional starship that appears in the Star Trek: The Next Generation episode "Yesterday's Enterprise". This Ambassador-class starship, under the command of Captain Rachel Garrett , is the fourth Federation starship to carry the name Enterprise...
" for the NCC-1701-C. After setting the self destruct on the Enterprise-E, Captain Jean-Luc Picard
Jean-Luc Picard
Captain Jean-Luc Picard is a Star Trek character portrayed by Patrick Stewart. He appears in the television series Star Trek: The Next Generation and the feature films Star Trek Generations, Star Trek: First Contact, Star Trek: Insurrection, and Star Trek Nemesis...
quips that Starfleet will likely build another Enterprise because there are "plenty of letters left in the alphabet". Although not canon, an Enterprise-F appears in two Star Trek novels. An Enterprise-J serves in an alternate timeline's 26th century.
USS
Excalibur In the Star Trek: 25th Anniversary (Game Boy game)Star Trek: 25th Anniversary (Game Boy game)
Star Trek: 25th Anniversary is a 1991 Game Boy video game developed by Visual Concepts and published by Ultra, based upon the Star Trek universe. The game chronicles a mission of James T. Kirk and his crew of the USS Enterprise. Despite having the same name, the Game Boy version is not a port of...
a Disruptor was being installed on the U.S.S. Excalibur, to be taken to Sector Alpha-9, to confront The Doomsday Machine. The Klingons, having learned of the Disruptor's existence, but not its purpose, and fearing its use against their empire, intercepted and disabled the Excalibur, leaving it up to the Enterprise. After the destruction of the Ambassador-class USS Excalibur (NCC-26517) in Peter David
Peter David
Peter Allen David , often abbreviated PAD, is an American writer of comic books, novels, television, movies and video games...
's best-selling non-canon New Frontier
Star Trek: New Frontier
Star Trek: New Frontier is a Star Trek novel series created by John J. Ordover and Peter David and published by Pocket Books. The idea behind it was to create a Star Trek book series with its own continuity and not one that is purely a reaction to the television shows. Nearly every story of the...
series, Starfleet commissions a Galaxy class Excalibur with the registry "NCC-26517-A".
USS
Relativity The 29th century time ship USS Relativity has the registry NCV-474439-G. Following the pattern used with the Enterprises, this suggests that the Relativity is the eighth ship to carry the name. However, the vessel's dedication plaque indicates that it is the seventh Relativity.USS
Yamato (error) CommanderStarfleet ranks and insignia
Starfleet ranks and insignia are fictional titles and badges that form the hierarchy of Starfleet in the Star Trek television shows and movies.-Overview:...
William Riker
William Riker
William Thomas Riker, played by Jonathan Frakes, is a fictional character in the Star Trek universe primarily appearing as a main character in Star Trek: The Next Generation...
reads the registry of a phantom USS Yamato as "NCC-1305-E". However, this conflicts with the shooting model
Scale model
A scale model is a physical model, a representation or copy of an object that is larger or smaller than the actual size of the object, which seeks to maintain the relative proportions of the physical size of the original object. Very often the scale model is used as a guide to making the object in...
, which bears the registry "NCC-71807" in both this and a subsequent appearance. Despite the dialogue, "NCC-71807" is the correct registry number.
USS
Defiant (Canon Statement) The Defiant, NX-74205, is destroyed late in the run of Deep Space Nine. Captain Sisko is given command of a replacement ship, the Sao Paulo, and given permission to re-designate it Defiant. Although the exterior shots seen of the ship bear the original Defiant markings, the production crew has stated that the intent was to designate the ship as NX-74205-A; however, the change was unable to be made on screen for budgetary reasons, thus making the hull number apocryphal.Federation class
The Federation-class dreadnoughtDreadnought
The dreadnought was the predominant type of 20th-century battleship. The first of the kind, the Royal Navy's had such an impact when launched in 1906 that similar battleships built after her were referred to as "dreadnoughts", and earlier battleships became known as pre-dreadnoughts...
is a ship type first posited by Franz Joseph's Star Trek Star Fleet Technical Manual. The Federation-class is similar to the Constitution-class, but has an additional nacelle. According to the scale presented in the Manual, it is also somewhat larger, with armament and a rear-facing "sensor dish" (note that the navigational deflector is labeled as a sensor dish in the Manual) on the secondary hull. Odd-nacelled designs are rarely seen on screen: the one-nacelled Freedom-class appears as a wreck, and the Enterprise-D has been fitted with a third nacelle in the possible future shown in "All Good Things...".
At the start of Star Trek: The Motion Picture
Star Trek: The Motion Picture
Star Trek: The Motion Picture is a 1979 American science fiction film released by Paramount Pictures. It is the first film based on the Star Trek television series. The film is set in the twenty-third century, when a mysterious and immensely powerful alien cloud called V'Ger approaches the Earth,...
, the Dreadnought Entente, NCC-2120 is mentioned in radio chatter, matching the name and registry for one of the Federation-class ships given by Joseph. A picture of the Joseph's class appears on a computer screen in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan
Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan
Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan is a 1982 American science fiction film released by Paramount Pictures. The film is the second feature based on the Star Trek science fiction franchise. The plot features James T...
.
Diane Carey
Diane Carey
Diane Carey is primarily a science fiction author best known for her work in the Star Trek franchise. She has been the lead-off writer for two Star Trek spin-off book series: Star Trek The Next Generation with Star Trek: Ghost Ship, and the novelization of the Star Trek: Enterprise pilot, Broken...
's novel Dreadnought! heavily features the three-nacelled, Federation dreadnought the USS Star Empire. Its registry disagrees with that given by Joseph (as does the claim that is it the class prototype: Joseph gives this as the USS Federation NCC-2100).
The Star Fleet Battles
Star Fleet Battles
Star Fleet Battles is a tactical board wargame set in an offshoot of the Star Trek setting called the Star Fleet Universe. Originally created in 1979 by Stephen V. Cole,...
gaming universe presents the dreadnought as 50% larger than the heavy cruiser (Constitution and Enterprise classes) but it has little increase in firepower and is not up to par with the dreadnoughts of other races. Its justification is mostly as a command ship in fleet operations but is eventually phased out in favor of the battlecruiser classes (represented by the Excelsior class cruisers).
Along with the Saladin class ships, the Federation class can be seen at various intervals throughout the simulator of the Enterprise bridge in The Wrath of Khan, displayed in a schematic view on various displays.
Norway class
In real life, the Norway class was designed by Alex Jaeger at Industrial Light & Magic and rendered as a computer-generated visual effect for Star Trek: First ContactStar Trek: First Contact
Star Trek: First Contact is the eighth feature film in the Star Trek science fiction franchise, released in November 1996, by Paramount Pictures. First Contact is the first film in the franchise to feature no cast members from the original Star Trek television series of the 1960s...
. However, the computer files were irrevocably corrupted before they could be used again following the movie. Therefore, very little is known about the ship. In fact, the actual design of the ship is slightly controversial, as there are two known images of the ship: One in the Star Trek tech manuals, and one in the background of the movie. The only known ship is the USS Budapest.
NX class
The concept artists responsible for the design of the Enterprise (NX-01)Enterprise (NX-01)
The Enterprise is a fictional starship in the science fiction television series Star Trek: Enterprise. It is commanded by Captain Jonathan Archer.-History:...
, the main ship of the series Star Trek: Enterprise
Star Trek: Enterprise
Star Trek: Enterprise is a science fiction television series. It follows the adventures of humanity's first warp 5 starship, the Enterprise, ten years before the United Federation of Planets shown in previous Star Trek series was formed.Enterprise premiered on September 26, 2001...
, have said that they based the general external layout of the NX-class on the Akira-class, since that class had only appeared in the background of effects shots and was never prominently featured.
Ptolemy class
The Ptolemy class tug is another starship that exists in the Star Fleet Technical Manual. It consists of the same saucer-shaped primary hull common to the Constitution-class cruiser, the Saladin-class destroyer and the Hermes-class scout. Two warp nacelles are attached by pylons underneath the primary hull–there is a towing plate in the center designed to carry cylindrical cargo containers where the secondary hull would be on a Constitution-class ship. These cargo pods can come in various designs, depending on what cargo needs to be moved.This ship class makes an appearance in an "episode" of the Star Trek: 25th Anniversary computer game as the USS Masada, a starship taken over by Elasi pirates.
Saladin class
The Saladin class is a type of starship that originated in Franz Joseph's Star Fleet Technical Manual. Diagrams from this Technical Manual were used in bridge displays in Star Trek II: The Wrath of KhanStar Trek II: The Wrath of Khan
Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan is a 1982 American science fiction film released by Paramount Pictures. The film is the second feature based on the Star Trek science fiction franchise. The plot features James T...
. The Technical Manual designates it is a "destroyer", and claims the first ship of this class is the USS Saladin, NCC-500. The ship has only one nacelle. The USS Kelvin (NCC-0514) seen in the 2009 film is broadly similar to the Saladin, but has considerably different hull detailing and adds a secondary hull mounted above the saucer.
The video game Star Trek: Legacy features a starship of the same design as the Saladin but instead refers to it as Apollo class. This ship can be used during the first part of the Original Series section of the game. Later, the ship gets a restyle similar to the Enterprise-A's refit, this time with two similar warp nacelles. This version is dubbed the "Apollo-class refit."
Galaxy Class
The model of the Galaxy Class USS Enterprise was built by Industrial Light & Magic, in the Star TrekStar Trek
Star Trek is an American science fiction entertainment franchise created by Gene Roddenberry. The core of Star Trek is its six television series: The Original Series, The Animated Series, The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Voyager, and Enterprise...
television show, it was used during the 24th century. Ships of this class were: The USS Enterprise
USS Enterprise
USS Enterprise may refer to the following vessels:-United States of America:In watercraft, the prefix "USS" or "U.S.S." is applied to ships commissioned by and for the United States Navy. Private citizens also use the name unofficially...
, the USS Yamato, USS Odyssey
USS Odyssey
USS Odyssey refers to several science-fiction television starships:* In the Star Trek universe, the USS Odyssey is a Galaxy class starship, Starfleet registry NCC-71832....
USS Venture
USS Venture
Three vessels of the United States Navy have been named USS Venture:*The first Venture was a steam yacht leased by the Navy from 1917 to 1919....
and, though never prominently featured, the USS Galaxy
USS Galaxy
USS Galaxy may refer to:, a motorboat used for research by the Navy, 1941–1945, a fictional starship in the Star Trek universe...
. Gene Roddenberry
Gene Roddenberry
Eugene Wesley "Gene" Roddenberry was an American television screenwriter, producer and futurist, best known for creating the American science fiction series Star Trek. Born in El Paso, Texas, Roddenberry grew up in Los Angeles, California where his father worked as a police officer...
speculated that six were built. This was not confirmed, and possibly more were built. .
Wells class
The Wells class is a 29th century FederationUnited Federation of Planets
The United Federation of Planets, also known as "The Federation" is a fictional interplanetary federal republic depicted in the Star Trek television series and motion pictures...
timeship
Time travel
Time travel is the concept of moving between different points in time in a manner analogous to moving between different points in space. Time travel could hypothetically involve moving backward in time to a moment earlier than the starting point, or forward to the future of that point without the...
class in the series Star Trek: Voyager
Star Trek: Voyager
Star Trek: Voyager is a science fiction television series set in the Star Trek universe. Set in the 24th century from the year 2371 through 2378, the series follows the adventures of the Starfleet vessel USS Voyager, which becomes stranded in the Delta Quadrant 70,000 light-years from Earth while...
, appearing in the episode "Relativity". The episode's titular ship, the USS Relativity, is the only Wells-class ship to appear in Star Trek. The Relativity also appears in the non-canon Star Trek: New Frontier
Star Trek: New Frontier
Star Trek: New Frontier is a Star Trek novel series created by John J. Ordover and Peter David and published by Pocket Books. The idea behind it was to create a Star Trek book series with its own continuity and not one that is purely a reaction to the television shows. Nearly every story of the...
comic book, attempting to prevent Mackenzie Calhoun from changing history.
The ship has a small, single hull with warp nacelles that are pod-like in appearance. The class is named after H. G. Wells
H. G. Wells
Herbert George Wells was an English author, now best known for his work in the science fiction genre. He was also a prolific writer in many other genres, including contemporary novels, history, politics and social commentary, even writing text books and rules for war games...
, author of The Time Machine
The Time Machine
The Time Machine is a science fiction novella by H. G. Wells, published in 1895 for the first time and later adapted into at least two feature films of the same name, as well as two television versions, and a large number of comic book adaptations. It indirectly inspired many more works of fiction...
.