| This article or subsection has an associated category. | Akula class frigates |
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- For other uses, see Akula.
The Akula-class was a type of Federation starship in Starfleet service in the 23rd century, classified as a frigate or light cruiser vessel. (TOS video game: Starfleet Command)
History and specifications[]
Development[]
The Federation new light cruiser class had effectively taken over the shipyards that originally produced the Saladin-class, ending most destroyer production. This left a gap between the light cruiser and frigate classes which was covered by the steadily dwindling force of Saladins and older cruisers. By 2274 the shortage of these classes was becoming acute, particularly with so many of them being converted into support roles.
Recognizing the need for a new destroyer class, the Federation commissioned two competing designs: the new-concept Akula, and a beefed-up version of the Okinawa-class. The Akula was eventually selected as it was larger and more capable than its competitor. The first prototype appeared in 2275 and production began in 2276.
- From the instruction manual for the video game Starfleet Command, itself taken from the original Star Fleet Battles source material.
Around the same time, another Akula-class with a different hull configuration served in Starfleet as destroyers.
The newer Apollo-class scout replicated the Akula-class frigate's configuration of a saucer section connected via nacelle pylons to a dorsal and ventral warp nacelle, with a torpedo launcher attached to the lower pylon. (ST video game: Legacy)
Mirror universe[]
In the mirror universe, ships of this class, like the ISS Phobos, remained in Imperial Starfleet service into the 2290s decade. Around 2293, the torpedo launcher array had been widened into a secondary hull wedged between the saucer section] and the ventral nacelle. In that year, the time-displaced USS Excelsior crew had to face the Terran Empire off on while taking the ISS Excelsior to Janus Ultima. (TOS video game: Shattered Universe)
