Star Trek Blueprints: Quantum Class Starship Schematics - U.S.S. Swiftwind NCC-86513
Illustrator: Caithlin Ferrara
Copyright: 2011
Summary:
The Quantum class starship was initially developed alongside the Intrepid class as a scientific exploration vessel. However the success of the Intrepid class, and the threat of invasion from the Dominion forced Starfleet to put the design on hold for 3 years. The discovery of the stable, artificial Bajoran wormhole in 2369 led to new insights into the creation of navigable wormholes. Following the introduction of the Quantum particle (a unique power source) through illegal channels, Section31 pursued the development adding a twin navigational deflector to utilise wormhole technology to allow instantaneous travel; deploying fleets of ships. Although designated as a science vessel the Quantum class was designed as the most heavily armed vessel of its size in Starfleet. In addition to advanced full spectrum sensor pallets, the ship is equipped with multiple photon torpedo launchers, quantum torpedo launchers, and eleven type XII phaser banks, with 43% of the hull plated in ablative shielding. The deflectors can create a powerful side effect of graviton pulses by opening an unstable wormhole which can easily destroy a planet.
After Section31 took over the project, illegal interphasic cloaks were installed during the construction of the ships and remained cloaked throughout their work life. None of the ships were officially launched and were not known to Starfleet. The USS Swiftwind was rushed to launch in 2376, in the hope that it and the prototype USS Quantum could assist in the rescue of the USS Voyager, which had recently been discovered more than 60,000 light-years away in the Delta Quadrant. The mission was a cover up for another, sinister mission. To invade the Gamma Quadrant with 40 quantum class ships and destroy the Dominion fleet. However Dominion infiltrators had instigated a trap where they were ambushed by Jem'Hadar warships. The USS Quantum and USS Swiftwind managed to escape through a wormhole to an uncharted galaxy and contact has been lost. Only these 2 ships were able to make the quantum matrix technology work. This is thought to be because they both used alien parts sold to Section31. The other 38 ships had replicated the alien parts to no success.
The ship has 2 power cores. A standard matter/antimatter reactor and the quantum matrix extrapolator. This device is based on alien technology that allows highly powerful exotic particles from a different dimension to be extracted and brought into a contained vacuum. The quantum particles are bombarded by tachyons to stabilise them. They are highly volatile and destructive and used in minute quantities. Nothing is known about the dimension where the quantum particle are native, Section31 decided not to explore after successful demonstrations of the technology by a Ferengi arms dealer. Starfleet does not acknowledge the existence of the Quantum class starship as an operational vessel, having abandoned the project in favour of newer classes of starship.
The USS Swiftwind will feature in Star Trek: Ascension, a fan based animation in 2012.
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