Talon class

The Talon-class was a type of Federation scout starship in Starfleet service in the late 24th century.

History
Starfleet Command ordered a vessel that could serve as a dedicated sensor platform. Despite having a number of long-range reconnaissance vessels, Starfleet needed a short-range vessel for scouting purposes. The Starfleet Corps of Engineers, using experiences gained from the Runabout Design Program, designed a small, highly maneuverable craft with excellent sensor abilities. The designers selected an unused hull model originally developed for an aeroshuttle, on a proven spaceframe design.

A prototype, the USS Talon, was constructed and underwent a number of revisions. The final addition was the Class 5 long-range sensor cluster. The Talon-class was commissioned in the year 2373.

Talon-class vessels went on to be used in a wide range of missions, with the USS Talon attached to the joint Federation–Son'a duck-blind surveillance of the Ba'ku. One joined an archaeological excavation on Barradas III, and another surveyed the Sigma Draconis star system. The Dominion War of 2373–2375 saw Talon-class scouts used to locate Jem'Hadar movements and conduct reconnaissance of systems prior to Starfleet assaults. Such operations produced vital intelligence for Starfleet battle strategies.

Mission
The Talon-class was rated as a scout vessel, designed to be a small, swift, and highly maneuverable sensor platform. It was a support vessel capable of independent operation. These properties made it useful for a range of scientific missions, including planetary surveys, cultural surveys, first contact programs, and other scientific research. These composed its primary mission profile, though military reconnaissance was also a requirement.

The vessels were generally deployed to provide aerial and orbital support to long-term exploration, research, and survey efforts. They were typically based at space stations and planetside research stations, and normally one or two vessels would be assigned. They were ideal for such situations when a larger Oberth or Nova class was unsuitable.

The small size of the Talon meant the ship was easy to build and maintain and to transport within any standard starship's shuttlebay. Large numbers were transported to their stations by Akira or Nebula class vessels.

Specifications
For propulsion, the Talon-class had a LF-9X4 compact warp drive, more durable than that of a runabout and with nacelles actually encased within the ship's body. These enabled a Talon to sustain warp factors up to 3 or 4, and a maximum of warp 5 for up to 24 hours. The FIE impulse engine was also a little more reliable than a runabout's, and could achieve speeds of 0.7–0.9 c. The ship's hull featured an aerowing design streamlined for superior atmospheric flight.

Although not designed for drawn-out battles, the Talon-class had limited armaments for self-defense. It was equipped with pulse phasers or four Type-V / Type-VI phaser arrays, and three Mark 25 direct-fire torpedo launchers with Type IV microtorpedoes. It was protected by an FSQ-2 deflector shield grid.

The ship's primary feature was its excellent, dedicated sensor systems, with a precise Class 5 sensor array and a miniature long-range sensor dish. The sensor capacity greatly outweighed that of a shuttlecraft or runabout, instead being comparable to a much larger vessel. Modifications to its sensors could allow it to detect cloaked ships.

A little larger than a standard Federation shuttlecraft, the Talon measured 24.36 meters in length, 16.26 meters in width, and 6.31 meters in height, with one deck. It could land in a shuttlebay or dock via its ventral and dorsal universal docking ports. It had space to carry 2 standard cargo units. Its aerowing design facilitates atmospheric operations.

It required one pilot, and had space for four to ten crew or passengers. It had provisions for five people for up to ten days. There was a cockpit (designed like a Type-9 shuttlecraft) for only one pilot, a number of science stations, and some facilities for crew, including a ward room and two cabins. Although it had expanded accommodations, they were cramped at five people. It was not mission-configurable, and thus not adaptable for expanded storage space or accommodation. Finally, it had a replicator, two fore and aft tractor beams, and one standard two-person personnel transporter.

Project Starlight Talon-class Data
The 6 Talon-class scouts assigned to Project Starlight were constructed specifically for that project. They have been assigned to the 28th Fleet, also known as the Starlight Fleet, and have seen no other duty as of yet. They were constructed at a rate better than one a month and shipped to Starbase Locksley upon completion. They have no permanent crew, and are assigned personnel based upon their selected mission.

Project Starlight Assigned Vessels

 * USS Corsair (NCC-75456), Commissioned Stardate 53399
 * USS Merriweather (NCC-75460), Commissioned Stardate 53406
 * USS Dryden (NCC-75387), Commissioned Stardate 53421
 * USS Hearne (NCC-75358), Commissioned Stardate 53434
 * USS Lowell (NCC-75379), Commissioned Stardate 53446
 * USS Xerxes (NCC-75338), Commissioned Stardate 53470