Truth OR Myth? BETA - The Nimitz Class - Early Design History

Truth OR Myth? BETA – The Nimitz Class – Early Design History

Hello and welcome to another episode of Truth OR Myth Beta Canon,  a Star Trek web series that dives into the history of any given topic using Beta Canon sources and my own imagination to fill in the gaps.  In today’s episode, we’re taking a look at the Nimitz Class of Starfleet Starships, in an attempt to explain this classes place, in the Star Trek universe.

Named after the World War II Fleet Admiral Chester Nimitz, the Nimitz Class would be the strongest, most advanced starship in the Federation Fleet, that is until the Constitution Class made its debut and with its introduction, the class would be slowly phased out, until just another page in Starship Design history.  But what was the story behind the Nimitz Class?  Well today, we find out…

Because this IS a Beta Canon video, all information relaid should pretty much be taken with a grain of stardust, and only considered a little bit of Star Trek Fun!  And so, with all that out of the way, let us begin.

USS Europa
(CBS) USS Europa

By the early 23rd Century, Starfleet and the United Federation of Planets had hit their stride in terms of creating a viable and working system of alliances through out the Alpha and Beta Quadrants. With this spirit of cooperation, Starfleet Command had designed and constructed many different starships to make up its fleet of exploratory and peacekeeping vessels.

Designs like the Walker and Malachowski Classes were conman all through out Federation Space and showed a clear lineage all the way back to some of Starfleet’s earliest starship designs. In order to keep a certain aesthetic for the fleet, Starfleet had decided in the early 2170s to keep all it’s starship designs with one similar starting point, that of what was known as a Saucer Section. Named a Saucer Section, thanks to it’s resemblance to old Earth Stories of Flying Saucers transporting Aliens to Earth, Starfleet would not stray very often from this particular design until midway through the 23rd Century. Though similar in designs, All the classes employed within the fleet would be assigned specific mission profiles, and internally, both in Systems and included facilities, would reflect that specific classes role within Starfleet.

By the 2230s however, Starfleet felt it’s fleet of starships were looking a bit old.

Exploration of the Core of the Federation had went well, but as Starfleet continued to increase the boundaries of Federation Space, heading out in the vastness of Deep Space, it had encountered many strange and wondrous things, both amazing and very dangerous in scope. And so Starfleet assembled a team of Starship Designers to create a new Class of Starship that could deal with any potential threats head-on, and keep Federation Space safe from any potential enemy encounters. At the same time, Starfleets Warp Theorists had begun very interesting experiments in warp travel and execution.

One of the more controversial theories of the time was whether or not increasing the number of Warp Nacelles beyond the standard 2 Nacelles of most Starfleet Starships, could or would have any beneficial effects. The majority of warp theorists of the time felt that adding additional warp nacelles would simply be a waste of resources, with little or no effect on the starships warp capabilities, while a minority of Warp Theorists believed that adding additional nacelles would allow for a starship to have better control over its warp field.  Being able to create a tighter, much more stable warp field, thereby increasing a starships speed.

Starfleet was intrigued by the debate, however, it would not be increased speed of a ship that would lead Starfleet to Commission a 4 Nacelle Starship design, but rather the safety factor involved. In a 2 Nacelle starship design, if 1 Nacelle was rendered inoperative it was discovered that a starship was still able to travel at warp, though at a very reduced capacity. So the idea of having 4 Nacelles, heading off into potentially dangerous situation, meant in their eyes, that starship could still travel at higher warp velocities to reach safe harbour even if 1 or 2 Warp Nacelles were completely inoperative.  And this fact appealed to Starfleet Command a great deal… And so the Nimitz Class would be born.

USS Europa concept art
(CBS/John Eaves) Nimitz Class Concept Art

At a length of 383.3 meters long and 25 Decks tall, the Nimitz Class would carry a crew of approximately 300 Officers and Crew Members. All the latest in Starfleet Technology was included in this class, which contributed directly to this classes successes through out the Federation. Offensive and defensive wise, the Nimitz class sported an entirely new Phaser Emitter System that Starfleet was developing, in hopes of changing Starfleet’s current intermittent Phaser Beam bursts, to a sustained Phaser Beam.

Shield emitters and Shield System Components were also redesigned, increasing their effectiveness by 27% over previous starship designs. With it’s increased focus on tactical systems, the Nimitz Class would also include an oversized shuttlebay, with a full complement of Shuttle Craft and Fighter Vehicles.  Fighter Vehicles being a fairly new concept for Starfleet Starships to carry. Basically, all systems aboard this class would receive upgrades and overhauls.  This included systems such as the classes tractor beam emitters.

Up to this point in Starfleet History, the classes which included Tractor Beam emitters, given to Starfleet by the Vulcan High Command, had pretty weak emitters.  Only designed for brief use rather than sustained towing of another starship. The Nimitz Class, however, was capable of towing another starship at warp, which again at the time, was considered a huge advantage, as other, damaged or disabled starships could be towed out of danger or back to a repair facility with relative ease.

Another System in this class that would get an immense overhaul that would lead to fleet wide changes was that of the Nimitz Classes transporter system. The Standard Transporter in all Starfleet Starships was known as a Lateral Vector Transporter.  And although a powerful system, it required a massive amount of power to function.  Which meant that in instances of Starship power failure or decreased power availability, these transporters would end up being virtually useless.

(CBS) Nimitz Class Side Elevation

However, after a breakthrough in Transporter Technology by the Xyrillians, the Nimitz Class would be the first Starfleet Starship Class to carry these New Transporters.  And these new Transporters used almost 900% less power to operate then it’s Lateral vector counterpart. Also included in the Nimitz Class would be a new Holographic Training System, designed to allow officers to test and maintain their defensive skills through specially crafted simulations.

The U.S.S. Nimitz would be launched in the year 2240, after a huge celebration at Utopia Planitia, Starfleet’s new and dedicated Starship Construction Facility.  And Starfleet Command, along with Starfleets best and brightest scientists and engineers, waited breathlessly for performance reports on the class. Heading at low warp to the Wolf 359 System, the Nimitz Class performed exceptionally well.  After settling in adjustments had been made, all its new systems functioned either as expected or above Starfleet’s Expectations.

But what most of Starfleet was truly waiting for, was the classes warp tests.

Starship Classes of the Era, had a standard cruising velocity of approximately warp factor 5, and an emergency speed or about warp factor 6, though some classes had even reached and maintained warp factor 6.5 by this point in history, so the expectations on the class were rather high. Starting at warp factor 1 with a slow increase curve to allow for any adjustments needed, Starfleets Brass were truly impressed when the USS Nimitz reached and was able to sustain Warp Factor 6… But now it was time to test the absolute tolerances of this class.

Increasing it’s warp factor point by point, the U.S.S. Nimitz reached a warp factor of 6.6, albeit a slightly bumpy ride, and the decision was made to increase the ships velocity even further…

Amazingly the starship was able to reach Warp Factor 6.9, making it the only Starfleet Vessel to ever travel that fast up to that point, and although the Class was technically able to reach that velocity, Starfleet Command would list it’s Maximum Emergency Speed as Warp Factor 6.6, as any starship of the class attempting to sustain that speed would and could suffer catastrophic system burn outs and failures. Though the Nimitz Classes new Warp System design would inspire Starfleet Warp theorists to come up with new Warp System in an attempt to break the Warp 7 barrier, and they would ultimately succeed with the Warp System introduced in the Constitution Class in 2245.

Nimitz Class Front & Rear Elevation
(CBS) Nimitz Class Front & Rear Elevation

Extremely pleased with the Class, Starfleet Command would order it in to full production, and for almost 5 years, the Nimitz Class would be the talk of the Federation. But as with all thing, good things must come to end, and for the Nimitz Class, that end came far quicker then most people had anticipated.

In 2245, the Constitution Class would make its historic debut.  Sporting an elegant Primary and Secondary Hull configuration, along with several new systems such as the Warp 7 Core and Duotronic computer systems, practically overnight, the Nimitz Class, along with most classes in Starfleet, would become obsolete. In an effort to keep the Nimitz Class alive, Starfleet Command would authorize a refit of the existing class to include the new Duotronic Systems as well as a modified version of the Warp 7 core.

However, by the late 2250s, the class would begin to be phased out in favour of newer classes that followed the aesthetic look of the Constitution Class.  And by 2263, very few of the class remained in active service, and those that did had had their mission profile changed to one of support services, rather than being a starship of line.

Because of the introduction of the Constitution Class so close to the launching of this class, the Nimitz Class has become an often over looked and forgotten starship design.

Never the less, the Nimitz Class proved to Starfleet and the federation at large, that when push came to shove, anything was possible.  And thanks to the Nimitz Class, Starfleet Command would continue to develop classes with more then the standard 2 Nacelle designs which would comprise most of the Federation Fleet.

And would directly lead to the Warp 7 Core breakthrough which would be a staple in the Constitution Class design.  Earning this class it’s place, in Starfleet History…

Thank you for watching today’s episode of Truth or Myth Beta Canon, what do you think of the Nimitz Class?  Do you want to see more videos like this one?  Well leave your comments in the section below and don’t forget to like the video and subscribe to the channel.

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Thanks again for watching, Live long and prosper…

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