USS Repulse (NCC-25122)

'''History of the USS Repulse ''' Construction History

Project Sovereign was born out of sheer necessity and the stark reality of impending Borg invasion. As the reports and intelligence gathered by the Enterprise-D were studied and applied, Starfleet came to the humbling conclusion that its grand fleet may be no match for the massive Borg cubes. While the threat was full of dark portent, Starfleet decided to tackle the problem behind closed doors. Several projects were born or modified due to the threat of an impending Borg attack: Project's Norway and Steamrunner were revamped in large part due to the Borg threat, along with the birth of the now infamous Defiant and Prometheus Projects.

Analysis of the Borg weapons system, particularly the tractor and cutting beams, illustrated the limitations of Starfleet shielding. The fixed-frequency, symmetrical oscillating subspace graviton field common to starships of the Starfleet proved to be a severe limitation in combat against the ever-adapting Borg. Starships had to constantly randomize their shield frequency in order to affect a reliable defense, which in the heat of combat proved to be difficult at best - at least in readings gathered in the Enterprise-D's initial encounter with the Borg. Krups Defense Systems, a manufacturer of photon torpedo casings, proposed a new type of shield system. This shield system would automatically and constantly shift its nutation and frequency based on the frequency of the attacking vessel's weaponry. Each time the enemy attacked the shield, it would shift and match the opposing weapons frequency and nutation, regenerating its power load to the maximum available for defense. This system, known as Project: Valkyrie, was still in the initial design stages when Project Sovereign was launched. So impressed was Starfleet Command that they signed a specialized product development agreement with Krups for a modern shield system based on the prototypes in the Valkyrie project. So successful was the Valkyrie Project that all starships constructed or refit since 2370 have had this technology integrated into their shield systems.

The first Sovereign hull, NX-75000, began gamma welding in 2366 with its hull provisioned and prepared for deep space trials by the end of the year. Venerable Earth company, General Electric, was commissioned to create a high-efficiency, ultra-high output warp core for the Sovereign Class. Up until that point, GE had produced warp cores for such workhorse vessels as the Sydney, Oberth and Anteras Class starships, whose warp cores were known for their reliability, low maintenance requirements and ease of repairs. In 2367, the U.S.S. Sovereign - escorted by the U.S.S. Appalachia (NCC-52136) and the U.S.S. Firebrand (NCC-68723) left Utopia Planitia for warp trials from the Sol System to Proxima Centauri and back.

Initial testing of the Warp Drive proved extremely disappointing, with power loads far exceeding the core's rating, the U.S.S. Sovereign achieved a maximum attainable speed of Warp 5, with a cruising speed of only Warp 3.

By this time, however, Starfleet issued an order for two Sovereign-class starships, using more conventional systems, to be produced. As the U.S.S. Sovereign continued to serve as a design reference and test-bed for these new systems, two hulls were laid - the U.S.S. Ark Royal and her sister ship, the U.S.S. Monarchy. Construction of these vessels began in 2369, with both hulls being produced at San Francisco Fleet Yards, using conventional materials and equipment. With the successful testing and deployment of Ablative Hull components aboard the Defiant Class in 2370, Starfleet Command requested the addition of these protective elements to the Sovereign Class hull. This third layer of protection would secure the Sovereign class would be leading the first line of defense against the Borg in any further incursions, and would push the launch of the Sovereign class back by a year to 2373.

The first Sovereign-class starship commissioned, originally U.S.S. Ark Royal with registry number NCC-75633, was decommissioned and then commissioned U.S.S. Enterprise with the registry NCC-1701-E after the loss of the U.S.S. Enterprise (NCC-1701-D) in the Veridian system, and launched in 2373. Her sister ship, the U.S.S. Monarchy, was launched three months later and has served with distinction with the 5th Fleet through the duration of the Dominion conflict. Currently, all Sovereign-class starships utilize all technologies originally developed during and for Project Sovereign.