USS Bluefin (NCC-4458)

USS Bluefin - Albacore - class Border Cutter
The Bluefin was constructed at the Andor Shipyards, Andoria, in 2306. Originally, there were 28 Albacore - class cutters built between 2295 and 2310. As of 2376, there are only 8 ships in the class that are still active, the others having been retired, destroyed or lost. All were constructed for the use of the Starfleet Border Service.

Bluefin and her sister ships were designed for patrol, escort and interdiction duty. The ships are powered by two warp nacelles providing a top speed of warp 9.2 (following the upgrades of 2240 - 2245). For decades, these ships were noted for having the highest power to mass ratio (under impulse power)of any Starfleet vessel until the introduction of the [i]Definat[/i] class. This makes the ship both a joy and a challenge for talented helmsmen.

Besides their powerful engines, the Bluefin and her sister ships are fitted each with four heavy graviton emitters (tractor beams) enabling them to tow vessels of much greater size and mass. The Bluefin is armed with three pairs of Type VIII phaser turrets on the primary hull. Torpedo launchers are located fore and aft. A notable feature of this class ship is its large, tapered engineering hull relative to the compact saucer section. This allows for a large landing bay capable of handling Type 11 shuttle craft, Super Stallion support craft, and Danube - class runabouts.

The ship's compact size means small quarters and narrow corridors for the crew. Most ships in the class carry a complement of 120. Most have been upgraded with replicators and holo-decks, but the Bluefin is an exception in this regard, only recently having a mandated Emergency Medical Hologram (Mk I) installed.