Star Trek Expanded Universe
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The Federation light fighter class was a class of attack fighter on active duty in Starfleet during the 23rd century.

The light fighter was given no class name.

Said to be designed as a defensive weapon to counter fighters from the Klingons, Romulans, Tholians and Gorn, the light fighter consisted of a flattened wedge-shaped hull that housed the cockpit. The cockpit had two seats, for a pilot and a gunner/navigator.

The general lines of the light fighter would seem to indicate that it entered service around the same time as the Galileo-type (aka Class F) shuttlecraft (contemporary with the launch of the first Constitution-class heavy cruisers ca. 2245?) and no later than first official contact with the Gorn and Tholians in the mid-2260s.

Propulsion consisted of a main unit aft and two booster propulsion units (on outboard support pylons) to aid in maneuvering. The range was said to be "limited".

No warp capability was mentioned for this class of fighter, so it is assumed that it was capable of high-impulse speeds only.

Armaments included two forward phasers and a bay for small versions of photon torpedoes beneath the hull of the fighter. (Jackill's Guide to Light Attack Craft, vol. 1)

In the late 24th century, the Starfleet Marine Corps employed a variety of fighters and light fighters including the F-9D Tigershark Fighter, two of which were stationed aboard the USS Black Hawk.

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