1: Key Facts
USS Vanguard, registration code NCC-71743
Measurements
Length: 465 meters
Width: 317 meters
Height: 87 meters
Weight: Approximately 3000000 metric tons
Note: These measurements are speculative and based on observable size comparisons.
The weight is extrapolated from a similar sized vessel used by the Salarian Union.
What the NCC stands for is unknown; however it is believed to be a code similar to that used by most militaries. The high number is unexpected given to the young age of the Federation – when compared to the Council – and it is possible that this is because prototypes and larger shuttles are assigned their own registration number in this codex.
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Speed:
Normal Cruise : Warp 6
Maximum Cruise : Warp 9.3
Maximum Rated : Warp 9.8 for 12 hours.
These figures were freely provided, as was, thankfully, a comparative speed chart.
Warp 6 is around 400 times light speed (ls), Warp 9.3 is around 1750ls and Warp 9.8 is just under 3000ls.
By comparison, a similar sized Systems Alliance cruiser is capable of cruising at 3000ls while a smaller frigate is capable of closer to 4000ls, with the new Normandy class comparable to the most advanced Asari and Turian frigates at around 4500ls.
Why Federation ships seem so slow is unknown, but given that less than two hundred years ago the Humans only achieved FTL flight, that rate of improvement is incredible for them doing it virtually by themselves.
This mirrors the concerns that have been publicly stated by senior members of the Turian, Salarian and Asari militaries regarding the Systems Alliance, and its potential for rapid, virtually unchecked, growth.
Humanity seems to be able to push themselves to a degree similar to the Salarians, but without becoming overly stuck on one concept, while still having a 'long-game' similar to the Asari – though clearly not as 'long'.
The Asari and Salarians achieved cruiser speeds of 3500ls within a hundred years of reaching the Citadel, but no-one has been able to push much beyond this figure in the centuries since.
It should be noted that while their overall FTL speed is slower, their ability to apply FTL in combat is obviously much more impressive as shown by the remarkable short-jump manoeuvres carried out by the Vanguard and her fighters to confuse the Geth – and Citadel – forces long enough to appear simultaneously in two places at once. While this tactic was only used to assist the Destiny Ascension, it can is postulated that it would also provide a very effective means to launch multiple 'hit and run' attacks in succession.
This tactic, which is similar to the Asari 'jump-step' of using one of their engine cores to 'shunt' the vessel out of the way, is a truly disturbing and intriguing concept as they can split enemy fire without the need for reinforcements.
Additionally, due to the variable speeds of their torpedoes, they can launch volleys that will arrive simultaneously at a target, again forcing their opponent to split their fire, or striking the same area of a ship's kinetic barriers is rapid, overwhelming succession.
It is unknown at this time if their torpedoes can actually achieve FTL speeds, but if they can then one Starfleet vessel could decimate an entire Citadel fleet in mere minutes.
That is not an error of translation!
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Standard Crew Compliment: 450 to 550
Evacuation limit: 2500
This figure is from one of the initial data files provided. Actual crew numbers are believed to be around half of this based on observations from visitors.
In addition, the fact that a small cruiser sized vessel could hold virtually the entire crew of a Citadel race's dreadnought sized vessel suggests – and provided Starfleet documentation supports this – that the Starfleet vessels are all capable of carrying out small-scale evacuations at any time. This is both commendable and highly dangerous if used as a trick to board the vessel.
I will reference this when talking about their threat potential and operating tactics, but I feel compelled to mention that this willingness to carry out evacuations could allow us to seize the vessel at a later date, if the Council so wishes. However, I would strongly suggest using any and all other methods of gaining access to their technology first; including but not limited to bribery, theft and begging.
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Fighter Capacity: Unknown
Multiple smaller vessels have been observed both in flight or parked in the large fly-through bay located in the saucer of the Vanguard.
This layout suggests that the class that the Vanguard belongs to is designated as a cruiser-carrier variant.
Our team believe that these fall into three groups; combat fighters, shuttles and (potentially) short-range scouts.
Of the fighter variants, two have been observed. A smaller 1 or 2 person fighter and a larger 2 to 4 person heavy fighter.
The smaller fighter was not deployed during the Battle of the Citadel, and so our only reports on it comes from recording provided by the Human cargo vessel, the Morning Star, and the SSV Normandy.
This fighter lacks true FTL speeds, but seems to be able to latch onto another ship for short-range FTL maneuverers.
This fighter was only seen to engage with lower powered energy weapons, known as phasers. While limited in power by Starfleet standards, these phasers were capable of taking out Geth dropships with only a small number of strikes and Geth fighters with a single, glancing, shot.
Note: Low-powered for Starfleet is still comfortably more powerful than anything smaller than a strike or heavy cruiser variant from one of our fleets. And that this my low estimate.
The larger fighter is capable of FTL speeds in its own right, though we suspect that they are not capable of the same speeds as the Vanguard.
It is equipped with two phaser cannons and what we have classified as a micro-torpedo launcher under the cockpit.
These ships were seen during the Battle of the Citadel to be able to engage Geth cruisers in single combat and emerge victorious.
Video evidence from a Turian frigate shows one fighter taking a direct strike from a Geth cruiser's main cannon and surviving. This suggests that their shielding technology is far beyond anything we currently are able to produce.
While no-where as powerful as the Vanguard's own torpedoes, these micro-variants were move than capable of annihilating a Geth cruiser; as proved by recordings from the Normandy and the Citadel Fleet.
The same video evidence just referenced showed the fighter returning fire with two micro-torpedoes which effectively eviscerated the attacking Geth cruiser.
This means that to engage the Vanguard, smaller cruiser strike-groups will have to be assigned to take out their fighters while only the heaviest cruisers and dreadnoughts should engage the main vessel.
If that is not sufficient to illustrate the gulf in destructive capabilities, then I fear no argument would work.
For their shuttles, 3 types have been observed:
The 1st, and middle sized, was the one that brought Captain MacLeod [See section 5] and a team to the Citadel.
The overall size of this shuttle is comparable to the Alliance UT-47 Kodiak and is believed to be capable of carrying up to 8 personnel was ease.
The 2nd was securely parked in a Spectre landing bay while MacLeod and Spectre Shepard led a joint assault on former Spectre Arterius.
This model was slightly larger and, we postulate, better protected, than the earlier observed model and could potentially carry upwards of ten personnel.
It is also capable of lower level FTL speeds. The trip from the Citadel to Fang Shipyard was measured at slightly less than 3 Citadel Hours. This slow speed could simply have been the shuttle taking a careful approach, but we propose that this was its standard cruising speed.
The 3rd variant, and by far the smallest, was assigned to the Normandy when Captain MacLeod travelled to Virmire.
This shuttle is also FTL capable, but seems limited to a very low factor of FTL speeds.
It also can carry no more than 4 personnel.
While the surviving members of Captain Kirrahe's team were able to discreetly scan this model, they were unable to determine anything of note beyond the fact that the hull was composed of a Tritanium alloy.
This alloy is being analysed to see if it affords better protection than standard armour used by the Turian and Salarian militaries and, if so, how easily it could be duplicated without substantially increasing to the cost of each vessel.
Silaris armour is confirmed to have superior defensive properties when compared to the standard Starfleet hull alloy. Their battle armour however, is unlike anything ever seen.
A third type of smaller vessel was observed during the Battle of the Citadel. Reports from yourselves and Matriarch Lidanya make no mention of thus vessel during your initial tour of the Vanguard.
This vessel was slightly larger than the heavy fighter is but it appears to lack the fighter's torpedo launcher. Whether this is due to design or a rushed construction is currently unknown.
We speculate that these vessels are not actually fighter or shuttles, but are long-range reconnaissance craft similar to the Alliance Salamis-Class or the Salarian Ran'sha-Class of reconnaissance frigates, though on a smaller scale.
I find this a critical piece of evidence to support the abilities of the replicator [Section 4] as it suggests that in the span of a few days, they were able to disassemble several fighters and shuttles and construct 2 similar sized vessels.
That these vessels lacked any markings of their home vessel, further indicates recent construction.
The ability to remotely replace and repair fighters makes the Vanguard a highly capable carrier-cruiser hybrid. Something that I suspect –after reading the articles provided about the United Federation of Planets[UFP] and Starfleet[SF]– is key to the understanding the way Starfleet has rebuilt their fleet after the Dominion War.