Defiant-class starships in peacetime

[Jaespol]

That's completely inefficient. Its not like they don't have sensors or warning signs. There's no point in having huge armads protect federation worlds that lie far from any border and therefore any threat, ships are needed to patrol borders where threats might arise.

Pardon me, but how often has the Earth been targeted for destruction and the Enterprise been the only ship within range?

Its really just a tv show, its pointless even discussing this kinda stuff.

 

[Nardpuncher]

If Starfleet's feeling logical, they'd probably assign medium-sized fleets of Defiants as permanent defense fleets for Federation Member worlds. So there'd be a fleet of, say, 20 Defiant-class starships in permanent orbit of Earth, Vulcan, Andor, Tellar, Cestus, Deneva, Betazed, Benzar, Bolarus, Alonis, Antede, Zakdorn, Zalda, Ardana, etc.

I was thinking this too. They'd be be sort of moth-balled and crews would man them in times of need.

 

[Nardpuncher]

That's completely inefficient. Its not like they don't have sensors or warning signs. There's no point in having huge armads protect federation worlds that lie far from any border and therefore any threat, ships are needed to patrol borders where threats might arise.

Pardon me, but how often has the Earth been targeted for destruction and the Enterprise been the only ship within range?

Its really just a tv show, its pointless even discussing this kinda stuff.

It may be fun to speculate, but you're right, if it gets snippy and all, then we've gone too far.

 

[Sci]

That's completely inefficient. Its not like they don't have sensors or warning signs. There's no point in having huge armads protect federation worlds that lie far from any border and therefore any threat, ships are needed to patrol borders where threats might arise.

Pardon me, but how often has the Earth been targeted for destruction and the Enterprise been the only ship within range?

Its really just a tv show, its pointless even discussing this kinda stuff.

You're the one complaining about the efficient distribution of starships, not me. If it's just a TV show, then surely the idea of 20 Defiant-class starships permanently assigned to Federation worlds is A-Okay.

I'd tend to think they'd go to escort/guard duty.

Its peacetime, what ship owner is going hold his ship and await a convoy in order for the Defiant's to be escort?

Presumably, one that recognizes that he/she is flying into a dangerous area of space and that an escort is needed.

If Starfleet's feeling logical, they'd probably assign medium-sized fleets of Defiants as permanent defense fleets for Federation Member worlds. So there'd be a fleet of, say, 20 Defiant-class starships in permanent orbit of Earth, Vulcan, Andor, Tellar, Cestus, Deneva, Betazed, Benzar, Bolarus, Alonis, Antede, Zakdorn, Zalda, Ardana, etc.

I was thinking this too. They'd be be sort of moth-balled and crews would man them in times of need.

Personally, I'm thinking that they'd be fully manned at all times, though probably by more junior officers. A "home guard," behind the lines, while the more senior officers and major ships are near the borders or deployed in deep space.

 

[Jaespol]

You're the one complaining about the efficient distribution of starships, not me. If it's just a TV show, then surely the idea of 20 Defiant-class starships permanently assigned to Federation worlds is A-Okay.

Its like saying there should be 10 batallions placed outside every large city in America, its ludicrous.

 

[Sci]

You're the one complaining about the efficient distribution of starships, not me. If it's just a TV show, then surely the idea of 20 Defiant-class starships permanently assigned to Federation worlds is A-Okay.

Its like saying there should be 10 batallions placed outside every large city in America, its ludicrous.

Actually, it's more like arguing that there ought to be a small fleet of destroyers permanently stationed offshore from major American cities in an era where almost all potential threats come from enemy naval vessels -- vessels that seem to approach the capital with the intent of destroying it on a semi-regular basis.

And, yes, enemy vessels or probes seem to approach Earth, the Federation's equivalent of Washington, D.C., on a fairly regular basis -- the Xindi in 2153, Terra Prime in 2155, the Romulans during the Earth-Romulan War [as noted by Sisko in a short line in "Homefront"], V'Ger in 2373, the Probe in 2385, the Borg in 2366/67, the Borg again in 2373, the Breen and Dominion in 2375, Shinzon in 2379, even more if you include the novels...

And, yes, frankly, if enemy vessels approached and nearly destroyed Washington four times in the space of twelve years, I think that putting permanently assigning a small fleet of Navy ships off the shores of Washington, New York, Boston, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Houston, and New Orleans would be a sound investment.

Plus: It's the Federation. They exist in a state of abundance -- they don't have to worry about scarcity of resources, because between replicators and access to raw materials throughout space, they can afford it.

 

[nx1701g]

^ There are things that Replicators have been said to be incapable of replicating. Maybe they can't replicate the materials used in Starship construction?

 

[Sci]

^ There are things that Replicators have been said to be incapable of replicating. Maybe they can't replicate the materials used in Starship construction?

Starfleet literally has hundreds of ships, and VOY and DS9 both established that they constructed a lot of Defiant-class starships during the Dominion War. They already have the ships.

And there's never been anything indicating that Starfleet has a hard time building ships.

 

[nx1701g]

^ I didn't dispute that anywhere. I was simply saying in response to your statement about the Federation living in a state of abundance that there were materials that couldn't be replicated.

 

[Jono]

And, yes, enemy vessels or probes seem to approach Earth, the Federation's equivalent of Washington, D.C., on a fairly regular basis -- the Xindi in 2153, Terra Prime in 2155, the Romulans during the Earth-Romulan War [as noted by Sisko in a short line in "Homefront"], V'Ger in 2273, the Probe in 2285, the Borg in 2366/67, the Borg again in 2373, the Breen and Dominion in 2375, Shinzon in 2379, even more if you include the novels...

Not sure if we're thinking of the same line but Sisko seems to be more describing a conflict waged without the usual (human civilised) conventions of war (targeting of civilians) then he is referring to a literal attack on Earth. The line I'm thinking of is said to the President while talking about declaring martial law.

 

[Sci]

And, yes, enemy vessels or probes seem to approach Earth, the Federation's equivalent of Washington, D.C., on a fairly regular basis -- the Xindi in 2153, Terra Prime in 2155, the Romulans during the Earth-Romulan War [as noted by Sisko in a short line in "Homefront"], V'Ger in 2273, the Probe in 2285, the Borg in 2366/67, the Borg again in 2373, the Breen and Dominion in 2375, Shinzon in 2379, even more if you include the novels...

Not sure if we're thinking of the same line but Sisko seems to be more describing a conflict waged without the usual (human civilised) conventions of war (targeting of civilians) then he is referring to a literal attack on Earth. The line I'm thinking of is said to the President while talking about declaring martial law.

Yeah, he says that an invasion from the Dominion would be the sort of war Earth hasn't seen "since the founding of the Federation," which seems to imply that the Romulans directly attacked Earth and targeted civilian populations.

 

[BigC]

Border patrol operations, police/attached to a Star Base for local issues.

 

[ProtoAvatar]

Patrolling interstellar borders makes no sense.
"Space is big. Really big. You just won't believe how vastly hugely mindbogglingly big it is."
The Federation couldn't secure its borders with a million ships. But it can secure the only items of value from the neverending desert of space - the star systems under federate control (especially the inhabited ones), perhaps the trade routs.
That's where its defensive fleet should be stationed.

 

[Anticitizen]

If Starfleet's feeling logical, they'd probably assign medium-sized fleets of Defiants as permanent defense fleets for Federation Member worlds. So there'd be a fleet of, say, 20 Defiant-class starships in permanent orbit of Earth, Vulcan, Andor, Tellar, Cestus, Deneva, Betazed, Benzar, Bolarus, Alonis, Antede, Zakdorn, Zalda, Ardana, etc.

No need to spread them like that. Just put those 280 Defiants in Earth-orbit, and you're well-protected from most villains.

Sure, Earth is, but what about the other Federation worlds?

 

[apenpaap]

If Starfleet's feeling logical, they'd probably assign medium-sized fleets of Defiants as permanent defense fleets for Federation Member worlds. So there'd be a fleet of, say, 20 Defiant-class starships in permanent orbit of Earth, Vulcan, Andor, Tellar, Cestus, Deneva, Betazed, Benzar, Bolarus, Alonis, Antede, Zakdorn, Zalda, Ardana, etc.

No need to spread them like that. Just put those 280 Defiants in Earth-orbit, and you're well-protected from most villains.

Sure, Earth is, but what about the other Federation worlds?

Star Trek villains always go straight for Earth.

 

[Sci]

No need to spread them like that. Just put those 280 Defiants in Earth-orbit, and you're well-protected from most villains.

Sure, Earth is, but what about the other Federation worlds?

Star Trek villains always go straight for Earth.

Except when they go straight for Vulcan.

 

[SeerSGB]

-- Border/Colony/Starbase patrol and defense.
-- Relief convoy protection.
-- Fast response ships.
-- Gut a few out and refit them to be heavily armed and fast science or scout vessels for recon missions in or around formally enemy territory.

 

[Jaespol]

This is just ludicrous, you're suggesting something like 300 Defiant Class ships used just to patrol single planets around the Federation.

 

[apenpaap]

Sure, Earth is, but what about the other Federation worlds?

Star Trek villains always go straight for Earth.

Except when they go straight for Vulcan.

Only in the Alternate timeline do they go for Vulcan. So in the prime timeline you wouldn't need to, and in the alternate timeline

Spoiler: Trek XI

Vulcan is gone, so there you don't need to anymore either.

 

[Finn]

^Betazed was invaded and taken by the Dominion in the Prime Timeline...