If you make a list of starfleets capital ship classes, you'll notice an odd gap:
NX: 2151-2161
Daedalus: 2161-?
Constitution: 2245-2285
Excelsior: 2285-?
Ambassador: ?-2364
Galaxy: 2364-2370
Sovereign: 2370-2374
Prometheus: 2374-
As you can see, the Daedalus-class would be in use for 84 years, much longer then the usual ~40 years (Between the launch of the USS Excelsior and the Ambassador class being replaced by the Galaxy class is aproximatly 80 years, which boils down to 40 years for both of them). So the question I wanted to ask you is: do you know of any ships (canon or non-canon) from the early 23rd century that could've served as this role? (The only one I can think of is the Kelvin, but it was established that that was just a scout ship (Then again, with captain Robau commanding, even that could be lethal))
NX: 2151-2161
Daedalus: 2161-?
Constitution: 2245-2285
Excelsior: 2285-?
Ambassador: ?-2364
Galaxy: 2364-2370
Sovereign: 2370-2374
Prometheus: 2374-
As you can see, the Daedalus-class would be in use for 84 years, much longer then the usual ~40 years (Between the launch of the USS Excelsior and the Ambassador class being replaced by the Galaxy class is aproximatly 80 years, which boils down to 40 years for both of them). So the question I wanted to ask you is: do you know of any ships (canon or non-canon) from the early 23rd century that could've served as this role? (The only one I can think of is the Kelvin, but it was established that that was just a scout ship (Then again, with captain Robau commanding, even that could be lethal))