One of the earliest Guard vessels, the Sampson class has been on the front lines for the Guard since its inception. Built to be mass produced, the Sampson is equipped with a forward Dual Beam Laser Bank, two Laser Cannons, and a forward torpedo launcher. Although its combat capabilities are limited compared to newer ships such as the Starfleet Constitution-class Heavy Cruiser, it retains high speed and maneuverability than most vessels, allowing it to bring its weapons to bear on enemies quicker. In recent years, this class of vessel is being pulled off the front lines in favor of the newer and more advance Pendragon-class. Even so, the importance of this class to the Guard has not diminished, especially in helping to maintaining sector security in the wake of the Federation-Klingon Four Year War.
