Considering the Cardassians wrecked DS9 when they left and the strategic importance of DS9 following the discovery of the wormhole to the Gamma Quadrant and the threat of the Dominion, why didn't the Federation replace everything with Starfleet tech? The only thing they did seem to do was install Starfleet weapons systems. Even after a number of years of Starfleet presence they had to get replacement parts from the derelict Empok Nor station.
Why didn't Starfleet replace the Cardassian tech on DS9?
- Thread starter Soong-type Android
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Probably because DS9 was never meant to be permanently under the Federation. With the threat of being ousted by the Bajorans or really getting ousted by the Dominion, they didn't necessarily want their best tech to fall into others' hands, especially if it was heavily integrated into the station's systems.
1) Would have to completely gut the station to effect a replacement.
2) The station would have been effectively useless for weeks and months.
3) Starfleet might not have wanted to spend the money on such a extensive project, and there was no room for it in the existing budget anyway.
2) The station would have been effectively useless for weeks and months.
3) Starfleet might not have wanted to spend the money on such a extensive project, and there was no room for it in the existing budget anyway.
I think both those points probably hit it on the head. It would have been a huge, epic undertaking. And compatibility was an issue noted by O'Brien on more than one occasion. Probably to make it compatible they would have had to rip out every piece of Cardassian technology and start from scratch. Might as well build a new station already (which they did in the novels---though because the original DS9 was attacked and destroyed, not because of tech issues).
But they even still had the weird pillows on their beds years later!
But they even still had the weird pillows on their beds years later!
Maybe Cardassian pillows are better for your neck. Have you seen their necks?
And took the guts of two years to construct, when during the series would they have anywhere near than amount of quiet time?
O'Brien has a line about the difficulties with trying to get Cardassian, Bajoran and Starfleet technologies working together, so they did replace some of what was there (even a few Jefferies tubes). To completely gut the station, purpose design Starfleet systems to replace them and install would be a waste of materials especially when the existing hardware works just fine, leaving one of Starfleet's most important posts defunct for so long would also be a logistically and tactical oversight.
The same reason so many coders have to fix bugs in crappy eight year old legacy code. The time and resource commitment to replace it is huge, and fixing bugs in terrible code will keep it kinda working okay.
In addition to all the practical reasons listed above by other posters... here's a more superficial take:
Starfleet's cheerful flat UI and dull grey surfaces wouldn't jive with Cardassian design which reflects a deep militaristic nature with exposed structures, hard metallic surfaces featuring dark colors - all meant to appear imposing, intimidating. The total opposite of the welcoming and inviting Starfleet/Federation look and feel.
Starfleet's cheerful flat UI and dull grey surfaces wouldn't jive with Cardassian design which reflects a deep militaristic nature with exposed structures, hard metallic surfaces featuring dark colors - all meant to appear imposing, intimidating. The total opposite of the welcoming and inviting Starfleet/Federation look and feel.
I'm really glad they didn't, the sets for DS9 were one of her defining features, the designs were otherworldly all intricate and fascinating to look at, yet with an air of menace.
What and make the station just as dull and pedestrian as the Enterprise and Voyager?
No thanks.
It seems having a unique production design to differentiate it from TNG had a lot to do with it then.
One thing to consider is Bajor was trying to get into the Federation but wasn't a member. You don't just overhaul something that doesn't even belong to you when you might be asked to leave at anytime. They kind of faced this issue in the season 2 trilogy that opened the season and were asked to leave.
Plus if your dong repairs your station is not going to always be operating at peak performance and it's often easier to do a patch up than overhaul something. Especially in situation where you can find yourself in combat. It actually makes sense to wait for Bajor to get in. Then if it does, begin construction on a new station, near the old station and when complete simply transfer all operational business to the modern station and either destroy the old station or move it somewhere else to be used for something less important. In theory also if your still following the same timeline we saw people might want to preserve it as a museum seeing as how it was commanded by the Emissary and also played a huge role in winning the Dominion War.
Jason
Plus if your dong repairs your station is not going to always be operating at peak performance and it's often easier to do a patch up than overhaul something. Especially in situation where you can find yourself in combat. It actually makes sense to wait for Bajor to get in. Then if it does, begin construction on a new station, near the old station and when complete simply transfer all operational business to the modern station and either destroy the old station or move it somewhere else to be used for something less important. In theory also if your still following the same timeline we saw people might want to preserve it as a museum seeing as how it was commanded by the Emissary and also played a huge role in winning the Dominion War.
Jason
Wasn't DS9 under Bajoran government authority?
Yep and always wondered how that fully worked. I watched "The Bar Association" last night and Sisko threatens Quark with Federation back rent to get the strike settled. Which is weird because we still don't know how Federation money works and also why would Quark our rent to the Federation. You would think that would go to the Bajoran government. I guess it might be different though in that Quark isn't a Bajoran citizen.
Jason
Jason
