Why didn't the federation outfit Voyager with cloaking device?

[LastStarDate]

Voyager was supposed the be the most advanced ship in the fleet, so why didn't it incorporate some sort of cloaking device. The federation is supposed to have superior technology, but they seem to miss the target on this one.

Also, of all the different aliens Voyager encountered in it's journey, you'd think one of them would have helped setup a cloaking device for them. I'm sure the technology for Voyager to build it themselves was there. Just curious why they didn't do it, would have made their trip home alot less painful.

 

[Finn]

It was illegal.

as for after they got lost, I suppose they could have tried, but chances are they would have encountered races that would still be able to detect them cloaked.

 

[Michael]

Because of the Treaty of Algeron. As Gene Roddenberry once put it: "Our people are scientists and explorers – they don't go sneaking around."

And really, what dramatic difference would it have made? Has the cloaking technology ever really helped the Romulans to win a situation?

 

[LastStarDate]

Having the element of suprise is always a good thing. The federation would have never needed it as an instrument of war, but to evade attacks. One thing the Voyager crew could really have used.

The Klingons always used it as a war device, and with the advent of the ship that could fire while cloaked, it only made it worse (for the opposition that is.) But surely by the time Voyager came around, this technology could have easily been adapted to work with the ship.

One other thing too, why didn't the Borg use it? Given, they were already very powerful, this would just add to their perfection. I'm sure they assimilated the required technology to incorporate it into the collective.

There's just so much more the Star Trek saga could have explored to make it more interesting (or longer lasting!). Still love this series though!

 

[DGCatAniSiri]

The Borg are as subtle as a boulder flying towards your head - they feel, if the word can be applied, that their assimilation of all life is inevitable, so what need do they have for cloaking, particularly when they can appear just about anywhere with the transwarp stuff.

Federation ships having and using cloaking devices is illegal after the Treaty of Algeron, plain and simple. The Federation would not have outfited Voyager with one. And after being thrown into the Delta Quadrant, I doubt Voyager had the resources to create one, given that the impression has always been that it can't be created any ol' place, since Kirk had to steal one.

 

[Michael]

But how would Voyager as a series have benefited from the inclusion of a cloaking device? I mean beyond it being somewhat cool.

I say it wouldn't have changed the series at all. Do you think they would have gotten home faster? Win more often? Win faster?

 

[LastStarDate]

But how would Voyager as a series have benefited from the inclusion of a cloaking device? I mean beyond it being somewhat cool.

I say it wouldn't have changed the series at all. Do you think they would have gotten home faster? Win more often? Win faster?

Yes, yes and yes!

They would have simply evaded the fights to begin with, just cruising along without confrontation all the time. I'm sure some alien species would have detected them, but most wouldn't have.

Maybe dabbling in it a couple times would have been cool.

 

[LastStarDate]

But, given Janeway's reputation, she probably would have refused the technology to follow the prime directive, so it's a mute point I guess.

 

[Triskelion]

If they'd had a cloak we wouldn't have had the great episode Counterpoint. Reason enough for me to avoid it!

 

[Bacl]

An interesting point: Starfleet could not have outfitted Voyager with a cloaking device, but given Janeway's feeling that while in the Delta Quadrant many old rules need not apply so long as her crew got home, it is believable that they could have considered pursuit of a cloak a tech to research and develop.


Starfleet is not incapable of cracking the theory behind cloaking, they are just restricted from researching and developing it. In the Delta Quadrant, Janeway could have said, "To hell with that treaty. It doesn't apply to this situation. Get cracking and figure out how it is done."

PROs:

*Not knowing the Quadrant, and often needing a direct route home, Voyager developing a cloaking device for itself could avoid many confrontations and afford them a faster journey home.


*Often the target of hostile raider ships due to the fact they were overloaded with tech but had no re-enforcements, a cloak would help them go undetected by pirates, etc.


*As we've seen the Romulans do, having an effective cloak allows you to "run away" from a situation turned sour. This could have saved Voyager's hide many a time.

CONs:

*Even Romulan cloaking tech is not perfect, and there are means of discovering or exposing cloaked ships. Voyager developing a cloak would be very primitive and probably easy to counter.

*Cloaking technology uses a massive amount of energy, something Voyager wasn't exactly rolling it. They simply might not be able to "afford" the energy cost of a cloak.

*Since shields need to be down for an effective cloak, Voyager would really be at risk if a hostile ship detected them or just took a lucky shot.

 

[LastStarDate]

here's a thought: why cloak the ship, just use the shield as the cloaking device. It could serve both purposes: protect and cloak whatever's in the bubble. Just a theory.

 

[Lynx]

First of all, we do have the Treaty of Algeron which illegalize the use of cloaking devices for Federation starships. Considering the recent Pegasus incident when Admiral Pressman was trying to get hold of the cloaking device they tested some years ago, a suggestion from anyone about giving their newbuilt ship Voyager such a device would have been met by a loud NO! from the Federation government and the Starfleet Command.

Voyager was also a new-built ship and it's first mission, to go to the Badlands and pick up Tuvok, was supposed to take a few days. No use for any sofisticated weaponry when they were only dealing with the Maquis, they didn't even have enough personnel in Sickbay, just Dr. Fitzgerald and norse T'Prena.

No one had expected that Voyager should end up in the Delta Quadrant and be chased by Kazon, Vidiians and all sorts of unknown aliens.

 

[kimc]

But, given Janeway's reputation, she probably would have refused the technology to follow the prime directive, so it's a mute point I guess.

Are you talking about the same Janeway that used an alien "slinghot", stole a Borg transwarp coil and accepted technology from the future?

 

[Triskelion]

Norse T'Prena? Wasn't she in Heroes and Demons?

 

[Timo]

Voyager was supposed the be the most advanced ship in the fleet

Says who?

People involved in the design, construction or operation of a new vessel would tend to say such things regardless of facts, yes. But AFAIK, nobody said anything like that about the Voyager, neither in "Caretaker" (where Janeway and Stadi get to promote their new ride) or "Relativity" (where the ship is about to be launched). All we learn about the ship's unique features is that she's more agile than other comparable Starfleet vessels, which sure helps in the Badlands, and that she has the best sensors in the fleet, which may be an exaggeration.

Timo Saloniemi

 

[Krieg1981]

Voyager was supposed the be the most advanced ship in the fleet, so why didn't it incorporate some sort of cloaking device. The federation is supposed to have superior technology, but they seem to miss the target on this one.

Also, of all the different aliens Voyager encountered in it's journey, you'd think one of them would have helped setup a cloaking device for them. I'm sure the technology for Voyager to build it themselves was there. Just curious why they didn't do it, would have made their trip home alot less painful.

The treaty of Algeron made equipping Federation starships with cloaking devices illegal.

 

[Akiraprise]

Those Romulans sure are crafty, aren't they?

 

[Dream]

Well they had 7of9's borg knowledge about cloaks. Maybe Janeway just got too high on Coffee so she never asked?