Steamrunner Class

Type: Light Cruiser

By the time the 2330s began Starfleet Command was well aware of the aging designs of it's fleet. Without wanting to wait until the last moment, Starfleet decided that it would be prudent to issue an order to the Starfleet Corps of Engineers to begin drafting designs for a replacement design for the popular Miranda Class which was already numbering in the hundreds. While the Miranda Class was a popular, efficient and sound design, Starfleet knew that no design would last forever. The ability to refit vessels would only last so long until technological age or incompatibilities would make it more economically efficient to design a new ship. With no certain rush to design a new ship as a small, multi-role, deep space light cruiser while the Miranda remained in service, the Corp of Engineers began it's daunting task of replacing a legend in the fleet.

The Steamrunner's shakedown cruise took it along the shipping lanes of the core Federation worlds as a precaution to keep it from becoming known by the Federation's more traditional enemies. However, when the war with the Cardassian Union began to come to a climax the Steamrunner prototype was ordered to the front to test her combat capabilities. The Steamrunner performed above expectations and proved to be quite a multi-role vessel and before the war even ended Starfleet had ordered several more of the ships to be produced. By 2353, fifteen years after the initial construction of the prototype, the Steamrunner Class was in full production as an added asset to the fleet while the older Miranda's were retired slowly.