Type: Cruiser
Commissioned: 2355-2375
Production: N/A
Unit Run: USS Norway
Mass: 650,000 tons
Crew: 150
Propulsion: One cochrane warp core feeding two warp nacelles; two subatomic unified energy impulse engines
Armament: 1 x Type IX Phaser bank
4 x Type VII Phaser arrays
2 x Standard photon torpedo tubes
1 x 2nd Class photon torpedo tube + 50 torpedoes total
Defense Systems: Shield system
Standard Duranium/Tritanium single hull.
Standard level Structural Integrity Field
Warp Capabilities: Normal Cruise : Warp Factor 6
Maximum Cruise : Warp Factor 8.4
Maximum Rated : Warp Factor 9 for twelve hours
Hull Life: 80 years
Refit Cycle: Minor : 1 year
Standard : 5 years
Major : 20 years
Dimensions: Length : 300 m
Beam : 200 m
Height : 65 m
Decks : 17
Shuttle Compliment: shuttlebays: 1
shuttles: 2 type-8 personal shuttles, 2 type-9 personal shuttles, 4 type-18 shuttle pods, 1 Danube-class runabout
With the Akira and Steamrunner design projects well under way by the late 2340's, Starfleet felt that it had cured the problems of fleet wide obsolescence and combat deficiency that had faced it. Starfleet Command now turned its attention to the other arenas. The Akira, Steamrunner and Saber classes had been rather more combat oriented than the average Starfleet design; concentrating on these vessels had left a gap in the more important areas of Science and Diplomacy.
In 2353 Starfleet requested a new class of Starship to complement the Akira and Steamrunner classes. This new 'Norway' class was to have a 50% reduction in armament to allow two extra science labs, a set of ambassadorial quarters and a large conference hall complex to be inserted. This would allow the Norway to host multi-party talks and scientific conferences on a significantly larger scale than its counterparts could manage.
Development of the Norway class went relatively smoothly, with the prototype launched in 2360 and series production begun later that year. The ships have a single hull of triangular profile, with the two nacelles supported on struts which project aft. In most respects the design is unexceptional; lagging slightly behind the cutting edge represented by the Akira, Steamrunner and Saber classes, the designers generally chose reliability and low maintenance over performance. The ships have proved very popular in service, largely because of the good accommodation standards. Norway's have served with great distinction throughout the Federation, playing host to countless functions and events.