Lamarr Class
The Lamarr-class long-range explorer is a variant of the Sovereign-class exploratory cruiser intended for missions of scientific inquiry well beyond the Federation’s borders. As with its contemporary, the Obena, which also used similar components to the Sovereign but with a diplomatic bent, this class leverages an explorer-sized spacefame to a more specific mission profile. Developed in the spirit of hope that prevailed following the end of the Dominion War in the 2370s, the Lamarr’s production run was unfortunately cut short by Starfleet’s isolationist turn in the 2380s, but the design evolved into the cutting-edge Vesta-class starship that was one of the first new large starship classes fielded following the fleet’s return to its historical mission of exploration at the outset of the 25th Century. Lamarr-class vessels remain extremely capable scientific platforms that are once again being used for their core purpose: inquiry for the advancement of all.
Science and Exploration
While capable of the full gamut of exploratory missions including first contact scenarios, what sets the Lamarr class off as a science vessel rather than a true explorer is its bias towards data collection through a set of state-of-the-art equipment. Packing the full scientific capabilities of an Odyssey-class vessel in a spaceframe half the size, along with tactical capabilities approaching those of the Sovereign making it far more survivable than the later Sutherland, the Lamarr can confidently be deployed for detailed scientific missions many months beyond support.
In addition the standard gamut of science labs, Lamarr-class vessels have exceptionally large cetacean operations departments, which can host beings as large as megaptera novaeangliae (Humpback whale) who are employed as navigational and linguistic specialists. This allows the Lamarr unparalleled capabilities as a deep space charting vessel, providing routes for explorers and smaller science vessels to follow.
Lamarr-class starships are also capable of mounting large mission-specific equipment in a bay to the starboard of the main deflector. By default, this area is simply a large cargo hold with space doors, but it can be used to house a specialized corvette-type vessel or even a dedicated sensor suite, should the need arise. This capability allows the ship to have a limited version of the customization options available to mission pod-equipped classes, such as the Sutherland or Nebula, but they are limited to one specialized loadout at a time.
Diplomacy
For each of its advances in scientific equipment, the Lamarr sacrifices its diplomatic facilities somewhat. While still more capable than most cruisers, the diplomatic capabilities of a Lamarr-class starship do not include dedicated reception halls or banqueting suites, and so negotiations must take place in the same utilitarian conference facilities used by the ship’s scientists. Like any large Federation ship, the senior staff’s observation lounge can be used easily for any small to medium-scale conference, and the science department’s linguistic facilities make her adept at first contact missions. However, for tricky first contacts or important diplomatic missions, an Obena or Odyssey-class starship would be preferred.
Engineering
Developed with rapid speed after the Dominion War, the Lamarr shares its core tactical, propulsion and structural systems with the Sovereign-class exploratory cruiser. Individual armament systems were reduced in size or omitted and the primary hull shuttle bay complex was eliminated to allow for space for larger labs and a slightly higher crew complement. Maintenance was also simplified on a number of systems, while lessons learned from Voyager’s return from the Delta Quadrant provided another slew of innovations on the scientific side. Like contemporary vessels, she retains ship-wide holographic projectors and was built with bioneural circuitry, but this has since been updated to isolinear-bioneural hybrid circuitry.
Because of the sophistication of her computers and complex systems like cetacean ops, Lamarr-class vessels can be a challenge to maintain, a challenge that is often relished by their engineers. These ships are also often used as test beds for new equipment, given that they embark highly-trained engineers. One example of this is the second starship Voyager, which included limited slipstream capabilities—one of the only such operational slipstream systems the Federation has ever fielded, thanks to a lack of access to benamite.
Tactical
Lamarr-class starships are well-armed with the same primary phaser and torpedo armaments of Sovereign-class vessels, including large Type-XII arrays on the saucer and spread over the other areas of the hull and its signature forward-firing torpedo turret. Secondary armaments such as the various single-fire torpedo launchers were eliminated, in favor of a single aft burst-fire torpedo launcher. This gives the Lamarr the capability to defend itself and even handle some limited deep-space strike missions, should a threat be detected, but it is not a warship and its torpedo magazine is quite limited. Lamarr-class captains must be judicious about their use of ordnance, because the rapid-fire torpedo turret inherited from Sovereign could easily exhaust itself after just a few salvos. The ship’s advanced sensor suite makes its targeting exceptionally precise.
Shipboard Life
Compared to the Sovereign, interiors aboard the Lamarr are far more austere, as most starships would be from the mid-2390s onwards. Carpet and warm colors were replaced with sleek flooring and metal walls, with compact (but private) quarters for the crew. Fitted with sixteen holodecks and other smaller holosuites, there is an emphasis on technologically-created recreation over dedicated gyms, theaters, or sports courts. Medical facilities are comprehensive, however, and the ship retains the capability to embark families, with two schools.
These ships attract the best of the best from Starfleet’s scientific community. The atmosphere can be quite competitive, so a Lamarr-class captain must learn how to leverage that competitiveness into productive action.
Lamarr-class History
Following the end of the Dominion War, Starfleet was eager to return to the business of exploration that it had put aside for the first turbulent half of the 2370s. While the Sovereign-class explorer had proven itself to be an effective wartime vessel, its limits for both scientific and diplomatic missions were already known by 2375. Alongside a specialized diplomatic and humanitarian vessel, the Obena. Unlike the Obena, the design of the Lamarr would hew closer to the original Sovereign, with stretched proportions and simplified small craft and tactical facilities. Space recovered from torpedo magazines and large hangers was filled with science labs and advanced research equipment.
Launched in 2378, a year ahead of USS Obena, USS Lamarr began a year-long shakedown cruise before the class was cleared for full production starting in 2379. Over the next few years, a dozen of these advanced science vessels were created and used with great effect on several long-range missions. As they entered service, Starfleet was completing its full analysis of the starship Voyager and the technology it had acquired over the seven years it spent in the Delta Quadrant. These advances were incorporated into a new USS Voyager, which began production in 2382 and took nearly three years to be built before its launch in 2384 under the command of Vice Admiral Kathyrn Janeway as a special variant of the Lamarr with slipstream drive, and a whole gamut of classified systems. Voyager would remain unique, however, as Starfleet ended new orders of the Lamarr coinciding with the end of long-range exploratory missions the following year in 2385 following the destruction of Mars.
A handful of vessels already in spacedock were completed, but the Lamarr-class ended its production run prematurely with only a few dozen of these excellent science vessels in service. Unlike the Obena which had a clear justification in an inward-focused Starfleet, the Lamarr suddenly found itself without a real reason to exist. These capable starships found themselves diverted to milk runs for the rest of the 2380s through the end of the 2390s. It wasn't until 2399 that they once again resumed their role as front-line exploratory platforms. By that point, Starfleet had quietly been developing another long-range science vessel, the Vesta, itself an optimized and enhanced version of the Lamar. Between 2399 and 2401, all Lamar-class starships have been refit to incorporate advances developed for the Vesta, and this ship is now in full service in its original role.
Lamarr-class In-Play
- The Lamarr is a version of the Sovereign class that is somewhat larger but with its small craft and tactical systems simplified to allow for enhanced scientific capabilities. Like the Obena, it is a specialized version of the Sovereign, but the Lamarr is smaller than the Obena.
- While these ships would have been built in large numbers, the end of exploratory activities following the destruction of Mars led to the cancellation of the production run. The limited two dozen or so of these ships still in service are rare and sought-after commands.
- The version of this ship seen in Season 2 of Star Trek: Prodigy has systems that the stock versions of this ship do not, including slipstream drive. All ships in service with the Fourth Fleet are the stock version.
- This vessel serves the same role as the Vesta: seeking out answers to questions far beyond the Federation's borders. Though older, it's nearly as rare.