USS Utah NCC-0991

The USS Utah, NCC-0991, was commissioned in 2233. A Protector class escort, a design used as a test bed for offensive and defensive devices that would later be used in the Constitution class cruiser. It was also one of the first starships to use the warp coils and naccelles that would become symbolic of the mid 23rd century.

Built due to rising tensions along the neutral zone, the Protector class escorts were well armed and well shielded, with 15 phaser banks that give the ship 360 degree defenses. It is also armed with twin photon torpedo tubes, which were of an experimental design, allowing torpedo to be fired out both the fore and aft of the torpedo bay.

The ship lacked most science facilities, but boasted a sizable medical bay, allowing the ship to serve as a hospital ship in emergency situations. It was crewed by 78 officers, with a maximum capacity of around 230 people.

The Utah served with distinction for 60 years, 30 of those under captain, and then admiral, Andrew "Finn" Blair. She was often used for diplomatic transport and protection, as well as a patrol vessel along the neutral zone. In 2268, the Utah was ambushed by two Klingon D7s, and while she was able to seriously damage one of the D7s and destroy the second, the battle left the Utah dead in space. After three weeks drifting, the surviving crew were rescued by the USS Reliant, and the Utah was towed back to spacedock, where it underwent repairs and refitting for the next 7 years.

The Refit Utah carried 4 torpedo tubes, each capable of firing 4 torpedo spreads in a single go. This gave the Utah a much better strike profile. It also was a fair bit larger, carrying an expanded crew compliment of 113 and being able to carry 325 people in emergency operations.

The Utah disappeared in 2291, after being sent to explore the sudden disappearance of an outpost along the neutral zone. When a second ship went to find the whereabouts of the Utah, they could only find a couple pieces of debris, which were federation in origin, but could not be definitively tied to either the Utah or the outpost, leading the ship to be labeled as missing, presumed destroyed.
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some lore changes with this post, with the most dramatic being the renaming of the class from the Patton class to the Protector class.

Ship made by me. Star Trek belongs to it's respective parties.