Notes

Notes : The Nebula class was fielded in the 2350's to provide a smaller, more numerous counterpart to the Galaxy class then under construction. The design was intended to parallel that of the Galaxy class as closely as possible in order to allow for many identical systems to be installed in both classes; this has resulted in significant improvements in the design and construction processes for the Nebula class and thus allowed comparatively high numbers to be fielded. The design is very sensible - actually better than the Galaxy class in some ways. In volume terms the Nebula is only a little smaller than a Galaxy; it's missing the connecting neck and has a slightly shorter engineering hull, but has the big mission pod and connecting strut to make up for much of that. But this volume is packed into something like two hundred metres shorter length. In trek tech, that should give the Nebula a smaller shield area, helping to make the shields inherently more efficient.

The major difference in capability is the addition of a prominent housing aft of the saucer section of the Nebula class. This enables the vessel to carry any one of a variety of special equipment pods - current models include a high capacity sensor pod, an enhanced weapons pod, a colony transport pod, an emergency field hospital unit, or a science laboratory pod. Although the basic Nebula design has approximately 80% of the capability of a Galaxy class vessel in most areas, the addition of the mission pod brings that figure up to 95% or more in that specific area. This flexibility actually allows the Nebula design to accomplish almost identical missions despite its smaller size.

In service the Nebula class has proved highly satisfactory, and in many ways these ships form the backbone of Starfleet's exploratory and scientific programs. Like the Galaxy class they have received regular upgrades to their systems, most notably a new Warp Core design. With the advent of the threats from the Romulan, Dominion and Borg, Starfleet invested in sixty seven new enhanced weapon pods for the Nebula class; most of the vessels now carry this as a standard item. the pod carries eight standard torpedo tubes and a stock of 300 casings, approximately doubling the ships overall rate of fire.

Commissioned	2355 - present
Dimensions	Length : 452 m Beam : 560 m Height : 145 m Decks : 42 (including pod)
Mass	4,500,000 tons
Crew	780 including family members
Organic Armament	8 x Type X Phaser arrays, total output 50,000 TeraWatts 3 x Type 3 burst fire photon torpedo tubes + 220 torpedoes Antimatter spread emitter
Defence Systems	High capacity shield system, total capacity 2,565,000 TeraJoules Standard Duranium/Tritanium double hull plus 9.0 cm High Density armour. High level Structural Integrity Field
Warp Speeds (TNG Scale)	Normal Cruise : Warp Factor 6 Maximum Cruise : Warp Factor 9 Maximum Rated : Warp Factor 9.9 for twelve hours
Strength Indices (Galaxy class = 1,000)	Beam Firepower : 1,000 Torpedo Firepower : 2,000 Weapon Range and Accuracy : 1,200 Shield Strength : 950 Hull Armour : 1,000 Speed : 1,601 Combat Maneuverability : 3,200
Overall Strength Index	1,329
Diplomatic Capability	Grade 7
Expected Hull Life	100 years
Refit Cycle	Minor : 1 year Standard : 5 years Major : 20 years

Notes : As part of Starfleets war effort many of its ships have been upgraded to increase their combat capabilities. The uprated Nebula design has a maximum warp speed of Warp 9.9 and incorporates improvements to the weapons and targeting systems, a high level structural integrity field, and various other classified changes. All Nebulas now being produced are of the uprated model, and all of these are launched with the enhanced weapons pod as standard.

This datasheet is provided courtesy of Graham Kennedy of the Daystrom Institute's Technical Library which contains, in my opinion, the most comprehensive collection of data pertaining to the Star Trek Universe.