AMBASSADOR CLASS

   Starships of the Ambassador class entered Starfleet service in the late 2320's and early 2330's. This class became the one of first new Federation starship classes to have a computer network not based on duotronic technology in about 90 years. Along with a new computer system based on isolinear technology; the impulse engines of this class were designed with a space-time driver coil (similar to a warp field coil) to reduce the vessel's mass while traveling at sub-light speeds. Also, the warp propulsion system of the Ambassador class was one of the most efficient systems in the Federation. The warp drive on the Ambassador class ships and other contemporary ships using similar warp drives were so efficient that the Federation had to recalibrate the warp scale that it used to determine warp factors. Ships of the Ambassador class were originally categorized as explorers however, in the 2350's these ships received modifications and upgrades and were re-categorized as heavy cruisers during a time of conflict with the Cardassian Union known as the Border Wars. By the time of the Dominion War of the 2370's, Ambassador class ships became part of a second line of defense for the Federation but saw little action during the war.