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   Constitution-class starships entered into Starfleet service in the year 2245 as heavy cruisers. These ships were designed with the first duotronic-based computer systems invented by Richard Daystrom two years earlier. Over the next nine decades duotronic-based computers would be used by Starfleet and thoughout the Federation. Ships of this class were also equipped with the latest sensors, propulsion & tactical systems available and could accomodate a crew of 200 at the time. Through advances in technology and design by the 2260's Constitution-class ships were manned by a crew of 430.

   Only twelve ships of this class had been built by 2267. Of the original twelve cruisers, the most famous is USS Enterprise, bearing the registry number NCC-1701. Prior to her 2270s refit, Enterprise would be commanded by three seprate commanding officers. Under the command of James T. Kirk, the ship's third captain, Enterprise became the unofficial flagship of Starfleet and her crew became “legendary”.

   In 2270 Starfleet approved plans to radically refit all Constitution class ships using the latest technological innovations available. This refit program began with the Enterprise in 2271; lasting 18 months and being completed in 2273. Once the refit was completed Enterprise became the first ship of the newly designated Enterpise-subclass of the Constitution-class heavy cruisers. Fortunately, the completion of the refit allowed Enterprise and its crew to investigate and counter the “threat” posed by V'Ger--a probe of, initially, unknown origin but discovered to be the old Earth probe Voyager 6. Following the successful completion of that mission, Enterprise undertook another five-year mission; the second under the command of James T. Kirk. Enterprise would serve Starfleet in her refit design until her destruction in the Mutara Sector in 2286.

   Throughout the 2270s and '80s, the other original Constitution-class heavy cruiser starships would receive the same refit as Enterprise did; ending their service to Starfleet in that design. Furthermore, Starfleet would build new Constitution-class starships using the refit design including the second Federation ship to bear the name Enterprise and registry number NCC-1701-A; extending the service life of the Constitution class into the 24^th Century.

Ships of the Class

NOTE:  In the editor's note on Page 572 of the Star Trek Encyclopedia, the following is stated relating to Enterprise-A and Yorktown:

   “(Gene)Roddenberry (creator of Star Trek) reportedly suggested that the second Starship Enterprise, NCC-1701-A, launched at the end of Star Trek IV, had previously been named the Yorktown, since seems unlikely that Starfleet could have built an all-new ship so quickly. If this was the case, the Yorktown may have made it safely back to Earth and been repaired and renamed, or perhaps there was a newer, replacement Yorktown already under construction at the time of the probe crisis.”