Defensive Systems

Deflector Shields

Deflector Shields protect the Enterprise from damage inflicted by enemy forces, hazards, or other phenomenon and are the ship’s primary defensive system. Should a threat be detected on the Enterprise's sensors, Shields are brought online to defend the ship from the risk by generating a highly focused spatial distortion via the Shield Generators and focused by Subspace Field Distortion Amplifiers, within which the generators maintain an energetic graviton field. Shield Grids located on the outer hull then project the shield around the entire vessel, concentrating energy to locations where energy or physical objects have impacted the Shield. If necessary, the Enterprise's Shields can be extended to offer protection to helpless ships nearby. Despite their advancements, with each impact the ability of the Shield to defend the ship decreases and concussive damage bleeds through the Deflectors to damage the hull directly.

Shields have six properties that impact their operation including intensity, appearance, geometry, modulation frequency, harmonics, and polarity. Intensity refers to a Shield’s ability to deflect damaging phenomena away from the ship while appearance is how a Shield appears to a person's visual senses. Shield geometry determines how the Shield Generators and Shield Matrix conform the Shields to the ship while Polarity refers to the attracting and contrasting properties of the force fields within a Shield. As unique as a fingerprint, Shield Harmonics determine how different Force Field energy frequencies interact within a Shield. The Modulation Frequency of a Shield Grid is the most commonly altered property of a Deflector Shield, with rapid changes or rotations in frequency referred to as shield nutation.

Due to their nature of protecting the Enterprise from attack or danger, Starfleet has taken special safeguards to allow the usage of Enterprise's own weapons. The tactical computer sets Phaser frequencies to match the Deflector Shields so that they pass through without difficulty. Special transponders are installed in each Torpedo casing that allow the projectiles to pass through the shields unimpeded. Thus far opponents have not been able to determine the frequency of a Starfleet vessel's Shields by determining the frequency of outgoing weapons, but Shield frequencies are randomly changed during combat to stop an enemy from adjusting their own weapons frequency to that of the Enterprise's Shields.

While Shields are an incredible defense for the Enterprise and her crew, they are not without their own limitations. Sensors are impacted by the shields being brought online, creating interference that can limit scans. To compensate, the shield frequency rotation creates small windows that can be used by the sensors to scan nearby phenomenon or threats. Transporter signals are blocked once Shields are activated, preventing anyone from transporting both to and from the ship while the Shields are engaged. Warp travel is also limited by the Shields requiring special software to be used to compensates for this effect, but should this software be unavailable Warp travel is significantly impacted.

While the Shields are able to recharge while taking damage, it is possible for Shields to become overwhelmed and fail as components of the Shield Grid are damaged. In extreme situations the crew can deactivate the Shields to allow them to recharge to full capacity; however, this process takes up to one minute to effectively complete aboard the Enterprise. If Shields cannot be lost, power may be reduced to one Shield to strengthen another, or the crew may attempt to use its Navigational Deflector to reinforce all Shield arcs simultaneously through a deflector pulse.

Backup Shield Generators

Due to their importance in protecting the Enterprise from harm, the vessel has been fitted with multiple backups for its shield generators to ensure protection if the Deflector Shields are damaged or malfunction. Brought online when the primary Shields are nonfunctional, the backup generator immediately engages to maintain Shields at their current levels. If the Shields have already failed the backup generator has no effect as the capacity for creating and maintaining the Shields as they are too damaged.

Internal Force Fields

Also known as Containment Fields or Security Fields, Internal Force Fields are forcefields that can be projected anywhere in the starship for protective or defensive purposes. Distinct from the Structural Integrity Fields of the vessel, Internal Force Fields are normally limited in size and intensity to help maintain the integrity of the field, but they can be expanded. If sufficient force is used the force field will break down or can be overloaded.

Specialized High Intensity Energy Level Deflector Shield (S.H.I.E.L.D.S.)

Installed aboard the Starship Enterprise in 2439, Specialized High Intensity Energy Level Deflector Shield (aka S.H.I.E.L.D.S.) were installed aboard the Enterprise shortly before departing on its five-year mission to the Gamma Quadrant. A prototype defensive system, S.H.I.E.L.D.S. operates in a similar method to standard Deflector Shields by generating a field of energy around the vessel. Where the S.H.I.E.L.D.S. system is different is that it completes this activity by generating multiple shield layers around the vessel of varying intensity. Resource intensive, S.H.I.E.L.D.S. requires double the power of the traditional Deflector Shields but incorporates advantages unavailable to the other defensive systems alone. Because of its resource needs, S.H.I.E.L.D.S. is only available during Fortress Mode.

Generating three distinct fields, innermost level of the S.H.I.E.L.D.S. system incorporates the standard Deflector Shields used by the Enterprise during routine emergency operations. The central layer is a Regenerative Shield, which has the ability to repair itself when damaged by siphoning incoming energy from the attack to recharge and strengthen the Shield. The outermost S.H.I.E.L.D.S. layer is a Covariant Shield that has incredible resistance to enemy attack and generates natural electromagnetic interference to limit the tactical computers of an opponent.

Offensive Systems

Phaser

Phasers (short for PHASed Energy Rectification) are the primary weapon utilized on Starfleet vessels since the 23rd Century. Organized into types, the Enterprise utilizes nine Type XX Phaser arrays mounted on the hull of the ship that can be used as tools or as weapon and employ a rapid nadion effect to release and transfer the energy generated within their superconducting fushigi-no-umi crystals. Phasers have frequency modulations similar to Defensive Shields and can be remodulated in an effort to match the frequency of an enemy's shields, bypassing the defenses and impacting the target. Thanks to research conducted by Starfleet Captain Seven of Nine, Starfleet Phasers employ a frequency-shifting firing pattern that alters the beam’s frequency with every shot, helping to overwhelm the enemy's defenses.

Each Phaser aboard the Enterprise consists of multiple emitters consisting of three main parts. The Electoplasma System (EPS) Submaster Flow Regulator controls the power levels of the Phaser while the Plasma Distribution Manifold channels the power to the prefiring chambers into the emitter crystal. Aboard the Enterprise, emitters are grouped into a Phaser Array that may have as many as 200 emitters within their structure that gather energy from Phaser Arrays Power Cells powered by the Phaser Generator. These energy cells can be drained of power for use in other systems in an emergency. The emitter determines how powerful the Phaser beam can be while the size indicates how many beams the array can fire at a given time. Each array also includes an auto-phaser interlock that links the weapon to the targeting computer to assure accurate firing, timing shots to maximize the chance of a successful impact.

Currently, Phaser energy dissipates at range and can be set to fire in several different modes depending upon the needs of a mission. Typically, Phaser Beams are the default setting used by Starfleet while Pulse mode involves increasing the damage the weapon does by firing a series of rapid pulses of energy. Continuous fire mode maintains a Phaser Beam for longer than normal, making it easier to hit the target at the expense of some damage potential. This is not to be confused with sustained fire. Wide Beam mode allows a beam to affect a much broader area and, when on low power mode, has many uses as a tool. Phasers can be fired with a broader than normal energy spectrum that interferes with the target’s sensors or can be used to carry physical agents to a target. Starfleet Phasers are normally unavailable while the vessel is traveling at Warp as the Phaser beam will dissipate after firing. To compensate for this, Starfleet Tactical tested and implemented a process wherein the Phaser would be encompassed by an Annular Confinement Beam, similar to the one used by the Transporter. This provided Starfleet with a tactical advantage as the Enterprise can fire its Phasers while at Warp. In emergency situations the Phaser Arrays can be configured to fire a Phaser-Jacketed Phaser Beam, which is essentially a Phaser Beam enveloped by a second Phaser Beam. This process extends not only the range of the weapon but enhances its destructive potential at the expense of shipboard power. In addition, the Enterprise's Phaser Arrays have been modified to incorporate Pulse Compression Waveforms within the Phaser Beam, increasing the strength of the beam as well as a traceable payload that leaves residual ionic energy that could be used to track a target.

Point Defense Phaser Turret

While Phasers are traditionally an offensive weapon, the Point Defense Phaser Turrets of the Enterprise are designed to target incoming projectiles, debris, and other small threats before they can become a threat to the vessel. The concept for the Point Defense Phaser Turret dates back to 20th Century Earth's Strategic Defense Initiative and is primarily utilized during Fortress Mode.

Unexposed unless needed, Point Defense Phaser Turrets are a network of small Phaser turrets located along the Enterprise's outer hull that are designed to defend the ship from attack. Capable of being manned or set to automatic fire, the Point Defense Phasers identify small threats and will lock on and start firing to destroy the danger before it reaches the shields or the ship’s hull. While they are not as powerful as the Enterprise's standard Phasers and feature limited range, the point defense system considers targets in close proximity to be a priority before it will attack targets at further range. While the Point Defense Phaser Turrets are effective against projectiles, the system will not defend the Enterprise from other beam type weapons.

Tachyon Pulse

Utilizing technology discovered on a salvaged Dominion vessel during the Dominion War, the Tachyon Pulse is an advanced heavy weapon that is capable of interfering with and overloading the subspace systems of an opponent.

Utilizing a burst of tachyons, particles which can only exist at faster-than-light speeds, the Tachyon Pulse impacts an enemy's shields and dissipates immediately after contact. This dissipation creates a subspace disturbance from the sheer number of particles, making the formation of a Warp Field nearly impossible until the tachyons fully dissipate and forcing the target to remodulate their deflector shields. With their shields needing recalibration and the opponent unable to use their Warp Drive, often the potential exists to negotiate a peaceful resolution.

Torpedoes

While Phasers serve as the primary weapon system aboard Federation starships, Torpedoes are the most common secondary weapons used by Starfleet. Enterprise has been assigned a contingent of Photon, Polaron, and Quantum Torpedoes that can be fired from launchers in the forward and aft arcs of the ship. A Torpedo has a self-guidance system that it can use to pursue its target making it possible to fire a torpedo and have it travel in the opposite direction to strike a target, provided the journey does not exceed its range limit.

The Torpedo Launchers aboard the Enterprise are similar to a light gas gun and a mass driver, utilizing a pressure and an electromagnetic accelerator to launch projectiles. Each Launcher uses sequential field induction coils to fire, allowing the torpedo to launch at faster-than-light speeds and is approximately 30 meters long. Made of tritanium, sarium farnide, and similar materials, outwardly the Torpedo Launchers are fairly similar to one another, but the number of torpedoes a launcher can fire is where most models differ. Presently, Enterprise has been fitted with twin Rapid-Fire Torpedo Launchers on the underside of her Saucer Module capable of firing up to 12 torpedoes at a time. These launchers are supplemented by additional forward and aft launchers capable of firing 8 rounds each, which are also used to fire high-yield torpedoes. Should it be needed Torpedoes fired in a spread could be used against multiple targets or in a firing pattern to enhance a ship’s likelihood of hitting their opponent.

Torpedoes are automatically loaded from the Probe and Torpedo storage magazines located near the Torpedo Launchers and are fired from the Tactical Station on the Bridge, Battle Bridge, or from the Torpedo Bay. During loading Torpedoes can be reconfigured to do less than their full damage. If launch protocols are disabled, primary launch protocols can be disabled and auxiliary protocols implemented, or torpedoes may be manually fired if all protocols are disabled. Once the torpedoes have been fired, the launcher automatically reloads unless directed not to do so. Further, if alternate Torpedoes are ordered by the Captain during combat the ship must fire all currently loaded torpedoes in that launcher and then reload it or unloading the launcher and reload it with the new weapons.

Starfleet Torpedoes have an impressive range thanks to their large internal fuel tanks, but they do not have their own independent faster-than-light capability. If launched at Impulse, the torpedo will approach - but not exceed - the speed of light, if launched while at Warp the torpedo will use an internal Warp Sustainer Engine to maintain speed. Range can be extended by having the internal Warp Sustainer Engine cannibalize the ordinance reactants for additional fuel. If a torpedo is used on a target deemed too close to the ship firing it, the blast from the explosion when the torpedo hits its target will also damage the Enterprise. Because of the distance they travel, opponents can sometimes dodge or outrun torpedoes, or they may remodulate their shields to confuse the weapon's guidance systems. Once a torpedo is within 30,000 kilometers of its target, it can no longer be outrun. Should the Torpedo miss its target it is programmed to harmlessly self-destruct.

MRV Torpedo

The Multiple Reentry Vehicle (MRV) Torpedo is an advanced projectile weapon that has been assigned to the Starship Enterprise for offensive purposes.

Originally pioneered by Starfleet Vice Admiral Les Buenamigo for use on the Texas Class and based upon weapons used on old-Earth, the MRV Torpedo carries a payload of six microtorpedoes that are deployed toward a target in a host projectile. When the host projectile reaches a 3 kilometer distance from the opponent, the host projectile disintegrates to release its cargo toward the target. Designed to overcome point defense systems, the MRV Torpedo increases the likelihood of successful deployment dramatically when compared to other projectile options; however, it is not infallible. Should the primary target be too far away it is possible that not all of the microtorpedoes will find their objective or may miss altogether. If the host projectile impacts the target before splitting, the detonation is actually less damaging.

As a weapon of war usage of the MRV Torpedo is restricted within the United Federation of Planets; however, the Enterprise has been given special clearance to employ this projectile within its torpedo complement.

Photon Torpedo

The primary heavy weapon used by Starfleet and the Imperial Klingon Defense Force, the Photon Torpedo has been in use by the Federation since the 23rd Century when it replaced Spatial Torpedoes as Starfleet needed a weapon that was deliverable at high speeds.

Developed by Earth's Starfleet in the 22nd Century from research conducted on the weapons of a recovered Klingon Raptor, the Photon Torpedo offers a controlled detonation of matter and antimatter. Each torpedo incorporates both matter and antimatter within its casing, which meet and explosively annihilate each other at the moment of impact with an object. While the weapon and its components have been upgraded multiple times since their development, the basic configuration of the Photon Torpedo remains relatively the same today.

The majority of Photon Torpedoes aboard the Enterprise have a standard yield of approximately 25 isotons; however, Enterprise has been fitted with a limited number of Heavy Photon Torpedoes. These advanced weapons have yields of up to 200 isotons and are utilized to destroy decommissioned starbases.

Polaron (Phoenix) Torpedo

The Polaron Torpedo is a recently developed heavy weapon that is based upon recovered Dominion technology from the Dominion War.

Initially pursued by the Klingon Empire as a means to counter the destructive potential of the Federation's Quantum Torpedo, the Polaron Torpedo is capable of penetrating an enemy’s shields and damaging an opponent's hull directly. The torpedo has been upgraded to fit a Modulating Polaron Radiation Generator within its casing. When activated the torpedo is surrounded by a field of polaron emissions that are constantly changing their modulation, allowing the torpedo to pass through most forms of energy shielding in use and directly impacting an opponent's hull.

Successful in early testing, the Klingon Empire would abandon the technology during the Federation/Klingon War of the early 25th Century after it was discovered that the explosive discharge would not be much greater than that of a standard Photon Torpedo. Starfleet forces were able to recover prototype Polaron Torpedoes from the Korvat Colony and return them to Starfleet Tactical for reverse engineering. Nicknamed Phoenix Torpedoes because of their ability to penetrate shields, the first generation Polaron Torpedoes were brought online in 2415 and have been produced in limited numbers and are used on an as-needed basis.

Quantum Torpedo

Developed to improve upon and, eventually, replace the Photon Torpedo, the Quantum Torpedo is an advanced heavy weapon that was developed by Starfleet Tactical as a result of first contact with the Borg Collective during the Battle of Wolf 359. Upon review of data obtained from the conflict by the Miranda Class USS Cerritos, Starfleet was able to determine that the Photon Torpedo was ineffective against the defenses of the superior Borg Cube and many Starfleet researchers agreed that a new weapon would be needed to defend against the Borg and the newly discovered Dominion.

Starfleet Tactical assigned the Engineers of the Starfleet R&D facility on Groombridge 273-2A to begin research on a way to increase the destructive yield of a torpedo roughly the same size as the Photon Torpedo. Their research led to the Quantum Torpedo, which functions through an eleven-dimensional space-time membrane suspended in ultra-clean vacuum within the projectile. The membrane is twisted into a string and then isolated from the background vacuum, resulting in the creation of a new particle which is accompanied by a tremendous release of energy. This energetic release of a zero-point energy field obtains basic yields nearly twice as powerful as the Photon Torpedo.

Despite having been developed shortly before the Dominion War, Quantum Torpedoes remain limited within Starfleet as they are very hard to fabricate. Assigned to starships on an as-needed basis, the use of Quantum Torpedoes remains restricted today to emergency situations.

Auto-Destruct System

Because of the sensitive nature of the missions of the Starship Enterprise and the advanced technology it possesses, Starfleet Command has equipped all of its vessels with an Auto-Destruct System.

Controlled by the Secondary Command Processors and designed to function even if the Primary Computer Systems are offline, the Auto-Destruct System operates by disabling the safety systems of the vessel's Warp Core. Once engaged, the computer begins a countdown until an uncontrolled reaction of the Enterprise's Matter and Antimatter is initiated, resulting in an explosive detonation equivalent to thousands of Photon Torpedoes exploding simultaneously. Should the Warp Core be offline a secondary system can be activated that will detonate ordnance packages placed in strategic locations throughout the ship. While the explosive discharge is not as severe as an uncontrolled Warp reaction, either option will completely obliterate the ship.

Multiple safeguards exist to prevent the accidental or malicious activation of the Auto-Destruct System. Verbal orders, verified by genetic scan, must be received from both the Commanding Officer and Executive Officer to begin the Auto-Destruct process. In the event that either (or both) are dead, the Main Computer will transfer authorization to the next crewmembers in the Enterprise's Chain of Command. These requirements do not apply to Flag Officers, who may activate the Auto-Destruct without supportive authorization. After having confirmed the Auto-Destruct instructions, including the length of time until destruction, the computer begins a verbal and visual countdown to destruction.

Should the Auto-Destruct sequence no longer be needed, the Captain and Executive Officer can abort the destruct sequence by voice command.