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The final batch of declassifications begins with the Sydney. Write-up by Maldal, diagram by Bernd.
The Sydney Class starship was one of the first cargo carrying vessel designed for Starfleet. While other classes of vessels had been modified to act as cargo haulers, such as some Oberth Class surveyors and to a lesser extent Miranda Class starships, the Sydney Class proved to be much more capable vessel to haul cargo than any modified vessel. Utilitarian in design and function, the Sydney class has proven to be an extremely durable design and continues to serve as a premier cargo hauler in service of the United Federation of Planets Starfleet.
The Sydney class Cargo Hauler was first conceived in 2281, as a short-range, heavy cargo hauler to be used to traffic personnel and cargo between orbital facilities within star systems. The initial design of the Sydney Class spaceframe resembled the current design in the layout of its primary hull only. Without an included warp drive, the majority of interior space was dominated by a large cargo hold. Only minimal provisions for crew quarters were designed and installed, even at the testing phase, keeping in line with the short range philosophy.
The USS Sydney NX 2001 was launched from Station McKinley in 2284, utilizing heavily modified Miranda Class impulse drives. By utilizing a heavily laden deuterium fuel, the Sydney Design Team was able to increase the thrust generated at lower speeds, giving the craft the ability to carry gross weights near 500,000 metric tons. While the modified engines did burn more fuel than standard Miranda class engines, the increased thrust meant that the Sydney Class could carry as much weight as itself weighed. Initial testing on the Sydney Space Frame proved fruitful, but, as development progressed, questions as to the usefulness of a strictly sublight Cargo Hauler came to the forefront of discussion around Starfleet. Just as the production model of the Sydney Class was being prepared for final test runs, Starfleet Command changed the class objectives and added a requirement for warp capabilities. The NX 2001 was taken back to Station McKinley for redesign and overhaul.
In order to facilitate a warp drive on such a small vessel, the Sydney Design team based their ships drive on the Miranda class warp drive. Given the compact and limited spaces within the test space frame, the design and engineering teams were hard pressed to fit an engineering section, much less nacelles, on the frame. The team initially lifted the warp power system part for part from a Miranda class ship and attached them to the frame in less than a year. When the USS Sydney was taken out for its first warp engine tests, the engineering teams encountered severe subspace buffeting from the Nacelle assembly. The damage prevented the Sydney from completing its test run and the vessel limped back to McKinley for further testing and analysis of the engine readings.
Analysis showed that the long Miranda nacelles, based on the Constitution Class, were overpowering the space frame and causing the subspace buffeting. The Miranda nacelles were taken off of the vessel and Warp Coils 9 through 12 were removed from the nacelle assembly. The plasma conduits were reduced in size from the Warp Core to the Nacelles to compensate for the removal of the warp coils and in 2286 the NX 2001 USS Sydney was launched from McKinley station for her second warp engine trials.
With the reduced Warp Field, thanks to the fewer warp field coils, the Sydney did not have a repeat of the subspace buffeting that appeared in her first warp trials. The warp engines tested up to a maximum warp speed of Warp 8.9 with a safe maximum speed of Warp 8.6. The Sydney returned to McKinley station for finalization of the space frame and completion of production specifications.
Crew quarters, creature comforts, defensive systems and weaponry were kept simple almost to the point of nonexistent. Type VII phaser emitters, the standard weapon of the day, were added almost as an after thought. The interior spaces maximized its cargo carrying ability, leaving precious little room for a crew and as a result, there just wasn�t the room for photon launchers. The design team also redesigned the hull, making the lines smoother and the nacelle hull paneling were cut and the nacelle length was shortened to compensate the loss of the warp coils. With the completion of the NX 2001 in 2288, the USS Sydney became the answer to Starfleet�s demand for a warp capable heavy cargo hauler. Starfleet approved the final, completed USS Sydney, changed her registry to NCC 2001 and began a production contract for the vessels.
Starfleet ordered a production contract of 100 Sydney class vessels, with more vessels to be ordered in an as needed basis. A total of 125 Sydney class vessels were constructed between 2288 and 2315, with 15 vessels lost to enemy action, mechanical failure, or are lost and presumed missing. The last production order for a Sydney class starship was completed 28 years after the USS Sydney was launched with the USS Canberra NCC 2999 to replace the lost USS Jenolan. The Sydney class served as the primary cargo hauling vessel for the Starfleet until 2315 when the new Yorkshire class entered service. To this day, the 110 Sydney Class vessels serve as they were intended, hauling cargo for both civilian and Starfleet purposes. The only updates that have been afforded the Sydney Class have been in the area of comforts and modifications in the cargo hold areas. Some Sydney Class vessels have been modified to serve as Deuterium fuel or Anti-Matter fuel vessels, while others have had additional personnel quarters added to ferry Starfleet Personnel or Civilians across the space lanes of the Federation.
General Specifications: Production Base: San Fransico Fleet Yards, Earth Type: Transport � Heavy Hauler Compliment: 40 officers and crew; 4,000 person evacuation limit. Fuel Carriers lack Evacuation Capabilities. Personnel ships have an evacuation limit of 6,000 persons. Dimensions: Length, 247 m; beam, 128 m; height, 55 m. Mass: 590,000 metric tons. Performance: Warp 8.6 for 12 hours Armament: Two type-VII phaser emitters, standard.
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