WARP DRIVE SYSTEMS
THE ORIGINAL SERIES
System:
Cochrane Warp Dynamics PB-01
Ships:
Phoenix
Description:
Though Cochrane Warp Dynamics did not exist at the time Zephram Cochrane created his prototype drive on the Phoenix, this designation was granted it in honorarium.
System:
Cochrane Warp Dynamics PB-02
Ships:
Valiant, freighters
Description:
Once contact between the Terrans and Vulcans was formalized, Cochrane started CWD to both produce and develop warp drives. The PB-02 was the first commercial drive, fitted to the Valiant class. It was essentially the PB-01 with improvements in design for reliability. It was capable of Warp 1.5 cruise.
System:
Cochrane Warp Dynamics PB-03
Ships:
Voyager, Connestoga
Description:
The PB-03 was an incredibly powerful drive, specially designed to move the near 9 million ton Voyager series of colonizer ships. Capable of Warp 3 cruise, it was extremely reliable but also extremely expensive to operate. The Connestoga class superfreighter also was equipped with this drive as its cargo capacity was such that they could still turn a profit.
System:
Cochrane Warp Dynamics PB-04
Ships:
Y-Class Freighter, J-Class Freighter
Description:
The PB-04 was an improved version of the PB-02. Cruising speed was raised to Warp 1.8, but operating costs were more than halved. This made it an immediate favorite of freighters and merchantmen, which became the primary source of sales.
System:
Cochrane Warp Dynamics PB-05
Ships:
Enterprise (NX)
Description:
The first drive capable of Warp 5 performance, the PB-05 grew out of the Warp Five Development Project stated in 2119. It merged Vulcan design theory with further development and refinement of the PB-04 series drive. It first saw service in the NX class starship, but Warp 5 in that class was an absolute emergency speed, and not a true cruising speed.
System:
Cochrane Warp Dynamics PB-07
Ships:
Daedalus
Description:
The PB-07 was the first drive to offer sustained Warp 5 cruising. By this time, Cochrane Warp Dynamics had moved it operations to Alpha Centauri, which offered more testing space and better financial incentives. Debuted on the Daedalus class cruiser, it served as the basis for warp drives over the next fifty years.
System:
Cochrane Warp Dynamics PB-31
Ships:
Constitution
Description:
This was the drive, more than any other, which made CWD famous. Debuted on the Constitution class, it offered high speeds (Warp 5 sustained, Warp 7 maximum) and enormous power generation. It was designed for vessels massing 180,000-200,000 metric tons.
System:
Cochrane Warp Dynamics PB-32
Ships:
Bonhomme Richard
Description:
PB-32 was an enhanced version of the PB-31, capable of Warp 6 cruise and Warp 8 maximum velocities. It was fitted on the Bonhomme Richard class CH and refitted on
Constitution class vessels.
System:
Cochrane Warp Dynamics PB-47
Ships:
Coronado, Achernar, Surya, Coventry
Description:
The PB-47 offered far superior acceleration times than the PB-32 series. It was used on classes such as the Coronado, Achernar, Surya, and Coventry.
THE MOVIE GENERATION
System:
Dennison/Westinghouse “Fleetwing” LN-52 SCNN
Ships:
Endeavor
Description:
The LN-52 was the first attempt at a linear warp drive propulsion system, and was installed on the Endeavor class CH. Specially designed to be self-contained units to directly replace the original PB-32/47 units on each ship, they suffered from a high-rate of dilithium decay which limited their performance to Warp 8 cruise and Warp 10 maximum.
System:
Vickers Engineering “Achates” LN-60
Ships:
Constitution (II)
Description:
While D/W worked on a self-contained linear warp drive system, Vickers Engineering went with a more complicated, and powerful, design. This system used a system of intermix shafts that also connected the warp core to the impulse drive system to provide additional power. While cruising speed equaled the Warp 8 of the LN-52, emergency speed was Warp 11 and speeds above Warp 8 could be sustained for far longer periods.
System:
Cochrane Warp Dynamics LN-64B
Ships:
Enterprise (II), Constellation
Description:
The second attempt at improving the LN-64 was successful, and the Warp 9/13 LN-64B entered service with the Enterprise (II) class. However, this drive’s higher acquisition and maintenance costs have limited its use to the Enterprise (II) and Constellation classes.
System:
Cochrane Warp Dynamics LN-64A
Ships:
Tikopai
Description:
The LN-64A was designed to provide a higher cruising speed (Warp 9) for the Tikopai class exploratory (later heavy) cruiser. Unfortunately, the drive system was plagued with difficulties that, while later worked out, resulted in warp performance equal to the LN-64, but with slower acceleration and higher maintenance costs.
System:
Cochrane Warp Dynamics LN-64
Ships:
Enterprise, Belknap, Avenger, Endurance, Cyane, Daran, Knox, Ascension, Federation (II)
Description:
Arguably one of the most successful warp drives in history, the LN-64 series powered most of the Class One starships of the 2270’s through 2300’s. Essentially identical to the Vickers LN-60 in mounting and cruise performance, it offered a maximum speed of Warp 12 and slightly faster acceleration times.
System:
Cochrane Warp Dynamics LN-65A
Ships:
Ariel, Fredrickstaad
Description:
The LN-65A was designed for extremely massive starships (1.5 to 2.0 million tons). Capable of truly stupendous output, it can push vessels with this mass to Warp 12 cruise.
System:
Cochrane Warp Dynamics LN-65A
Ships:
Ariel, Fredrickstaad
Description:
After the success Cochrane had with the LN-64, Vickers’ own LN-60 series needed enhancement if they were to remain competitive. With Cochrane’s LN-64A a dud, the LN-68 was the first successful Warp 9/13 drive to market. Though it is not as dilithium-efficient as the LN-65B, Vickers did land contracts for the LN-68 with Belknap class vessels destined for service with TacFleet.
System:
Vickers Engineering “Ikeda” LN-68
Ships:
Belknap
Description:
After the success Cochrane had with the LN-64, Vickers’ own LN-60 series needed enhancement if they were to remain competitive. With Cochrane’s LN-64A a dud, the LN-68 was the first successful Warp 9/13 drive to market. Though it is not as dilithium-efficient as the LN-65B, Vickers did land contracts for the LN-68 with Belknap class vessels destined for service with TacFleet.
System:
Koëller Uti K27 Transwarp
Ships:
Excelsior
Description:
In 2275, theoretical physicists at the Daystrom Institute proposed that speeds far above those currently capable were possible. They dubbed these speeds “Transwarp” and began modeling performance. To their incredulity, the models predicted cruising speeds in excess of Warp Factor 70 (the fastest ship at the time could barely crack Warp 20, risking destruction to do it). Koëller Uti, a Terra-based company specializing in high-warp research, was given a grant to design and develop a working transwarp drive. By 2280 they had developed a working drive and it was mounted to an unmanned test ship. Initial tests were promising, with the vessel attaining speeds of Warp 25. Computer modeling implied that the more power put into a transwarp drive, the higher the speeds attained. At the same time, Star Fleet was working on a new class of battleships, the Excelsior, to replace the dreadnoughts and counteract new battleship construction by the Klingon and Romulan Empires. It was decided to mount a larger version of the transwarp drive (the K27) to the Excelsior class.
Unfortunately, what worked well in computer models and tests failed miserably when scaled-up to starship sizes. The K27, when it worked at all, was never able to achieve more than Warp 14, speeds barely above that of the LN-65A on a drive system that cost over twice as much to produce. Within a year, Star Fleet declared the Transwarp project a failure and removed the drive from service.
System:
Shuvinaaljis Warp Technologies LN-72
Ships:
Excelsior, Ingram
Description:
By 2280, Shuvinaaljis had been providing warp drives to Vulcan ships for centuries, but had yet to bid on a Federation contract. With the Federation working on larger and larger vessel designs, Shuvinaaljis decided the high-mass / high-speed realm was the one to aim for, as only Cochrane’s LN-65A was competition.
What was disaster for Koëller Uti turned into providence for Shuvinaaljis. As the Excelsior continued to wallow through engineering trials, Shuvinaaljis offered her LN-72 for her sistership, the Ingram. The drive proved to be a perfect fit, and once it was clear Transwarp would not work, Excelsior was fitted with LN-72’s, as well. Capable of Warp 15 cruise, these drives made the Excelsior the fastest ship of her day.
System:
Vickers Engineering “Fier” LN-90
Ships:
Akyazi
Description:
While the LN-68 enjoyed a limited success, the LN-64 from Cochrane Warp Dynamics continued to garner the bulk of new-ship outfitting. However, TacFleet liked the LN-68 and approached Vickers to develop a warp drive for the Akyazi class perimeter action ship they were developing. The LN-90 was designed for sustained high-warp velocities on ships massing under 100,000 tons. It also incorporates a warp reflector assembly that helps improve warp maneuverability and mask warp emissions, making for a more stealthy unit. Performance is impressive, with a Warp 8 standard cruise, Warp 14 maximum cruise, and a Warp 21 emergency speed.
System:
Vickers Engineering “Skade” LN-91
Ships:
Arbiter
Description:
With the success of the Akyazi and LN-90 units, Vickers improved output even more on the LN-91 that went into the Arbiter class PA. Performance increased to Warp 15 maximum and Warp 21 emergency speed.
System:
Vickers Engineering “Kratos” LN-94
Ships:
Akula
Description:
The LN-94 showcased improved enhancements to the warp reflector assembly. This was necessary as the Akula class PA these drives were fitted to weighed 5000 tons more and was equipped with a Bea deflection pod which affected the warp field. Though equal in power output to the LN-91, the Akula suffered from lower performance because of the pod.
THE NEXT GENERATION
System:
Leeding Energies LF-10
Ships:
Ambassador
Description:
Leeding had enjoyed success in the sub-100,000 ton arena, but desired to “play with the big boys”. In 2310, they developed a linear-flat warp drive nacelle, with the warp coils lying “flat” as opposed to “tall” as in the linear drives. This generated a more powerful warp field that allowed for higher speeds and lower reactant consumption. Their first drive, the LF-10, required massive nacelles, much larger in volume than those used by the LN-72. Such a size prevented their fitting to starship classes of the time.
In 2315, the ASDB put forth a call for new technologies to be used in a successor class to the Excelsior. The Ambassador class was to be a truly monstrous beast, massing over 3.5 million tons. The LN-65A and LN-72 were inadequate to meet the requirements, and Leeding got their first big break when the LF-10 was chosen to power the class. Warp scale recalibration had taken effect by then, so the new drive was able to provide a cruising speed of Warp 9 (or Warp 11.5 on the “old” scale) – impressive for a ship that massed almost three times that of an Excelsior.
System:
Cochrane Warp Dynamics LF-15
Ships:
Cheyenne
Description:
The LF-30 was a refinement of the LF-15 series to provide higher performance and better efficiency. It is used in the New Orleans class.
System:
Cochrane Warp Dynamics LF-20
Ships:
Steamrunner
Description:
With the success of the LF-15, Cochrane developed the LF-20 to serve ships massing two million tons.
System:
Shuvinaaljis Warp Technologies LF-25
Ships:
Saber
Description:
With the over one million metric ton field covered, Shuvinaaljis developed a drive optimized for sub-million ton vessels. It first debuted on the Saber class.
System:
Leeding Energies LF-30
Ships:
New Orleans
Description:
The LF-30 was a refinement of the LF-15 series to provide higher performance and better efficiency. It is used in the New Orleans class.
System:
Shuvinaaljis Warp Technologies LF-35
Ships:
Akira, Defiant
Description:
The LF-35 was specially developed for TacFleet applications where high sustained speeds and high reliability were requirements. It is used in the Akira and Defiant classes.
System:
Leeding Energies LF-40
Ships:
Norway, Nova
Description:
The LF-40 was designed to compete with the LF-25 from Shuvinaaljis. It offers higher performance than the LF-25.
System:
Leeding Energies LF-40
Ships:
Norway, Nova
Description:
The LF-41 is to the late 24th century what the LN-64 was to the late 23rd. Designed to power the Galaxy class large exploratory cruiser, it enjoys a virtual monopoly on vessels massing more than four million tons.
System:
Leeding Energies LF-41
Ships:
Galaxy, Nebula, Olympus, Courageous, Peacekeeper, Flynt, Entente, Maxwell
Description:
The LF-41 is to the late 24th century what the LN-64 was to the late 23rd. Designed to power the Galaxy class large exploratory cruiser, it enjoys a virtual monopoly on vessels massing more than four million tons.
System:
Shuvinaaljis Warp Technologies LF-42
Ships:
Griffon
Description:
LF-43 incorporates numerous refinements that result in 20% more power than the LF-41 using the same nacelles. It has been fitted to the Galaxy (II) class CKE and will probably replace the LF-41 on subsequent classes.
System:
Leeding Energies LF-43
Ships:
Galaxy (II)
Description:
The LF-43 incorporates numerous refinements that result in 20% more power than the LF-41 using the same nacelles. It has been fitted to the Galaxy (II) class CKE and will probably replace the LF-41 on subsequent classes.
System:
Cochrane Warp Dynamics LF-44
Ships:
Galaxy (II), Sovereign, Prometheus, Cantell, Nottingham, Discovery
Description:
After ceding the large ship market to Leeding Energies, Cochrane returned with a vengeance when they launched the LF-44. Co-developed with the Sovereign class CH, the LF-44 offers tremendous power, speed, and efficiency. Initial testing was performed on the Galaxy (II) class, but best performance is gained by using specialized nacelles and therefore refitting of ships with LF-41/42/43 drives is not expected.
System:
Leeding Energies LF-45
Ships:
Intrepid
Description:
In 2365, on a grant from the Starfleet Advanced Research Project Agency, Leeding began secret development of a variable-geometry warp drive. The purpose of this drive was to allow incredibly high sustained speeds while maximizing efficiency. While it was hoped this drive could be used on ships in the four million plus ton range, design stress and computer power required it be fitted to ships under one million tons and was mated to the Intrepid Class Starship Development Project.