Trekyards EP125 - Akira Class

Well, its time for a fan favorite. The much requested AKIRA class cruiser, first seen in Star Trek: First Contact. This is a cool ship and this episode really dishes out the facts, some well known, some not so well known. We acquired the actual model used in the movie and dug deep to find out all the cool facts to share with you all. Hope you enjoy it!
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[@paul_pratt]

In regards to the "evacuation limit, " An akira class has 1/3rd of its saucer devoted to flight deck. There is plenty of room to stick people inside. A Nimitz class aircraft carrier is 332.8 m long. The akira is longer and is almost 4x wider than a contemporary american aircraft carrier. The ships CREW alone is 3200 people and an ADDITIONAL 2400 people in support of the fighter wing. Thats 5000+ people with a job on the ship. A carrier can also have 70+ aircraft aboard at any given time, none of this 2-10 shuttles stuff. I think Trek writers and fans severely underestimate just how gigantic these ships are and what their true capacities would be in reality.

[@PTMaverick]

True but the Carriers didnt have the problem of generating food, water, oxygen gravitation etc. All these systems would require A LOT of space. And the Starships are designed to offer a lot more comfort as a carrier would do. These rooms alone will consume a lot of space too.

[@OpenMawProductions]

@@PTMaverick Except that we SEE how much room all that technology takes up. There's a LOT of left over space.

[@GSF404]

@@OpenMawProductions the hanger on the Akira is vast. It's right up there with Bay 1 on the Galaxy class. There's probably a Nimitz sized ship worth of space in there, keep in mind as well there's no chance in hell it's a single deck. Bay 1 on the Galaxy is across what, four decks?

[@brentc2411]

Y'all are seriously underestimating internal volume. Yah, a Nimitz class aircraft carrier at any given time has over 7k people on board, and can hold even more during evacuation. Plus dozens of aircraft and munitions, along with munitions construction bays (missiles and bombs are always stored disassembled). Medical facilities, mess hall and cargo. Star Trek ships would seem like ghost ships with how empty they would be given their size and crew compliments. You'd be able to walk the halls of these ships for hours without seeing another person if your off duty.

[@keirfarnum6811]

@@brentc2411 Yeah, ST seriously understates their crew sizes. Even with all the automation and advanced technology, it would seem to require more people to run a starship than they state in the show. Even without hot bunking and crew having their own space, they could easily carry more people.

[@BrianMadolid]

I used to think the Akira was weird when I was a kid, I never liked the catamaran-style secondary hulls and the nacelles being wider apart than the saucer, however, I started to like it more and more, around when Star Trek: Armada came out. Ironic, as it's very features are what made it appealing. It's now one of my favorite starships, I'd love to see a show based an Akira-class.

[@KnightMage]

The idea of a rotating torpedo launcher in the roll bar, is a good one. Just one thing, it's just one more thing that can break. A misfire would be catastrophic. As Scotty said in ST:TSFS, "The more they overthink the plumbing, the easier it is to stop up the drain."

[@DarinRWagner]

I kinda consider the Akira to be the Sovereign's Miranda. I like the smaller ships like the Defiant, Saber and Steamrunner classes the best. I attribute this to my having served on a comparatively smaller warship in the US Fleet (a submarine). That said, I think the Akira is pretty cool. I like how the Ares class from Axanar sorta borrows that narrow height from this ship. In my personal head cannon, this ship was designed to help "use up" all the older photon torpedoes Starfleet still had... hence the rapid fire feature. I'd love to see some fan film set after the Dominion War (or even DURING it) featuring this ship in the lead.

[@hisokamorow1816]

Darin Wagner same and I consider the nebula the galaxy’s Miranda

[@keirfarnum6811]

I like the Ares, Titan, and Shenzhou, but not the Akira as much. I think it’s the weird squared off nacelles; they just don’t look very sleek.

[@maxawesom3850]

The Akira class carries Kaneda fighters. heh.

[@matthewschocke4094]

Max Awesom I went looking to see if anyone else noticed. I did not hallucinate that!

[@4lds84]

Yes and in STO has a CPT by the Name of Tetsuo

[@lancer4121]

I love that we got that 😂

[@AaronLitz]

KAAA-NEEEEEE-DAA!

[@GSF404]

Unless a 'canon' dick head comes along and states 'hurr hurr hurr, we've never seen that on screen so that's not true, hurr hurr hurr'. 🙄🤷‍♂️

[@foxpianocovers]

I loved all the First Contact ships from the first time I saw the movie on the big screen. But the Akira really caught my eye. I remember doing everything I could for months after the movie trying to find different images of it on the Internet. Blew my mind when we got to see it again on Ds9 and VOY, albeit from afar...

[@dominicracca6955]

The Akira looks like an evolution of the Miranda class ship.

[@keithburr2399]

A machine gun style torpedo launcher! So cool.

[@Diax1324]

That picture of the Akira next to the Sabre over the planet is gorgeous. I love it.

[@The_Warrior526]

In Bridge Commander the Akira can switch between Photon and Quantum torpedoes.

[@kevinwestrom4775]

I love the Akira class ship, though some elements of it seems at least moderately reminiscent of the NX-01 class Enterprise. I very much like its sleek design. The weapons pod stuck where it is, seems very much like the Miranda class ships with having the specialized weaponry pod mounted far back on the ship. Great episode video. I very much enjoyed it.

[@TheADHDNerd]

When I first saw this ship I was confused and intrigued at the same time. It has quickly become my absolute favorite ship of the late 24th Century era. I love the return to a saucer shaped... saucer (lol) and wish they would have done more like it. The fly through hanger bay has been a "wish list" item of mine for a long time, and having a compliment of fighter craft is PERFECT for achieving a tactical upper hand. Combined with the ungodly amount of torpedo launchers, this ship is the epitomy of large, mobile deterrence! Love this ship!

[@Sajukhar]

Love these videos, realitively new to watching Trekyards so i apologize for commenting so late after this Video was made. My personal Flagship in Star Trek online is in fact the "NX-413 U.S.S. Arasmus". Tier 6 Fleet Heavy Escort Carrier, sporting most of the appearance of the Akira with the Armatage Warp Nacells. Equipped as a Support Cruiser It's not designed to output 'the max dps' like alot of people like to do, but rather I use it as a support vessel with fore and aft beam arrays for keeping Attack pattern BETA Debuff on targets, Fore and Aft TRansphasic torpedoes for a Kenetic DoT, Forward Quad Cannons and forward Dual cannons, with a set of Elite Delta Flyers on Intercept mode to shoot down heavy torpedos....and i jsut nerded out wups ^.^

[@Intrepidthegenuine]

I have always loved the akira design, from every view the ship seems well proportioned. Had the defiant not been assigned to DS9, it would have been cool to have Sisko command an akira that was assigned to the station.

[@DJT.on.Ethereum]

The shape looks to me to be slightly influenced by Klingon/Romulan design. Especially with the side mounted torpedoes. Which makes sense given the cooperation the Federation was having with both Klingons and Romulans at the time (the defiant's cloaking device).

[@nelkeranforgeworks7716]

I do agree with you on the klingon inspiration, but i do need to disagree on the romulan part. The only thing that the romulans helped the federation on was the USS Defiant's cloak. prior to that one ship and one case, there is no evidence as to the romulans helping the Federation.

[@carllawson5043]

i do believe this is my fav class

[@SaintInix]

Akira is my favorite Starfleet ship design, loved it since the first time I saw it. I always thought of it as a gunboat, with all those torp tubes, she can lay waste to just about anything. I'm on the 'rotary launcher' bandwagon as well, that certainly looks like a spinning launcher, no reason to have a partial tube there in the model unless it will be rotating. I actually played STO to fly this ship, she's always above the D and E for me, beating out the Defiant as well. I really like the 'roided-out' Miranda that is the Akira, and I'd buy any game straight away that would let me fly this.

[@error404namenotfound7]

@Trekyards A minigun-stylish torpedodrum would make sense. It looks nice and seems logic in terms of functionallity.

[@alanhembra2565]

This has always been my favorite Star Trek ship.

[@Rick_Cleland]

It's pretty Goddamn cool!!

[@leeprice2849]

My favorite non-hero starship. I like the idea that the Torpedo launcher uses a rotary system in that rear pod.

[@jonathanurias1984]

Love this ship, would love to have seen it in a movie with ALL tubes firing

[@jedimike7622]

I was saying this the other day. I just want to see every torpedo launcher firing at max all at once.

[@Quetzalcoatl_Feathered_Serpent]

It will be good but given its nature as a warship it's unlikely to be seen as a hero ship due to the fact its weapons alone basically rips apart anything dumb enough to piss it off. Who knows maybe we.might see a ancient one in Discovery or Picard being a new hero ship or similar. Given how much detail the original Akira model had in first contact and its literal position as the back bone of the fleet I have a suspicion that Akira was being groomed as the next hero ship for a new line of.movies or shows likely after nemesis

[@GSF404]

@@Quetzalcoatl_Feathered_Serpent I'm guessing, based on what I've seen of the Akira, that it's main design, as a carrier/gunship is to exit warp during a Borg engagement at stand-off range and just rain Photon torpedoes at the Cube/Sphere. There's not much that could survive that sort of a barrage. Also worth noting that, torpedoes are infact guided. 👍

[@Quetzalcoatl_Feathered_Serpent]

@@GSF404 Pretty much its essentially a torpedo boat with carrier function. Given its impressive torpedo use phasers and carrier capability its essentially a warship. Its a hero ship. I would love to see a series with the Akira class as the primary hero ship they deserve to be.

[@GSF404]

@@Quetzalcoatl_Feathered_Serpent thing is, it makes no sense at all for this not to be a carrier/torpedo boat. The fact it gets up close and personal on screen just completely disregards the obvious designed function of the class, and I freaking hate that. Why design a ship like this, if you're just gonna make it never perform its intended purpose? What's the range of photon torpedoes, three million kilometres? Why does it always engage at like fifty kilometres? Why can't Trek writers, script a decent battle scene that isn't a knife fight?

[@Gman-109]

Brilliant video, I've been waiting for you to review this ship - fantastic job, great script and visuals guys. What a monster this ship is. Great manueverability, GREAT weapons loadout, and huge auxiliary ship complement. Imagine in wartime a Romulan Warbird/Cardassian/etc ship having to fight one on one an Akira - 100 fighters and a bunch of Runabouts to deal with on top of the ship itself... The side mounted torpedo tubes are a great idea whoever came up with this design - as is the number of grouped photon/quantum tubes in various places. If I was going to request any ship in the Federation, it'd be this one, even over the advanced Defiant classes.

[@RaydeusMX]

My favorite ships: 1) Sovereign 2) Akira 3) Defiant (Original)

[@andrewhopkins1010]

Been waiting for this one for some time. Very well done. Wish they hadn't scrapped the huge space battle initially planned for First Contact. I know they were constrained by budget and whatnot but it still would have been awesome to see.

[@AdamMGTF]

I know this is an old video. But scrolling through comments and this one popped out. I remember going to see first contact at the cinema and the battle that was in the movie WAS massive. Remember this was 1996. 3 years before Star wars ep1, before the matrix. And many other staples of early top level CGI. I was blown away and went to watch the movie a second time basically for the first battle. Bloody brilliant

[@Lokiawa]

My mouth was watery the whole time watching this, and talking about the Armada Akira makes me want to get on my slow PC and play Armada, just to make fleets of Akira's.

[@starfleetcaptain5413]

The flight deck is at least the length of a modern aircraft carrier but she's armed like a battleship. If I had to choose a ship it'd definitely be this one.

[@idleeidolon]

A show featuring a smaller more tight knit crew on a smaller more specialized war ship (saber or akira) dealing with new found peace and trying to move on (ptsd) after the Dominion War would be a great show. I always like stories about warriors trying to learn to live in a garden.

[@sonicalltheway8179]

I’m currently writing a Star Trek Dominion War era story that puts the Thunderchild at center stage. I’m glad to have this video for homework on the Akira Class. Cuz honestly, it’s heavily underused, especially the Thunderchild.

[@ethanforster]

This Trekyards makes me really want to see the eventually inevitable Trekyards on the Steam Runner, the mention of torpedo boat brought up Steam Runner thoughts in my mind

[@Galvars]

Hear, hear!

[@dotmatrix7383]

+Skyla Jade Forster (Sky) My favorite class!

[@kmp629]

+Skyla Jade Forster (Sky) I agree. The Steamrunner is such an interesting little weirdo of a ship.

[@markplott4820]

the Akira class is easily one of my favorite deigns. it is similar to the NX Enterprise, the Nebula class and the Miranda class all of which I like. I think the Akira class would be a good choice for the New CBS series.

[@michaelloar4618]

Excellent episode guys! The Akira has been one of my favorite ships since first contact, learned a lot I never knew before!

[@CLAIR.L]

I love this ship and I loved this episode also I think the rotary torpedo tubes make perfect sense and really does look like that's what it is

[@RetroBerner]

Another awesome design. I just wish you guys would make the LCARS smaller, so much wasted space and you can't really see details, even when watching this on my 46" TV. Keep up the great work guys, love it.

[@NovaScotiaNewfie]

Love the idea of a rotating torpedo launcher.

[@jenswurm]

I'm not sure if an actual wheel of launch tubes with a radius as implied by the front would actually fit into the pod though. It seems to narrow to contain a wheel of that size.

[@michaelnguyen6730]

This is one of my favorite contemporary designs. Due to production costs/time, designers usually cut down the graphical aesthetics when cranking out for film/TV show. Plus, the studio doesn't want to pay a lot of money when air time for an item is less than 30 seconds. I remember the Prime Time Live story on TNG where Paramount paid well over $10,000 (US) for the McKinley Station/Enterprise-D scene that was only 14 seconds. Thanks, Stuart and Samuel!

[@noneuno53]

this ship is my favorite, of all star ships. thanks for your time.

[@thribs]

You forgot to mention that the design of the NX was inspired by this which means in universe, the NX design inspired the Akira. :)

[@todabrilla]

I was thinking the same thing.

[@Kaiber_Phoenix]

Robert Hayes and both are damn fine looking ships

[@soulenoid6701]

Robert Hayes Technically no. in our reality, the design of the Akira inspired the NX-01, which happened in the past but was from a future series, slightly flawed logic.

[@alexhurlbut]

I should point out, design-wise, 'Ships of the Star Fleet: Akyazi-Class Perimeter Action Ships' had the layout first (copyright 1992). I do this responding to a comment thread started a year ago XD.

[@XiahouDun1225]

The Akira could definitely be used for a cavalry archer type tactic. Come in like a bat outta hell, all phasers firing as the forward torpedo tubes just unload. Then peel off to the side as more torpedoes continue to blast out from those side tubes along with her phaser strips, and finally come about to pull off, continuing to fire parting torpedo shots. Now, imagine a task force of these things doing that, all at the same time.

[@GenJackOneill]

I absolutely love this ship, great episode. definitely one of my top 5 favorite ships and trek yards episodes :D

[@4lds84]

Hands down my favorite. Heavily Weaponized, but also can work with a Nebula (as depicted) or Galaxy class for transport an evacuation. Also could provide as a dual roll as "close-air-support" and superb Medevac element when paired with an Olympic. Triage and defence support would be a win, and kept with the design to fight the Borg. Add a Saber class to punch a hole, a Difiant class as support ship, Nebula class as a control factor, an Olympic and an Akira for transport and Medical Ops, and the last Akira as mop and follow up.....not a bad combo.

[@4lds84]

Now, if you trade a second Akira class, for another Defiant class, the results would be the same.....which is the build I run

[@KenshiImmortalWolf]

In bridge commander, one of your best federation allies has an Akira, the Geranimo, which actually has the name on it. It has quantum torpedos and at one point you can replenish your supply by taking it's torpedos after it gets damaged bad enough to need repairs.

[@Foomandoonian]

I'm surprised you didn't mention the NX-01 - aka the 'Akiraprise' - which was clearly inspired by this design. Ex Astris: "John Eaves as well as Rick Berman pointed out, the NX-01 was designed consciously with the Akira in mind." Also, Akira isn't an 'anime style' (as far as I know), it's a very specific anime film based on a Manga comic book series. It's a classic.

[@markplott4820]

+Foomandoonian and also the real world, P-38 lightning and Black Widow of WWII.

[@aurorauplinks]

if akira means bright and clear, in theory it couldbe considered an anime style for coloring scenes, where the scenes favor brightness and a open clarity over darker and more hidden scenes

[@jackvonkuehn9038]

I absolutely love this design. I also completely agree with you about the turntable torpedoe launchers in the roll bar. that makes absolute perfect sense. I don't like the lack of the ship's name and prefer to think of that as a production oversight rather than intentional.

[@RobertJones-ux6nc]

This ship is like a Torpedo & Attack Cruiser combined.

[@MikeHargisjr]

The FlyOver Weapons Array 1 x 16 Port OCTA-C Module * 2 x Ports : Dedicated Quantum Torpedo/BOMB Launchers** 1 x Ports : Probe/Sensor Booster Launcher*** X x Torp Launchers X x Phaser Arrays OCTA-C Module Maybe this flyover Module is a Torp Array like you guys suggested with some caveats such as it has the Torpedo Carousel which would be able to fire any class Torp up to top end Photo/Proton/Spacial charges, etc which I totally could see being called the Omni Class Torpedo Array Carousel ( or OCTA-C). In addition could work much like an old automated turn table where the cartridge is a 16 torp loadout. These cartridges were able to fire their payload in varied ways such as quick fire 1 torp at a time so 1x16 before reloading or... 2 torpedoes at a time x 8 launches or... 4 torpedoes at a time x 4 launches... ... all while having up to 4 separate targets controlled by a separate computer system and this array would shunt power directly from the warp core when at sublight speed due to the high power requirements that this array required. .....This system also would have a large battery system which would syphon power from anywhere it could without causing issues to main power due to the large spike of power required to initial the system. This battery could be used to provide a short warp trip (5 minutes at warp 1.1, or 48 hours of impulse and emergency life support for the saucer section, bridge, engineering, along with being able to shunt to decks as needed. Quantum Torpedo/BOMB Launchers These specific Launcher Bays would allow the launch of specialized Quantum Torpedoes that could maybe have customized damage patterns through quantum physic manipulation which required specific launcher array, or maybe quantum torps cant be stored as close together as the OCTA-C Module would require? Additionally it could fire a bomb such as the tri-cobalt device without requiring modifications Probe Launcher / Sensor Booster Port This port would allow for near-dedicated Probe launcher, or when in combat could launch a multi beacon Sensor Boosting Array (think mini Cloak buster field forgot the name of it) that sets up the field to pinpoint enemy targets, provide intel about possible cloaked vessels, boost coms by providing multispectrum long range communications on encrypted military link frequency... .... and creates a sensor grid layover for star fleet to watch the battle in 3d on any holographic system or holodeck. This system would all be controlled by the independant Computer Core and powered by the extra battery in the Flyover so even if the ship is adrift, incapacitated, or even severely damaged (almost destroyed) as long as this independant system was still operational, it would autonomously contact the Command ship, or StarFleet so it could be remotely operated by the Fleet Commander and/or Star Fleet Command.

[@Skyhawk1998]

In First Contact we saw that one Akira rear up and fire from her rollbar, from what looks like that very torpedo launcher that brought up the rotary idea. It sure looked like she fired her torpedoes way faster than I had seen from other ships, even faster than the Enterprise herself. Since the Sovereign class was so advanced I am guessing they'd have a sort of advanced autoloading mechanism... even then she did not fire as quickly as the Akira class ships did. There was also a Saber behind an Akira in one shot, and that Saber did not even come close to matching the Akira's fire rate with torpedoes. One ship fired from her rollbar, one from under her saucer section. That might say that many of the inline torp launchers or maybe all of them did indeed have some kind of rotary mechanism, either for a rapid burst or for a high sustained fire rate. Whatever way you look at it it is a mighty interesting feature and just makes the Akira all the more awesome, and much more of a damn shame that she never got the spotlight. And to solve the issue of how they fired photons from a quantum launcher, they might have some sort of advanced version of sabots, but for the torpedoes, or they could have some kind of special photon torpedo that had a faux case to make it fit in a quantum tube.

[@jonny5777]

I was never a fan of the Akira class until now. I had no idea how tough it actually was, also 40 fighter ship! Awesome

[@stembuk]

A possible solution to the rotating torpedo launcher/dedicated Quantum tubes issue: whilst the Quantums can be *launched* from a Photon tube, the *loading* of them - due to the slightly different shape, and warhead - could require a different methods. so, whilst the entire launcher could rotate for the rapid firing of photons and can fill every tube for that, when Quantums are asked for the computer or crew, whoever loads them, knows to keep two tubes free for loading them. Sorta like, and assuming a right to left rotation as seen from the front - : rapid fire photons : - loads every tube, reloads as the tubes pass the rollbar on the left for rear firing : Quantum firing : - again from the right, loads two photons, leaves two tubes clear and loads two more, leaves two clear and so on. When the empty tubes pass in front of the Quantum loader, they're loaded and fired. You lose the rapid fire ability during this. Theoretically, I guess you could keep all the tubes loaded with photons, and then load and fire the Quantums when tubes are in front of the loaders, but that would mean pausing the rotation whilst they do so.

[@j.chappel1160]

I'll admit, I am a bit confused on the crew compliment. In the beginning of the video, it was stated at 500, then at about half way through it dropped to 200, and finally by the ST:O reference, it was as 100.

[@georgemercer402]

From what I can see about the shape, the Akira class layer the foundation for the NX-class of Enterprise; it just needed a few redesigns in order to make it fit in with the Pre-Kirk timeline.

[@litlclutch]

Wouldn't it be awesome to see an Akira in a tight spot where they fire a full spread of torpedoes from ALL tubes in a kinda of The Last Starfighter Death blossom type move only without the ship spinning around all crazy like since the torpedo bays are already facing all around the ship. I've always loved the look of the Akira and it seemed to me to be a nice reference to the NX class from enterprise which is another fav of mine. Miranda class was my fav TOS ship and to have the Akira be almost its spiritual modern variant is awesome IMO. So for me its connects my 3 favourite ship designs from star trek.

[@MandalorV7]

Loves this ship design. It's a lot of fun to use in Star Trek Online. If they do a show that takes place after Voyager, the Akira should be the hero ship of the show.

[@bucktaylor2304]

Very good show , I felt that this ship was a good move and progress in Star Trek , and I believed as well that the torpedo turret was rotating as well but never mined , cool ship I love it , good work guys :)

[@TheCastellan]

To me, I always felt torpedoes would be not solid projectiles, but dense 'blobs' of energy, kinda like what we saw in Balance of Terror, those proximity phasers. That's how I always felt it should be, plus it explains how you never run out of torpedoes in STO. :D Samuel, in STO, you can slap on an RCS device to fix the turn rate :D

[@ReinaHW]

Love the Akira class, my main ship in Star Trek Online is an Akira class called the USS Shore commanded by my main character, who is also one of the four mains in my own written Beaumont series, of Reina Beaumont. In the game tactical class ships don't have a strong hull but they have strong firepower. Had Star Trek continued beyond the events of Nemesis, it would have been great to see a new series with the Akira class as the main ship used with a new crew.

[@joek.3647]

Very great episode... about a great ship. I do think it's more than just a Miranda & Excelsior class replacement, but also has several ancestors from the Axanar era - Aries-class, Korolev-class carriers and more.

[@Die_grazile_Wurst]

my favorite ship! Would love to be captain of this one.

[@Rick_Cleland]

🎉🎉🎉

[@nicholasdickens2801]

I've been so looking forward to this Design Mission Brief Log :)

[@shanewallis1616]

The Akira and Venture were my favourite ships from Armada, loved those games growing up ~

[@markplott4820]

RE: evacuation limits, star ships can utilize unpowered holodecks, cargo bays and the shuttle bays them selves after the last shuttle has landed. many refugees can be directly transported to cargobays as modern cargo transporters have quantum resolution.

[@thepoliticalstartrek]

Akira is a HEC in STO. Heavy Escort Carriers are my favorite.

[@mystyle_jm8997]

Me too. In Addition to Armitage and Alita if depends what skin you like the most either Newer or Classic Akira Skin with Peregrine or Shuttle/Runabout Squadron.

[@jamesmagill5433]

One of the best starship design in StarTrek.

[@imaastronaut111]

Akira is the best! It needs to be the next hero ship in Star Trek 2017.

[@spiderboy43]

After Star Trek Discovery, a show that has an Akira Class front and center would be awesome! Star Trek Akira!

[@Stinger913]

I agree, could totally see it. Return to a good era lol.

[@The_Warrior526]

They are also in Star Trek: Bridge Commander. USS Geronimo.

[@thatguyinthepurple]

The torpedo launchers remind me of the ones that they added to DS9 during the Klingon war. Remember how they fired in those patterns that seemed fast? It's just speculation but that time period came after the Enterprise D and before the E when DS9 was upgraded with those newer launchers and they were a round design similar to the ones on the roll bars in the original CG model..

[@davidc.g.1952]

The Akira-class should be classified as a Heavy Through-Deck Cruiser given her hanger deck design and purpose of carrying Federation fighters in addition to her large shuttlecraft complement. This ship classification was used for the British Royal Navy HMS Ark Royal (R07) (1985-2011). The deck plans for the Akira-class has her carrying 960 torpedoes for her own launchers and another 288 torpedoes in reserve magazines to arm its fighters and other small craft. Twelve fighters, three runabouts, twenty shuttlecraft, and six workbees make an Akira-class a carrier able to support its small craft with long range torpedo fire, at least according to its deck plans which seem to be very well done, at least compared to the Sovereign /Enterprise-E deck plans which only have 23 decks (Oops!!!).

[@thegovernor184]

I always liked the Akira class, thought I knew the ship but I learnt a lot from this video

[@fezzpop8410]

Its funny because in SFC 3 the game said the Akira had been kicking around as a weapons test platform, and finally someone slapped a warpcore on it and said go fight the Borg

[@magalahi02]

I don't think that the torpedo module utilizes a rotary launcher. There are two main reasons as to why I think this. 1) The only reason for a rotary launcher would be to increase the rate of fire. We see however in the Galaxy class starship that its launcher was capable of launching up to 10 torpedo's simultaneously. With the Akira's four forward launchers (not including the saucers launchers), that's 40 torpedo's being fired at once! That is of course presuming that the Akira's launchers possess the same capability. 2) The 'half tubes' could very well be the exhaust ports that all launchers utilize. In the Galaxy class, we see the exhaust ports further back from the launchers opening. This is just my thinking. What do you guys think?

[@MrReded69]

The side profile of the saucer makes it look like a Pelican with a full lower bill. At certain angles the combination of the catamaran pylons and the saucer section looks like a plow or steam shovel.

[@KiwiKugai]

This is one type of ship I would have loved to see some form of Trek TV Series on

[@PotholesInMyLawn]

Finally! This is why I subscribed to this chan!! This and to see an interview with the man that designed Airwolf! The ship without may not be named... may be first of its class... so it is an unnamed prototype.

[@botfan78]

Nice History. Explains the lower registry.

[@JinxBlueRay]

Still one of my favorite ships in the Star Trek Universe. Hello in July 2021! :)

[@dotmatrix7383]

Maybe the fans will get lucky if (when?) they re-do DS9 in Blu Ray HD, some of the CG scenes will be changed to include the Akira and her many torpedo launchers. Tobias Richter, and The Light Works already have an AMAZING Akira redone in higher definition format.

[@farragut79]

The lack of USS part was only on the Jaeger's design pictures and it also had a NCC-2497. The lack of ship's name on the models, can be just a ship quirk.

[@MrBaxter1984]

Thank you Trekyards.

[@thepoliticalstartrek]

the half ports could be venting. Though venting is not needed for quantums, or photons. Venting is needed for chronitron , and plasma torpedoes.

[@saquist]

-There is NO indication Sovereign was ever used as a Command vessel in the Dominion War. -The Dominion War began in 2373 . Sovereign was likely launched in 2372. It's HIGHLY unlikely they would have dedicated the entirety of their Ship Production to Sovereign Class which was extremely untested and probably part of the Advanced Starship Design project that created the Defiant and Prometheus. Star Fleet has some 40,000 combat level ships. They couldn't produce enough to command Fleets. -The Galaxy and Nebula are far better tenured ships of greater number for the Command Role. -The ship is well before ablative armor developed after 2367 -Very good speculation on the Rotary Launcher becuse this explains why Akira is never seen firing all it's tubes in some grand display. -Akira isn't that well Armed. Only 3 Phasers (like most of the First Contact ships) If your rotary idea is correct then only 2 forward torpedoes, 1 aft and 2 port/aft starboard aft.

[@RotalHenricsson]

+saquist At least the "never seen firing all it's tubes" part is probably covered by conservation of ammunition and/or simply having run out of it. In scenes like First Contact, as the Commander suggests, the Akiras were probably mostly out of ammo. Wouldn't be surprised if they started refitting probes just to throw SOMETHING at the Borg considering how long the battle must've taken. As for Dominion War / MIAB scenes - do we ever see the Akira in more than the opening volleys? I know the "Torpedoes against hull, Phasers against Shields"-thing is highly non-canon but let's apply it for a moment - an Akira probably wouldn't want to waste her precious torpedoes on ships that just entered battle, with intact Shields. They'd probably stay back and lurk on enemy vessels about to lose their deflector grid, diving in for the kill. I'm not fond of applying non-canon information to canon ship classes but in this particular case, with all those Torpedo launchers, i totally buy it.

[@ericschmitt2113]

It makes sense to me that the roll bar had a rotational torpedo bay. A similar mechanism was used on DS9. Check out the torpedo launchers in the DS9 1st battle with the Klingons around when Sisko says fire even photon torpedoes.

[@georgesulea]

Good info gents! I love starships and you guys cover a lot of areas:) Thanks!

[@j3t594]

it has a cool throwback to the NX ships

[@richardlockwitch6915]

When I played starfleet battles in high school I designed a rotary torpedo launcher it used multiple barrels and replicators to produce torpedoes and could fire 1 every 2 seconds

[@devmag52]

Ah the golden days before NuTrek.

[@darklordDevilish]

cool. one of my renders at 3:55 :) NIce episode as always guys.

[@rarevhsuploads4995]

Really good episode covering a class I really like but didn't know much about.

[@hansebee]

Thanks for this awesome video guys. While we are all discussing the missile weapon complement of this Thru-Deck Carrier /Battlecruiser, you guys have actual access to the original Cgi: Could you confirm that there are merely 3 (three!) phaser strips on the model?? I know everyone is going *whaaa...!?* right now, but try to find an official render showing any more that the three saucer strips! I challenge thee! I am currently building the classic Starcraft model kit of this ship, which is also based on the original CGI, and it took me until the painting and decaling phase to realize there are only three visible strips on the Akira! I actually scrubbed the box, fearing I missed them in the packaging material, but no, even the decal sheet only has three phaser markings!

[@power543]

+Han Sebi Can Confirm there are only 3!...1 large saucer spanning on the top of the saucer and 2 smaller ones on the bottom of the saucer! Hope that helps!

[@omega311888]

hehehe we had port and starboard AS WELL AS ventral and dorsal firing torpedo launchers on our ship in our old role playing game.... more than 30 years ago :P

[@Tar-Numendil]

I like the Akira class. It's not in my top 15 favorite Prime Universe Star Trek ships, but it might be after learning about those rotating torpedo launchers.

[@3dartstudio007]

What is the worst crew cabin aboard this ship? Can you imagine... You get the cabin right above the deflector array, and every time there is a malfunction and the tractor beam is used it pulls down your socks? I think about these things because my friend in the navy had to bunk in the torpedo bay of the submarine. There are some crappy places next to dangerous things in ships.

[@nadohawk]

I hated the Miranda, but I somehow loved the Nebula and Akira. Now the other First Contact lesser ships, I cannot loathe them more than I do. For how great the Wolf 359 extra ships were, that's how bad the First Contact battle ships minus the Akira were. On Star Trek Online, I actually changed out the nacelles. Only thing that was an issue with the design. Made them more into Sovereign style.

[@thribs]

I wish those Eagle Moss models were bigger.

[@EroomYrrah]

Rotary TORPEDO launcher makes good sense. You could have the operator/maintenance elevator or stairway in the center axle.

[@lysanderhuynh]

If I was a Line officer in Star Trek Universe, then I would want to serve or Captain this ship. I wish there was a promethium saucer with sovereign-class nacelles. That would have been awesome!

[@ooooreality7190]

The orientation of torpedo tubes does not really matter since torpedoes can travel whichever way the remote operator/tactical officer tells them to after launch. I.e., an aft-launched torpedo could turn to attack a target ahead of its launch vessel.

[@leonharris3484]

This is one of my favorite starship designs in Star Trek.

[@saijex]

I wish we were able to see more than 3 phaser arrays on the Akiras. I figure one should be on the bottom of the secondary hull/deflector housing, then one or two each on the warp pylons, or maybe the catamaran by the rear most impulse engines. I know the registry implies that it's a much older design, but it just looks so advanced. I tend to go with the concept as to why the Prometheus had such a low registry number: in development for a while.

[@power543]

+Franky Ball There are only 3 phaser strips! Weird but aye thats whats on the model!

[@Vdubb]

Anybody else want a Trek series with Worf as the Captain of an Akira class ship?

[@soljafon]

Why worf?

[@soljafon]

He's already defiants captain

[@Vdubb]

@@soljafon Because I like Worf and the Akira class is more battle oriented.

[@kathyclark3752]

@@Vdubb and the defiant isnt? The defiant was designed and constructed to be a warship. The defiant is heavily armed and far more maneuverable. Doubt Worf would give up the Defiant for an Akira..

[@Vdubb]

@@kathyclark3752 Warf couldn't be the Captain of the Defiant. A Defiant class yes, but then Defiant itself is attached to DS9. Also, I just like the Akira class better and as a larger ship I think it would be best suited for a series.

[@DanielBrongers]

Such a great episode... Just so happens: I am developing a Star Trek fan show, which takes place on an Akira class starship, the USS Guardian (Star Trek: Guardian). Trust me, it is going to be awesome!!