View source for Excelsior class (Lakota Refit)

{{Starship-class|image=excelsior-lakota.jpg|name=Excelsior class (Lakota Refit)|type=Heavy Cruiser|role=Patroller/Defender|produced=2370-2399|affiliation=Starfleet|techstatus=UCIP Canon|contributor=Nira}}

The '''[[Excelsior|Excelsior Class]] (Lakota Refit)''' was a major upgrade to the design of the Excelsior class that went into production in the 2360s in response to the new security threats facing the [[Federation]].

== History ==

In the mid 2360s, the discovery of the [[Borg]] by the [[USS Enterprise NCC-1701-D|USS Enterprise-D]] threw [[Starfleet]] and the [[Federation]] into panic. This was a completely unexpected threat in a galaxy that, since the end of the [[Federation-Cardassian War]] had been becoming more peaceful. It required a rethink of defense and of the makeup of Starfleet's fleets.

While new design programs such as the [[Sovereign|Sovereign class]] and [[Defiant class]] were initiated to respond to the new threat that had been discovered it was decided that a quicker solution would be to initiate an upgrade, rebuild and recommissioning program for the workhorse Excelsior class.

The [[USS Lakota NCC-42768|USS Lakota]] was the first ship to be upgraded to the specification and gave its name to the program. The success of the upgrade initiated a new building program for the Excelsior class which saw new ships of the class being built right to the end of the 24th century.

While the upgrade to '''Lakota Refit''' specification did not change the exterior look of the Excelsior class significantly it was the biggest change in configuration ever to be attempted on the class, which had already ungone very significant internal changes since it was first launched in 2285. However, the adaptability of the spaceframe of the Excelsior class had made it the success it had been in [[Starfleet]] for nearly eighty years and it was foreseen that a new and significant modification of the design would again make the Excelsior class the frontline soldiers of the fleet against any Borg incursion.

Few classes had had the success within Starfleet that the Excelsior had had and for some it would be the iconic symbol of the Federation alongside the [[NX class]], [[Daedalus class]], [[Constitution|Constitution class]] and [[Galaxy class]]. With the Lakota specification upgrade the Excelsior would go into the history books as the longest primary production vessel class to ever operate within Starfleet and within the known galaxy it could only be matched by the success of the [[Klingon Empire|Klingon]] [[D-7 class]] type of battlecruiser.

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[[Category:Ship Classes]]