10.0 MISSION TYPES

The Steamrunner class, as a Light Frigate, is a highly modular structure that can be adapted relatively quickly (days to weeks) to mission goals assigned to it. While any Steamrunner can be assigned to any mission, to truly be effective a change in modules may be required. The following lists the current missions and structural modifications available. If there are no structural changes, then the standard layout as described in this document is the optimal design:

Tactical/Defensive Operations: Typical Missions include patrolling the Federation borders, Borg interdiction missions, convoy escort, fleet support, police/combat patrols, troop transport, special operations, and other combat related missions.
Structural changes: Diplomatic facilities are almost eliminated and the Science department is also reduced to allow for greater torpedo storage, larger torpedo manufacturing facilities, increased number of security/combat personnel, increased number of shield generators, redundant communication equipment, and increased ablative armor to the hull.

Deep-space Exploration: The Steamrunner class is equipped for long-range interstellar survey and mapping missions, as well as the ability to explore a wide variety of planetary classifications.
Ongoing Scientific Investigation:  The Steamrunner class starship is equipped with scientific laboratories and a wide variety of sensor probes and sensor arrays, giving her the ability to perform a wide variety of ongoing scientific investigations.
Structural changes: Additional laboratories, probes, and mission specific experiments/equipment are installed as the mission dictates. Typically there is a decrease in weapon loadout, and in diplomatic facilities.

Contact with Alien Lifeforms: Pursuant to Starfleet Policy regarding the discovery of new life, facilities aboard the Steamrunner class include a variety of exobiology and xenobiological suites, and a small cultural anthropology staff, allowing for limited deep-space life form study and interaction.
Federation Policy and Diplomacy: A Steamrunner class starship can be used for diplomatic conferences, courier duty, treaty-signing ceremony and other political natured missions.
Structural changes: Additional VIP quarters, conference rooms, private meeting rooms, formal dining facilities, recreational facilities, and improved, secure communications can be installed as the mission dictates. Typically, weapons loadout and science departments are reduced to allow for the extra diplomatic facilities.

Emergency/Search and Rescue: Typical Missions include answering standard Federation emergency beacons, extraction of Federation or Non-Federation citizens in distress, retrieval of Federation or Non-Federation spacecraft in distress, Station/ Outpost evacuation, and/or small-scale planetary evacuation - medium or large scale planetary evacuation is not feasible.

10.1 OPERATING MODES

The normal flight and mission operations of the Steamrunner class starship are conducted in accordance with a variety of Starfleet standard operating rules, determined by the current operational state of the starship.  These operational states are determined by the Commanding Officer, although in certain specific cases, the Computer can automatically adjust to a higher alert status.

The major operating modes are:

Cruise Mode: The normal operating condition of the ship.
Yellow Alert: Designates a ship wide state of increased preparedness for possible crisis situations.
Red Alert: Designates an actual state of emergency in which the ship or crew is endangered, immediately impending emergencies, or combat situations.
External Support Mode: State of reduced activity that exists when a ship is docked at a starbase or other support facility.
Reduced Power Mode: this protocol is invoked in case of a major failure in spacecraft power generation, in case of critical fuel shortage, or in the event that a tactical situation requires severe curtailment of onboard power generation.
During Cruise Mode, the ships operations are run on three 8-hour shifts designated Alpha, Beta, and Gamma. Should a crisis develop, it may revert to a four-shift system of six hours to keep crew fatigue down.

Typical Shift command is as follows:

Alpha Shift: Captain (CO)
Beta Shift: Executive Officer (XO)
Gamma Shift: Second Officer

10.2 SEPARATED FLIGHT MODE

Due to the unique shape of her hull, the Steamrunner class does not have a separated flight mode.  While the hull can eject the secondary hull assembly quickly, her lunique design precludes independent operations.

10.3 LANDING MODE

Tthe Steamrunner class is not equipped for planetary landings.  This does not mean that the hull cannot withstand a forced landing - quite the contrary, in an extreme emergency, the Steamrunner class could effect a surface landing while only losing an estimated 15% of hull integrity while structural members are estimated to have failure rates as high as 65%.  While integrity is not high enough to allow for deep-space operations, enough of the internal volume and structural members should remain to allow for a landing that is safe for her crew. The Steamrunner class is capable of intra-atmospheric flight.

10.4 MAINTENANCE

Though much of a modern starships systems are automated, they do require regular maintenance and upgrade. Maintenance is typically the purview of the Engineering, but personnel from certain divisions that are more familiar with them can also maintain specific systems.

Maintenance of onboard systems is almost constant, and varies in severity. Everything from fixing a stubborn replicator, to realigning the Dilithium matrix is handled by technicians and engineers on a regular basis. Not all systems are checked centrally by Main Engineering; to do so would occupy too much computer time by routing every single process to one location. To alleviate that, systems are compartmentalized by deck and location for checking.  Department heads are expected to run regular diagnostics of their own equipment and report anomalies to Engineering to be fixed.