U.S.S. POSEIDON: GRYPHON FIGHTERS

The lessons learned during the Dominion War left an indelible mark on Starfleet Command. Years of concentrating on larger and larger starships had created a void in Starfleet's threat deterrent units. With the introduction of the Jem'Hadar Attack Ship and the Cardassian Hideki-Class Attack Ship, Starfleet found itself with no clear answers for these fast and heavily armed platforms.

The Peregrine-Class Fighter was rushed into production and proved to be a key asset in the war effort. With the close of hostilities, Starfleet's Tokyo Research and Design Facility kicked into high gear in order to produce a small versatile platform that could deliver a significant ordnance package and provide perimeter defense. The Valkyrie design had proven a superior interceptor but its small size limited the craft's weapon load.

Working with the sound design of the Valkyrie, the body was lengthened and widened to accommodate true warp nacelles and provide greater wing surface area. A larger powerplant was installed increasing the phaser capacity and shield energy. It was decided that with the addition of hardpoints utilized for full-sized torpedoes, that the new class would be a two-seater variant. A Pilot to control all flight operations and close-in combat, and a Weapons Officer to control the acquisition and delivery of heavy weapons.