The Ultimate Countdown: The Most Remarkable Star Trek Ships Beyond the Enterprise

Summary

Star Trek has many exceptional starships that are not named USS Enterprise and have played important roles in the franchise's history.

The USS Cerritos, USS Discovery, and USS Titan are renowned Starfleet vessels outside of the Enterprise, and their contributions have been significant.

The Borg Cube is a formidable and dreaded adversary, capable of inflicting immense destruction and remaining a threat even in a damaged state.

The USS Enterprise is typically recognized as the flagship of the Federation in each Star Trek generation, but there are numerous exceptional starships that do not bear this name. Some of these vessels are Starfleet ships with impressive service records on par with any of the Enterprises, while others have played significant roles in the history of Star Trek. Additionally, a few alien ships have also had a profound impact on the franchise's history.

The starship holds such importance within the franchise that the absence of one in the early days of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine led some to question its authenticity as true "Trek." However, this perception changed in DS9 season 3 with the introduction of the unconventional USS Defiant, which defied traditional rules. The Defiant became a part of the esteemed lineage of renowned Starfleet ships and eventually found its place in the Starfleet Fleet Museum at Athan Prime, alongside other esteemed vessels.

10 USS Cerritos (Star Trek: Lower Decks)

9 HMS Bounty (Star Trek 3 & 4)

The USS Cerritos, featured in Star Trek: Lower Decks, belongs to the California-class fleet, specifically designed for Second Contact and lower-priority Starfleet missions. This prompted Admiral Les Buenamigo (Carlos Alazraqui) to propose replacing the California-class ships with his A.I.-driven Texas-class starships, leading to a catastrophic outcome. However, the crucial role played by the Cerritos and its fellow California-class vessels in defeating the Texas-class starships unequivocally demonstrated their indispensable position within the expansive Starfleet armada. Any doubt regarding their significance should have been dispelled long ago, considering the Cerritos crew's previous meritorious efforts in exposing the Pakled conspiracy aimed at framing Captain Carol Freeman (Dawnn Lewis).

The Earth was saved in Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home as Captain Kirk's Klingon ship, the Bounty, was deployed by the former crew of the USS Enterprise who time-traveled back to 1980s San Francisco. The iconic image of the B'rel class Klingon Bird-of-Prey soaring through the Golden Gate Bridge on the movie's poster, and during its mist-covered and stormy climax, remains deeply imprinted in our memory. It was a striking contrast to witness the renowned crew of Star Trek: The Original Series' USS Enterprise taking charge of a Klingon vessel. In the end, Klingon ships exude a more menacing aura, thus the scene where they ominously glide over a whaling ship carries a compelling message against hunting and aligns perfectly with the Voyage Home's ecological theme.

8 USS Discovery (Star Trek: Discovery)

7 USS Excelsior (Star Trek Movies)

The USS Discovery, equipped with its revolutionary spore-drive technology, stands as one of Starfleet's most formidable vessels. While its aesthetic may be considered less appealing with its on-the-nose triangular base resembling the Starfleet Delta and a hint of rustic coloring, the 32nd-century refit undoubtedly improves upon its appearance. Particularly captivating is the sight of the entire starship rotating to engage the spore drive. Moreover, the Discovery boasts an outstanding track record in both the 23rd and 32nd centuries, successfully averting the Control crisis, unraveling the enigma of the Burn, and forging First Contact with Species 10-C to mitigate the havoc caused by the Dark Matter Anomaly.

Under the command of Captain Hikaru Sulu (George Takei), the USS Excelsior played a crucial role in Starfleet's ambitious transwarp experiment. Although it initially stumbled, failing to outpace the stolen USS Enterprise in Star Trek III: The Search for Spock, the Excelsior underwent significant upgrades and came under the skilled leadership of Captain Sulu. Its remarkable performance ultimately led to the widespread adoption of the Excelsior class throughout the fleet. The USS Enterprise-B, a starship of the same class, undoubtedly benefited from Sulu's expertise and the proven worth of the Excelsior. However, Captain Montgomery Scott (James Doohan) remained perpetually doubtful of the ship's capabilities, despite his involvement in the project following the events of Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan.

6 USS Dauntless (Star Trek: Prodigy)

5 USS Protostar (Star Trek: Prodigy)

The USS Dauntless from Star Trek: Prodigy draws its inspiration from the advanced Delta Quadrant technology installed on Prodigy's newest starship, the USS Voyager. Commanded by Vice Admiral Kathryn Janeway (Kate Mulgrew), the formidable Dauntless played a crucial role in tracking and rescuing Captain Chakotay (Robert Beltran) and his crew aboard the stolen USS Protostar. Equipped with a high-speed Quantum Slipstream drive, the Dauntless showcased its impressive agility and strength, rivaling the protostar drive of Prodigy's hero ship. However, the Living Construct inflicted significant damage upon the Dauntless during their mission. As Prodigy season 2 hangs in the balance, the identity of the successor to Janeway as the commander of the Dauntless remains uncertain.

The USS Protostar, commanded by Captain Chakotay, was the most advanced starship of the Starfleet fleet during the late 24th century. Equipped with a groundbreaking protostar drive, the experimental vessel utilized the energy of a young star to achieve unprecedented velocities. Chakotay's mission took him back to the unexplored Delta Quadrant in order to rectify the errors committed by the USS Voyager during its initial passage through this unfamiliar territory. However, fate intervened when the ship was abandoned in the treacherous mines of Tars Lamora, only to be discovered by Dal R'El (Brett Gray) who assumed the role of its captain. Leading a youthful crew, R'El navigated perilous encounters with the Borg, liberated prisoners trapped in Tars Lamora, and ultimately made the heart-wrenching decision to sacrifice the Protostar to safeguard the Starfleet from the threat posed by the Living Construct.

4 Borg Cube (Various)

The Borg Cube's design is not only simple but also highly effective, instilling fear in all those who come across it. A lone Borg Cube was able to obliterate 40 ships at the Battle of Wolf 359 in Star Trek, and numerous Cubes were rumored to descend upon assimilated worlds in the Delta Quadrant. Remarkably powerful, Borg Cubes can traverse transwarp conduits and utilize the Collective's shared consciousness to restore and safeguard the Cube. This characteristic enables Borg Cubes to remain just as lethal even when sustaining substantial damage, as evidenced in the season 3 finale of Star Trek: Picard, where the severely damaged Cube of the Borg Queen nearly succeeded in obliterating Starfleet.

3 USS Titan (Star Trek: Lower Decks)

Under the command of Captain William T. Riker (Jonathan Frakes), the USS Titan may not be the Federation flagship, but it boasts an impressive reputation. Its valiant aid to troubled Starfleet vessels, as observed in the Star Trek: Lower Decks season 1 finale, showcased its remarkable prowess in fending off the Pakleds with style and panache. Ensign Bradward Boimler (Jack Quaid) had the fortune of being assigned to the Titan, where he discovered the ship's constant presence in the heart of action. This discovery prompted Riker to bemoan the scarcity of scientific exploration and discovery. This legendary vessel, commanded by an extraordinary Captain, instills hope among other fleet members, much like the revered Enterprise herself.

2 USS Voyager (Star Trek: Voyager)

Star Trek Voyager's resource limitations never hindered it from becoming one of the greatest starships in the Star Trek universe. As the first ship to extensively explore the Delta Quadrant, Voyager, under the command of Captain Janeway, conducted the second highest number of First Contact missions, falling just short of Kirk's Enterprise. Although originally dispatched as an Intrepid-class starship for a rescue mission in the Badlands, Voyager's desperate quest to find a way back to Earth led to groundbreaking scientific discoveries that would ultimately transform Starfleet's starships. These advancements can be witnessed in the first season of Star Trek: Prodigy. Remarkably, Voyager gained renown in the uncharted Delta Quadrant and became the flagship of the Federation in that region.

1 USS Defiant (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine)

The USS Defiant of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine was initially designed as a combat vessel against the Borg ships, but was decommissioned once the threat diminished. Similar to the USS Excelsior, the Defiant went on to play a significant role in the history of Starfleet. It marked a groundbreaking moment when the Romulans presented it with a cloaking device, thereby relaxing the restrictions imposed by the Treaty of Algeron, allowing covert reconnaissance in the Gamma Quadrant. During the Dominion War, the Defiant played a pivotal role in several monumental battles, solidifying its reputation as the best non-Enterprise starship in the franchise.