The Ultimate Showdown: Unveiling the Most Powerful Starfleet Ships in the Dominion War

The Dominion War, as shown mainly in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, brought chaos to the Star Trek universe. It lasted from 2373 to 2375, with old enemies coming together to fight against the Dominion, a powerful civilization from the Gamma Quadrant. The Federation Alliance, consisting of Starfleet, the Klingons, and the Romulans, eventually achieved victory, but the war was a difficult one.

While there were violent battles on the ground, such as on planets like AR-558, many important confrontations took place in space. The Dominion War compelled the peaceful Federation to shift its focus from purely scientific vessels to producing warships. This demonstrates the immense threat the Dominion posed, not only to the Federation but to the entire Alpha Quadrant.

8 USS Odyssey

Starfleet and its allies suffered significant losses during their battle against the Dominion and its Cardassian allies, with hundreds of ships being destroyed. However, the first major loss for Starfleet occurred even before the conflict began when the Jem'Hadar destroyed the USS Odyssey in 2370. Captain Keough commanded the Odyssey, which was sent to the Delta Quadrant to investigate the Jem'Hadar threat and rescue Commander Sisko.

Although the civilian population aboard the Odyssey was successfully evacuated before the ship's destruction, the loss of the Galaxy-class starship marked a crucial moment in Starfleet's history. It emphasized the necessity of having a capable fighting force to effectively combat the Dominion.

7 USS Centaur

Star Trek's visual storytelling is a notable strength, effectively conveying information without heavy reliance on dialogue. The clean and warmly lit interiors of the Enterprise-D showcase the utopian nature of the Federation, while the gritty decks of Klingon vessels add contrast. The USS Centaur follows this tradition, providing insight into Starfleet's condition during the Dominion War.

The Centaur is a unique amalgamation of components, combining the saucer section and nacelles from the Excelsior-class with Miranda-class elements. This design approach, known as kitbashing, was a common occurrence during the Dominion War as Starfleet urgently sought ships of any form or design. While the Centaur-class was one of many kitbashes, it proved to be particularly enduring and even served as the inspiration for the hero ship in Dramatic Labs' Star Trek: Resurgence.

6 USS Sitak

The USS Sitak, a Miranda-class starship, served alongside Starfleet in critical battles like Operation Return. Unfortunately, like many ships of its kind, the Sitak faced destruction. It partnered with the USS Majestic, another doomed Miranda-class vessel, to safely guide Captain Sisko's USS Defiant through a Dominion blockade. Despite the Sitak's tragic fate, its sacrifice was worthwhile as the Defiant successfully arrived and liberated Deep Space Nine.

The Miranda-class starship was initially introduced in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982), where it was commandeered by the film's antagonist. Deployed in the 2260s, more than a century prior to the events of Deep Space Nine, it is not surprising that this aging Starfleet workhorse faced challenges in competing during the Dominion War.

5 USS T'Kumbra

In the midst of the Dominion War chaos, Deep Space Nine managed to share some lighter tales. One such instance occurred in Season 7 with "Take Me Out to the Holosuite," where the DS9 crew engaged in a friendly rivalry with the crew of the USS T'Kumbra, a Vulcan-manned Nebula-class starship. Their battle took place on a baseball field, diverting attention from the Dominion and Breen threats. Despite Sisko's "Niners" being defeated by Solok's team, the Niners still celebrated their single point with a toast to their "manufactured triumph."

Despite the T'Kumbra's crew displaying arrogance, their starship played a significant role in the war effort. Prior to their visit to Deep Space Nine, the T'Kumbra bravely fought on the front lines for six months, resulting in Solok receiving his second Christopher Pike Medal of Valor.

4 USS Hood

The USS Hood holds a significant role as one of the prominent background ships in Star Trek. Prior to their time on the Enterprise-D, both William Riker and Geordi La Forge served on this vessel. Additionally, the Hood played a crucial part in Captain Picard's task force during the Klingon Civil War. This starship even made an appearance in the animated series Star Trek: Lower Decks.

As an Excelsior-class starship, the Hood actively participated in the Dominion War, contributing to Operation Return and the First Battle of Chin'toka. Despite the fact that the Excelsior design was nearly a century old at the time of the Hood's involvement in the conflict with the Dominion, the ship managed to survive.

3 USS Prometheus

Credit: Star Trek Online (Gearbox Publishing & Cryptic Studios)

Equipped with a multi-vector assault mode, the USS Prometheus, a experimental starship, had the capability to divide into three smaller attack vessels. In the Star Trek: Voyager episode "Message in a Bottle," the Romulans captured the USS Bonchune, a Nebula-class ship, and it was swiftly disabled by the Prometheus.

While it is unknown if the Prometheus actually encountered Dominion forces, the timeframe of "Message in a Bottle" (2374) indicates that the ship was operational during the conflict. Its appearance in the finale of Voyager, where it joined forces to defend Earth against a Borg sphere, suggests that it may have been assigned to protect the planet. It is possible that the Prometheus engaged in combat during the surprise raid on Starfleet Headquarters in 2375 by the Breen.

2 USS Enterprise-E

Captain Jean-Luc Picard's Enterprise-E, known as the flagship of the Federation during the Dominion War, had a limited presence in many important battles. This was likely due to Captain Picard's diplomatic expertise. In the non-official "The Gorn Crisis" comic, the Enterprise-E was sent on a diplomatic mission to the Gorn species, aiming to forge an alliance against the Dominion.

Fans got a glimpse of the Sovereign-class starship's involvement in the conflict through the events depicted in the film Star Trek: Insurrection (1998). Picard and his crew found themselves entangled in a struggle between the agrarian B'aku and the villainous Son'a, both vying for control of a planet with rejuvenating properties that the Federation hoped to utilize for their own war efforts.

1 USS Defiant

Originally designed to counter the Borg threat, Starfleet's initial dedicated warship was the first vessel to encounter the Founders of the Dominion and played a vital role in numerous crucial battles against their forces. It was pivotal in deploying mines around the Bajoran Wormhole, halting further Dominion reinforcements, and successfully liberated DS9 during Operation Return. Although the original USS Defiant was destroyed by the Breen, a second Defiant was promptly commissioned.

The Defiant-class marked a significant departure from conventional Starfleet design principles. It even incorporated a cloaking device, which was typically prohibited by the Treaty of Algeron. Despite its distinct appearance and specifications, the Defiant remains an emblematic starship. The second Defiant has subsequently appeared in Star Trek: Prodigy and is now housed in the Fleet Museum featured in Star Trek: Picard.