Type:

Heavy Warship

Commissioned:

2365 - present

Dimensions:

Length:

366 m

Beam:

220 m

Height:

60 m

Decks:

17 excluding nacelles

Mass:

1,400,000 tons

Crew:

800

Armament:

1 x High power phaser bank

8 x Medium power phaser banks, total output 19,750 TeraWatts

2 x Rapid fire photon torpedo tubes + 250 torpedoes

Defense Systems:

Shield system, total capacity 850,500 TeraJoules

Heavy Kelindide double hull plus 8.0 cm High Density armor

Standard level structural integrity field

Warp Speeds:

Normal Cruise Warp: 6

(TNG Scale)

Maximum Cruise Warp: 9.2

Maximum Rated Warp: 9.6 for four hours

Strength Indices:

Beam Firepower: 395

(Galaxy Class = 1000)

Torpedo Firepower: 200

Weapon Range & Accuracy: 435

Shield Strength: 315

Hull Armor: 920

Speed: 1,000

Combat Maneuverability: 3,600

Overall Strength Index: 420

Diplomatic Capability:

Grade 3

Expected Hull Life:

60 years

Refit Cycle:

Minor: 2 years

Standard: 4 years

Major: 12 years

Added Features:

The Keldon class is the most powerful vessel in the Cardassian fleet. Essentially an enlarged and uprated Galor class vessel, the Keldon class is an improvement on its predecessor in almost every respect. The secondary armament has been boosted from six to twelve phaser banks, while the primary phaser has been upgraded to put it on a par with a Type X phaser array. The photon tubes are capable of firing at more than twice the rate of the Galor class tubes, and the Keldon includes a great deal of new sensor and computer equipment designed to increase its ability to target vessels under cloak or capable of a high level of maneuverability. The shield system has been heavily upgraded, while the hull beneath has received a layer of high density armor plate.

While these measures put the Keldon class significantly above the Galor, they still do not rank with the larger, more sophisticated ships that the larger alpha quadrant forces can field. The Cardassians planned to produce the Keldon in huge numbers to compensate for this - over three hundred were planned, but the difficulties suffered by Cardassia in the last few years have made this more a fond hope than a realistic plan.