Starfleet Starship Classes by type

Ship types

Combatants

Cruiser
- Multipurpose ship
- Light Cruiser
  - Wambundu: - 2364 -
  - Saber: 2370 - Present
  - Intrepid: 2371 - Present
- Medium Cruiser (a.k.a. frigate)
  - Miranda: - 2242 - 2379 -
  - Centaur: 2369 - 2381 -
  - Norway: 2371 - Present
- Heavy Cruiser
  - Constitution: 2242 - 2293 -
  - Ambassador: 2322 - 2376 - (ceased production 2372)
  - Akira: 2368 - Present
  - Sovereign: 2370 - Present
Courier
- Smaller, high-speed vessels meant for supply runs, quick transport, diplomatic ferrying, etc.
  - Ilthirin: 2161 - 2165 -
  - Peregrine: - 2371 -
Escort (a.k.a. destroyer)
- Small combat-focused ship used to protect larger, less-armed ships
  - Saladin: 2242 -
  - Defiant: 2369 - Present
Explorer
- Exploring uncharted space far from Federation core territory and without access to starbase support
  - Excelsior: 2285 - Present
  - Nebula: 2357 - Present
  - Galaxy: 2357 - Present
Frigate
- Fast, medium-sized ship intended to protect larger vessels
  - New Orleans: 2332 - 2375
  - Steamrunner: 2369 - Present
Strike Fighter
- Very small, quick, heavily-armed vessel meant for use in large groups, often held in larger carriers

Hospital ship
- Large-scale medical support; combat support, planetary medical disaster, etc.
  - Olympic: 2361 - Present
Runabout
- Larger auxiliary vessel used as support for starbases or other fixed locations
  - Danube: 2368 - Present
  - Yellowstone: In development
Survey (a.k.a. science vessel, scout)
- Ships meant for short-term analysis and observation, often related to intelligence-gathering or scientific study
  - Hermes: 2242 - 2270 -
  - Oberth: 2250 - 2375 (ceased production 2360)
  - Archer: - 2265 - 2269 -
  - Antares: - 2266 - 2270 -
  - Nova: 2368 - Present
Transport
- Personnel and cargo carriers
  - Mediterranean: - 2350 - 2375 -