New Akira-Class Bridge Design

[Wisper]

I have never been sastisfied with using a galaxy bridge for the Akira. In my opnion it just doesn't fit the ship. Niether does the Soverigns bridge or the Intrepids. So with that in mind I set out to design my own. While searching the Internet I found ASR's Bureau of Information and there Coventry-class ship. I saw there bridge design created by Edward Bell and decided to alter it and turn it into the bridge for the Akira. I know there is no credit on the pic but when its totally completed I will add it. Comments welcome!!

General Overview: Primary operational control of the Akira Class is provided by the Main Bridge, located at the top of the primary hull. It is located on Deck 01. The Main Bridge directly supervises all primary mission operations (with the exception of the Flight bay and assorted craft) and coordinates all departmental activities.

The Main Bridge is a highly restricted area; only Beta-Two security clearance personnel (Officers with the Rank of Ensign or Higher) and authorized bridge personnel are allowed on the bridge.

The Main Bridge is an ejectable module, allowing for a wider variety in mission parameters.

Layout: The new primary Bridge configuration is a combination of the Intrepid and early Sovereign designs. The central area of the Main Bridge provides seating and information displays for the Captain (14). This chair is located in the middle of the bridge, and is reserved for the highest ranking officer onboard the ship. Often the XO can be found sitting in the command chair during shifts the commanding officer is not active.

Directly fore to Port and Starboard sides are Executive Officer (15) and Operations Officer Consoles (13). Here the Operations Officer and Executive Officer can maintain a high degree of control over the bridge.

Directly fore of the command area is the CONN or Helm Station (16), which faces the main viewer. The CONN is equipped with a console that proceeds around an almost one hundred and eighty degree angle.

At the very front of the bridge chamber is a large view screen. This main viewer performs all the standard duties expected of it. However, the view screen is not always activated like most other Starships. It is a full Holographic display, which can be activated upon request. When the screen is not active, a standard bulkhead is present. This addition was made into the Akira Class, so that Star-Field syndrome among Bridge officers would be stopped. Too many officers became hypnotized during warp.

Directly aft of the command area is the location of the Tactical and Security control station (12). Also located to the aft of the Command Chair and the Tac/Sec Station, against the aft wall of the bridge, is the Engineering Alcove. In the Center of the Alcove is a large Master Display Monitor (11), in the design of the pool table used in main engineering. All relative ship information (such as damage, power distribution, etc.) is displayed on the cutaway image of the Akira Class. This monitor can be used to direct ship operations and can be configured for limited flight control if necessary.

Starting from the Port Side; Left; or the Alcove to the Starboard side; Right; you have the Auxiliary Control counsel (7), which gives access directly to all the ships systems and allows the Bridge Crew to run the ship from this counsel. Next to that you have Engineering II (6), which is fully programmable to run any Secondary Console function, including Sciences, Medical, Operations, Limited Helm control, or Security.

Continuing on you have the Engineering I counsel (5), which has a smaller cutaway diagram of the Akira Class, which displays all engineering-relevant data and shows warp fields and engine output. This console also has priority links to the computers, the WPS (Warp Propulsion System), the IPS (Impulse Propulsion System), navigation, SIF, and IDF. Although usually unattended, the Chief Engineer can bring this console to full enable mode by entering voice codes and undergoing a retinal scan. The last station in the Alcove is the Environmental Console (4), used to monitor and adjust the artificial environment within the ship.

This console, as does every console on the bridge, also has the hand-input sub-console for use in setting the auto-destruct of Akira Class. The auto-destruct sequence follows Standard Starfleet security procedures which can be accessed via any secured Memory Alpha ODN connection.

On the left side of the bridge are three stations as follows from fore to aft, is Communications (1), which is responsible for managing all incoming transmissions. Starships of the mid to late 24th century did not have a bridge Communications Officer. Onboard other starships the Tactical Officer doubled as Communications Officer, as did occasionally the Operations Officer. However it was decided that with the fighter complement of the Akira that there may be too many signals for the Tactical Officer or Operations Officer to handle when the ship went into combat.

Then there’s Mission Ops (2), which stores, monitors, and controls all information relative to the Current Mission of the vessel. The next console is Marine Ops (3), which monitors and lists the progress of Marine missions currently being undertaken.

On the Right side of the Bridge is another set of three stations from aft to fore, first is the Science I console (8), which can be used by any personnel. Science I has access to all science, navigational, sensor, and communications systems. Directly next to this console is the Fighter Ops (9), which monitors and lists the progress of Fighter missions currently being undertaken and connects the Bridge directly with the TIC (Tactical Information Center).

Next to this is the Flight Deck Ops console (10), which allows the Bridge crew to monitor the Shuttles and Fighters that are on the Flight Deck of the ship before, during and after launch.

There are two turbolifts that lead directly onto the bridge that can handle normal transit around the Akira Class. There is also an emergency ladder that connects the bridge to Deck Two. Other connected rooms to the Main Bridge include the Captain's Ready Room, Briefing Room, and two side rooms. One with a Bathroom facilities for any Bridge crew on duty and an armory that stores Phasers incase of a ship boarding.

Like with other ship classes, there are some variants to the Bridge module, but follow a similar layout.

There are no escape pods connected to the bridge. Pods are located on all decks below Deck three. Two pods are reserved for the top four officers in the chain of command on the Akira Class, because they are the last four to leave the ship. These are located on Deck two. As the number of experienced Captains dwindles in Starfleet, the notion of a Captain going down with his ship has been abolished. If the ship is abandoned, the top four officers in the chain of command will wait until everyone else is off the ship, opt to arm the auto-Destruct (not always necessary, but there if needed), and then leave in the two escape pods.

[Aresius]

Looks nice.

But:

-one turbolift is too few. Many modern starships have more than one. Exception: Defiant, but since the bridge is level to the first deck, it has two doors to access the deck.
-Science 1? I don't see a Science 2..

[Wisper]

I was thinking the same thing about the turbolift but wasn't sure about where I wanted to place it. I had thought about putting a Science II station in but decided not to. Need to fix that.

Edit: How does this look with two turbolifts?

[trooper_211]

That looks really good and very well thought out.


I can't wait to see where you take it from here.

[peragrin]

That looks really good. I never understood the sovereigns bridge layout. Way to complicated with people just thrown everywhere. Intrepid wasn't bad for an explorer, but this looks good for a tactical ship. My only complaint is fighter ops looks like a stressful job standing in such a small screen.

[trooper_211]

Originally Posted by peragrin

I never understood the sovereigns bridge layout. Way to complicated with people just thrown everywhere.

I agree. I mean, I love the Sovereign (it's my fave canon design) but the bridge just seems too cramped and cluttered, it needs to be more open and roomy.

This bridge looks alot more practical.

[Wisper]

Originally Posted by peragrin

That looks really good. I never understood the sovereigns bridge layout. Way to complicated with people just thrown everywhere. Intrepid wasn't bad for an explorer, but this looks good for a tactical ship. My only complaint is fighter ops looks like a stressful job standing in such a small screen.

Well its not permenantly manned. There is a TIC or Tactical Information Center which house the most of fighter operations. That consol is kinda like the Engeneering I on the Enterprise. It is only meant to be used to give the bridge the current status on all its fighters. More like a Tactical overview not the whole scope that the CAG would need.


On another note I did some test work. Got both turbolifts in but and had to enlarge the MSD so it was to actual scale. When I did that The back area got kinda cramped. Here is what I came up with.

[hermiod]

Are those Delta Flyer-esque controls at the helm? Looks interesting.

From a person PoV, I would swap Fighter Ops with Science 1 on the first picture, as iirc the Akira-class' primary function is as a carrier, so it probably wouldn't be sent on big science missions too often, so no need for alot of space for your science console.

Looks great as a plan, will you be turning this into a model? Hope so.

[Wisper]

Originally Posted by hermiod

Are those Delta Flyer-esque controls at the helm? Looks interesting.

From a person PoV, I would swap Fighter Ops with Science 1 on the first picture, as iirc the Akira-class' primary function is as a carrier, so it probably wouldn't be sent on big science missions too often, so no need for alot of space for your science console.

Looks great as a plan, will you be turning this into a model? Hope so.

Thanks for all the compliments!!

As having never seen the controls of the Delta Flyer I couldn't tell you, but its mostly just the top of the panel in my mind with the control surface roughly vertical.

I think swapping them may actually be a good idea. I was trying to make them roughly the same size, but that didn't work to well.

I would love to see this done as model but alas I am no good at things like that. If anyone else would like to when I am done feel free.

[commandersozo]

your bridge looks great. your akira-class ship is definitly a warship/carrier. so have a look on the needed interactions on the bridge in terms of stations. tactical has to interact with flight deck ops/ fighters and also with science, because they provide the sensor data. communications is also a vital element in this interaction.
on a secondary level, tactical interacts with the operations controllers (mission and marine)
conn or helm needs primary the interaction with engineering and science; during combat situations also with tactical.

are ther no heads? what does the crew with exigencies?