Warning: This article contains SPOILERS for Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 2, Episode 1, "The Broken Circle"
The Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 2 premiere climaxed with a battle between the USS Enterprise and a Crossfield class starship operated by a Klingon-Federation mining syndicate. The starship was being used as part of a false flag operation designed to incite a second war between the Klingon Empire and the Federation. As Cajitar IV was a contested planet on the edge of Klingon space, Starfleet presence in the region during a designated period of Klingon ownership would be seen as a hostile act. Thankfully, Lt. Spock (Ethan Peck) and the crew of the Enterprise destroyed the Crossfield class ship before the Klingons realized what was happening, averting war in the process.
The Crossfield class starship in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 2, episode 1 will be familiar to viewers from the starship class' debut in Star Trek: Discovery. While there are some significant changes to the ship's design, it retains the concentric circle saucer section of the USS Discovery and other ships in its class. Its use in the attempt to restart war with the Klingons is appropriate given the history of the Crossfield class in Star Trek canon.
What Is A Crossfield Class Starship In Star Trek?
Crossfield class starships like the USS Discovery were originally designated as science vessels, before they were reclassified as warships during the Klingon War. Underneath the concentric circle saucer section sat a large, elongated hull which resembled the shape of the Starfleet insignia and had two elongated nacelles. Both the USS Discovery and its sister ship the USS Glenn were used for experiments with the revolutionary spore drive, which was why the saucer section was broken into concentric circles. When either ship activated their spore drive, the saucer would rotate in order to create an "excess energy cavity" that powered their travel along the mycelial network
The USS Glen's experiments with the spore drive went tragically wrong, leaving the starship adrift while the USS Discovery was apparently destroyed during the incident with Control. It was implied at the end of Star Trek: Discovery season 2 that the Glenn and Discovery were the only two Crossfield class starships in existence, before further production on the new class of starship was quietly shelved. However, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds has introduced a third starship, used in the Klingon and Starfleet conspiracy to restart the war.
Strange New Worlds Season 2's Crossfield Class Starship Explained
While it has the same saucer section as both the USS Discovery and USS Glenn, the Crossfield class starship's nacelles were more like those seen in the Luna and Miranda class vessels. Like the Luna and Miranda class starships, the false flag vessel in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds has two nacelle pylons on the underside of its hull. It's not made explicitly clear in the dialog, but it's highly likely that the Crossfield class starship destroyed by the Enterprise is a hybrid of other starships.
When Star Trek: Strange New Worlds' Doctor, Joseph M'Benga (Babs Olusanmokun) and Nurse Christine Chapel (Jess Bush) are captured by the syndicate they find the starship housed underground. Asked how they managed to get it in there, M'Benga suggests that "they built it" which implies it's a Frankenstein's monster of a ship, built from different classes. As the Crossfield class was abandoned after Discovery's disappearance, it's likely that the syndicate was able to obtain a spare saucer section via nefarious means. As Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 2 continues, it will be interesting to see if any other parties have been able to source parts from the abandoned Crossfield class experiments.
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 2 streams Thursdays on Paramount+.