Why no alien ships in Starfleet?

[trekkist]

It's not simply that they all have the same "look"--they're all named for things/people from Earth history.

TOS's single Vulcan ship is IIRC the sole exception.

The ST Concordance once (maybe only in the fannish edition--how many here own those?) speculated that the word "Comsol" meant "Commander Solar Forces"--but now that we can read the "title" page of the General Order 7 Book ("Menagerie"), we know its the last name of a guy named Robert. Had that not been the case, Solar Forces could have distinguished those of one star (Sol) from those of others.

Enterprise showed lots of races with big tough space navies. Starfleet-as-NATO would include such, thereby rationalizing (to some extent) the omnipresent disc-and-cylinders of all other series...but we've never seen such "system fleet ships" save in Enterprise.

This is a loud call-out for headcanon(s). We "know" Starfleet/Federation are species-egalitarian...but in terms of ships, their depiction recalls this exchange from Undiscovered Country:

CHEKOV: We do believe all planets have a sovereign claim to inalienable human rights.
AZETBUR: Inalien... If only you could hear yourselves? 'Human rights.' Why the very name is racist. The Federation is no more than a 'homo sapiens' only club.

Ideas? Suggestions? Brickbats?

 

[XCV330]

While most of it seems that way, yes, there's also the matter that at least some of the member species still have their own fleets. Vulcan's have been shown to still have Vulcan High Command ships post-TNG. And of course there are starfleet ships with all Vulcanian crews.

The Apollo class looks Vulcan.

Lower Decks has shown Andorian craft still in use.

Starfleet is not the Federation. Not all member worlds are going to be contributing in the same way. Starfleet probably makes up a very very small fraction of the UFP population.

Finally there is the fact at at least at some point NCC-1701's acting authority was UESPA. While it seems obvious there is a Starfleet that is largely human centric, we only see certain aspects of it. Some species may literally be uncomfortable working for long periods of time along other species. If you're used to different gravity, or temperatures, it might even be harmful. There are probably Starfleet ships acting under other operating authorities.

 

[LaxScrutiny]

In terms of ship design I'm willing to put it down to having standard, interchangeable parts and economical mass production. Possibly visual recognition, but sensors easily would cover that. (Join the Federation and get some free ships and life-time warranty!! )

The ship names are a bigger head-canon-ache. Browsing Memory Alpha , there are a handful that appear to be alien names (look through the Ts) but even not-English Earth names are pretty rare. So, I take your point.

 

[blssdwlf]

The ship names are a bigger head-canon-ache. Browsing Memory Alpha , there are a handful that appear to be alien names (look through the Ts) but even not-English Earth names are pretty rare. So, I take your point.

That is about ~480 Earth-based names spread across a couple hundred years? of Starfleet history. In DS9's "Favor the Bold", Starfleet fielded 600 ships (remnants of the 2nd and 5th Fleets) to engage a force twice the size. Starfleet through history would number thousands of ships (accept for in Discovery's future).

Arguably, Earth-named ships do not make up the majority of Star Fleet and we only just happen to be following the Earth-men based stories. There probably is an Andorian equivalent to Kirk, etc.

 

[Kamen Rider Blade]

StarFleet originated from Earth's StarFleet once it became the UFP's StarFleet.

So I'm not surprised that the Human Influence is strong.

 

[yotsuya]

I put it down to interest. Of all the species of the Federation, Humans are the most interested in exploring and protecting the Federation. They may also be the most numerous. The Vulcans have their own way. Sarek didn't want Spock to go to Starfleet Academy. So we can guess the Intrepid was crewed by graduates of the Vulcan Science Academy. My guess is that the other species have some ships of with fairly uni-species crews and that the ships are assigned to missions that fit what those member worlds want their ships to do.

So I say interest and population percent are the two key factors (and that pesky little thing of so many other member worlds being non-terrestial humanoids).

 

[LaxScrutiny]

Arguably, Earth-named ships do not make up the majority of Star Fleet and we only just happen to be following the Earth-men based stories. There probably is an Andorian equivalent to Kirk, etc.

I'd watch a show about Andorian Trek, especially if Jeffrey Combs was the captain. (He could be Shran's grandson.)
ETA: Now that I see he's 67, he could still be the Shran we know and love.

 

[Unicron]

FASA had the Andorian "Blue Fleet" whose vessels were exclusively crewed by Andorians, as well as several Andorian designs like the Loknar, although it's not clear what specific design attributes are considered Andorian. The Orions had a fairly large fleet that was mostly composed of various Klingon designs (purchased/traded and stolen) along with some original designs and a few knockoffs of Starfleet civilian vessels.

 

[Kamen Rider Blade]

I'd watch a show about Andorian Trek, especially if Jeffrey Combs was the captain. (He could be Shran's grandson.)
ETA: Now that I see he's 67, he could still be the Shran we know and love.

He'd probably be the Great Grandson of Shran and become an Admiral in StarFleet.

He's 67 y/o, let a younger, more spry actor do all the action bits.

He can deliver his scintillating dialogues from afar.

 

[dupersuper]

Presumably the ships in Starfleet are partially alien: that is to say based on alien design and tech. There have also been ships named after aliens. Not as many as there should be, but, y'know...the show's made by humans.

 

[trekkist]

Thanks! Every response a thought-provoker.

>Finally there is the fact at at least at some point NCC-1701's acting authority was UESPA. While it seems obvious there is a Starfleet that is largely human centric, we only see certain aspects of it. Some species may literally be uncomfortable working for long periods of time along other species. If you're used to different gravity, or temperatures, it might even be harmful. There are probably Starfleet ships acting under other operating authorities.

Yes to the first, Voyager's "Friendship One" proving Kirk wasn't making something up to tell Capt. Christopher. Presumably other Fed members would have their UESPA-equivalents (their ships compatible in component terms, per restock/resupply needs...but on the other hand, that seems all but impossible if various "races" ships are as unique as those seen during Enterprise...)The "different gravity" etc rationalizes the scarcity of aliens shipboard in TOS (when "custom cabins" and such might have been impractical). The last sentence goes to heart of my question, and to the visual oddity of all series (until recently anyway) showing Humanistic ships only.

>In terms of ship design I'm willing to put it down to having standard, interchangeable parts and economical mass production. Possibly visual recognition, but sensors easily would cover that. (Join the Federation and get some free ships and life-time warranty!! )

That one's gold (particularly the parenthetical; I'd never thought of that).

>Browsing Memory Alpha , there are a handful that appear to be alien names (look through the Ts) but even not-English Earth names are pretty rare.

In addition, words as ship names (Enterprise...Excelsior...Reliant) are by no means human-centric (English as the official language of Starfleet signage, though--hey! What if hull registries are smart lettering, which on viewscreens of non-Human ships appear in their language(s)? (IIRC an alien ship or two has IDd an Enterprise on sight...).

 

[blssdwlf]

FASA had the Andorian "Blue Fleet" whose vessels were exclusively crewed by Andorians, as well as several Andorian designs like the Loknar, although it's not clear what specific design attributes are considered Andorian. The Orions had a fairly large fleet that was mostly composed of various Klingon designs (purchased/traded and stolen) along with some original designs and a few knockoffs of Starfleet civilian vessels.

I was subconsciously referencing FASA's "Blue Fleet" when I was thinking of an Andorian Kirk

 

[DEWLine]

In addition, words as ship names (Enterprise...Excelsior...Reliant) are by no means human-centric (English as the official language of Starfleet signage, though--hey! What if hull registries are smart lettering, which on viewscreens of non-Human ships appear in their language(s)? (IIRC an alien ship or two has IDd an Enterprise on sight...).

That would be interesting to see the VFX teams animate on-screen!

 

[trekkist]

Wouldn't it just? Simple, too!

 

[trekkist]

When I was but a wee bairn, I did some preliminary notes regarding USS Fantagor, "the strangest starship in the fleet." This ship--capable of planetary landings due its unique design (seen upper right here, but with 3 nacelles and no secondary hull:

https://forgottentrek.com/the-origi...terprise/images/Enterprise-concept-art-15.jpg

was Starfleet's first multi-species with-a-vengeance starship. Every station was designed for operation from within transparent, 8-foot diameter spheres mounted on antigrav bases, allowing (relatively human-sized) non Class M crewmembers to assume any post.

In this I was inspired by James White's Sector General novels. Anyone read those?

 

[Ottens]

Here's the article where that image came from:

https://forgottentrek.com/the-original-series/designing-the-first-enterprise/

It's a good question! You would imagine that, when species join the UFP, they contribute or merge their fleets to/with Starfleet. But we have zero on-screen evidence for that, so we should probably assume that's not the case.

I agree with @XCV330 and others that the best explanation is that Starfleet is the "federal" fleet and its designs are human-looking because it evolved out of the pre-UFP human Starfleet, while member states retain their own fleets for home defense.

Presumably over time member states would borrow design elements from the federal fleet. If we take NATO as an analogy, each member state retains its own armed forces, but European countries buy a lot of material from the US, because it's the biggest and most technologically advanced ally, and European designs, from companies like Airbus and Dassault, tend to take inspiration or copy/borrow technologies from the likes of Lockheed and Boeing.

 

[Albertese]

My head canon is that Starfleet is and always has been Earth's defense force.

It's broad Federation-wide authority is granted to it by early UFP treaty. Starfleet of the post-Romulan War era was the best equipped fleet at the time and the most excited about exploration and common defense. They were recognized by the other members as able fighters and were trusted with the political baggage of being a coordinating force among several older polities who were still overcoming bad blood.

Member states contribute operational funds and provide friendly ports in exchange for common defense. Federation ports are usually Earth Starfleet ports often run jointly with a local force, like how DS9 was run by both Starfleet and the Bajorans. Local fleets are often (but not always) maintained by member worlds, and they all work closely enough with Earth Starfleet to enable things such as personnel transfers without too much difficulty. Earth Starfleet and other local fleets coordinate their actions but are technically still separate services.

Sometimes, whole starships are turned over from one fleet to another and can be operated jointly by both Starfleet and another fleet, as I would suggest was the case with the Intrepid in "The Immunity Syndrome." I have a whole separate head canon story for the Intrepid but I won't go through it here.

Academy applicants are welcome from all over the UFP but since Starfleet IS a human organization, many alien persons aren't excited to join.

Earth Starfleet, thanks to it's expanded role under treaty, is uniquely answerable to the Federation Council in a way that the Vulcan fleet, for example, isn't.

Your mileage may vary, of course.

--Alex

 

[Henoch]

I have similar head canon about Starfleet with minor changes.

Pre-Romulan War, individual star governments (may include multiple star systems if all under one government, i.e. empire/confederation/etc.) have one-to-one treaties with each other. Post-Romulan War, the UFP is formed between four (United Earth, Vulcan, Andoria, and Tellar (five? if Alpha Centauri is included as a separate state) star governments with new member governments granted by vote. Mutual defense is part of the UFP, but space assets are not assigned to the UFP rather still under each member's command. Post-recent Klingon War showed coordination weaknesses of their mutual defense pact, so changes evolved over the next decade or so to beef up the defense forces directly under UFP command and control. Pre-TOS, I see a system similar as @Albertese describes, with Starfleet reporting to United Earth but under coordination of the UFP. Just before the first season of TOS (not including WNMHGB), final changes were underway to bring all space assets from all member states directly under one space command, in this case, Earth Starfleet took over the joint space command mission and transferred from United Earth to be solely under the UFP. Initially, Starfleet reset the stardate clock and issued new UFP uniforms. Also, a new era of space explorations (5 year missions) were planned and funded to celebrate the new Starfleet space command agreement and expand the UFP sphere of control. Details of the transition of UFP members’ ships/starbases/assets were still in committee, but after about three years (probably spurred on by new Romulan and Klingon transgressions), first all members transferred all their starbases, outposts and space stations to be under the UFP's Starfleet Command. A month later, all military space forces and starships were transferred.

Why no alien ships in Starfleet? There are alien ships in Starfleet as indicated by the UFP starship USS Intrepid manned by Vulcans. Better question is why no aliens intermixed, serving together on the same ship? Simple answer: biology. We learn that Vulcans find the ship's temperature uncomfortably too cold and smelly, even for one half-Vulcan-half-Human. We also learn that Vulcan has thinner air (lower oxygen content and lower atmospheric pressure) and higher temperatures that Humans find uncomfortable. Andorians need a very cold ice biosphere. Tellarites are culturally grating to most other races, plus they probably like a cooler climate and they smell a lot (hairy all over), even more than Humans? Short-term, various aliens can tolerate the environmental discomfort with special clothing/filters or use drugs to help mitigate the negative conditions of other alien biospheres. Mid- to long-term, it just doesn't work unless one can acclimate, so, we find mostly one alien type on ships and bases.

 

[Albertese]

I like the explanation @Henoch has too, but I still say the evidence points more to Starfleet being still an Earth organization in the 24th Century. I agree with the logic that ships should be of majority species for exactly the biological reasons described above. And yet, on screen, we never see Vulcan, or Andorian, or Tellarite ships operating as Starfleet vessels.

Nearly every admiral has been a human. Nearly every ship has had a majority human crew, with just a couple exceptions of Vulcan crews. Ships have English names and are frequently named after geographical features of Earth or people important to human history. Starfleet Command is on Earth. Starfleet Academy is on Earth. The very few ships named for aliens are only the very most prominent figures from those cultures and who, more often than not, have had some important interaction with humans.

But I would concede that the producers of the show probably do think of Starfleet as more of a UFP organization than a specifically Earth one, but...that's' not how it looks when digging in to it. If it were, then we'd have something more like we see in the Franz Joseph Technical Manual where Star Fleet Command and the Academy are both on a space station located in the geometric center of the UFP. But instead we see the whole party on Earth.

--Alex

 

[publiusr]

FASA had the Andorian "Blue Fleet" whose vessels were exclusively crewed by Andorians, as well as several Andorian designs like the Loknar, although it's not clear what specific design attributes are considered Andorian.

Nacelles were put close together…I see Stargazer coming from those designs