BRAD'S COMMENTS:  Yet another of the many Federation designs that face the warp nacelles inward.  I've already gone into great detail on other pages as to why this design practice at FASA bothers me so much--most notably in my comments on the Andor Class missile cruiser.  Like the Andor, the Northampton has an impressive torpedo spread in the forward arc, giving it good knock-down power against enemy ships.  The dual FWG-1 warp engines give the Northampton almost as much power as the Enterprise (Constitution Refit) Class cruiser, enabling it to adequately power shields and arm phasers during hostile engagements.  Overall, in spite of the nonsensical warp pylon structure, the Northampton is a potent ship and will radically boost the capability of any Federation squadron it is added to.

From the FASA Star Trek FEDERATION SHIP RECOGNITION MANUAL, circa 1985
Northampton Class X Frigate
NOTES:  The Northampton Class frigate, stationed by Star Fleet in all sensitive areas, to prevent foreign aggression, enjoys the respect and admiration of its crews and troops. These ships have numerous recreation facilities and spacious quarters for the crewmembers and marines.  Swimming pools, gravball courts, and physical fitness centers are all located in the lower hull adjacent to the shuttlebay and near the engineering section.
        The Northampton mounts the most powerful of Star Fleet's engines, the FWG-1 warp engine, which allows it to reach trouble spots quickly.  Although the hull design incorporates the single-engine lock found on several Andorian designs, the Northampton is a Martian design.
        The weapons array is similar to that found on the Chandley Class frigates, though the arrangement is not the same.  Both classes mount 6 FH-11 phasers, but the fields of fire are quite different, with the Northampton having better aft-firing capabilities and the Chandley having better forward-firing capabilities.  Unlike the Chandley, the Northampton has concentrated all three of its torpedo tubes forward, which makes it offensively powerful.
        Reports on the exploits of the USS Bremerton while in the Triangle have made quite a stir in military circles.  After spending one year in the Triangle conducting business of an undisclosed nature, the Northampton Class Bremerton returned to Starbase 10 and reported that it had encountered both Romulan and Klingon ships, all of which it was forced to fight. Details of the encounters are still classified.
        Of the 67 Northamptons built, 66 remain in active service and 1 is used by Star Fleet Intelligence.  The Northampton is produced at the Sol IV shipyards at a rate of 20 per year.

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