One of the most controversy ships in all of Starfleet history, the Federation-class Dreadnought was designed as the Federation's first purely military warship design. The ship was a marvel of its time, able to take on any enemy starship and win. The ship was lauded by the military brass and attacked by the diplomatic corps.

When rogue elements of the Federation attempted to steal one of the Federation dreadnoughts for use in a military coup the sword fell and the program was officially disbanded, the Federation dreadnoughts mothballed. It would take nearly another 100 years before the Federation beauracrats would open their eyes to the need for more militaristic ship design policies -- and it would take the Borg to show them the error in their ways.