The U.S.S. Defiant NX-74205 was a Federation starship launched in 2370 and assigned to the space station Deep Space 9 in the Bajor Sector. The prototype for a proposed new class of escort intended to improve Starfleet’s ability to defend against a possible Borg offensive, the Defiant was equipped with quantum torpedo launchers and protected by ablative armor plating, giving it exceptional offensive and defensive capabilities. It played a key role in the Dominion War until its destruction during the final days of the conflict.

U.S.S. Defiant NX-74205 Bridge | Deck 1 (2373)

Much smaller than other Starfleet bridges of the era, the Defiant’s bridge was as focused and utilitarian as the rest of the starship’s design. The captain’s chair was placed on a raised platform at the center of the room with a single helm console directly in front of it. The sides of the room featured four seated stations, two of which were tactical consoles and the others were engineering and science. Directly behind these stations were the egress doors, which connected to the rest of deck 1. The back of the bridge featured a retractable situation table for the crew to gather and discuss matters of importance, such as upcoming mission briefings

U.S.S. Defiant NX-74205 Crew Quarters | Deck 1 (2373)

Unlike larger starships of the era, due to the limited habitable space on board all crew members had to share accommodations on the Defiant. All crew quarters were small rectangular rooms, equipped with two bunk beds on one of the walls. The only other accommodations in these quarters were a work desk with a computer terminal, a food replicator, and an emergency medikit.

U.S.S. Defiant NX-74205 Transporter Bay | Deck 1 (2373)

The Defiant had a transporter pad incorporated into the corridor directly aft of the bridge. While somewhat unusual for starships of its era, this arrangement was fitting for its mission profile as an escort. This small transporter was surrounded by a handrail to provide support during combat, and could accommodate three people at a time in normal operation, half of what standard pads could do in larger  ships. The transporter controls were arranged vertically and located on a small console next to the pad, directly on the corridor wall. A more traditional transporter room was also available on deck 2.

Ship Model (Physical)

As portrayed in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (TV, 1992-1999)

The U.S.S. Defiant was created for the third season of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, as the writers felt they needed a powerful starship to realistically defend the station after the Jem’Hadar were introduced at the end of the previous season. The Defiant was designed by Jim Martin, who after many iterations, ended up basing the shape of the vessel on his unused concept for a Maquis raider. The Defiant’s design thus eschews many of the established design guidelines for Federation starships, such as having a raised bridge module or nacelles separated from the main body of the ship.

Bridge Set (Physical)

As portrayed in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine - “Call to Arms” (TV, 1997)

The bridge of the U.S.S. Defiant was constructed over the summer of 1994, under production designer Herman Zimmerman, for its introduction in the series’ third season. In a departure from previous Federation ship interiors, it featured smaller hatch-style doors that didn’t reach all the way to the floor and a raised platform at the center instead of a sunken pit. These elements, along with the darker color scheme and lighting, gave the bridge a somewhat claustrophobic feel. After filming was completed on “The Search”, the bridge was extensively modified before its next appearance in “Equilibrium”.

Crew Quarters Set (Physical)

As portrayed in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine - “Rules of Engagement” (TV, 1996)

The crew quarters on the Defiant were purposely made as cramped as the needs of a filming set would allow. The set, almost never adorned with any sort of personal belongings or decor, served as the quarters for any member of the crew that the story required. While the wall that connected the set to the corridor was static, the other three walls could be removed or rearranged as needed, and multiple different layouts were shown through the show. The Roddenberry Archive has included two quarters accessible through the ship’s corridor to illustrate these variations.

Transporter Bay Set (Physical)

As portrayed in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine - “The Way of the Warrior” (TV, 1995)

The small transporter bay set was originally incorporated directly into the end of one of the Defiant corridors. Since the somewhat claustrophobic setting wasn’t easy to film, midway through season 4 the mess hall set was sometimes redressed to serve as a larger, dedicated transporter room. While this meant that the corridor transporter bay never appeared beyond that point in the series, many displays around the ship indicate that both transporter locations were meant to have coexisted all through the ship’s lifespan. For that reason, the Roddenberry Archive has included this bay into the season 5 recreation of the ship.