from Ships of the Star Fleet - Volume One, Calon Riel & Mastercom Data Center

Notes:
        Originally intended to be put into production as the Enterprise class, the Tikopai class has often been refereed to as “Scottie’s Scratchbook”. The second submitted design upgrade to the Constitution class of vessels submitted by Enterprise Chief Engineer Montgomery Scott, the Tikopai class became a less intensive class of vessel, capable of many of the same abilities as the Enterprise class.
        As construction contracts were handed out throughout the Shipyards of the Federation, Ishikawajima Harima Industries rushed their design into production, even as the Enterprise herself was entering dry dock. The USS Tikopai was soon completed and headed for trials, where serious flaws were soon discovered. By the time the first set of tests were complete, the V’Ger incident had already passed, and Ishikawajima Harima Industries was in dire need of a success. Although well under budget to date, the Tokopai class was still in need of dramatic upgrades to both the warp drive and weapons systems. By mid 2275, Ishikawajima Harima Industries broke down and incorporated the FWG-1 warp drive system, adding significant cost in material and man power to the Tikopai construction design. When Star Fleet Baltic Yards launched the Constitution II Class nearly 6 month before the revamped Tikopai class, Ishikawajima Harima Industries began to make plans to scrap the design. But the Constitution II was only half as powerful as the Enterprise class, leaving a large gap that Ishikawajima Harima Industries felt their cruiser could fill. When the Mk I was finally launched, it embarked less crew that the Enterprise class, and mounted lighter weapons, but was nearly as fast and had a massive research base, even larger than the touted Enterprise class.
        With the launch of the Tokopai class, Ishikawajima Harima Industries entered into a long lasting construction war with nearly a dozen construction firms, which helped produce technological jumps unpressidnted either before of after. Within three years, the Tikopai Mk II was launched, increasing the cruisers abilities beyond that of other heavy cruisers. With an enlarged impulse drive and increased primary and secondary weapons, the overall capability of the Tikopai class soon surpassed even the Enterprise class. The Mk II was still significantly less resource intensive to build and operate, and nearly 20 more were ordered. But the Mk II would be the last change for over seven years, with several other designs taking precedence in Star Fleets inventory. Not until Cosmodyne began work on the USS Helios did new system become incorporated into the successful design. With the Mk II Enterprise class now more powerful that the Tokopai, the Mk III was soon launched. Nearly identical in system components to the Mk II enterprise, the Mk III Tokopai had also become more resource intensive, with only a 5% savings over the more powerful Enterprise. None the less, 6 ships were nearing completion and were launched to take up positions along the frontier. So similar to the Enterprise design was the Tikopai, several examples are reported where Pirates and raiders were scarred off even before the arrival of a Tikopai class cruiser, a fact Star Fleet did nothing to discourage. None the less, the Mk III was a powerful ship in her own right, and would remain in service until 2297, when the Mk IV was launched. Incorporating large weapons and heavier torpedo tubes, the Mk IV is still in service along hostile boarders.