from Bryan Jecko, STSTCS

Notes - circa 2286:

     Orinco Shipbuilders first foray into the world of defensive patrol craft, the Darkstar was created as a purely combat oriented platform, capable of escort and fast response. First commissioned by the OFMA, the Darkstar is essentially Orinco’s popular Dwarfstar freighter with the large cargo bay removed. Orinco’s original design was to mount the powerful and efficient OWA-1 warp drive in it’s high-maneuverability configuration. Shortly after tooling began, though, OFMA officials requested that a more manageable drive system be installed. The OWA’s high-maneuverability version of the popular engine had proved time and again to be cost prohibitive. Orinco opted for a secondary-feed system for the maneuvering components which test indicated would extend the field time of the small craft by a factor of four. The resulting OWA-1 was less maneuverable, but significantly more cost effective; a factor that eventually allowed the ORMA to sign off on full production of the Darkstar.
     The A-1 model proved expensive yet effective. The Darkstar could easily intercept most pirates and worked well as an escort vessel. The A-1 was as powerful as vessel twice its size, and mounted sufficient firepower to engage destroyer class vessels with a modicum of success. When first observed by Star Fleet Intelligence, many felt that the new vessel would quickly initiate an arms race, and even the Klingons worried that the small ship would soon replace the less effective Lightning class of raider. But Orinco built only 35 of the A-1 models, 30 of which were transferred to the OFMA. Of the remaining five, only one is known to have “turned rogue” and begun pirate operation. The Darkheart, believed to be owned by Dravik the Vicious, conducted lucrative and deadly raid along the Federation and Klingon boarder for nearly 6 years. Over 30 freighters were attacked, with nearly 50 casualties during its reign. The most famous raid was again Convoy NCV 3822 in which the Darkheart nearly destroyed two Federation escorts and plundered all eight freighters before being chased off by a Tellarite merchant cruiser. The Darkheart was eventually sabotaged and destroyed, not by Star Fleet Intelligence or Klingon operatives, but by members of the Orion Syndicate who felt that Dravik’s viciousness had drawn unwanted attention to the syndicates operations.
     Dispite the A-1’s combat capability and growing reputation, several other governments approached Orinco about constructing a less expensive variant. Orinco quickly began selling the A-2, a smaller and significantly less expensive version of the Darkstar. While the A-2 had less power than its larger cousin, it was far easier to maintain than the A-1 and was easier to produce. The A-2 became a quick seller and soon found use as a scout and medium patrol craft. The A-2 also had a larger cargo capacity, allowing to operate on longer escort missions. The A-2 was extremely roomy and confortable for deep space crew, many of whom became attached to their ships. The A-2 also proved more popular with pirate captains who found it’s roomy interior perfect for their ostentatious living arrangements. Over 165 A-2’s were constructed, with nearly 100 sold to various governments.
     But it would again be the OFMA that would contract Orinco for the most powerful and dangerous of the Darkstar class - the A-3. First requsted in 2277, three squadrons of A-3’s were contracted, all of which were launched and delivered in 2279. The A-3 had even greated firepower than the A-3, and was significantly more maneuverable during combat.