Trekipedia

Andor class

The Andor class was the only operational missile cruiser in Starfleet in the late 23rd century. These unique vessels gained the respect and admiration of their crews because of their handling characteristics and offensive capabilities. The overall design came from Andorian teams contracted to create a cruiser with photon torpedoes as its main weapon. These ships so captured the heart and spirit of the Andorians that the majority were crewed solely by them. All were named for Andorian military leaders. The Andor class formed the core of all squadrons in the famed “Blue Fleet,” and was an integral part of front line forces for Starfleet.^[1]

Like the Thufir class destroyer, the warp engines were mounted close together and center aft of the main hull. This afforded the engines more protection during battle because of the partial cover provided by the secondary hull. As with all Starfleet vessels, the engines could be jettisoned in case of a catastrophic failure.^[1]

The most unusual feature of this vessel was the weapons array. Mounting two FH-13 phaser arrays and eight torpedo tubes, it well deserved its informal name of “missile boat.” Andor class vessels were capable of engaging the enemy at 160,000 km with their phasers, and 180,000 km with their torpedoes. Due to the number of torpedoes and the ranges at which they were most effective, these vessels normally operated in combat at 120,000 km. The Andor class was encountered and engaged by both Romulan and Klingon forces, which were taken by surprise when the Starfleet vessel fired a spread of torpedoes whose number was unexpected. In each case, the enemy withdrew from the field of battle before the cruiser could be fully put to the test.^[1]