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Thorin wrote:It's quite possible that the excelsiors and mirandas are so overwhelming in numbers in comparison to everything else - each fleet may have a different purpose and number and type of ships. The 1st fleet, by it's very name, you would suspect of having the best ships - perhaps filled up new(er) generations of ships - Akiras, Galaxys, Nebulas, Ambassadors. The only ones we've seen are things like the 9th and 3rd, which for whatever reason may have older ships.

Fleet numbers usually have much more to do with operational area. Or simply that the fleet has been continuously organized longer, like the US' 1st Division.

At the moment, for instance, the US Navy is organized into 2nd, 3rd, 5th, 6th, and 7th fleets. They operate over the Atlantic, Pacific, Middle East, Mediterranean, and the West Pacific and Indian Ocean respectively. Ships are designated as parts of fleets depending on where they are at the time. So at the moment, 5th Fleet is the largest.

What fleets are and aren't active is really a crap shoot, and tends to depend on the politics of which admiral commands which fleet when it comes time to dissolve some fleets and consolidate.

Fleets are going to get new ships depending on what their duties are. The first fleet, for instance, being organized the longest, may by now be more of a training fleet, or a reserve fleet. Or maybe it's the defense force for Sector 001. Or maybe it was originally organized as an expeditionary fleet and doesn't exist at all anymore.

Jordanis wrote:Fleet numbers usually have much more to do with operational area. Or simply that the fleet has been continuously organized longer, like the US' 1st Division.

I was going to mention that, but the fact that in DS9 they have elements from different fleets suggests they aren't grouped based on area.

While there are a huge range of possibilities on the fleets, the truth is we just don't know. As such, we can hypothesise and just put in what ever fits best

Also remember that its not just the fleets. The US has several task groups that make and break from time to time. Only about half of the total navy is locked in with a 'fleet' at anytime. The only solid group of ships that ever stay attached is a carrier group which makes up the center of the fleet. The rest is divided by duties and location.

Thorin wrote:

Jordanis wrote:Fleet numbers usually have much more to do with operational area. Or simply that the fleet has been continuously organized longer, like the US' 1st Division.

I was going to mention that, but the fact that in DS9 they have elements from different fleets suggests they aren't grouped based on area.

While there are a huge range of possibilities on the fleets, the truth is we just don't know. As such, we can hypothesise and just put in what ever fits best

Well, it may be that Starfleet does it by area but doesn't reassign ships unless they've been retasked to normal patrol duties in that fleet's operational area. So assembling an offensive fleet, they'd stay with their original fleet number. Or those may have been specially-organized offensive fleets that only existed for the Dominion war. Like you say, we really don't know enough...

Nothing rusts in space right? Couldn't you simply open the entire ship to vacuum to preserve it. Then if needed you just repressurize it and you are good to go, nearly as good as the day you opened it up.

True enough. I like that idea, have starfleet building at wartime speed always. even in peace time.