In 2372 the Sovereign Class of ship entered service. The ship was to complement. The ship would feature a brand new torpedo turret as it's primary weapon and the type-XII phaser arrays. 

With the destruction of the Borg cube in 2366, Starfleet stepped up several new ship designs to combat the new threat. One of the designs to benefit was that of the Sovereign. The Sovereign design developed and evolved rapidly. New weapons, shields, computers, and other systems continued to develop rapidly. The design was modified constantly to incorporate all the new technology. As a result the prototype emerged from the dry dock  as Starfleet's most sophisticated and comprehensively armed vessel. The vessel is equipped with a new variant of the Type XII phaser array, formerly known as the 'Type X+' for security reasons, which equips the Federation's most powerful Starbases, deep space facilities, and the afore mentioned Galaxy Class Dreadnought. The type twelve has a raw beam power output some 60% more powerful than the Type ten arrays installed on the Standard Galaxy class. In addition the type twelve has a shorter recharge time and can fire a longer sustained burst, giving each bank a combat effectiveness 79.4% greater than a type ten array. Since the Sovereign has an overall 84.6% increase in phaser capability over the Galaxy Class.

The torpedo armament is similarly impressive. The large quantum torpedo turret forward of the deflector dish is capable of firing five rounds per second, a greater overall rate of fire than the two main ten round burst torpedo tubes of the Standard Galaxy class combined. Backup to the quantum torpedoes is provided by five photon tubes; these are located at the base of the engineering section in pairs which face forward and aft, and above the aft hangar bay. Each is capable of firing twelve round bursts. This gives the Sovereign class the most powerful torpedo armament of any vessel in Starfleet service.

The shield system of the Sovereign class is similarly the most powerful of any Starfleet ship; the design was modified just prior to installation in order to increase effectiveness against both high energy tractor beams and phased polaron particles, measures clearly aimed at the Borg and Dominion respectively. Under normal operation the shield modulation frequencies are under the control of the ships computer system, which continually evaluates incoming weapons fire and automatically re-modulates the shields to give the most effective possible defense. It is thought that this system will also enable the shield system to prevent beam-through by Borg transporter technology.

The warp engines of the Sovereign are of a new design which eliminates subspace distortion effects inherent to standard warp drives, a feature now becoming common on most Starfleet ships. The Sovereign class is currently the fastest vessel in Starfleet, with a maximum cruise speed of Warp 9.8 and a top speed of Warp 9.93 for up to twelve hours. The very high cruise speed is intended to allow the ship to deploy as rapidly as possible to potential trouble spots. Her Impulse drive system is the most sophisticated model in production, giving the Sovereign class a maneuverability equal to that of a vessel one quarter its size.

The Sovereigns baptism of fire came in 2373 when a Borg vessel again attacked the Federation. The USS Enterprise was able to assist in the destruction of the Borg cube.

2365: Design work begins after Borg encounters. New M/ARA design is standardized for the Sovereign Class. Spaceframe design is approved and full specifications are forwarded to Utopia Planitia for designations. USS Sovereign production begins with a projected 6 year turnover for the prototype ship. Design on saucer separation mechanisms arrive from the the Vulcan Construction Agency. Torpedo turret designed. Saucer section nears 30% chassis completion.

2367: The Stardrive section nears chassis completion. Primary and secondary chassis's now at 100% completion. Computers are delivered for fitting work.

2368: Work continues on habitat and outer hull sections for USS Sovereign. Mid year computer cores are activated and ship functions begin to be transferred from station control to ship control.

2369: Computer system now operating at 60% of maximum. System expected to become self aware within the year. Warpcore begins primary testing. Ablative Armor designed for the Defiant Class integrated to Sovereign Class. Five more Sovereign Class ships near chassis completion and an additional eight begin work. Antimatter regulation control is found to be outside acceptable levels. Stardrive section near completion with final attachment of navigational deflector array. Bridge module attached to Primary hull.

2370: Type-XII phaser arrays installed, replacing the Type-X arrays. Warp Core passes Review Three and is tested to 95% peak. Computer system fully self aware and umbilical from the station are cut as the ship become self sufficient. Impulse systems pass Review Three and being autonomous low level power control. Secondary Back up Generators are shut down and become Auxiliary system control. USS Sovereign leaves dry dock for primary testing.

2371: USS Sovereign returns to Utopia Planitia late in year and warp stress coating is applied. USS Sovereign begins deep space assessments. USS Sovereign returns to the Utopia for final exterior markings and paint. On 1, August 2371 the USS Sovereign is officially commissioned by Starfleet during a brief ceremony. Bridge plaque is put in pride of place and Commander AJ Frost takes command of the Sovereign. USS Sovereign is ordered to begin shakedown cruises estimate to last two years.

Technical Specifications for Sovereign Class ships in Bravo Fleet

expected duration: 120 years
time between resupply: 15 years
time between refit: 20 years
category: Explorer/Battleship

Speed:
cruising speed: Warp 7
maximum speed: Warp 9.8
emergency speed: Warp 9.93 ( 12 hours )

Personnel:
officers: 175
enlisted crew: 525
marines: 290*
capacity: 1000

Auxiliary Craft:
shuttle bays: 3
shuttles: 14
    2 type-8 personal shuttles
    2 type-9 personal shuttles
    4 type-10 cargo shuttles
    4 type-11 personal shuttles
    2 type-18 shuttle pods
fighters: 8
    6 Razor Class
    2 Redemption Class
runabouts: 4
    1 Blackhawk Class
    1 Delta Flyer
    1 Repulse Class
    1 Warhammer

Weaponry:
phasers:  
    12 type-XII phaser arrays
torpedoes: 
    launchers: 5 ( 1 turret forward,  2 launchers forward lower engineering hull, 2 launchers aft )
    hellfire: 40
    quantum: 300
    photon: 400
    transphaisic: 6
    tri cobalt: 20
shields:
    Ablative Armor   
    MLSS
    Klingon cloaking device: hull conformal

Dimensions:
height: 120 meters
width: 275 meters
length: 685.2 meters
decks: 24

Additional Information:
Currently, there are 24 in service with 6 building per year through 2424. 2 were lost during the Dominion and Borg conflicts.

*this figure is representative of the number of Marine's aboard standard Starfleet vessels and not Marine vessels