TechMemo:Sensors:Oracle
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Star Fleet Engineering
Bureau of Starship and Starcraft Technology
Star Fleet Engineering
Technical Memorandum
Stardate: 90228 (28 February 1997)
RE: Oracle Sensor System
The Oracle sensor system is an evolution of modular sensor systems. It uses a network of small sensor arrays placed around the ship to make comparative readings. The new software systems developed for the Oracle array makes these readings more accurate than any previous array system. The array is principally focussed on scientific exploration, but secondary arrays in the command battlecruisers which carry the suite give those ships significantly better tactical capabilities. These capabilities would make their way into smaller starships with the design of the Scimitar sensor suite.
Unlike the massive Delphi phalanx which was developed in parallel with the Oracle system, it is meant to be capable of being retrofit into existing spaceframes. As a result, the system is exceptionally tolerant of warp field dynamics and has good sensor resolution and responce in all warp flight conditions, unlike its cousin the Delphi.
While Delphi is capable of higher resolution long range scans in some circumstances, the susceptability of that system to noise from warp coils and other systems which produce subspace fields as well as general background radiation, especially when the ship is within a solar system make the Oracle system the choice for almost all applications.
Additionally, since the warp field attenuation nacelle accident which caused the loss of the USS Fenris, restrictions placed on the adjustment range allowable in the warp field by the Delphi sensor control system has meant a marked degradation is sensor resolution on ships so equipped. As a result, all newly constructed Feynman-class destroyers have been equipped with the Oracle system and all older-model Feynman-class ships are scheduled for refit over the next several years.
The recent addition of the Oracle IIr miniture multinode sensor system into the Charon-class frigate mark the introduction of an extremely high resolution, reduced spectrum sensor system into smaller starships. The Oracle IIr shares the resolution advantages of the full Oracle system at the cost of losing the broad spectrum analysis capabilities. This sacrifice was necessary to fit the high resolution system into so small a spaceframe. Secondary sensor arrays in the Charon partially make up for the deficiency in the primary array and no other small starships can rival the sensor resolution available to the Charon class.
