What is the USS Defiant?

The USS Defiant was conceived as a prototype warship built to counter the Borg threat. One of its key designers was Benjamin Sisko, making it a truly iconic vessel in Starfleet history.
Unlike most Starfleet ships focused on science and exploration, the USS Defiant is purpose-built for combat, making it one of the most powerful tactical ships in the fleet.

How can you add it to your fleet?

To construct the USS Defiant, you must meet specific requirements:

  • Have your Shipyard at level 35.

  • Reach Militia level within the Bajoran Faction to prove your loyalty.

  • Once you meet these requirements, a bundle containing USS Defiant blueprints will appear in the Bajoran Store.
    Additional blueprints can be obtained through:

  • Missions: Gambit Part 10, The Defiant Part 1, and The Defiant Part 5.

  • The Offers tab, which may also provide a full unlock option.

Why should you build it?

Building the USS Defiant adds multiple benefits to your fleet and enhances your gameplay loop, especially in the Bajoran Faction system:

  • Increased effectiveness of the Bajoran loop

    • Boosts Bajoran loop efficiency by 35–65%.

    • Unlocks a new bundle in the Bajoran Store containing Bajoran Badges and Credits.

    • Allows for more frequent interaction with Jem’Hadar Solo Armadas.

    • As you tier up your ship, this bundle provides greater rewards.

  • Increased strength vs. Jem’Hadar Solo Armadas

    • A new Favor called Defiant Weaponry becomes available in the Bajoran Faction Store.

    • This Favor increases Damage and Reload chance against Solo Armadas and scales as you upgrade your ship.

  • Increased amount of Edict Tokens

    • The USS Defiant helps you earn more Edict Tokens, which can be used to purchase Edict Bundles in the Bajoran Faction Store.

    • These bundles can be redeemed for Bajoran Credits and Diplomacy Tokens.

What abilities does the USS Defiant have?

The USS Defiant features two abilities — one passive and one active:

  • The Resourceful Approach (passive):

    • Increases Edict rewards from Solo Armadas by a percentage that scales with your ship’s level.

  • Ablative Armor (active):

    • Boosts your allies’ strength against Group and Solo Armadas.

    • Requires Ablative Amplifiers (found in the Bajoran Faction Store) to activate.

    • Has a cost, duration, and cooldown — all of which improve as your ship levels up.

How can you improve Defiant reinforcements?

If you are reinforced by another USS Defiant, you can further enhance that reinforcement by researching the USS Defiant Solo Armada or Group Armada nodes in the Starships Research Tree.