# Star Trek: What if the Federation became highly militarized **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 26, 2016, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek-what-if-the-federation-became-highly-militarized/773048 "2016-11-26T16:12:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2016, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek-what-if-the-federation-became-highly-militarized/773048/21 "2016-11-30T16:37:58Z")
I always thought the Redshirt Security Service/Internal Police Force gave the _Enterprise_ a nice totalitarian sort of feel. Maybe this was why everyone on board was so gung-ho about the Federation and its Mary Worth missions. ---
**Author:** ![DWMarch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dwmarch/32/1010_2.png) [@DWMarch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DWMarch)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2016, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek-what-if-the-federation-became-highly-militarized/773048/22 "2016-11-30T19:50:02Z")
The Federation did become highly militarized after the Borg almost took Earth. In TNG’s Redemption Part II we see the Federation fleet that is supposed to stop the Romulans from joining in on the Klingon Civil War: twenty-three ships. By the time of the Dominion War, a fleet was hundreds of ships. By the end of Voyager Starfleet is able to bring 27 ships to bear on intruders to Sector 001. Starfleet also developed a lot of new military technology: new ships (most notably the Defiant), new weapons (the quantum torpedo and pulse phasers), new sidearms (two new phaser rifle variants and the rifle that fired conventional bullets but delivered them by transporter, Worf’s bazooka), new uniforms (black and grey being a lot harder to hit than bright red), et cetera. When there is a civil crisis on Earth (DS9 Homefront/Paradise Lost), armed Starfleet soldiers are beaming onto the streets of New Orleans in moments. ---
**Author:** ![Drunky\_Smurf](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drunky_smurf/32/449_2.png) [@Drunky\_Smurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drunky_Smurf)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2016, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek-what-if-the-federation-became-highly-militarized/773048/23 "2016-11-30T20:06:34Z")
> [@terentii](#): > > Personnel. Person Nell. ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2016, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek-what-if-the-federation-became-highly-militarized/773048/24 "2016-11-30T20:38:03Z")
> [@terentii](#): > > Personnel. Thanks Data. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2016, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek-what-if-the-federation-became-highly-militarized/773048/25 "2016-11-30T20:50:04Z")
> [@DWMarch](#): > > the rifle that fired conventional bullets but delivered them by transporter, I recall the weapon, but I thought that was some guy who made it as a murder weapon. Was it standard Starfleet issue? ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2016, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek-what-if-the-federation-became-highly-militarized/773048/26 "2016-11-30T21:07:21Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > I recall the weapon, but I thought that was some guy who made it as a murder weapon. Was it standard Starfleet issue? The weapon was a prototype; the murderer made his own modifications: [TR-116 rifle | Memory Alpha | Fandom](http://memory-alpha.wikia.com/wiki/TR-116_rifle) ---
**Author:** ![TBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@TBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TBG)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2016, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek-what-if-the-federation-became-highly-militarized/773048/27 "2016-11-30T21:21:14Z")
> [@Max\_the\_Immortal](#): > > I still want to see what Starfleet does after _Voyager_. If memory serves, the show ends with the Voyager returning to Earth decked out in tech from several centuries in their future, thanks to time travel shenanigans. Starfleet should let its engineers loose on the ship, reverse-engineer what they can, and refit their other starships. Beat up the Borg. Then maybe decide that they’re tired to putting up with the Romulans’ bullshit. Spock Prime and Nero’s Romulans are from post-Voyager, so I guess they just messed with J Jabrams red goo and stuff in that era. ---
**Author:** ![kanicbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f8ce5/32.png) [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2016, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek-what-if-the-federation-became-highly-militarized/773048/28 "2016-11-30T23:13:09Z")
The Federation seems to hang it’s hat on diplomatic aggression than outright use of force. More like we are here with our best and most advanced starships, do you want to discuss anything? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/star-trek-what-if-the-federation-became-highly-militarized/773048.md?page=1)