In 2385, the destruction of Utopia Planitia prompted Starfleet to shift from exploration to defense. The Inquiry-class, a combat-enhanced exploratory cruiser, was commissioned to fortify Federation borders amid Romulan instability. Modeled after the successful Sovereign class, the Inquiry was designed for mass production with simplified, ruggedized components, allowing construction at various facilities across the Federation. Launched in 2390, subsequent Block II (2395) and Block III (2399) units represented incremental improvements. The class, with minimal design flaws, has proven effective in service and now shares production lines with the Nebula class, while Sovereign-class production continues.