Initially approved for service in 2376, the Cutlass-class medium fightercraft served diligently for a decade in Starfleet. As the design reached the end of its first decade of service, changes to Starfleet Engineering design standards and improved technologies had rendered it obsolete compared to newer designs. Consequently, AST Shipyards' design team embarked on a re-vamp of the original Mark I Cutlass design to create the Cutlass Mark II in 2386. The Cutlass-class medium fightercraft has the following mission objectives.

• Interception of enemy fighters.
• Support of capital ships.
• Reconniasince duty.
• Escort of friendly ships.
• Standard Patrol duty.

The Cutlass-class features a duranium/tritanium hull. The framework of the craft is mostly tritanium, while the hull plating itself is duranium. This gives the Mark II Cutlass a duller appearance than its predecessor and serves as a basic stealth feature. The designers at AST decided to retain the old design shape that featured a cigar shaped fuselage: round at the nose and flat at the back, with the cockpit moved slightly aft to sit directly amidships. Delta-shaped wings extend from the body from amidships and meet at the aft of the ship. The wings house the Mark II's stabilizing systems and some weaponry. The Mark II is larger than its predecessor, measuring in at 13m x 10m x 3m. The increases in length and width served to provide extra space for new/improved equipment, while the reduction in height served to make the Cutlass easier to fit into Starfleet hangars, as well as increase ease of access for the pilot. The result is a craft with a much sleeker visual profile.

The Cutlass's computer and sensor systems were the biggest beneficiaries of the redesign. The Mark II Cutlass' computer system is comprised of two small isolinear cores, each with their own jobs to do in the control of the ship's systems. One core, located forward of the cockpit, is responsible for interpreting the sensor data and providing it to the pilot. The first core is also responsible for relaying commands to the forward phasers and thrusters. The second, located aft of the cockpit, handles the main engines and life support systems. The second core is also responsible for relaying commands to the ship's other weapons, and aft thrusters. The two computers are linked by an ODN line to a bio-neural gel pack located beneath the cockpit to synchronize the data transmissions to the cockpit consoles and increase response time to pilot command inputs. The Cutlass uses the Starfleet-standard LCARS OS and MAJEL UI. The Cutlass-class uses Type II sensors, capable of seeing 1.2 light years around the craft in low-resolution, and 0.7 light years in high-resolution. Cutlass-class fighters remain unable to detect cloaked vessels without the aid of their carrier ship's sensors. Sensors are located in the forward section, aft of the phasers. Cutlass-class craft have only one holographic emitter, for the Heads-Up Display in the cockpit.

The Mark II Cutlass remains incapable of warp drive. Microfusion generators located in the aft-most part of the fuselage power the engines of the Cutlass. The maximum speed for the Cutlass is .30c. It can go from 0 to .30c in 10 seconds, and from .30c to 0 in 13 seconds.

The Cutlass is also equipped with a series of RCS thrusters to allow it to maneuver through tight spaces and perform dogfighting maneuvers. Two thrusters are located in the nose of the ship (one above the phasers, and one below), four amidships (two to starboard, and two to port), two in each wing (one dorsal, one ventral), and two aft (one dorsal, one ventral).

The cockpit is located amidships, directly between the computer cores. Inside the cockpit there are three consoles. The one on the pilot's left gives sensor readouts. The console directly in front of the pilot contains tactical readouts. The console on the right contains system status readouts. The removal of the ablative armor from the cockpit allowed the viewscreen of the Mark I to be replaced with a digital Heads-Up Display (HUD). The HUD provides the pilot with basic information on his direction and speed, and alerts him to immediate threats such as torpedo locks or imminent collisions. The pilot controls the ship itself through use of a manual steering column. The MSC has a manual trigger for the ship's pulse phasers, and the pilot can control the torpedo launchers and aft phaser array through either voice command or the tactical console.

The cockpit of a Cutlass is designed for use as an emergency escape pod. In an emergency, the pilot can trigger explosive charges placed around the hardpoint connections to the rest of the craft. The emergency escape pod has minimal steering capabilities, though a single RCS thruster powered by a solid-state chemical drive gives it thrust. The bio-neural gel-pack beneath the cockpit that normally coordinates the two computer cores is connected to this thruster and allows the pilot some maneuverability. The emergency escape pod has life-support for three days, and emergency rations for a week, along with a Type-III phaser rifle. The rations and phaser are located in a locker beneath the floor of the cockpit and only accessible if the cockpit is serving as an escape pod. There are no replicators, holodecks, turbolifts or transporters aboard the Cutlass.

Cutlass class fighters use subspace communication equipment that includes encoded channel systems that allow for safe communication between pilots trying to co-ordinate assaults. The fighters remain attached to their carrier ship's internal comm-net up to a distance of half a light year.

Atmospheric Recycling Systems located behind the cockpit provide air to the pilot. Additional air is stored in tanks beneath the cockpit, enough for thirty-six hours. This air is used only when the cockpit lifeboat is ejected. Since not all pilots are human, alternative environment survival equipment is shipped with the fighters for installation aboard the carrier. Conversion to an alternate atmosphere within the fighter requires three hours' work by a technician.

AST hopes the Mark II Cutlass will continue to provide the solid results its predecessor did, helping to keep the Federation safe in both wartime and peacetime.