A liaison cutter was a multi-mission, warp-capable small cutter craft based in large starship and starbase shuttlebays in the early 23rd century. In some ways, liason cutters were the forerunners of the Starfleet runabouts used in the 24th century.

A typical starship-based liason cutter was 10 meters long and consisted of a main cabin (with helm controls and passenger seating), a sensor pod accessed via a hatch and ladder in the main cabin ceiling, and a detachable cargo section connected to the main cabin by a short tube which also served as an airlock. (One cynical observer likened its appearance to "a pregnant whale with a tumor on its head".)

Liason cutters were rather clumsy craft and not very manuverable, especially within the confines of a starship shuttlebay, so they were being gradually phased out in favor of smaller, nimbler shuttlecraft by the mid-23rd century. (TOS novel: Best Destiny)

See alsoEdit

• runabout
• warpshuttle

Starship classification
By type	argosy • assault ship • attack cruiser • attack fighter • battle cruiser • battleship • bird-of-prey • bomber • cargo transport • carrier • colony ship • combat support tender • construction ship • corsair • corvette • courier • cruiser • cutter • destroyer • dreadnought • escort • explorer • fast attack ship • fast cruiser • flagship • freighter • frigate • fuel transport • gunboat • heavy cruiser • heavy escort • hospital ship • liaison cutter • light cruiser • light frigate • medical frigate • medium cruiser • mining freighter • missile cruiser • monitor • passenger liner • patrol cruiser • personnel carrier • prison barge • repair tender • research vessel • research cruiser • runabout • scout • sleeper ship • star battleship • star cruiser • strike cruiser • super carrier • support frigate • surveyor • tanker • tender • timeship • transport • troop transport • tug • warbird • warpshuttle
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