In 2156, the Essex participated a wargame in the Sol System to find the weakness in the newly installed Vulcan warp-detection grid. A month later the Essex fought in the Second Battle of Berengaria and took a light amount of damage from the Romulans. (ENT novel: Beneath the Raptor's Wing) During the Earth-Romulan War, the Essex, along with the Archon and another Daedalus-class ship, fought against a bird-of-prey. (Ships of the Line 2015)