The Diligent-class was a class of heavy escort that saw service in Starfleet during the 24th century. The Diligent class was built as a response to lessons learned by Starfleet from the Dominion War. Starfleet Command saw the need for a new design that could expand on the successes of the Defiant-class, a design that was compact with significant combat capabilities but also had the capacity to undertake other mission profiles from small scale diplomatic missions to exploration.