The Ashanti class was a class of heavy frigate fielded by the Federation Starfleet during the 23rd century. (Ship Recognition Manual, Volume 4: Starships of the Original Series Era) The Ashanti consisted of a round saucer section that was joined to an engineering hull by almost no interconnecting hull. Its warp nacelles were connected to the aft half of the engineering hull, with the pylons having a slight slant aft. This gave the ship a compact and sleek look.