The Kinaph was commisioned in the year 2165 under the command of Captain Kulef nd'Orelag, to commemorate the Arkenite's admission into the Federation. In April of that year, she was assigned to Capain Malcolm Reed's task force and rendezvoused with the other ships over Vulcan. From there, the fleet proceeded into Ware territory. Kinaph and the task force remained on the edge of the sector not to provoke a war by a too great show of force, while USS Pioneer went in to investigate.