The Sovereign starship was introduced in the late 24th century, showcasing some of Starfleet's most recent technological advances. The Sovereign Project was one of the new defensive technologies initially intended for use against the Borg threat. The prototype USS Sovereign was still in the design phase during the Battle of Wolf 359.

Heavily armed, the design philosophy for the Sovereign-class was shaped by the discovery of the Borg. The Sovereign Project attempted to push the envelope as far as possible when it came to computer power, shields, armament, and systems capabilities. The Sovereign-class starship combined the creature comforts associated with the larger Galaxy-class vessels with the tactical power of the new Prometheus-class