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In Star Trek Beyond they destroy the Enterprise NCC-1701-A. As such, why is the new ship being built also called the NCC-1701-A instead of -B, as in the original movies?

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    As far as I know, the designations change when the class changes or has a major overhaul. Also, welcome to SFF! In the future you'll want to include spoiler boxes to reduce any issues with people who haven't seen the movie!
    – Timpanus
    Nov 22, 2016 at 20:39
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    @Timpanus - They trash it about ten minutes into the film. Also it was shown in the trailer and even on the billboard advert. It's hardly a spoiler unless you've been living in a cave.
    – Valorum
    Nov 22, 2016 at 22:38
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    @Valorum: I'd like to see stats on how many SFF users live in a cave. Probably quite a few :) Point stands, this is a major plot point, and "it was in the trailer and the trailer spoilt it too" is not an excuse. I avoid trailers for this reason! Common courtesy not to give away major plot points in the network sidebars. This question can easily be made not to give away a major plot point to those who have not seen the movie. "Why haven't you seen it already?" is also not a valid counter-argument.
    – Lightness Races in Orbit
    Nov 22, 2016 at 23:03
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    @LightnessRacesinOrbit - I disagree. The destruction of the Enterprise is neither surprising, nor plot-significant beyond explaining why they're not on the Enterprise for much of the film.
    – Valorum
    Nov 22, 2016 at 23:10
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    @LightnessRacesinOrbit - My personal opinion is that a spoiler is something that's intended to surprise. Simple plot points aren't spoilers.
    – Valorum
    Nov 23, 2016 at 17:57

2 Answers 2

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Unfortunately, your original assumption is incorrect.

The ship that was destroyed was NCC-1701 not NCC-1701-A

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enter image description here

So, when the new ship is constructed at the end of ST:B IT was designated NCC-1701-A.

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    @O.R.Mapper : 2011?
    – Praxis
    Nov 22, 2016 at 20:58
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    Presumably he means 2009 and his reaction to the design...not an actual ship destroyed.
    – Paulie_D
    Nov 22, 2016 at 21:01
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    @Praxis: Sorry, I meant 2009 indeed. One of those recent years. (As I don't want to pay for Abramsverse movies, I waited until they were on some kind of free TV, so 2011 may indeed have been the year when the 2009 film became available for me ;) ) Other than that, to remove any doubt, Paulie's interpretation is exactly what I meant.
    – O. R. Mapper
    Nov 22, 2016 at 21:02
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    @Praxis: Ah, no. I was indeed making a very subjective, rather snide remark based upon my personal opinion on the redesigned Enterprise. And given the confusing I am creating here, let me close this by stating that my opinion of calling the 11th film in the franchise simply "Star Trek", without any official subtitle, is equally low.
    – O. R. Mapper
    Nov 22, 2016 at 21:06
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    @O.R.Mapper : Well, we certainly agree on all of those points. I don't like the new franchise (although Beyond was a little better than I thought it would be, given that my expectations were essentially zero), I hate the excessive action emphasis, I hate the convoluted nonsensical plots, and I think the ship looks like a brewery with giant blowdryers.
    – Praxis
    Nov 22, 2016 at 21:09
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At least originally, the full letter jump has always accompanied a complete change in the class of starship.

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    NCC-1701 was a Constitution class ship. NCC-1701-A was a Constitution class ship. Controversial due to the far-reaching nature of the refit, but it was the same class.
    – Lightness Races in Orbit
    Nov 22, 2016 at 22:59
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    Untrue, both the original NCC-1701 and NCC-1701-A were Constitution class.
    – Polygnome
    Nov 22, 2016 at 22:59
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    Point is, you would not give a different ship an identical registry. That's literally contrary to the purpose of a registry. Class has basically nothing to do with it.
    – Lightness Races in Orbit
    Nov 22, 2016 at 23:00
  • @Polygnome right. In the original timeline, here are the Enterprises and their classes: 1701 (no letter) - Constitution, 1701-A - Constitution, 1701-B - Excelsior, 1701-C - Ambassador, 1701-D - Galaxy, 1701-E - Sovereign. The no-letter original as well as C and D were destroyed in battle. A was decommissioned (final fate unknown, but likely scrapped), and the fates of B and E unclear.
    – Robert Columbia
    Nov 23, 2016 at 0:01
  • @RobertColumbia E is still intact in Nemesis (damaged, but its towed to a dock), so its safe to assume it still exist. Maybe at one time writers decide to make additional main-timeline events after nemesis that further explain what happens to it, but for now i'd say its still intact.
    – Polygnome
    Nov 23, 2016 at 11:31

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