The USS Exeter, which according to the Star Trek Encyclopedia, 4th ed., vol. 2, p. 329 was Ambassador -class, was still in service in 2374 during the Dominion War. According to a briefing on the Ambassador -class in Star Trek: The Magazine Volume 1, Issue 14, p. 35, this class was largely phased out by the 2370s.. Most of the Ambassador class starships were lost or damaged beyond repair, resulting in the decommissioning of the majority of active Ambassador starships. The current trend in Starship has also phased the Ambassador class out, with less crew intensive starships being the order of the day.
This gave the Ambassador an estimated 450% increase in research capabilities over an Excelsior class vessel. While the primary purpose of a starship is exploratory and scientific, the Ambassadors also have teeth. The class introduced phaser arrays to Starfleet in place of the ball turret phasers carried by previous designs.. The Ambassador Class was developed during the 2320's as a replacement for the ageing Excelsior Class as Starfleet's front-line explorer type vessel. Several innovative features were included in the design, most notably for the diplomatic and scientific missions. The USS Ambassador included high quality guest quarters and was equipped with elaborate conference facilities. Many of these areas.