While the fifth Star Trek series will reportedly be set before the Original Series, the uniforms worn by Captain Archer and his crew will apparently more closely resemble the Voyager jumpsuits than the brightly-coloured attire worn on Kirk's Enterprise.

The Sci-Fi Wire reported today that some crew members on Enterprise will wear navy-blue jumpsuits with contrasting yoke and shoulder piping in colors indicating status or function aboard the ship. The uniforms will feature a black mock turtleneck and a left-shoulder patch showing a white-on-blue image of the series' principal starship.

This starship, meanwhile, was described by the Wire as resembling the "original Enterprise-A," though it is not clear what exactly the site meant with that. The Enterprise-A, introduced in 'Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home,' was of the same class as the Enterprise seen in the first three movies, and there has only ever been one Enterprise-A. Previously, the Series V starship has been described as being "chunkier and blockier" than the starships seen in later series.


Last week, Scott Bakula (Jonathan Archer) already commented on the uniforms worn on the series, saying he was very pleased with his costume. "I have had fittings. I look like a guy in a uniform. I look pretty darn good."

Uniform colouring has always indicated the wearer's department in Starfleet on the past four Star Trek series. In the Original Series, gold indicated command, red indicated security or engineering, and blue indicated sciences. In the later three series, red and gold were switched around. It is not yet known what colouring scheme will be used on Enterprise.


Filming on Enterprise was scheduled to begin yesterday. At the same time the first scenes were filmed, construction workers were apparently still busy building other sets on the Paramount lot. Shooting is expected to continue for at least a month, giving the crew ample time to finish construction of all the sets.

For the original report, please follow this link to the Sci-Fi Wire. As usual, please be aware that no official Paramount information is yet available on the costumes worn on the series.

The image I'm getting is post-Voyager uniforms. Is it me or does logic dictate that pre-TOS uniforms should be a regression of TOS uniforms? With zips and pockets and stuff...

You can't expect the uniform design to be consistent with TOS. The progression of design from TOS to TMP to ST:II is barely recognizable. They have to work with audiance taste and believability. The uniforms that would be worn a mere 200 years from now would most likely be similar to current military work clothes. Look at the jumpsuits NASA uses and add some color to indicate departments and you get the new uniforms.

Also, the new uniforms are not Star Fleet. The series predates the Federation and therefore Starfleet. The uniform design should follow Earth's style.

I'm just getting sick of jumpsuits though...

Anyone reckon that they'll go back to using the older colours used on TOS (i.e. gold for command, red for security and engineering, and blue for medical and science?)

If I'm not mistaken, Starfleet predates the Federation. So the uniforms could be TOSish. And don't forget that each ship has its own symbol, and not the Delta shield. But if this ship is an Enterprise, it could have the delta shield.

And with the Federation being pre-established, it wouldn't be that great unless they spiced it up like one of the other premises like someone from the 29th century trying to prevent the formation of the Federation of Planets.

And what's up with the commercial not even mentioning Capt. Sisko.

Ok, this is where I pull out my dodgy "Uber-nerd" cap and combine it with my photographic memory for useless details (nothing EVER important)... In the original Pilot episode, when Pike is Cruisin' with another starfleety type of guy watching the green lady dance - if you look at that guy's uniform it's distinctlively more military: more green and it has shoulder-boards.

Now, while I'm all cool with the jump-suit thing (as long as it isn't lycra/spandex :P) I'm wondering more about their formal uniform - will we see familiar features that we can relate to (as we can see familiarities from 100 years ago) - in the 22nd century, at the most 154 years from now (assuming that 2161 is federation and the series will not go past that point)?

I wonder, will we see forms of the greens, blues or white colours and the shoulder-boards and medals of current armed services. I wonder what these future spacefarers will wear when they meet aliens for the first time (you know, break out the good china, silverware and put on the good uniform) - will it be in their "Sunday best" or just Johnny Archer & the Blue Guys.

I dunno, but I'd like to see a little flair every now and then