Aggregation Research is one branch of the Star Trek Fleet Command research tree. This page lists every research in it with what it does, the Operations level it unlocks at, the number of levels, the cost to max, the research time, and prerequisites, so you can plan your next unlock without digging through the tree in game.
What Aggregation research does
The tree has two halves, and each has its own currency. The first is the U.S.S. Dauntless branch: 12 projects paid in U.S.S. Dauntless Prototype Data that raise the Dauntless’ hull, shields, cargo, protected cargo, warp range and hazard resistance, unlock its Jump Drive, and power up its Seek and Destroy damage against non-Armada hostiles. Dauntless Warp Range (R&D Department 45) is the root of that branch. Two Dauntless-currency nodes reach further: Daunting Vengeance (R&D 70) adds cost efficiency for U.S.S. Vengeance ship parts, and Preceding Reputation (Operations 71) increases the Federation, Romulan and Klingon faction points you gain when defeating hostiles with the Dauntless.
The second half is 21 projects paid in Aggregation Smuggled Studies, and almost all of it is gated by your Recon Locus. The first four (Piercing, Apex Barrier and Isolytic Damage lines plus Increased Transogen Mining Speed) need Recon Locus 1 and R&D 45. Recon Locus 51 opens defense against Aggregation hostiles, Wave Defense damage and Forbidden Tech cost efficiency; Recon Locus 56 opens the PvP Apex Barrier and Isolytic Defense lines for each hull type; Recon Locus 61 and 67 finish the Aggregation combat lines; and Recon Locus 70 holds U.S.S. Vengeance Optimization. Two U.S.S. Vengeance nodes against the Borg Cube sit at R&D 70 for 500 Smuggled Studies each.
Aggregation research resources
| Resource | Projects that use it | Needed to max all of them | What it is for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aggregation Smuggled Studies | 21 | 375.6K | Levels up Aggregation research nodes. Comes from the Aggregation Refinery and the store. |
| U.S.S. Dauntless Prototype Data | 12 | 140.7K | Upgrades the U.S.S. Dauntless research in this tree. |
Smuggled Studies come out of the Aggregation Refinery, and the refinery runs on Aggregation Banners. Each banner claims bundles of its own rarity in the refinery. You get banners by refining Reclaimed Loot, and the raw loot drops from hostiles in specific Aggregation systems:
| Banner | Refined from | Raw loot drops from hostiles in |
|---|---|---|
| Common Aggregation Banner | Common Reclaimed Loot | Finnikus, 112-A, 112-B, IK-25, Na’No, Dunt |
| Uncommon Aggregation Banner | Uncommon Reclaimed Loot | Treva, Hoo’Ka, Eleeana, Salasi, Ena-36 |
| Rare Aggregation Banner | Rare Reclaimed Loot | Cay’Nas, Redeno, Eritrevo, Too’Ko, Howing |
| Epic Aggregation Banner | Epic Reclaimed Loot | Olesa, SAT-04, Turrant, Iono’Ka, LE-20 |
If you want more Smuggled Studies, the route is hostiles in those systems, then the refinery. The Increased Transogen Mining Speed line in this tree also helps if you mine Transogen while you are out there.
Every aggregation research
All 33 research projects, sorted by unlock level (most projects gate on your R&D Department; some use Operations or another building). Cost to max is the full resource total across every level. Research time is the base time before your research-speed bonuses, which cut it heavily in play, so treat it as a relative gauge between projects rather than a real-world clock.
| Research | What it does | Unlocks at (building level) | Research levels | Base research time to max | Cost to max | Prerequisites to max |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Active Apex Barrier | Increases the Dauntless’ Apex Barrier against non-Armada hostiles while Seek and Destroy is active. | None | 6 | 2.4 yr | 11.6K U.S.S. Dauntless Prototype Data | Seek and Destroy Isolytic Damage |
| Dauntless Base Hazard Resistance | Increases the Dauntless’ Base Hazard Resistance. | None | 5 | 1.4 yr | 5.7K U.S.S. Dauntless Prototype Data | Seek and Destroy Isolytic Damage |
| Dauntless Hull Upgrade | Increases the Dauntless’ base HHP. | None | 10 | 12 yr | 8.2K U.S.S. Dauntless Prototype Data | Dauntless Warp Range |
| Dauntless Jump Drive | Unlocks the Dauntless’ Jump Drive, allowing it to instantly warp to another system. | None | 1 | 26.5 d | 5.5K U.S.S. Dauntless Prototype Data | Active Apex Barrier |
| Dauntless Max Cargo | Increases the Dauntless’ base Max Cargo. | None | 10 | 12 yr | 8.2K U.S.S. Dauntless Prototype Data | Dauntless Warp Range |
| Dauntless Protected Cargo | Increases the Dauntless’ base Protected Cargo. | None | 10 | 12 yr | 8.2K U.S.S. Dauntless Prototype Data | Dauntless Max Cargo, Dauntless Hull Upgrade, Dauntless Shield Upgrade |
| Dauntless Shield Upgrade | Increases the Dauntless’ base SHP. | None | 10 | 12 yr | 8.2K U.S.S. Dauntless Prototype Data | Dauntless Warp Range |
| Seek and Destroy Critical Damage | Increases the Dauntless’ Critical Damage against non-Armada hostiles while Seek and Destroy is active. | None | 12 | 14.8 yr | 11K U.S.S. Dauntless Prototype Data | Dauntless Protected Cargo |
| Seek and Destroy Isolytic Damage | Increases the Dauntless’ Isolytic Damage against non-Armada hostiles while Seek and Destroy is active. | None | 9 | 12.9 yr | 11.3K U.S.S. Dauntless Prototype Data | Seek and Destroy Critical Damage |
| Apex Barrier vs Aggregation | Increases base Apex Barrier against Aggregation hostiles. | Recon Locus 1, R&D 45 | 15 | 20.6 yr | 14.2K Aggregation Smuggled Studies | Piercing vs Aggregation |
| Dauntless Warp Range | Increases the Dauntless’ Warp Range. | R&D 45 | 10 | 13.4 yr | 2.8K U.S.S. Dauntless Prototype Data | None |
| Increased Transogen Mining Speed | Increases Common, Uncommon, and Rare Transogen Mining Speed. | Recon Locus 1, R&D 45 | 6 | 5.4 yr | 9K Aggregation Smuggled Studies | Apex Barrier vs Aggregation |
| Isolytic Damage vs Augment Exile | Increases base Isolytic Damage against Augment Exile Hostiles. | Recon Locus 1, R&D 45 | 10 | 7.6 yr | 13.5K Aggregation Smuggled Studies | Apex Barrier vs Aggregation |
| Piercing vs Aggregation | Increases Armor Piercing, Shield Piercing, and Accuracy against Aggregation hostiles. | Recon Locus 1, R&D 45 | 15 | 20.6 yr | 14.2K Aggregation Smuggled Studies | None |
| Aggregation Critical Damage Reduction | Reduces the Critical Hit Damage of Aggregation hostiles. | Recon Locus 51 | 12 | 19.4 yr | 14.1K Aggregation Smuggled Studies | Isolytic Defense vs Aggregation |
| Apex Shred in Wave Defense | Increases base Apex Shred in Wave Defense. | Recon Locus 51 | 10 | 13.6 yr | 9.3K Aggregation Smuggled Studies | Isolytic Defense vs Aggregation |
| Forbidden Tech Tier Up Optimization | Increases Cost Efficiency of Catalysts and Reactors. | Recon Locus 51 | 4 | 4.7 yr | 13.5K Aggregation Smuggled Studies | Forbidden Tech Upgrade Optimization |
| Forbidden Tech Upgrade Optimization | Increases Cost Efficiency of Forbidden Tech Protomatter. | Recon Locus 51 | 4 | 4.7 yr | 13.5K Aggregation Smuggled Studies | Isolytic Defense vs Aggregation |
| Increases Crit Damage in Wave Defense | Increases Critical Damage in Wave Defense. | Recon Locus 51 | 10 | 13.6 yr | 9.3K Aggregation Smuggled Studies | Apex Shred in Wave Defense |
| Isolytic Defense vs Aggregation | Increases base Isolytic Defense against Aggregation hostiles. | Recon Locus 51 | 12 | 19.4 yr | 14.1K Aggregation Smuggled Studies | Increased Transogen Mining Speed, Isolytic Damage vs Augment Exile, Apex Barrier vs Aggregation |
| PvP Apex Barrier on Battleships | Increases base Apex Barrier for Battleships when fighting Players. Does not apply when Tal is assigned to the bridge. | Recon Locus 56 | 10 | 18.1 yr | 28.4K Aggregation Smuggled Studies | Increases Crit Damage in Wave Defense, Forbidden Tech Tier Up Optimization |
| PvP Apex Barrier on Explorers | Increases base Apex Barrier for Explorers when fighting Players. Does not apply when Tal is assigned to the bridge. | Recon Locus 56 | 10 | 18.1 yr | 28.4K Aggregation Smuggled Studies | Forbidden Tech Tier Up Optimization, Increases Crit Damage in Wave Defense |
| PvP Apex Barrier on Interceptors | Increases base Apex Barrier for Interceptors when fighting Players. Does not apply when Tal is assigned to the bridge. | Recon Locus 56 | 10 | 18.1 yr | 28.4K Aggregation Smuggled Studies | Forbidden Tech Tier Up Optimization, Increases Crit Damage in Wave Defense |
| PvP Isolytic Defense on Battleships | Increases base Isolytic Defense for Battleships against enemy Players. | Recon Locus 56 | 10 | 18.1 yr | 28.4K Aggregation Smuggled Studies | PvP Apex Barrier on Battleships |
| PvP Isolytic Defense on Explorers | Increases base Isolytic Defense for Explorers against enemy Players. | Recon Locus 56 | 10 | 18.1 yr | 28.4K Aggregation Smuggled Studies | PvP Apex Barrier on Explorers |
| PvP Isolytic Defense on Interceptors | Increases base Isolytic Defense for Interceptors against enemy Players. | Recon Locus 56 | 10 | 18.1 yr | 28.4K Aggregation Smuggled Studies | PvP Apex Barrier on Interceptors |
| Aggregation Critical Chance Reduction | Reduces the Critical Hit Chance of Aggregation hostiles. | Recon Locus 61 | 8 | 2.9 yr | 14.4K Aggregation Smuggled Studies | PvP Isolytic Defense on Explorers, PvP Isolytic Defense on Interceptors, PvP Isolytic Defense on Battleships, Aggregation Critical Damage Reduction |
| Apex Shred vs Aggregation | Increases base Apex Shred against Aggregation hostiles. | Recon Locus 67 | 4 | 2.2 yr | 15K Aggregation Smuggled Studies | Aggregation Critical Chance Reduction |
| Daunting Vengeance | Increases cost efficiency for the U.S.S. Vengeance ship parts. | R&D 70 | 2 | 1.5 yr | 30K U.S.S. Dauntless Prototype Data | Seek and Destroy Isolytic Damage |
| U.S.S. Vengeance Borg Suppression | Reduces the opponent Borg Cube Critical Hit Chance by 100% at the beginning of each round while using the U.S.S. Vengeance. | R&D 70 | 1 | 274 d | 500 Aggregation Smuggled Studies | None |
| U.S.S. Vengeance Iso Damage vs Borg Cube | Increases the U.S.S. Vengeance Isolytic Damage vs Borg Cube by 300% | R&D 70 | 1 | 274 d | 500 Aggregation Smuggled Studies | None |
| U.S.S. Vengeance Optimization | Increases cost efficiency for the U.S.S. Vengeance ship parts. | Recon Locus 70 | 2 | 1.5 yr | 50K Aggregation Smuggled Studies | Apex Shred vs Aggregation |
| Preceding Reputation | Increases base amount of Federation, Romulan and Klingon faction points gained when defeating hostiles with the U.S.S. Dauntless. | Ops 71 | 5 | 13.3 yr | 30K U.S.S. Dauntless Prototype Data | Dauntless Jump Drive |
