Upgrade R&D Department to Level 17 is a station mission in Star Trek Fleet Command with one objective: raise your R&D Department to level 17. It needs only warp 1 to start and finish, and the game lists a recommended level of 1, so the upgrade is the only thing that matters. The reward is 6,000 Tritanium and two 5 Minute Repair Speed Ups, and completing it unlocks the next station mission, Upgrade Shipyard: Level 17.
Upgrade R&D Department to Level 17 objectives
The story line reads: the R&D Department unlocks additional upgrades for the Shipyard and Ships. There is one objective and no choice split:
- Upgrade R&D Department to Level 17.
No system is named, no hostile is listed and nothing is donated. The mission clears when the R&D Department reaches level 17.
Where and what warp
Warp 1 to start, warp 1 to complete, no pickup system. The whole mission happens on your station.
The recommended level is listed as 1, but the mission only completes once R&D Department 17 is built, and that upgrade has requirements of its own.
What the level 17 upgrade needs
R&D Department 17 costs 57,120 Parsteel, 420 Dilithium, 200 2★ Common Refined Gas and 15 2★ Uncommon Refined Gas, and it takes 17 hours 24 minutes to build without speed ups. It requires Operations 17, Academy 17 and Tritanium Generator B 17.
The refined gas is the part most likely to hold you up at this stage, so check your 2★ gas before you start the upgrade.
Upgrade R&D Department to Level 17 rewards
| Reward | Amount |
|---|---|
| Tritanium | 6,000 |
| 5 Minute Repair Speed Up | 2 |
Completing the mission also unlocks Upgrade Shipyard: Level 17.
How it compares with nearby station missions
| Mission | Tritanium | Repair speed ups |
|---|---|---|
| Upgrade Operations to Level 17 | 7,000 | 2 × 5 Minute |
| Upgrade R&D Department to Level 17 | 6,000 | 2 × 5 Minute |
| Upgrade Shipyard: Level 17 | 5,000 | None |
| Upgrade R&D Department to Level 18 | 6,500 | 2 × 5 Minute |
Operations 17 comes first and hands off to this mission, which then hands off to the Shipyard. The rewards sit close together at this stage.
Tips
Each R&D Department level also adds Research Speed, from 24% at level 15 to 36% at level 20, so the upgrade pays off beyond the mission reward.
Use the two repair speed ups on a lightly damaged ship, and put the Tritanium toward the Shipyard 17 upgrade that comes next. Other missions by level are on the mission guide.
