Upgrade R&D Department to Level 18 is a station mission in Star Trek Fleet Command with a single objective: raise your R&D Department to level 18. It needs only warp 1 to start and finish, and the game lists a recommended level of 1, so the upgrade is the whole task. The reward is 6,500 Tritanium and two 5 Minute Repair Speed Ups, and completing it unlocks the next station mission. It is a steady mid-game reward on a building you will be upgrading anyway.
Upgrade R&D Department to Level 18 objectives
There is one objective and no choice split:
- Upgrade R&D Department to Level 18.
The mission text notes that the R&D Department unlocks additional upgrades for the Shipyard and ships. No system, hostile or donation is involved. The mission clears when the R&D Department reaches level 18.
Where and what warp
Warp 1 to start, warp 1 to complete, no pickup system. Everything happens on your station.
The recommended level is listed as 1. The building requirements for R&D 18 are what decide when you can finish it.
Upgrade R&D Department to Level 18 rewards
| Reward | Amount |
|---|---|
| Tritanium | 6,500 |
| 5 Minute Repair Speed Up | 2 |
Completing the mission also unlocks the next station mission, Upgrade Shipyard: Level 18.
What R&D 18 costs
Current building data for the upgrade and the levels either side of it:
| Level | Parsteel | Dilithium | 2★ Common Refined Gas | 2★ Uncommon Refined Gas | Listed build time | Requirements |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 17 | 57,120 | 420 | 200 | 15 | 17h 24m | Operations 17, Academy 17, Tritanium Generator B 17 |
| 18 | 81,600 | 600 | 1,000 | 85 | 1d 2h 36m | Operations 18, Academy 18, Drydock C 8 |
| 19 | 122,400 | 900 | 5,000 | 300 | 1d 14h 36m | Operations 19, Academy 19, Defense Platform C 8 |
Refined gas is where this upgrade bites. Level 18 needs five times the 2★ Common Refined Gas of level 17, and level 19 multiplies it by five again. The Drydock C 8 requirement also means your third drydock has to keep pace.
How Level 18 compares with nearby R&D missions
| Mission | Tritanium | Repair speed ups |
|---|---|---|
| Upgrade R&D Department to Level 15 | 4,000 | 2 × 5 Minute |
| Upgrade R&D Department to Level 17 | 6,000 | 2 × 5 Minute |
| Upgrade R&D Department to Level 18 | 6,500 | 2 × 5 Minute |
| Upgrade R&D Department to Level 19 | 7,000 | 2 × 5 Minute |
| Upgrade R&D Department to Level 20 | 17,200 | 2 × 10 Minute |
Levels 17 to 19 rise by only 500 Tritanium each. Level 20 is the next big step, more than doubling the Tritanium and upgrading the speed ups to 10 minutes.
Tips
Stock up on 2★ Common Refined Gas before you start. At 1,000 for level 18 and 5,000 for level 19, the gas requirement grows faster than anything else in the cost.
Upgrade Drydock C to level 8 alongside it. The mission that unlocks this one is Upgrade Drydock C to Level 5, so Drydock C is already on your list.
More station missions by level are on the mission guide.
