A Starfleet starship class of the mid-23rd century, represented by the USS Clarke, one of the ships that answered the Shenzhou's call at the Battle of the Binary Stars.
The Malachowski class is one of several Starfleet designs introduced in the first season of Star Trek: Discovery to fill out the fleet of the 2250s. It is a small ship beside the Walker-class Shenzhou, with a broad saucer and a pair of nacelles set close to the hull.
The class is seen in Battle at the Binary Stars, when Starfleet reinforcements arrive to face the twenty-four Klingon houses summoned by T'Kuvma. The USS Clarke is among the ships that fight and are lost or disabled there in 2256, in the engagement that begins the Federation-Klingon war. Ships of the type are also seen in the background of later fleet scenes during the war.