The USS Exeter (NCC-1672) was a Federation Constitution-class heavy cruiser that was in service with Starfleet in the mid-23rd century. In 2267, the Exeter was under the command of Captain Ronald Tracey.

In 2267, the Exeter was one of several starships undergoing repairs at Starbase 11.

Later that year, the Exeter was assigned to a mission patrolling the region surrounding the Omega system. While arranging preparations for a planetary survey of Omega IV, with the village elders, Tracey and his landing party contracted an unknown bacteriological disease. When the landing party, sans Tracey, transported back to the Exeter, they infected the entire crew. Tracey was able to survive due to remaining on the planet’s surface where a natural immunization to the disease occurred due to the planet’s atmosphere.

Six months later, after Starfleet lost contact with the Exeter, the USS Enterprise was dispatched to locate the missing ship. The Enterprise would discover the undamaged and apparently deserted Exeter in orbit of planet Omega IV; the ship’s complement of four shuttlecraft was still present in the hangar deck. When boarded, the ship’s helm was found left on automatic and the entire crew of four hundred were found dead, in the form of dehydrated crystals.

Upon reviewing the final log entry made by the ship’s chief medical officer, Dr. Carter, it was discovered that the crew had died as a result of contamination from the, otherwise undetected, bacteriological disease. Captain Tracey would be located on the planet’s surface, and eventually arrested for violating the Federation’s Prime Directive.

With Tracey placed under arrest, and the mission over, Kirk declared the Exeter abandoned.