The USS Okinawa was a Federation starship that was in serviced during the mid-24th century.
The Okinawa was Benjamin Sisko's assignment prior to his posting on the USS Saratoga. On the Okinawa, Sisko was promoted to lieutenant commander and received the position of executive officer under the command of Captain Leyton. The Okinawa saw action in the Tzenkethi War.
On one occasion, the Okinawa encountered three Tzenkethi raiders, which then fled into a nearby asteroid belt. Commander Sisko told Captain Leyton it was risky to pursue them, but was overruled by his commanding officer. In 2372, Sisko admitted that going after the Tzenkethi was the right thing to do. (DS9: "Homefront", "Paradise Lost")
Okinawa personnel
Background
The Star Trek Encyclopedia states that this vessel was an Template:ShipClass starship, with a registry of NCC-13958.
The non-canon computer game Star Trek: Legacy also shows the Okinawa being an Excelsior-class vessel, however in a refitted configuration similar to the USS Enterprise-B or the USS Lakota, along with the USS Berlin.
The Okinawa was named after the Japanese island in the East China Sea.