Following the American Union elections in 2321, the Budd Dwyer was assigned to the 26th fleet as part of the first wave of ships to restore access and stabilize the Atlantica System. It would participate in the First Battle of Atlantica and would receive numerous missile hits resulting in the destruction of much of the internal systems near the middle of the ship. The ship managed to avoid being completely cut in half, and was able to finish its journey to the Atlantica system with most of the crew still operating in voidsuits.