When the Defiance was first introduced, it was believed that its purpose was to help evolved humans in some unknown way. However, in truth its aim was to capture them and experiment on them, and it developed a tracking device to assist in this, which would only require a name and a photographic image to locate anyone anywhere in the world. Jack discovered this truth accidentally when he found and read some top secret files. He confronted Linderman over this, but Linderman refused to change the aim or admit much detail. Jack determined to change this purpose and turn the operation so that it would truly help his kind. It is unknown whether or not he succeeded before time was altered. The Defiance has never been mentioned in the new timeline.