Klingon starships
Encyclopedia
In the Star Trek
franchise, the Klingon Empire
makes use of several classes
of starship
s. As the Klingons are portrayed as a warrior culture, driven by the pursuit of honor and glory, the Empire is shown to use warship
s almost exclusively. This contrasts with the exploration
and research vessel
s used by Starfleet
, the protagonists of the franchise. The first Klingon ship design used in The Original Series
, the D7-class battlecruiser
, was designed by Matt Jefferies
to evoke a shape akin to that of a manta ray
, providing a threatening and instantly recognizable form for viewers. The configuration of Jefferies' design featured a bulbous forward hull connected by a long boom to a wing-like main hull with the engine nacelles
mounted on each wingtip. Though a variety of Klingon ships have appeared in Star Trek, their design generally conforms to this style. Most Klingon vessels were physically built as scale model
s, although later computer-generated imagery
was used to create the models. In recent years, many of the original studio models have been sold at auctions.
All Klingon ships are equipped with some form of sublight engine
, and most of these ships are equipped with superluminal
propulsion technology called warp drive
. Klingon vessels are usually depicted as being heavily armed, equipped with particle beam weapon
s called disruptors and photon torpedoes, an antimatter weapon
, as primary offensive weaponry. Later Klingon ships utilize cloaking device
s. For The Next Generation
and Deep Space Nine
, Klingon ships were designed by Rick Sternbach
to reflect technology exchanges as a result of an alliance between the Klingons and Starfleet. In the prequel television series Enterprise
, Klingon ships are designed to appear more primitive than those chronologically later in the franchise. The interior of Klingon vessels is very utilitarian in nature: this is intended to mimic an old submarine
. Klingon ship names are usually preceded by the prefix
"IKS", an abbreviation for "Imperial Klingon Starship".
to be distinctive and quickly recognised by viewers. As Jefferies wanted the D7-class to appear "threatening, even vicious", the design was modelled on a manta ray
in both basic shape and color. The spread-wing primary hull, long neck and bulbous command module configuation of the D7-class became the basic blueprint for Klingon vessels in the later television series. Jefferies' original model for the D7-class now resides in the Smithsonian Institution's
National Air and Space Museum
, along with the original studio model for USS Enterprise
.
The D7-class model was originally produced for The Original Series episode "Elaan of Troyius"; however, as the episodes were not aired in their production order, the vessel first appeared in "The Enterprise Incident". It is shown to be armed with several disruptor banks that fire in pulses
, as well as with a torpedo launcher in the forward module. In one episode of The Animated Series, "More Tribbles, More Troubles", a D7-class battlecruiser is equipped with an experimental stasis weapon
, capable of paralyzing target vessels. The vessel possesses both impulse engines
and warp drive
, allowing for faster-than-light
travel. While Klingon vessels in the television series set after The Original Series possess cloaking device
s, the Klingon D7-class does not at first. This is changed after "The Enterprise Incident", several D7-class battlecruisers are shown under Romulan
control as the result of a technology exchange between the Romulans and the Klingons; these vessels do utilize a cloaking device.
The appearance of the D7-class has been revisited several times in the Star Trek series; an entirely new studio model was created by Greg Jein
for the Deep Space Nine episode "Trials and Tribble-ations". With an overall green hue, this model had a significantly more detailed hull in comparison to the bland gray of the original. A D7-class ship also appears in the Voyager
episode "Prophecy"; however, as a CGI
model of Jein's model was not available, the ship was instead portrayed with a CGI model of the K't'inga-class battlecruiser. The D7-class was again revisited for the remastered version of The Original Series, in which Michael Okuda
created a new CGI D7-class model, with improved hull detail and Romulan bird markings for the D7-class vessels in "The Enterprise Incident". This remastered D7-class was digitally inserted into episodes earlier than their original appearances.
. When Phase II was abandoned, the story of the pilot was adapted for Star Trek: The Motion Picture
, where three K't'inga-class battlecruisers are used in the opening scenes. Andrew Probert
is credited as the designer of the K't'inga model in its design patent
, while the class name was given by Gene Roddenberry
in his novelization of The Motion Picture. Although sharing a nearly identical configuration with the D7-class, the primary difference in the K't'inga-class is the level of detail on the hull, enhanced to make the model appear more believable to viewers on screen. The configuration of the vessel's impulse engines also differs from that of the D7-class. The K't'inga model was later revisited for Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country
, in which Industrial Light & Magic enhanced the original studio model with glowing engine nacelles and changed the color from muted gray-greens to light gray with gold accents and maroon paneling. ILM's alterations were meant to "contrast... with the Enterprise-A, which is very smooth and monochromatic and cool, while this Klingon ship is very regal and ostentatious and warm". A CGI version of the ship, with a slightly modified nacelle design, was created for the later seasons of Deep Space Nine; this particular model was erroneously used to represent older Klingon ships in the Voyager episode "Prophecy" and the Enterprise episode "Unexpected". The original studio model for the K't'inga-class battlecruiser was later sold in a 2006 Christie's
auction for US$102,000.
The K't'inga-class battlecruiser has similar armaments to the D7-class battlecruiser, with a photon torpedo launcher in the forward module and six disruptor cannons. In addition, the ship possesses an aft torpedo launcher and is capable of firing a powerful disruptor beam from the forward module. The Voyager episode "Flashback" also shows the K't'inga-class using concussion weapons. Unlike the D7-class, the K't'inga-class uses a cloaking device. In The Next Generation episode "The Emissary", these ships are used as sleeper ship
s, which could travel for decades with its crew in suspended animation
. However, the class is equipped with both impulse engines and warp drive. The class is stated to have a crew of 800 and a length of 350 meters. The interior of the battlecruiser was designed by Douglas Trumbull
, with the intent of appearing like "an enemy submarine in World War II
that's been out at sea for too long". The K't'inga-class is used extensively throughout the Star Trek series, appearing from the films set in 2270s to the closing episodes of Deep Space Nine in 2375, often appearing as a ship of the line
in battle scenes.
, the Bird of Prey has featured in five of the films and frequently appears in The Next Generation and Deep Space Nine. Industrial Light & Magic designed and built the Bird of Prey for Star Trek III, assisted by the film's director, Leonard Nimoy
. In early drafts of the script, the Bird of Prey was to be a Romulan
vessel; although this idea was later dropped, the Bird of Prey maintained its cloaking device as a plot point in the film and the Romulan bird feather patterns on its wings were kept. The Bird of Prey is the first Klingon vessel depicted with a cloaking device; all classes chronologically later in the series would also use a cloaking device. The wings of the Bird of Prey are able to move, lowering to attack, maintaining just above horizontal in flight mode and raising high when the ship lands. However, as the studio model's mechanism for moving the wings broke, in later Star Trek series' episodes the wings are usually fixed in either flight mode or attack mode. This was not rectified until the creation of a CGI model for the vessel. The studio models for the Bird of Prey were sold in the 2006 Christie's auction; the original model sold for US$307,200, while an enlarged wing, used for close-up shots in Star Trek V: The Final Frontier
, was sold for US$8,400.
Although several variants are seen throughout the franchise, design notes state that the Bird of Prey has two main classes: the B'rel-class and the K'Vort-class. Both classes used the same studio model, differing in sizes in proportion to other starships depending on variant. The B'rel-class is a scout
vessel, used for espionage
, skirmishes and raids, while the K'Vort-class is a light cruiser
. Both classes are armed with disruptor cannons mounted on the tips of the wings and a forward torpedo launcher. Likewise, both classes are equipped with cloaking devices and are capable of impulse and warp speeds. With a crew of only 12 and a length of 160 meters, the B'rel-class is far smaller than the K'Vort-class, which measures 320 meters and possesses a crew of 300+. The interior of the Bird of Prey is similar to that of Douglas Trumbull's submarine-like designs for the K't'inga-class; some Birds of Prey are even shown with periscope
s to allow the captain to personally target weapons. Despite relatively light armaments, Birds of Prey are shown to be effective craft; both the USS Enterprise
and USS Enterprise-D
are destroyed in part due to the activity of a Bird of Prey.
The Boeing Bird of Prey stealth UAV was named for the Klingon ships.
. The Vor'cha-class is the first new Klingon ship design portrayed outside of The Original Series era, and was designed by Rick Sternbach
. The studio model for the ship was built by Greg Jein
. Sternbach designed the Vor'cha-class to represent the alliance between the United Federation of Planets
and the Klingon Empire by The Next Generation, and consequent technology exchange and collaboration. Thus, the nacelles of the craft were created to be similar to those on Starfleet
vessels, while the color was intentionally placed as a midpoint between the dark green of the Bird of Prey and the light gray of the USS Enterprise-D
. Sternbach's original concept sketches for the Vor'cha-class were sold at an auction in 2003 for US$850, while a studio model for the debris of a destroyed Vor'cha-class cruiser was sold on eBay
in 2006 for US$1,025.
The design of the Vor'cha-class maintains the typical Klingon configuration with a forward module supported by a thick horizontal neck running aft and spreads out into a larger secondary hull. With a crew of 1,900 and a length of 500 meters, Vor'cha-class vessels are one of the largest Klingon ships in the Star Trek universe. They are heavily armed, sporting 18 disruptor cannons as well as three photon torpedo launchers. In addition, the forward section of the cruiser is equipped with a particularly powerful disruptor beam. The ships are equipped with both warp and impulse engines, and make use of cloaking devices. In the Deep Space Nine episode "Return to Grace", the cruiser is stated to have enough firepower to threaten subterranean bases with orbital bombardments. The Vor'cha-class is frequently seen in The Next Generation and Deep Space Nine episodes depicting Klingon ships; in its earliest appearances, the class represents the flagship
of the Empire, under the command of first Klingon Chancellor K'mpec and later Gowron
. Later appearances use the ship as the mainstray vessel in Klingon fleet engagements.
; this version is meant to be far larger than the standard Negh'Var-class, to this end a 25 foot model of the underside of the vessel was created to dwarf the studio model of the USS Defiant
in combat sequences. The studio model for the Negh'Var-class was sold in a 2007 auction for US$7,500.
The warship is introduced as the new flagship of the Klingon Empire in "The Way of the Warrior", under command of Chancellor Gowron and General Martok
. As the studio model is built upon that of the Vor'cha-class, the Negh'Var-class shares many similarities in design in relation to the vessel's shape, color and nacelles. However, with a length of nearly 700 meters and a crew of 2,500, the Negh'Var-class is substantially bigger than the Vor'cha-class. The ship is equipped with a cloaking device. The class is heavily armed, with 20 disruptor banks and four torpedo launchers, as well as a large forward disruptor cannon protruding from the forward section. The Negh'Var-class only appears in a few episodes; other than in the climatic battle of "The Way of the Warrior", it is not used in any fleet battle scenes.
, the D4-class was meant to represent a direct predecessor to Jefferies' D7-class. The design was very similar to that of the D7-class, closely following its configuration and shape and incorporating a more rugged and primitive construction to make the ship appear consistent with the earlier time period. Eaves' team was able to finish the design and Foundation Imaging
created a computer-generated model for the episode. However, the producers rejected the model because they disliked how the model's windows were not prominent as they were on other ship designs, stating that it could only be used if significant changes were made to the vessel. With only a few hours before the episode's deadline for delivery and exhausted from their recent work on "Broken Bow", the pilot episode
of Enterprise, Eaves' team was unable to work through the night to make the alterations. Therefore, the producers decided to use an older CGI model in its place; the only other model available was a K't'inga-class battlecruiser made for Deep Space Nine. The use of the K't'inga-class created a continuity error in the series, with the same ship design seemingly in use for 225 years. For this reason, the producers decided that the K't'inga-class model would not be used again as it did not fit with Enterprises theme. The designers involved later voiced their regret at having to use the older model, but acknowledged that there was no alternative due to the team's exhaustion.
art department, it was the first Klingon ship to debut as a completely computer-generated model. John Eaves was responsible for developing the basic shape of the Raptor-class in concept art
; Doug Drexler later refined Eaves sketches to create a CGI mesh using LightWave 3D. Foundation Imaging converted Drexler's work into the final CGI model seen in the episode. Eaves' objective was to make the craft appear more primitive than the Klingon ships later in the franchise's chronology, with exposed piping and rugged design. Eaves stated that the design was made to look "like it is made up of different pieces that are attached to one another, as opposed to a uniform shape". Several designs of various sizes were proposed before Zimmerman settled on the Raptor-class. While the vessel is lightly based on Industrial Light & Magic's Bird of Prey, Eaves attempted to make the craft appear as a precursor to the D7-class. Drexler, who worked closely with Eaves during the creation of the CGI mesh, was allowed to deal with the closer details of the model, such as the position of the shuttlebay
. Drexler felt that the design held qualities of both a PT boat
and a 19th century ironclad warship
. The overall style of Eaves' design was later used as the basis for future Klingon ships in Enterprise.
Designated as a scout vessel, the Raptor-class is depicted as a stalwart vessel. Its hull, stated to be twice as thick as that of the Enterprise NX-01
, is capable of surviving the pressures in the top two kilometers of a gas giant's
atmosphere. Although designed by the production team as a precursor to the D7-class, the Raptor-class is far smaller; Eaves stated that his design would have had a crew of around 12. The ship is armed with two torpedo launchers and a disruptor array mounted towards the back of the ship. Like most Klingon ships, it has both impulse and warp drive. The Raptor-class only appears in one episode in the series, although its schematics are visible on several computer screens in later episodes.
is a 22nd century Klingon
starship
equipped with disruptor cannons and photon torpedoes, with a maximum speed of warp six.
D5s employed a basic Klingon battlecruiser shape: a small forward hull attached by a long, horizontal boom to a larger engineering hull, with aft-mounted impulse drive units above and two warp engines
at the end of backswept pylons. The design is distinct from that of the later D7 ships by its bigger and less spherical
forward hull, its larger, tapered nacelles, and engine pylons that sweep backward, not forward.
episode "The Expanse". The Bird of Prey was heavily armed with several wing, neck and head mounted disruptor cannons, and fore and aft photon torpedo launchers.
The Bird of Prey was equipped with deflector shielding
and two tractor beam
emitters and was capable of at least warp
3.8.
The Boeing Bird of Prey developed by McDonnell Douglas's
Phantom Works division was named after the Klingon Bird of Prey.
Star Trek
Star Trek is an American science fiction entertainment franchise created by Gene Roddenberry. The core of Star Trek is its six television series: The Original Series, The Animated Series, The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Voyager, and Enterprise...
franchise, the Klingon Empire
Klingon
Klingons are a fictional warrior race in the Star Trek universe.Klingons are recurring villains in the 1960s television show Star Trek: The Original Series, and have appeared in all five spin-off series and eight feature films...
makes use of several classes
Ship class
A ship class is a group of ships of a similar design. This is distinct from a ship-type, which might reflect a similarity of tonnage or intended use. For example, the is a nuclear aircraft carrier of the Nimitz class....
of starship
Starship
A starship or interstellar spacecraft is a theoretical spacecraft designed for traveling between the stars, as opposed to a vehicle designed for orbital spaceflight or interplanetary travel....
s. As the Klingons are portrayed as a warrior culture, driven by the pursuit of honor and glory, the Empire is shown to use warship
Warship
A warship is a ship that is built and primarily intended for combat. Warships are usually built in a completely different way from merchant ships. As well as being armed, warships are designed to withstand damage and are usually faster and more maneuvrable than merchant ships...
s almost exclusively. This contrasts with the exploration
Exploration
Exploration is the act of searching or traveling around a terrain for the purpose of discovery of resources or information. Exploration occurs in all non-sessile animal species, including humans...
and research vessel
Research vessel
A research vessel is a ship designed and equipped to carry out research at sea. Research vessels carry out a number of roles. Some of these roles can be combined into a single vessel, others require a dedicated vessel...
s used by Starfleet
Starfleet
In the fictional universe of Star Trek, Starfleet or the Federation Starfleet is the deep-space exploratory, peacekeeping and military service maintained by the United Federation of Planets . It is the principal means by which the Federation conducts its exploration, defense, diplomacy and research...
, the protagonists of the franchise. The first Klingon ship design used in The Original Series
Star Trek: The Original Series
Star Trek is an American science fiction television series created by Gene Roddenberry, produced by Desilu Productions . Star Trek was telecast on NBC from September 8, 1966, through June 3, 1969...
, the D7-class battlecruiser
Battlecruiser
Battlecruisers were large capital ships built in the first half of the 20th century. They were developed in the first decade of the century as the successor to the armoured cruiser, but their evolution was more closely linked to that of the dreadnought battleship...
, was designed by Matt Jefferies
Matt Jefferies
Walter Matthew Jefferies — known as Matt Jeffries — was an aviation and mechanical artist, set designer and writer, best known for designing the original Starship Enterprise for the Star Trek television series....
to evoke a shape akin to that of a manta ray
Manta ray
The manta ray is the largest species of the rays. The largest known specimen was more than across, with a weight of about . It ranges throughout waters of the world, typically around coral reefs...
, providing a threatening and instantly recognizable form for viewers. The configuration of Jefferies' design featured a bulbous forward hull connected by a long boom to a wing-like main hull with the engine nacelles
Nacelle
The nacelle is a cover housing that holds engines, fuel, or equipment on an aircraft. In some cases—for instance in the typical "Farman" type "pusher" aircraft, or the World War II-era P-38 Lightning—an aircraft's cockpit may also be housed in a nacelle, which essentially fills the...
mounted on each wingtip. Though a variety of Klingon ships have appeared in Star Trek, their design generally conforms to this style. Most Klingon vessels were physically built as scale model
Scale model
A scale model is a physical model, a representation or copy of an object that is larger or smaller than the actual size of the object, which seeks to maintain the relative proportions of the physical size of the original object. Very often the scale model is used as a guide to making the object in...
s, although later computer-generated imagery
Computer-generated imagery
Computer-generated imagery is the application of the field of computer graphics or, more specifically, 3D computer graphics to special effects in art, video games, films, television programs, commercials, simulators and simulation generally, and printed media...
was used to create the models. In recent years, many of the original studio models have been sold at auctions.
All Klingon ships are equipped with some form of sublight engine
Impulse drive
In the fictional Star Trek universe, the impulse drive is the method of propulsion that starships and other spacecraft use when they are travelling below the speed of light. Typically powered by deuterium fusion reactors, impulse engines let ships travel interplanetary distances readily...
, and most of these ships are equipped with superluminal
Faster-than-light
Faster-than-light communications and travel refer to the propagation of information or matter faster than the speed of light....
propulsion technology called warp drive
Warp drive (Star Trek)
Warp drive is a faster-than-light propulsion system in the setting of many science fiction works, most notably Star Trek. A spacecraft equipped with a warp drive may travel at velocities greater than that of light by many orders of magnitude, while circumventing the relativistic problem of time...
. Klingon vessels are usually depicted as being heavily armed, equipped with particle beam weapon
Particle beam weapon
A particle beam weapon uses an ultra-high-energy beam of atoms or electrons to damage a material target by hitting it, and thus disrupting its atomic and molecular structure. A particle beam weapon is a type of directed-energy weapon, which directs energy in a particular direction by a means of...
s called disruptors and photon torpedoes, an antimatter weapon
Antimatter weapon
An antimatter weapon is a hypothetical device using antimatter as a power source, a propellant, or an explosive for a weapon. Antimatter weapons do not currently exist due to the cost of production and the limited technology available to produce and contain antimatter in sufficient quantities for...
, as primary offensive weaponry. Later Klingon ships utilize cloaking device
Cloaking device
Cloaking devices are advanced stealth technologies still in development that will cause objects, such as spaceships or individuals, to be partially or wholly invisible to parts of the electromagnetic spectrum...
s. For The Next Generation
Star Trek: The Next Generation
Star Trek: The Next Generation is an American science fiction television series created by Gene Roddenberry as part of the Star Trek franchise. Roddenberry, Rick Berman, and Michael Piller served as executive producers at different times throughout the production...
and Deep Space Nine
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine is a science fiction television series set in the Star Trek universe...
, Klingon ships were designed by Rick Sternbach
Rick Sternbach
Richard Michael Sternbach is an illustrator who is best known for his space illustrations and his work on the Star Trek television series.- Early years :...
to reflect technology exchanges as a result of an alliance between the Klingons and Starfleet. In the prequel television series Enterprise
Star Trek: Enterprise
Star Trek: Enterprise is a science fiction television series. It follows the adventures of humanity's first warp 5 starship, the Enterprise, ten years before the United Federation of Planets shown in previous Star Trek series was formed.Enterprise premiered on September 26, 2001...
, Klingon ships are designed to appear more primitive than those chronologically later in the franchise. The interior of Klingon vessels is very utilitarian in nature: this is intended to mimic an old submarine
Submarine
A submarine is a watercraft capable of independent operation below the surface of the water. It differs from a submersible, which has more limited underwater capability...
. Klingon ship names are usually preceded by the prefix
Ship prefix
A ship prefix is a combination of letters, usually abbreviations, used in front of the name of a civilian or naval ship.Prefixes for civilian vessels may either identify the type of propulsion, such as "SS" for steamship, or purpose, such as "RV" for research vessel. Civilian prefixes are often...
"IKS", an abbreviation for "Imperial Klingon Starship".
D7-class
The D7-class battlecruiser is the first Klingon starship observed in the Star Trek franchise. The vessel was designed by Matt JefferiesMatt Jefferies
Walter Matthew Jefferies — known as Matt Jeffries — was an aviation and mechanical artist, set designer and writer, best known for designing the original Starship Enterprise for the Star Trek television series....
to be distinctive and quickly recognised by viewers. As Jefferies wanted the D7-class to appear "threatening, even vicious", the design was modelled on a manta ray
Manta ray
The manta ray is the largest species of the rays. The largest known specimen was more than across, with a weight of about . It ranges throughout waters of the world, typically around coral reefs...
in both basic shape and color. The spread-wing primary hull, long neck and bulbous command module configuation of the D7-class became the basic blueprint for Klingon vessels in the later television series. Jefferies' original model for the D7-class now resides in the Smithsonian Institution's
Smithsonian Institution
The Smithsonian Institution is an educational and research institute and associated museum complex, administered and funded by the government of the United States and by funds from its endowment, contributions, and profits from its retail operations, concessions, licensing activities, and magazines...
National Air and Space Museum
National Air and Space Museum
The National Air and Space Museum of the Smithsonian Institution holds the largest collection of historic aircraft and spacecraft in the world. It was established in 1976. Located in Washington, D.C., United States, it is a center for research into the history and science of aviation and...
, along with the original studio model for USS Enterprise
USS Enterprise (NCC-1701)
The USS Enterprise, NCC-1701, is a fictional starship in the Star Trek media franchise. The original Star Trek series depicts her crew's mission "to explore strange new worlds; to seek out new life and new civilizations; to boldly go where no man has gone before" under the command of Captain James...
.
The D7-class model was originally produced for The Original Series episode "Elaan of Troyius"; however, as the episodes were not aired in their production order, the vessel first appeared in "The Enterprise Incident". It is shown to be armed with several disruptor banks that fire in pulses
Pulsed power
Pulsed power is the term used to describe the science and technology of accumulating energy over a relatively long period of time and releasing it very quickly thus increasing the instantaneous power.-Overview:...
, as well as with a torpedo launcher in the forward module. In one episode of The Animated Series, "More Tribbles, More Troubles", a D7-class battlecruiser is equipped with an experimental stasis weapon
Stasis (fiction)
Stasis , or hypersleep, is a science fiction concept akin to suspended animation. Whereas suspended animation usually refers to a greatly reduced state of life processes, stasis implies a complete cessation of these processes, which can be easily restarted or restart spontaneously when stasis is...
, capable of paralyzing target vessels. The vessel possesses both impulse engines
Impulse drive
In the fictional Star Trek universe, the impulse drive is the method of propulsion that starships and other spacecraft use when they are travelling below the speed of light. Typically powered by deuterium fusion reactors, impulse engines let ships travel interplanetary distances readily...
and warp drive
Warp drive (Star Trek)
Warp drive is a faster-than-light propulsion system in the setting of many science fiction works, most notably Star Trek. A spacecraft equipped with a warp drive may travel at velocities greater than that of light by many orders of magnitude, while circumventing the relativistic problem of time...
, allowing for faster-than-light
Faster-than-light
Faster-than-light communications and travel refer to the propagation of information or matter faster than the speed of light....
travel. While Klingon vessels in the television series set after The Original Series possess cloaking device
Cloaking device
Cloaking devices are advanced stealth technologies still in development that will cause objects, such as spaceships or individuals, to be partially or wholly invisible to parts of the electromagnetic spectrum...
s, the Klingon D7-class does not at first. This is changed after "The Enterprise Incident", several D7-class battlecruisers are shown under Romulan
Romulan
The Romulans are a fictional alien race in the Star Trek universe. First appearing in the original Star Trek series in the 1966 episode "Balance of Terror", they have since made appearances in all the main later Star Trek series: The Animated Series, The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Voyager...
control as the result of a technology exchange between the Romulans and the Klingons; these vessels do utilize a cloaking device.
The appearance of the D7-class has been revisited several times in the Star Trek series; an entirely new studio model was created by Greg Jein
Greg Jein
Greg Jein is a model designer who creates miniatures for use in the special effects portions of many films and TV shows. He has been doing so since the 1970s.-References:...
for the Deep Space Nine episode "Trials and Tribble-ations". With an overall green hue, this model had a significantly more detailed hull in comparison to the bland gray of the original. A D7-class ship also appears in the Voyager
Star Trek: Voyager
Star Trek: Voyager is a science fiction television series set in the Star Trek universe. Set in the 24th century from the year 2371 through 2378, the series follows the adventures of the Starfleet vessel USS Voyager, which becomes stranded in the Delta Quadrant 70,000 light-years from Earth while...
episode "Prophecy"; however, as a CGI
Computer-generated imagery
Computer-generated imagery is the application of the field of computer graphics or, more specifically, 3D computer graphics to special effects in art, video games, films, television programs, commercials, simulators and simulation generally, and printed media...
model of Jein's model was not available, the ship was instead portrayed with a CGI model of the K't'inga-class battlecruiser. The D7-class was again revisited for the remastered version of The Original Series, in which Michael Okuda
Michael Okuda
- Work in Star Trek :In the mid-1980s, he designed the look of animated computer displays for the Enterprise-A bridge in Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home. This led to a staff position on Star Trek: The Next Generation in 1987 as a scenic artist, adding detail to set designs and props...
created a new CGI D7-class model, with improved hull detail and Romulan bird markings for the D7-class vessels in "The Enterprise Incident". This remastered D7-class was digitally inserted into episodes earlier than their original appearances.
K't'inga-class
An upgrade of the design used for the D7-class vessel, the K't'inga-class battlecruiser was first conceived for use in the pilot episode of Star Trek: Phase IIStar Trek: Phase II
Star Trek: Phase II was a planned television series based on the characters of Gene Roddenberry's Star Trek, which had run from 1966 to 1969. It was set to air in early 1978 on a proposed Paramount Television Service...
. When Phase II was abandoned, the story of the pilot was adapted for Star Trek: The Motion Picture
Star Trek: The Motion Picture
Star Trek: The Motion Picture is a 1979 American science fiction film released by Paramount Pictures. It is the first film based on the Star Trek television series. The film is set in the twenty-third century, when a mysterious and immensely powerful alien cloud called V'Ger approaches the Earth,...
, where three K't'inga-class battlecruisers are used in the opening scenes. Andrew Probert
Andrew Probert
Andrew Probert is an artist who is best known for designing the USS Enterprise for Star Trek: The Motion Picture and the Enterprise-D for Star Trek: The Next Generation....
is credited as the designer of the K't'inga model in its design patent
Design patent
In the United States, a design patent is a patent granted on the ornamental design of a functional item. Design patents are a type of industrial design right. Ornamental designs of jewelry, furniture, beverage containers and computer icons are examples of objects that are covered by design...
, while the class name was given by Gene Roddenberry
Gene Roddenberry
Eugene Wesley "Gene" Roddenberry was an American television screenwriter, producer and futurist, best known for creating the American science fiction series Star Trek. Born in El Paso, Texas, Roddenberry grew up in Los Angeles, California where his father worked as a police officer...
in his novelization of The Motion Picture. Although sharing a nearly identical configuration with the D7-class, the primary difference in the K't'inga-class is the level of detail on the hull, enhanced to make the model appear more believable to viewers on screen. The configuration of the vessel's impulse engines also differs from that of the D7-class. The K't'inga model was later revisited for Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country
Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country
Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country is the sixth feature film in the Star Trek science fiction franchise and is the last of the Star Trek films to include the entire main cast of the 1960s Star Trek television series. Released in 1991 by Paramount Pictures, it was directed by Nicholas Meyer and...
, in which Industrial Light & Magic enhanced the original studio model with glowing engine nacelles and changed the color from muted gray-greens to light gray with gold accents and maroon paneling. ILM's alterations were meant to "contrast... with the Enterprise-A, which is very smooth and monochromatic and cool, while this Klingon ship is very regal and ostentatious and warm". A CGI version of the ship, with a slightly modified nacelle design, was created for the later seasons of Deep Space Nine; this particular model was erroneously used to represent older Klingon ships in the Voyager episode "Prophecy" and the Enterprise episode "Unexpected". The original studio model for the K't'inga-class battlecruiser was later sold in a 2006 Christie's
Christie's
Christie's is an art business and a fine arts auction house.- History :The official company literature states that founder James Christie conducted the first sale in London, England, on 5 December 1766, and the earliest auction catalogue the company retains is from December 1766...
auction for US$102,000.
The K't'inga-class battlecruiser has similar armaments to the D7-class battlecruiser, with a photon torpedo launcher in the forward module and six disruptor cannons. In addition, the ship possesses an aft torpedo launcher and is capable of firing a powerful disruptor beam from the forward module. The Voyager episode "Flashback" also shows the K't'inga-class using concussion weapons. Unlike the D7-class, the K't'inga-class uses a cloaking device. In The Next Generation episode "The Emissary", these ships are used as sleeper ship
Sleeper ship
A sleeper ship is a hypothetical type of manned spaceship in which most or all of the crew spends the journey in some form of hibernation or suspended animation. There is currently no known technology that allows for long-term suspended animation of humans....
s, which could travel for decades with its crew in suspended animation
Suspended animation
Suspended animation is the slowing of life processes by external means without termination. Breathing, heartbeat, and other involuntary functions may still occur, but they can only be detected by artificial means. Extreme cold can be used to precipitate the slowing of an individual's functions; use...
. However, the class is equipped with both impulse engines and warp drive. The class is stated to have a crew of 800 and a length of 350 meters. The interior of the battlecruiser was designed by Douglas Trumbull
Douglas Trumbull
Douglas Huntley Trumbull is an American film director, special effects supervisor, and inventor. He contributed to, or was responsible for, the special photographic effects of 2001: A Space Odyssey, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Star Trek: The Motion Picture, Blade Runner and The Tree of...
, with the intent of appearing like "an enemy submarine in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
that's been out at sea for too long". The K't'inga-class is used extensively throughout the Star Trek series, appearing from the films set in 2270s to the closing episodes of Deep Space Nine in 2375, often appearing as a ship of the line
Ship of the line
A ship of the line was a type of naval warship constructed from the 17th through the mid-19th century to take part in the naval tactic known as the line of battle, in which two columns of opposing warships would manoeuvre to bring the greatest weight of broadside guns to bear...
in battle scenes.
Bird of Prey classes
The Bird of Prey is one of the most common Klingon ships seen in the Star Trek franchise. First introduced in Star Trek III: The Search for SpockStar Trek III: The Search for Spock
Star Trek III: The Search for Spock is a 1984 motion picture released by Paramount Pictures. The film is the third feature based on the Star Trek science fiction franchise and is the center of a three-film story arc that begins with Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan and concludes with Star Trek IV:...
, the Bird of Prey has featured in five of the films and frequently appears in The Next Generation and Deep Space Nine. Industrial Light & Magic designed and built the Bird of Prey for Star Trek III, assisted by the film's director, Leonard Nimoy
Leonard Nimoy
Leonard Simon Nimoy is an American actor, film director, poet, musician and photographer. Nimoy's most famous role is that of Spock in the original Star Trek series , multiple films, television and video game sequels....
. In early drafts of the script, the Bird of Prey was to be a Romulan
Romulan
The Romulans are a fictional alien race in the Star Trek universe. First appearing in the original Star Trek series in the 1966 episode "Balance of Terror", they have since made appearances in all the main later Star Trek series: The Animated Series, The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Voyager...
vessel; although this idea was later dropped, the Bird of Prey maintained its cloaking device as a plot point in the film and the Romulan bird feather patterns on its wings were kept. The Bird of Prey is the first Klingon vessel depicted with a cloaking device; all classes chronologically later in the series would also use a cloaking device. The wings of the Bird of Prey are able to move, lowering to attack, maintaining just above horizontal in flight mode and raising high when the ship lands. However, as the studio model's mechanism for moving the wings broke, in later Star Trek series' episodes the wings are usually fixed in either flight mode or attack mode. This was not rectified until the creation of a CGI model for the vessel. The studio models for the Bird of Prey were sold in the 2006 Christie's auction; the original model sold for US$307,200, while an enlarged wing, used for close-up shots in Star Trek V: The Final Frontier
Star Trek V: The Final Frontier
Star Trek V: The Final Frontier is a 1989 American science fiction film released by Paramount Pictures. It is the fifth feature in the franchise and the penultimate to star the cast of the original Star Trek science fiction television series...
, was sold for US$8,400.
Although several variants are seen throughout the franchise, design notes state that the Bird of Prey has two main classes: the B'rel-class and the K'Vort-class. Both classes used the same studio model, differing in sizes in proportion to other starships depending on variant. The B'rel-class is a scout
Reconnaissance
Reconnaissance is the military term for exploring beyond the area occupied by friendly forces to gain information about enemy forces or features of the environment....
vessel, used for espionage
Espionage
Espionage or spying involves an individual obtaining information that is considered secret or confidential without the permission of the holder of the information. Espionage is inherently clandestine, lest the legitimate holder of the information change plans or take other countermeasures once it...
, skirmishes and raids, while the K'Vort-class is a light cruiser
Light cruiser
A light cruiser is a type of small- or medium-sized warship. The term is a shortening of the phrase "light armored cruiser", describing a small ship that carried armor in the same way as an armored cruiser: a protective belt and deck...
. Both classes are armed with disruptor cannons mounted on the tips of the wings and a forward torpedo launcher. Likewise, both classes are equipped with cloaking devices and are capable of impulse and warp speeds. With a crew of only 12 and a length of 160 meters, the B'rel-class is far smaller than the K'Vort-class, which measures 320 meters and possesses a crew of 300+. The interior of the Bird of Prey is similar to that of Douglas Trumbull's submarine-like designs for the K't'inga-class; some Birds of Prey are even shown with periscope
Periscope
A periscope is an instrument for observation from a concealed position. In its simplest form it consists of a tube with mirrors at each end set parallel to each other at a 45-degree angle....
s to allow the captain to personally target weapons. Despite relatively light armaments, Birds of Prey are shown to be effective craft; both the USS Enterprise
USS Enterprise (NCC-1701)
The USS Enterprise, NCC-1701, is a fictional starship in the Star Trek media franchise. The original Star Trek series depicts her crew's mission "to explore strange new worlds; to seek out new life and new civilizations; to boldly go where no man has gone before" under the command of Captain James...
and USS Enterprise-D
USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-D)
The USS Enterprise is a 24th century starship in the Star Trek fictional universe and the principal setting of the Star Trek: The Next Generation television series...
are destroyed in part due to the activity of a Bird of Prey.
The Boeing Bird of Prey stealth UAV was named for the Klingon ships.
Vor'cha-class
The Vor'cha-class attack cruiser is a powerful Klingon vessel that debuted in The Next Generation episode "Reunion". Its combat role is stated to be comparable to that of a heavy cruiserHeavy cruiser
The heavy cruiser was a type of cruiser, a naval warship designed for long range, high speed and an armament of naval guns roughly 203mm calibre . The heavy cruiser can be seen as a lineage of ship design from 1915 until 1945, although the term 'heavy cruiser' only came into formal use in 1930...
. The Vor'cha-class is the first new Klingon ship design portrayed outside of The Original Series era, and was designed by Rick Sternbach
Rick Sternbach
Richard Michael Sternbach is an illustrator who is best known for his space illustrations and his work on the Star Trek television series.- Early years :...
. The studio model for the ship was built by Greg Jein
Greg Jein
Greg Jein is a model designer who creates miniatures for use in the special effects portions of many films and TV shows. He has been doing so since the 1970s.-References:...
. Sternbach designed the Vor'cha-class to represent the alliance between the United Federation of Planets
United Federation of Planets
The United Federation of Planets, also known as "The Federation" is a fictional interplanetary federal republic depicted in the Star Trek television series and motion pictures...
and the Klingon Empire by The Next Generation, and consequent technology exchange and collaboration. Thus, the nacelles of the craft were created to be similar to those on Starfleet
Starfleet
In the fictional universe of Star Trek, Starfleet or the Federation Starfleet is the deep-space exploratory, peacekeeping and military service maintained by the United Federation of Planets . It is the principal means by which the Federation conducts its exploration, defense, diplomacy and research...
vessels, while the color was intentionally placed as a midpoint between the dark green of the Bird of Prey and the light gray of the USS Enterprise-D
USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-D)
The USS Enterprise is a 24th century starship in the Star Trek fictional universe and the principal setting of the Star Trek: The Next Generation television series...
. Sternbach's original concept sketches for the Vor'cha-class were sold at an auction in 2003 for US$850, while a studio model for the debris of a destroyed Vor'cha-class cruiser was sold on eBay
EBay
eBay Inc. is an American internet consumer-to-consumer corporation that manages eBay.com, an online auction and shopping website in which people and businesses buy and sell a broad variety of goods and services worldwide...
in 2006 for US$1,025.
The design of the Vor'cha-class maintains the typical Klingon configuration with a forward module supported by a thick horizontal neck running aft and spreads out into a larger secondary hull. With a crew of 1,900 and a length of 500 meters, Vor'cha-class vessels are one of the largest Klingon ships in the Star Trek universe. They are heavily armed, sporting 18 disruptor cannons as well as three photon torpedo launchers. In addition, the forward section of the cruiser is equipped with a particularly powerful disruptor beam. The ships are equipped with both warp and impulse engines, and make use of cloaking devices. In the Deep Space Nine episode "Return to Grace", the cruiser is stated to have enough firepower to threaten subterranean bases with orbital bombardments. The Vor'cha-class is frequently seen in The Next Generation and Deep Space Nine episodes depicting Klingon ships; in its earliest appearances, the class represents the flagship
Flagship
A flagship is a vessel used by the commanding officer of a group of naval ships, reflecting the custom of its commander, characteristically a flag officer, flying a distinguishing flag...
of the Empire, under the command of first Klingon Chancellor K'mpec and later Gowron
Gowron
Gowron is a fictional character in the Star Trek universe. Portrayed by Robert O'Reilly and featured in the television series Star Trek: The Next Generation and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine...
. Later appearances use the ship as the mainstray vessel in Klingon fleet engagements.
Negh'Var-class
The Negh'Var-class warship is the largest and most heavily armed Klingon vessel seen in the Star Trek franchise. The class initially was designed by Rick Sternbach to appear as a Klingon attack cruiser for an alternate timeline in "All Good Things...", the series finale of The Next Generation. Sternbach built the studio model for the vessel on top of the existing studio model for the Vor'cha-class attack cruiser. A slightly modified studio model was used in the Deep Space Nine episode "The Way of the Warrior", in which the Negh'Var-class is properly introduced to the audience. A CGI version of the model was eventually produced for the Voyager series finale "Endgame", incorporating elements from the models used in both "All Good Things..." and "The Way of the Warrior". The Negh'Var-class is also used in the episodes "Shattered Mirror" and "The Emperor's New Cloak" as a flagship in the Mirror UniverseMirror Universe (Star Trek)
The Mirror Universe is a fictional parallel universe in which the plots of several Star Trek television episodes take place...
; this version is meant to be far larger than the standard Negh'Var-class, to this end a 25 foot model of the underside of the vessel was created to dwarf the studio model of the USS Defiant
USS Defiant
The USS Defiant is a fictional starship in the television series Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and the feature film Star Trek: First Contact...
in combat sequences. The studio model for the Negh'Var-class was sold in a 2007 auction for US$7,500.
The warship is introduced as the new flagship of the Klingon Empire in "The Way of the Warrior", under command of Chancellor Gowron and General Martok
Martok
Martok is a recurring character in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, played by actor J. G. Hertzler.-Overview:Little backstory is given regarding the early life of Martok, except for a brief history sketched by himself in the Deep Space Nine episode "Once More Unto the Breach"...
. As the studio model is built upon that of the Vor'cha-class, the Negh'Var-class shares many similarities in design in relation to the vessel's shape, color and nacelles. However, with a length of nearly 700 meters and a crew of 2,500, the Negh'Var-class is substantially bigger than the Vor'cha-class. The ship is equipped with a cloaking device. The class is heavily armed, with 20 disruptor banks and four torpedo launchers, as well as a large forward disruptor cannon protruding from the forward section. The Negh'Var-class only appears in a few episodes; other than in the climatic battle of "The Way of the Warrior", it is not used in any fleet battle scenes.
D4-class
The D4-class battlecruiser was a proposed design for the first Klingon vessel to appear in Enterprise. The vessel was originally designed for usage in the fourth episode of the series, "Unexpected". Designed by John EavesJohn Eaves
John Eaves is a designer and illustrator best known for his work on the Star Trek franchise. He served as a production artist on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and Star Trek: Enterprise and was involved in all four Next Generation movies, specifically being responsible for the design of the...
, the D4-class was meant to represent a direct predecessor to Jefferies' D7-class. The design was very similar to that of the D7-class, closely following its configuration and shape and incorporating a more rugged and primitive construction to make the ship appear consistent with the earlier time period. Eaves' team was able to finish the design and Foundation Imaging
Foundation Imaging
Foundation Imaging was a CGI visual effects studio, computer animation studio, and post-production editing facility that pioneered digital imaging for television programming using Newtek's LightWave 3D on Commodore Amiga based Video Toaster workstations. Founded by Paul Beigle-Bryant and Ron...
created a computer-generated model for the episode. However, the producers rejected the model because they disliked how the model's windows were not prominent as they were on other ship designs, stating that it could only be used if significant changes were made to the vessel. With only a few hours before the episode's deadline for delivery and exhausted from their recent work on "Broken Bow", the pilot episode
Television pilot
A "television pilot" is a standalone episode of a television series that is used to sell the show to a television network. At the time of its inception, the pilot is meant to be the "testing ground" to see if a series will be possibly desired and successful and therefore a test episode of an...
of Enterprise, Eaves' team was unable to work through the night to make the alterations. Therefore, the producers decided to use an older CGI model in its place; the only other model available was a K't'inga-class battlecruiser made for Deep Space Nine. The use of the K't'inga-class created a continuity error in the series, with the same ship design seemingly in use for 225 years. For this reason, the producers decided that the K't'inga-class model would not be used again as it did not fit with Enterprises theme. The designers involved later voiced their regret at having to use the older model, but acknowledged that there was no alternative due to the team's exhaustion.
Raptor-class
The Raptor-class is the first new Klingon ship design depicted in Enterprise. The vessel is the subject of the first season episode "Sleeping Dogs". Produced by Herman Zimmerman'sHerman F. Zimmerman
Herman F. Zimmerman is an art director and production designer. He is probably best known for his work in Star Trek.- Career :...
art department, it was the first Klingon ship to debut as a completely computer-generated model. John Eaves was responsible for developing the basic shape of the Raptor-class in concept art
Concept art
Concept art is a form of illustration where the main goal is to convey a visual representation of a design, idea, and/or mood for use in films, video games, animation, or comic books before it is put into the final product. Concept art is also referred to as visual development and/or concept design...
; Doug Drexler later refined Eaves sketches to create a CGI mesh using LightWave 3D. Foundation Imaging converted Drexler's work into the final CGI model seen in the episode. Eaves' objective was to make the craft appear more primitive than the Klingon ships later in the franchise's chronology, with exposed piping and rugged design. Eaves stated that the design was made to look "like it is made up of different pieces that are attached to one another, as opposed to a uniform shape". Several designs of various sizes were proposed before Zimmerman settled on the Raptor-class. While the vessel is lightly based on Industrial Light & Magic's Bird of Prey, Eaves attempted to make the craft appear as a precursor to the D7-class. Drexler, who worked closely with Eaves during the creation of the CGI mesh, was allowed to deal with the closer details of the model, such as the position of the shuttlebay
Shuttlecraft (Star Trek)
In the Star Trek fictional universe, a shuttlecraft is a small auxiliary spaceship carried by the larger craft such as the Enterprise. Shuttlecraft were documented in the writer's guide for the series in 1966 and first appeared in the episode The Galileo Seven. Galileo was the name of the...
. Drexler felt that the design held qualities of both a PT boat
PT boat
PT Boats were a variety of motor torpedo boat , a small, fast vessel used by the United States Navy in World War II to attack larger surface ships. The PT boat squadrons were nicknamed "the mosquito fleet". The Japanese called them "Devil Boats".The original pre–World War I torpedo boats were...
and a 19th century ironclad warship
Ironclad warship
An ironclad was a steam-propelled warship in the early part of the second half of the 19th century, protected by iron or steel armor plates. The ironclad was developed as a result of the vulnerability of wooden warships to explosive or incendiary shells. The first ironclad battleship, La Gloire,...
. The overall style of Eaves' design was later used as the basis for future Klingon ships in Enterprise.
Designated as a scout vessel, the Raptor-class is depicted as a stalwart vessel. Its hull, stated to be twice as thick as that of the Enterprise NX-01
Enterprise (NX-01)
The Enterprise is a fictional starship in the science fiction television series Star Trek: Enterprise. It is commanded by Captain Jonathan Archer.-History:...
, is capable of surviving the pressures in the top two kilometers of a gas giant's
Gas giant
A gas giant is a large planet that is not primarily composed of rock or other solid matter. There are four gas giants in the Solar System: Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune...
atmosphere. Although designed by the production team as a precursor to the D7-class, the Raptor-class is far smaller; Eaves stated that his design would have had a crew of around 12. The ship is armed with two torpedo launchers and a disruptor array mounted towards the back of the ship. Like most Klingon ships, it has both impulse and warp drive. The Raptor-class only appears in one episode in the series, although its schematics are visible on several computer screens in later episodes.
D5-class
The D5-class battlecruiserBattlecruiser
Battlecruisers were large capital ships built in the first half of the 20th century. They were developed in the first decade of the century as the successor to the armoured cruiser, but their evolution was more closely linked to that of the dreadnought battleship...
is a 22nd century Klingon
Klingon
Klingons are a fictional warrior race in the Star Trek universe.Klingons are recurring villains in the 1960s television show Star Trek: The Original Series, and have appeared in all five spin-off series and eight feature films...
starship
Starship
A starship or interstellar spacecraft is a theoretical spacecraft designed for traveling between the stars, as opposed to a vehicle designed for orbital spaceflight or interplanetary travel....
equipped with disruptor cannons and photon torpedoes, with a maximum speed of warp six.
D5s employed a basic Klingon battlecruiser shape: a small forward hull attached by a long, horizontal boom to a larger engineering hull, with aft-mounted impulse drive units above and two warp engines
Warp drive (Star Trek)
Warp drive is a faster-than-light propulsion system in the setting of many science fiction works, most notably Star Trek. A spacecraft equipped with a warp drive may travel at velocities greater than that of light by many orders of magnitude, while circumventing the relativistic problem of time...
at the end of backswept pylons. The design is distinct from that of the later D7 ships by its bigger and less spherical
Sphere
A sphere is a perfectly round geometrical object in three-dimensional space, such as the shape of a round ball. Like a circle in two dimensions, a perfect sphere is completely symmetrical around its center, with all points on the surface lying the same distance r from the center point...
forward hull, its larger, tapered nacelles, and engine pylons that sweep backward, not forward.
Bird of Prey
This type of Bird of Prey was first seen in the Star Trek: EnterpriseStar Trek: Enterprise
Star Trek: Enterprise is a science fiction television series. It follows the adventures of humanity's first warp 5 starship, the Enterprise, ten years before the United Federation of Planets shown in previous Star Trek series was formed.Enterprise premiered on September 26, 2001...
episode "The Expanse". The Bird of Prey was heavily armed with several wing, neck and head mounted disruptor cannons, and fore and aft photon torpedo launchers.
The Bird of Prey was equipped with deflector shielding
Shields (Star Trek)
In the Star Trek fictional universe, shields refer to a 23rd and 24th century technology that protects starships, space stations, and planets from damage by natural hazard or enemy attack...
and two tractor beam
Tractor beam
A tractor beam is a device with the ability to attract one object to another from a distance. Since the 1990s, technology and research has labored to make it a reality, mostly at microscopic level. Less commonly, a similar beam that repels is called a pressor beam or repulsor beam...
emitters and was capable of at least warp
Warp drive (Star Trek)
Warp drive is a faster-than-light propulsion system in the setting of many science fiction works, most notably Star Trek. A spacecraft equipped with a warp drive may travel at velocities greater than that of light by many orders of magnitude, while circumventing the relativistic problem of time...
3.8.
The Boeing Bird of Prey developed by McDonnell Douglas's
McDonnell Douglas
McDonnell Douglas was a major American aerospace manufacturer and defense contractor, producing a number of famous commercial and military aircraft. It formed from a merger of McDonnell Aircraft and Douglas Aircraft in 1967. McDonnell Douglas was based at Lambert-St. Louis International Airport...
Phantom Works division was named after the Klingon Bird of Prey.
External links
- Klingon starship classes at Memory AlphaMemory AlphaMemory Alpha is a wiki that is an encyclopedic reference for topics related to the Star Trek fictional universe. Conceived by Harry Doddema and Dan Carlson in September 2003 and officially launched on December 5 of that year, it uses the wiki model and is hosted by Wikia, Inc. on the MediaWiki...
, a WikiaWikiaWikia is a free web hosting service for wikis . It is normally free of charge for readers and editors, deriving most of its income from advertising, and publishes all user-provided text under copyleft licenses. Wikia hosts several hundred thousand wikis using the open-source wiki software MediaWiki...
project