Star Trek: Inside the Klingon D7 Battlecruiser

#startrek
The Klingon D 7 class cruiser, initially crafted and employed by the Klingon Imperial Fleet in the 23rd century, found its way into the hands of the Romuland military during the latter part of the 2260s.
It possessed a distinctly predatory appearance, characterized by its spread-wing primary hull, elongated neck, and head-like command pod.
In the late 2260s, when adopted by the Romuland military, some variants displayed a large bird-of-prey design painted on the hull, akin to the one found on the Bird-of-Prey vessel, while others sported red and yellow feather-like detailing on the upper wing and nacelle pylon.
The first Klingon ship design featured in The Original Series was the D7-class battlecruiser, carefully crafted by Matt Jefferies to resemble the shape of a menacing manta ray, ensuring an instantly recognizable and formidable appearance for viewers.
Blueprint of the D7
www.cygnus-x1.net/links/lcars...
3D model Bird of Prey and Textures by Alex Klemm
www.alex3d.at/
Here is a list of books and tools I have used to recreate these animations. (affiliate links)
Star Trek: The U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701 Illustrated Handbook
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ASUS ROG Strix NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Ti OC Edition
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Logitech MX Master 3 Advanced Wireless Mouse
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SAMSUNG 970 EVO Plus SSD 500GB - M.2 NVMe
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AMD Ryzen 9 5900X 12-core
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0:00 Introduction
1:14 Size Comparison
2:04 Exterior
3:28 Interior (Primary Hull)
9:34 Interior (Engineering Hull)
15:42 Conclusion

[@jlomesou]

This isn't a D-7 Battle cruiser. This looks more like an earlier design from late 22nd Century/ Early 23rd Century Klingon vessel. That would make it a D-5 or 6. Also, lounges would not be found on a Klingon ship. What you will find are combat training areas, hand to hand fighting gyms, and an area to do Klingon rituals. They don't clutter their vessel with non-essentials, as Koloth once said. Everything about their ships is made for combat.

[@mrtrek64]

Don't rag on the guy. This video took a lot of work and effort even if it isn't perfect. I enjoyed it, thank you.

[@Halfscreen]

I appreciate that!

[@billbolton7108]

That very first one is a D-4 Battle cruiser a 22nd century design

[@kennethcollins7665]

Talks about the Klingon D7, then shows a ship that looks very little like a D7. Nowhere in either TOS nor the movies, do you see any of the piping/support structure that is shown on these illustrations. And I don’t remember seeing any of those on the 1975 blueprints either. There are also critical differences in the upper engineering section as well. I just verified these by watching “Elan of Troyius” and the Klingon battle against V’ger. Nor are there any see through portions of the warp nacelles, they’re solid. Also, the bridge module was equipped with an impulse engine in case it had to separate from the engineering section in case of crew mutiny. Not sure what ship you’re showing us, but it sure isn’t a D7.

[@tharding1797]

agree 100% , that model is definitely not a D7 .

[@jc1982discovery]

The Klingon holding the electric guitar made me chuckle😂

[@jedironin380]

I was wondering why the Navigator was playing guitar! I guess once the course is entered in to the system, there's not much else to do down there.

[@tonysworkbench6070]

Very interesting and well-done guide to the interior of the D7. However, not one of the exterior renders depicts the D7!

[@The_dude_fantastic]

You're right the exterior is a concept Klingon D4 model not a Klingon D7.

[@inkermoy]

Listening to the description of the interior spaces I came to the conclusion that you used the fanmade blueprints from the 1970's, and that you acknowledge the somewhat dated reference (I got the same set of blueprints). The layout suggests a more "human" approach to needs and comforts that fit in with TOS than the warrior culture it morphed into in TNG. Gotta love those "Inspirational Media Centers". I'm sure if they did blueprints today the crew quarters wouldn't be so spacious, but may have several more dentist's offices!

[@jimhills1920]

Maybe 23rd Century Klingons worried more about dentists. As you can tell from the other versions of Trek, later Klingons not so much interested. 😆

[@gnexjeff]

Since this was a Klingon ship, I was waiting to see you include a brig and you most certainly did not disappoint on the sizing of it!

[@Joschimoto2000]

well he based it on the blueprints from "Galactic Designs And Productions" from 1975, great blueprint of the D7 ^^ search for "cygnus d7 blueprint" and you can find them and some other very good ones ;)

[@nicholasmorsovillo2752]

I'm even surprised that Klingon ships would have a brig as it has been stated numerous times 'Klingons don't take Prisoner's.

[@Geektownusa]

Truth.

[@thehillbillygamer2183]

Those three versions of this ship the D7 the katanga and in the battle cruiser the battlecruiser the last one sometimes did have powerful phaser turret in the old torpedo tube

[@thehillbillygamer2183]

A Starfleet officer under the nx-01 Enterprise Latina Reed another clan of Captain Archer stowed Photon torpedo technology from the Klingon it wasn't deliver Espionage it was just an opportunity but he couldn't pass up

[@nicholasmorsovillo2752]

Remember in the Star Trek:Voyager season 7 episode 'Prophecy' where we got to see a Klingon D7 BattleCruiser again that was found in the Delta Quadrant by the crew of the U S.S. Voyager NCC-74656 man that was a neat episode seeing a classic Klingon ship we haven't seen since the T.O.S. series going up against an advanced Federation Starship.

[@russ3881]

Your model is not a D7 Battlecruiser, it is a D4 Battlecruiser.

[@dcpack]

Love these. When I see one it's time to get a snack and a cup of coffee and enjoy.

[@Halfscreen]

Enjoy!

[@jamesbodnarchuk3322]

One of my favourite space fairing battle birds!❤

[@steevthetech]

Lots of interesting adjectives peppered throughout the video.

[@dexaver960]

for everyone who is judging the video because of him getting the ship wrong, he still worked very hard on this video and tried his best & i doubt any of you could do any better at it, it’s a harmless mistake

[@Halfscreen]

Technically, I knew it was the wrong model but couldn't find the right 3D asset. I needed to save a few days of modeling.

[@neilhaas]

Thats very interesting about the ship & interior design. The Klingon D7 Cruiser KTinga class battle cruiser. Nice Klingon ship besides the Vor,cha attack cruiser & Bird of Prey. ❤😊🤩☺️⭐

[@skapunkoialternativeliving6522]

Great video is usual my friend. I miss your videos so far but you put great detail into explaining everything I love the way you do this a lot of other channels do not explain in detail. You do not respect to you, my friend. You are awesome keep bringing these videos up. Don't stop I want to see more videos.

[@Halfscreen]

I appreciate that! need to take a break after 3 years of modeling, edit and writing.

[@skapunkoialternativeliving6522]

@@Halfscreen I can imagine it takes hours and hours to edit. This KZbin thing is a lot of work I have a small KZbin channel but it's completely different. It's about automatic living cause I live a simple life I don't edit like that thank God this way I appreciate what you're doing.

[@Halfscreen]

@@skapunkoialternativeliving6522 Im been doing it for 3 years and it's hard work. Most people assume it is easy for some reason. 😀

[@skapunkoialternativeliving6522]

@@Halfscreen The reason why you don't succumb to it. My friend is because you love what you're doing, that's the point. Anything you love doesn't. That's all like I love alternative living and camping and it's never tiring to me so I understand what you're saying. My friend? You do a great job because your passion is this awesome. I love it.

[@Halfscreen]

@@skapunkoialternativeliving6522 Thanks for the love!

[@nicholasmorsovillo2752]

Remember in Star Trek Enterprise season 1 episode 'Sleeping Dogs' and the Star Trek the Next Generation season 2 episode 'A Matter of Honor' where in those 2 episodes it was revealed the Klingons like to eat their food while it was fresh in other words they ate their food while it was still alive which is no surprise as the Klingons are a Predatory Warrior race.

[@zasher7800]

I have doubts a klingon battleship would have such extensive medical facilities. :D

[@michaelblackwell7408]

You honores Michael McMaster, Thank you. He left us way too young.

[@luiszuluaga6575]

Crazy cool tour! 😃

[@Halfscreen]

Thanks! 😁

[@stever3832]

The interior modelling is incredibly beautiful and awesome to look at - truly wonderful work!

[@Halfscreen]

Thank you very much!

[@MatthewCaunsfield]

Lovely interior visuals. It's so strange listening to your description of the Klingon dental office but they must have needed one! 😁

[@Halfscreen]

My thoughts exactly. You wouldn't consider having a dental office inside a Klingon ship.

[@oldgordo61]

Or a highly advanced state of the art medical facillities, Given thier warriior mindset and culture. Military combat training and armanant design and manufacturing was much more emphasized than with medical care and training.. And quarters of the crew would be pretty spartan, @@Halfscreen

[@Quetzalcoatl_Feathered_Serpent]

@@oldgordo61 That's mostly for Klingon Crews later in the Movie era and post into the TNG era as they began to embrace more the warrior belief they had. If anything given they were supposed to be the alternative super power compared to the Federation. Its very likely they had Klingon ships that was purposefully decked out with the best Klingon Tech had to offer to show boat the empires capabilities, So Klingon ships looking like high tech wonders inside instead of looking one step to looking like a tramp hualer was more likely. By the time you get to the movie era, you likely had older klingon ships running around and becoming a little worn out. The more Warrior aspect and culture starting to come into being.

[@leiaorgana6987]

Its silly to think that kinglons, being so wild and warlike, have human-like structures in their compartments

[@Halfscreen]

Yeah, I was hoping for something more aliens and warlike.

[@warmonger2500]

I love these breakdowns.

[@colonelblastpack169]

beautiful ship and video

[@Halfscreen]

Thanks for visiting

[@bobbymak6964]

Thanks. You answered many questions that I had.

[@spacemanspiff3052]

Excellent video!

[@Halfscreen]

Glad you liked it!

[@WozWozEre]

Love your videos, but this one was like someone chewed up a Thesaurus and spot it out. Some of the language was unnecessarily... 'flowery' lol.

[@Halfscreen]

Fair enough. I will be be more straight forward in the next video.

[@nicholasmorsovillo2752]

Anyone find it funny that with most races of the Alpha and Beta Quadrants have starships that are smaller than Federation starships with the acception of the Borg and the Dominion and the Romulans.

[@LuciusClevelandensis]

What do I think? The D7 is the most perfect and beautiful fictional spacecraft ever envisioned by humanity. Thanks for sharing.

[@Halfscreen]

Thanks for watching!

[@mrtrek2117]

I mean, can you imagine what the dentists office situation is on board a Klingon Battle Cruiser!!!😂

[@TheRezro]

I'm not sure if it was mentioned, but extended neck play important role as psychological armour. When D7 was introduced, most ships still did have directional shielding. Klingons make they bridges look exposed and venerable, when in reality they did have powerful localized shielding. This tactic fail against Federation, what has tendency of disabling enemy ships and as such prefer to attack drive system, what by comparison was relatively lightly protected.

[@matthewpoe1056]

That is not a D-7 Klingon Battlecrusier. Your model is the D-4 from Star Trek: Enterprise. You are about 100 years out of date.

[@jacobsteele7138]

Actually, it is not a straightforward D-4 model. It is a modified Klingon battle cruiser based off the standard D-4. In "reality" it is a sub variant. It is classified by the Federation as a D-4.002 because it has separate bathrooms for both female and male Klingon warriors.

[@vikingwarlord2453]

Yea i agree that not a D7 that's D4-2 model

[@psychopeda23]

Great Work! But for me it is very hard to get a reference for where exactly the decks on the ship are . . . a "Front" Indicator would be great too . . .

[@rafaelsays175]

Awesome video!

[@Halfscreen]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@sergioleone3583]

Really great work. Would LOVE to see you produce a video on the Franz Josef designed Starfleet Headquarters.

[@Alphasiera1701]

You do such a great job with these videos and the effort which goes into them is obvious, which is why it infuriates me when I see the mistakes which are made. Biggest mistake here, no offence intended, is that it's a D4. You can tell by the sublight engine configuration and the extra support booms along the neck structure. The impulse engines on the D7 were aligned horizontally across the rear of the hull, not in vertical banks, as is shown here. It's clearly a D4.

[@Halfscreen]

Yeah, unfortunately, I just didn't have a D7 3D model, so I have to use something that is a close substitute to save me time on modeling.

[@Alphasiera1701]

Fair enough. And I totally understand. Like I said no offence intended. Your internal modelling and attention to detail are excellent. It's all well researched and mostly correct, but it is a nuisance when something like that trips up an otherwise excellent video. Doesn't matter anyway, I am still subscribed and I still happily watch everything you make. 👍👍

[@Halfscreen]

@@Alphasiera1701 I probably will update the video with the proper 3D model in a few months.

[@sleightofmind2016]

No gift shop? Just kidding, that was an excellent breakdown!

[@Halfscreen]

Thanks!

[@MichaelJohnson-vi6eh]

I get it. This ship does not need that many people in order to function. The bulk of the crew is for attack/defense once off ship.

[@paulronco9709]

Thank you.

[@Halfscreen]

You're welcome!

[@skapunkoialternativeliving6522]

By the way, when you do videos like this, can you compare somebody's ships to the size to America's biggest battleships or aircraft carriers? I wanna see the size differenperhaps? Can you do a video like that to my friend? Thank you very much, appreciate it if you could.

[@Halfscreen]

Yeah. No problem

[@Greg87601]

So awesome.

[@Halfscreen]

Glad you think so!

[@mikesmusicden]

As an ER nurse I can tell you that having just one bathroom in the sick bay is not nearly enough. Especially for Klingons...

[@mattrobson3603]

Gagh just runs right through you.

[@stltrekmodels.4157]

Yes, we drink so much Blood Wine that we pee red.

[@Not-Ap]

Maybe but death is the goal for them not life.

[@shannonwilliams2633]

Very nice.

[@pyronuke4768]

It seems like this is a troop transport ship, as quite a lot of room is dedicated to barracks. Great for boarding actions or planetary invasions. So I tried counting out the number of beds, and this is the charter I found: 25 officers (8 senior, 17 junior), 200 crewmen (116 enlisted, 62 engineering, 22 security), and 86 combat personnel; for a total of 311 Klingons. (Plus an extensive brig with 26 cells)

[@tomhenry897]

Not a Trekkie are you

[@pyronuke4768]

@@tomhenry897 I'd say I'm a casual fan. I've seen all the movies and a handful of episodes from each series and I'll watch youtube videos from time to time, but I don't really do any deep lore stuff or base my existence on the franchise if that's what you mean. I got into Star Trek because I love fictional spaceships. I'm a mechanic irl and I love combing through technical manuals about how stuff works.

[@Not-Ap]

Essential that's what it is. A battle cruiser/troop transport. The Romulan Warbird from TNG and the Cardassian Galor serve basically the same function.

[@colonelblastpack169]

you are not wrong. Klingons are warriors and conquerors. Emphasis is placed on combat prowess, in space and face to face. This ship is meant to burst its way in and land troops. I liked the attention paid to the transporters... 5 platforms of 21 individuals each. thats 105 dudes at once beaming down. That was just one deck. There were a few other transporter station sprinkled about the ship

[@_BLACKSTAR_]

Klingons used Disruptors and photon torpedoes.Never heard any canon source mention phasers outside the federation ships.

[@shawncarter5619]

so...not a D7. Where did you get the rendering that you used? Its not TOS and certainly not the K'tinga. It would be nice to have used the original design.

[@cesarespinozaspain]

Curious that there is so much space dedicated to medical. Klingons would rather die with honor than live as dishonored survivors. There is no glory for that.

[@Chris-vf5et]

It was quoted in canon that one of the first Klingon ships to be equipped with a cloaking device was IKS Klothos (D5 Class cruiser)

[@taylorbucannon8285]

I must admit very impressive considering!

[@Halfscreen]

Thanks! 😃

[@fluffyfloof9267]

Please reduce the redundancy of the spoken text. I felt like hearing a whole section twice.

[@Halfscreen]

Note taken.

[@drthompson65]

I like it!

[@dennisw64]

Klingon Dentistry! Providing the best teeth sharpening techniques available!

[@linz8291]

Lol...dental care is not enough if galactic journey takes lots of time. So nutrition room and med-bed equipments are still significant...

[@SD-jw3cj]

Btw, there are Saber Class deck plans (fanmade) out there if you were looking for more content.

[@Nodux359]

Qapla! Glory to you and your channel!

[@Halfscreen]

Thank you kindly

[@ghost307]

I would put the captain's 'sea cabin' on the 2nd deck and relocated the dentist elsewhere. Emergency medical treatment and the proximity of the captain to the bridge both make sense, but anyone with a tooth knocked out is not a medical emergency and treatment can wait.

[@thehillbillygamer2183]

The impulse engine don't just go forward it can go in reverse up down left right any direction

[@peerkirksey3678]

What you call the main sensor in the front is actually a photon torpedo launcher.

[@LedmeisterDotCom]

Not according to the 1975 blueprints. That D7 only had phasers and disruptors.

[@peerkirksey3678]

@@LedmeisterDotCom Yet on the Star Trek shows and movies you can see photon torpedoes being launched from that hole

[@stephenjohnston7630]

​​​​@@peerkirksey3678Not until the trio of ships in TMP (1979), which are I believe later identified as K'Tinga class. The D7s of TOS never used Photon Torpedoes in the show, and the deckplan collection predates the TMP production by several years.

[@detpackman]

@@peerkirksey3678 your confusing the k'tinga and the D7 , the D7 during teh TOS era didn't have photon torpedoes it had heavy disruptors and phaser banks . it wasn't until the TMP era K'tinga refit happened which added the torpedoes

[@LedmeisterDotCom]

@@detpackman Right, in the original series as written and televised, Klingons never used photon torpedoes.

[@dennisud]

The Torpedo tube in the front section, I didn't see anything in that section. You DID mention the Disruptor banks on several levels, but not much on the Torpedoes.

[@keithlewis4250]

This is a nasty ship i have used the D7's & variants in Starfleet Battles. They also have transporter bombs .drones shuttles and some have fighters.

[@frankphillips5533]

I am not familiar with the support struts from the hull to the pod or the struts along the trailing edge of the hull. They do not appear in any of the footage I've ever seen in movies comic's or model kits. Is this something from the games?

[@arwong222]

OMG! Was the text set to maximize the word count? So many unnecessary descriptive words added.

[@vsc1701]

Love your videos. Awesome visual insights. My only nit-pik is the initial graphics of the ship was actually the (non-cannon) D-6. Otherwise, well done.

[@Halfscreen]

Yeah. I knew about using the wrong ship, but couldn't find the right 3D assets.

[@vsc1701]

@@Halfscreen Totally understandable. You do fantastic work. Every video you make is a winner. Keep up the awesome job. 👍✌️

[@jasoncaldwell5627]

Great work on everything - very comprehensive and detailed. It makes sense that Klingons would have a robust ship design with a ton of troops and a bunch of transporters ready to beam them into combat- or more likely into rapid occupation of an area. Imagine over a hundred Klingons suddenly beaming in to your city center... The placement of the water storage in the boom is interesting to me. I'd definitely add some water storage in the command pod, just in case. They really do segregate the officers from the "combat troops" don't they?

[@josephcowley1045]

every time I look at one of these ships all I see is a very skinny neck that seems like a great place for a photon torpedo. The borg got it right really hard to blow that ship in half.

[@IAmTheAce5]

When I played the Klingons in STO, I got the impression their ships were arranged more like pirate sailing ships than modern ships.

[@roberthenryscott8176]

Great work! Curious, where’s the warp core and shuttle bay?

[@Halfscreen]

the warp core wasn't mentioned on the schematic.

[@roberthenryscott8176]

@@Halfscreen that sucks

[@miguelangelgonzalezmorales2873]

Wow!.

[@tonyromano4341]

Where did you guys get the source for the rendering of the D7? Not really even close.

[@xkm-thebasetecchannel3823]

So where is the D7? This is actually a D4 class cruiser. 0:44 K't'inga class.

[@dbingamon]

Where do they keep the live targ?

[@m3w]

From a medical facility standpoint, this design has more than twice the potential of the the Constitution Class. Fascinating that it would actually serve well as a hospital ship. I think the 1975 blue prints had cold storage for hibernating crew. Even that has value from a medical/rescue standpoint.

[@DrewLSsix]

Well, injuries are surely a daily occurrence.

[@nsr-ints]

It's Klingons. Injuries are probably common

[@tomhenry897]

Kinglongs had little use for hospitals

[@m3w]

Indeed!@@tomhenry897

[@kmbbmj5857]

@@tomhenry897 Why not? Better to return a warrior to battle ready condition as soon as possible than lose one unnecessarily.

[@kevinalexander5408]

A major error in your summary. The description of a "separation" of Primary and Secondary Hulls as you describe yet the framework does not house life support nor propulsion necessary for the forward Boom to navigate with out the Main and Secondary Hull.

[@tony0786]

There's a klingon playing a guitar in the chart room.

[@linz8291]

Perhaps there would be some piano, violin, and cello someday :)

[@c.ladimore1237]

cool video but weird phrasings and choices of adjectives in this one. did AI write the script? you use phrases like "dominating" to refer to a teeny room on the bridge and controls for the deflector screens "assert their presence?" it's a couple of kiosks in a broom closet-sized room. how are they asserting any presence? and a Klingon ship described as "thoughtfully furnished?" very strange choices of phrases...

[@michaelcline3123]

it seems to follow the pattern of the D7 in the book FINAL REF.

[@trekicb]

Is this not the D6, or a pre refit of the D7 from TOS?

[@claudioproteo3039]

I wonder why in a much more automated future any military or cargo ships would need any more crew members than modern naval or merchant ships in the seas of Earth demand today. Relying on manual work, having no robots and making spaceships' interior filming- friendly but illogic as engineering is a mark of ST as the Flash Gordon of our times.

[@esecallum]

CAN THE FORWARD PART DETACH ?

[@blox4513]

Great video, only in the beginning you twice say Romulan instead of Klingon.

[@scottduncan5525]

I wish this video had the transistions from floor to floor (the lower faid in and the top faid out, I didn't understand where everything is on the ship, unlike the enterprise videos

[@TheRealNormanBates]

Why is the D-7 shaped like that?

[@toddhendricks8239]

This is a great ship learn the D7 and your enemies counter parts the win.

[@followerofjulian1652]

This presentation has a curious compositional style. It must have been translated from Klingon.

[@_BLACKSTAR_]

Reconnaisance sensor?No, thats actually the forward torpedo launcher.Have you ever seen a Klingon D7 in action?

[@modeler308]

You need to research better. The 'D7' shown in the opening sequences is in reality a D6. The D7 doesn't have the lower support braces from the main hull to the bow section.

[@josephlasonde9427]

2 bathrooms for 430 Klingons? It must suck to work there! I work in a warehouse with 15 people and 3 bathrooms. There is never a open bathroom. I have to wait at least 3 hours sometimes to take a piss.

[@deanb4799]

I like the size comparisons. I always thought these ships including Enterprise were way bigger than they actually are. Kinda disappointed lol.

[@brandongilmore3868]

It's funny to think that a Klingon ship has a sick bay.

[@stevevanzandt6784]

Gotta duzz it sometimes 😊

[@BMichaelGalloway]

I ❤ the Klingon propaganda phrasing throughout the video! Qapla'!

[@benflay6038]

Whats dofference ktinga with bridge in tower 🤔 this seems very human

[@Shnick]

For a ship that has a lot of labs, science and medical rooms… they sure don’t seem to do much “sciencing”…

[@alanmike6883]

Noice. Where do you get these?

[@wargodsix]

Feel like the bridge doesn’t need those walls and halls unless there’s consoles or screens on those walls there’s no need for walls just supports like most Klingon ships designs are gonna be different then human designs so humans have walls were klingons have supports

[@BarryPiper]

Hearing a Klingon ship described with such flowery language is kinda funny. Was this read by a robot? They way it says "deckie-one" instead of "deck E-1" 😅

[@ilpoomatili9549]

I know you didn't design this, but why is the mess so far from the kitchen? Also has anyone heard about this little known thing called a warp core?

[@chrisaguilera1564]

I think its hilarious that there are dentists on Klingon ships.

[@paulmetheny2126]

As a veteran sailor I can completely understand stand your delivery of the subject on the craft. You can ask no more of a Excellent Presentation than than what you have accomplished for myself. Proud to join the team.🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉😊 I will now pass this on to others so they may learn and enjoy also.

[@SabbatarianSundayer.]

Would the Kilngons; ever bulid a more "Federation" type, klingon ship?

[@leeforeman3656]

Khitomer class battlecruiser is close.

[@tomhenry897]

Klingons are invalders not explorers