Klingon bird-of-prey

The Klingon Bird-of-Prey was a classification of starship used by the Klingon Empire. They are typically small and agile classes of ships which have made up much of the Klingon fleet along side the larger classes.

The Klingons have produced several classes of Bird-of-Prey, they all share a similar design of a primary hull with a long protruding neck at the front with a command bulb at the end, usually a photon tube can be found here. To either side of the main hull are wings with disruptor cannons mounted at the end, certain classes have additional armaments such as rear firing torpedoes and additional disruptors.



22nd century Bird-of-Prey
The earliest known Klingon Birds-of-Prey was first encountered by humans in 2153 when one was used to attack the Enterprise NX-01 at the fringes of the Sol system (ENT episode: The Expanse). In 2154 a group of Augments successfully commandeered a Bird-of-Prey and used it to carry out a number of attacks until it was finally destroyed by The Enterprise (ENT episodes: Borderland, Cold Station 12 and The Augments).

B'rel class
The B'rel class was in operation from the 23rd century well into the 24th century. It was fitted with a cloaking device, a technology obtained in the Klingon-Romulan alliance, the alliance also allowed the Klingons access to Romulan starships designs which influenced the development of this Bird-of-Prey class. (TOS movie: The Search for Spock & ST reference: Starship Spotter)

Insurrection class
The Insurrection class or QuD class was the next generation Bird-of-Prey brought into service in the 2290s. (TOS game: Klingon Academy)

K'vort class
The K'vort class looks almost identical to the B'rel class, however appearances are deceptive as the K'vort class is a great deal larger with a wing span almost as wide as a Galaxy class starship. K’vort’s are also equipped with cloaking devices. The K'vort class was in operation in the 24th century but became far less widely used towards the end of the century with the introduction of more advanced cruisers such as the Vor'cha class.

Chuq'Beh class
The latest Bird-of-Prey to enter service in the Klingon fleet, the Chuq'Beh once again takes it's design from the successful B'rel and K'vort classes. However, unlike it's predecessors the Chuq'Beh class' primary function is a long range artillery platform rather than the traditional fighter/cruiser role of Klingon Birds-of-Prey. (TNG game: Armada II)