Coleopteric warp drive

Coleopteric warp drive was a type of warp drive that employed a ring-like outboard structure that encircled a starship's hull to house the warp coils, rather than linear warp nacelles. 

Among other races, Vulcans utilised coleopteric warp drive until at least the 22nd century. It was employed on their starship classes such as the and. ( et al)

Humans also used the drive on some of their starships. The United Earth Space Probe Agency developed a starliner with coleopteric warp drive in the mid-to-late 21st century based on Vulcan designs of the same time period. 

The United Federation of Planets eventually abandoned the drive as "ringships" were not very maneuverable at high warp factors. This weakness was utilised by Lieutenant Commander Hikaru Sulu when he was piloting the USS Enterprise away from the VHC, and two other ringships, from an alternate reality in 2274. He made an abrupt course change at high warp that the pursuing ringships could not match, thereby losing them. 


 * In Latin, coleopteric means "sheathed wing".