Vo'n'talk class

STARSHIP CLASS
Vo'n'talk-class

Affiliation:	Klingon Empire, Klingon Defense Force
Type:	Bird-of-prey, warship, scout
Service period:	2149-23rd century
Dimensions
Length:	145.36 meters
Width:	137.27 meters
Height:	66.21 meters
Mass:	198.596 metric tonnes
Specifications
Decks:	4
Crew:	18–48
Maximum speed:	Warp 5
Cruising speed:	Warp 3.8+
Armaments:	8 disruptor cannons, 2 photon torpedo launchers (1 fore/aft each)
Defences:	Deflector shields
Systems:	dual tractor beam projectors
Auxiliary craft:	escape pod, room for at least one shuttlecraft

The Vo'n'talk class, also known as 22nd century bird-of-prey, was a Klingon starship type, a bird-of-prey class in the Empire's Defense Force and Great House service from the 22nd to the 23rd century. (ENT episode & novelization: The Expanse)

Specifications[]

Design[]

Klingon b-o-p shuttlebay, Cold Station 12 — A aft view of a Klingon Bird of prey

The Vo'n'talk-class bird of prey was 145 meters long. (The Official Starships Collection Issue 35: "Klingon Bird-of-Prey")

Nimble bird-like craft known as birds-of-prey had been an essential part of the fleet since the Klingons achieved spaceflight. While the design was adapted to become more and more powerful, the basic layout of an engineering hull with a pair of wings and a bridge module connected by a long neck to the primary hull remained consistent. Like their precursors, the Bird-of-Prey of the 22nd century served as scouts and raiders. (The Official Starships Collection Issue 35: "Klingon Bird-of-Prey")

In the early 25th century, the QuIDun- and Norgh-class Birds-of-Prey designs harked back to their earlier counterpart. The pointed bridge module and the dorsal superstructure on the engineering hull were reminiscent of their precursor. (ST video game: Star Trek Online)

Size[]

Birds of prey and D5 class — Two Birds of prey serve as escorts for a D-5 class battlecruiser

At a length of 145.36 meters, the Vo'n'talk was smaller than the D'ama- and D5-class battlecruisers and often served as escorts to them. (The Official Starships Collection Issue 35: "Klingon Bird-of-Prey")

This bird-of-prey came to perform the roles of patrol ships and scouts and eventually supplanted the smaller Raptor-class in the 2150s. (The Official Starships Collection Issue 41: "Klingon Raptor")

22nd century Birds-of-Prey have a substantially higher number of disruptor banks compared to their later relatives however one assumes the disruptor cannons of later variations would be somewhat more powerful.

Klingon b-o-p hit by phase cannon, Augments — A plasma junction hit by phase cannon fire

The Bird-of-Prey is a formidable opponent, but does possess one Achilles-heel: a direct hit on the main plasma junction above the sensor array can disable the entire power grid, at which point the vessel can be easily neutralized. (ENT episode: "The Augments")

Service history and specifications[]

The Vo'n'talk class was co-developed by engineers of the House of Antaak in the 22nd century and launched in the year 2149. (Star Trek Adventures module: Klingon Core Rulebook)

It was the first class referred to by outsiders as a bird of prey. (Star Trek Adventures module: The Klingon Empire Core Rulebook)

Duras's bird-of-prey was the first ship of this class encountered by United Earth, when it engaged in battle with the United Earth Starfleet ships Enterprise NX-01, SS Intrepid and a Ganges-class} vessel. Starfleet forced Duras, son of Toral to retreat. Accompanied by two more birds-of-prey of this class, Duras attacked Enterprise again on the edge of the Delphic Expanse but was outwitted by the Humans, who destroyed his ship. Duras' escorts retreated. (ENT episode & novelization: The Expanse)

Early in 2154, Human Augments captured a Vo'n'talk-class ship. Malik's bird-of-prey become a concern for both Starfleet and the Klingon Empire, and was pursued by Enterprise. (ENT episodes: "Borderland", "The Augments", "Cold Station 12")

Ships of this class participated in Admiral Krell's bombardment of Qu'Vat colony later that year. (ENT episode: "Divergence")

In the 2200s decade, other vessels out-competed the Vo'n'talk as a fast interceptor. Ships of this class refitted into its successor type, the Tu'YuQ-class. Acting as couriers and heavy ground attack vessels, ships of the class continued to serve the Great Houses until the late 23rd century. (Star Trek Adventures module: Klingon Core Rulebook)

Vontalk class flight mode — In the year 2411

The class re-entered service during the Klingon Civil War of 2411, soon after J'Ula had secured Boreth and helped revive L'Rell, former Mother of the Klingon Empire. Classified as a legendary starship, the Vo'n'talk bird-of-prey's abilities and equipment now matched that of its more modern sister classes B'rel, B'Rolth, Kor, and the Koloth (raider). This meant that the ship's wings only swept down from their flight-mode position during combat, and swept up above flight-mode during planetary landing. (STO website: The Legendary B'rel Bird of Prey)

Technical data[]

Physical arrangement[]

Klingon b-o-p docked with Enterprise, Borderland — Docked with an NX-class starship

Comparable in design to its sister classes, the Raptor-class scout and D5-class battle cruiser, the exterior design of the Bird-of-Prey utilized the same basic avian design, including vaguely feather-like hull plating on its wings.

Klingon b-o-p, msd, Augments — Overview of vessel

The bulk of the ship's overall mass was incorporated in the aft section of the ship. The bridge module was located on a bulbous forward section, which was separated from the aft section by a relatively thin 'neck' that attached to and flared into the aft portion which swept down below the main body, forming wings.

Located on the caudal section of the ship were the ship's shuttlebay, impulse engines and two warp nacelles. The port and starboard nacelles were directly connected to the extreme upper aft section of the ship, perpendicular to the impulse engine. (ENT episodes: "The Augments", "Divergence")

Tactical systems[]

The offensive arsenal of the Bird-of-Prey was rather impressive, for the time, as the ship possessed at least eight forward disruptor banks, including a twin pair of neck-mounted disruptor cannons, a pair of wing-tip mounted disruptor cannons, and a 360º rotating turret containing twin belly-mounted disruptor cannons. The class was also equipped with dual photon torpedo launchers, positioned fore and aft, and defensive shields. (ENT episodes: "The Expanse", "Borderland", "Cold Station 12")

This class, however, had minimal aft weapons. (ENT episode: "The Augments")

Prior to the refitting of Enterprise, one Bird-of-Prey was more than a match with the NX-class; however, it was unable to repel three older Earth vessels at one time. After Enterprise was upgraded, it was nearly an even match with the Bird-of-Prey. (ENT episode: "The Expanse")

This class of Bird-of-Prey could outgun an Orion interceptor, two to one. (ENT episode: "Borderland")

Additional systems[]

Klingon b-o-p tractor beam, Borderland — Tractoring a transport shuttle

This class of vessel was equipped with tractor beam technology. It had one emitter located on the underside of each wing that, when used in conjunction, could be used to manipulate a ship to its belly docking port. (ENT episode: "Borderland")

Unlike the Raptor class, this class of Bird-of-Prey was equipped with escape pods. The Bird-of-Prey's escape pod hatch was also located on the belly of the ship. (ENT episode: "The Augments")

One major flaw of the Bird-of-Prey's design was found at the nape of the ship's neck and primary hull; a direct hit on the main plasma junction, located above the sensor array, could disable the entire power grid. (ENT episode: "The Augments")

Shuttlebay[]

The shuttlebay was located on the extreme aft of the ship, directly below the impulse engines. It was large enough in capacity to store a Denobulan medical ship. (ENT episodes: "Cold Station 12", "The Augments")

Interior design[]

Like the Raptor-class scouts of this era, live food was kept aboard these Birds-of-Prey in the targ pits, presumably adjacent to the galley. (ENT episode: "The Augments")

Bridge[]

Located in the "head" of the forward section of the vessel, the bridge, which was plated with dispersive armor, was one of the most protected sections of the ship. (ENT episode: "The Augments")

The configuration of the Bird-of-Prey's main bridge shared with many features found in contemporary designs.

In the front of the bridge, against the forward bulkhead, was the ship's viewscreen. Directly behind the viewscreen, near the center of the bridge was the captain's chair. Directly behind the captain's chair, was the entryway to the bridge, with two manned consoles located on either side of the doorway. Along the perimeter of the bridge were several stations, each designated for a specific task. (ENT episodes: "Borderland", "Cold Station 12", "The Augments")

Crew quarters[]

The Bird-of-Prey had crew quarters for the crew, it had a bed and a chair in the quarters. (ENT episode: "The Augments")

Known vessels[]

Duras's bird-of-prey (destroyed in 2153 by Enterprise NX-01 inside the Delphic Expanse)
- Duras's bird-of-prey (destroyed by the ISS Enterprise)
Malik's bird-of-prey (destroyed in 2154 by Malik)
IKS SuHDah (went missing in the Borderland in 2159; rediscovered in 2386; destroyed by Orion interceptors)
unnamed Klingon birds-of-prey

Bird-of-prey classes
Romulan birds-of-prey	2150s • late-2150s bird-of-prey • 22nd century • 23rd century (Kelvin timeline) • 24th century • T'varo • T'Liss • Vas Hatham • Temar Vastaram
Reman birds-of-prey	T'varo
Klingon birds-of-prey	22nd century • 2260s • 23rd century (Kelvin timeline) • M'Chla • B'rel • Chuq'Beh • D12 • D'Gavama • E4 • E6 • G2 • Khitomer • K'vort • QuD • Z'gavasta • Z'gavva • QulDun • Norgh • Ki'tang • Hegh'ta