oddly , Star Trek ’s Klingons and Romulans both have Bird - of - Prey starships . First check inStar Trek : The Original Seriesseason 1 , episode 8 , " equilibrium of Terror " , the T’Liss - class Romulan Bird - of - Prey is so - called because of the predatory bird painted on its Cordell Hull . afterward , inStar Trek : The Original Seriesseason 3 , installment 2 , " The Enterprise Incident",a Romulan ship looks just like the D7 - class Klingon struggle cruiserinTOSseason 3 , episode 13 , " Elaan of Troyius " . Instead of being a Romulan ship , the iconic D7 would go on to become the basis for almost all Klingon ship inStar Trekshows .

The Bird - of - Prey name that was in the first place given to Romulan ship became associated almost exclusively with Klingon ships after in theStar Trektimeline . With a saucer section and side nacelles , the T’Liss - class expect more like a Starfleet vas than by and by Romulan ship . Star Trek : The Original Seriesproduction designer Matt Jeffries give the Klingon D7 a distinctive shape that was easily render as an enemy vessel . Jeffries ' manta ray - inspired purpose looked more like an actual bird in flight than the Romulan ship did , but that ’s not the only reason the Klingons got to keep the Bird - of - Prey name .

Why Klingons & Romulans Both Have Bird-of-Prey Starships In Star Trek

TOS' Limited Budget Led To Story Developments For The Klingons & Romulans

Klingons and Romulans both have Bird - of - Prey starships due to one behind - the - scenes decision during production ofStar Trek : The Original Seriesseason 3 , episode 2 , " The Enterprise Incident " . The original model for the Romulan Bird - of - Prey from"Balance of Terror"was no longer available , butTOSseason 3 , episode 13 , " Elaan of Troyius " , had already been produced , andusing the Klingon D7 model was chinchy than designing another new Romulan ship . Star Trekproducers also skip that showing off the Klingon D7 battle cruiser whenever possible would aid recoup price with model kit gross revenue , so it was a winnings - win .

Many Star Trek unknown have declare state of war on Starfleet , but only a few have threatened the intact United Federation of Planets .

The ship trade between Romulans and Klingons inStar Trek : The Original Series ' " The Enterprise Incident " is excuse with a single line of dialogue , in whichCommander Spock ( Leonard Nimoy ) simply report that the Romulans are now using Klingon - style ship . The in - universe ground for the behind - the - scenes solution had the added benefit of lay down theStar Trekuniverse more interconnect at a time when that was rarefied . This abbreviated alliance go under up the later fallout that led to ongoing animus between Klingons and Romulans , and explicate whyKlingons have cloaking technology , even after they stopped using the same spaceship designs .

Romulan Narissa, Changeling Odo, and Borg drone Hugh in Star Trek

Klingons Kept The Bird-Of-Prey & Star Trek: TNG Romulans Have The Warbird

The Klingon Bird-Of-Prey & Romulan Warbird Are Both Iconic Star Trek Ships

Star Trek ’s Klingons kept the Bird - of - Prey excogitation afterStar Trek : The Original Series , while Romulans reinvent the Romulan Warbird to become one of thedeadliest starships inStar Trek . to begin with , Star Trek III : The Search for Spockwas going to have a Romulan Bird - of - Prey commandeered by Klingons . The hand changed , but the name stuck with the updated Klingon ship . TheStar Trekmovies made the Klingon Bird - of - Prey much more pop , especially after Admiral James T. Kirk ( William Shatner ) conquer Kruge ’s ( Christopher Lloyd ) B’rel - class Bird - of - Prey inStar Trek IIIand took it back in clock time inStar Trek IV : The Voyage Home .

old age Active

Crew Complement

Picard and Riker in season 1

Length

D7 Battle Cruiser

2250s–2270s

Robin Curtis and Kirstie Alley as Lt. Saavik in Star Trek.

430

228 meters

K’t’inga Class Battlecruiser

Kruge and Romulan Commander in front of a Klingon Bird of Prey

Custom image by Ana Nieves

2273–2375

800

350 meters

Star Trek Elaan of Troyius Klingon Bird of Prey

B’rel Class Bird - of - Prey

twenty-third century

12 to 40 *

Star Trek The Original Series TV Poster

60 to 139 meter *

K’Vort Class Bird - of - Prey

300

Headshot Of William Shatner

320 time

Class 5 Bird - of - Prey

2380s

Headshot of Leonard Nimoy

6–12

  • Exact measurements of the B’rel class vary according to unlike sources .

Without the budget concerns that had directed many choices inStar Trek : The Original Series , the Klingon and Romulan starship inStar Trek : The Next Generation ’s twenty-fourth C could be more distinctive . The Class 5 Klingon Bird - of - Prey inTNGand most subsequent Klingon ship designs were variations on the iconic look . The Romulan Warbird was a satiny , stealthy update on the intention shared with Klingons , with a downturned nose and curved flank , not to cite an impressive raiment of weapons system . With the development of the Warbird , the Romulans abandoned the Bird - of - Prey , leaving the name — and the design — toStar Trek ’s Klingons .

Star Trek: The Original Series

Your Rating

Your remark has not been saved

Cast