D7 class

Three battle cruisers
Three D7-class battle cruisers
Type:	Battle Cruiser
Length:	228 meters
Crew Compliment:	430
Maximum Speed:	Warp 9
Armaments:	2+ heavy disruptor cannons, 1+ magnetic pulse launcher
Defenses:	Deflector shields
A D7-class battlecruiser, fore
D7 class battle cruiser (foreward)
A D7-class battlecruiser, aft
D7 class battle cruiser (aft)

File:Iks klothos.jpg

Later model D7 class taking weapons fire

The D7 class battle cruiser was a type of warship that was originally built by the Klingons in the 2260s that was later used by the Romulans.

History

The D7 class Klingon battle cruiser served as the backbone of the Klingon Imperial Fleet for several years during the 23rd century.

By 2267, they were prominently featured in the Klingon-Federation Cold War, where they posed a serious threat to the security of Starfleet and the Federation. (TOS: "Elaan of Troyius"; TAS: "More Tribbles, More Troubles")

The Romulan Star Empire later acquired the design, in exchange for their improved cloaking device, after a brief alliance in 2268. (TOS: "The Enterprise Incident")

The K't'inga-class battle cruiser would begin to replace the D7 class during the 2270s. The D7 would finally be "retired decades" prior to 2377. (Star Trek: The Motion Picture; VOY: "Prophecy")

Interest in these vessels by the Federation would continue to appear well into the 2370s, as data on this class would commonly be found within numerous Starfleet files. (TNG: "The Naked Now", "The Last Outpost", "Conspiracy"; VOY: "Drone", "The Voyager Conspiracy")

Technical Data

Physical Arrangement

File:D7BCProfile.jpg

The profile of a D7 class battle cruiser

File:Enterprise and Klothos.jpg

In profile compared to a Constitution-class

The D7 class is almost predatory in its appearance, with a spread-wing primary hull, long neck and head-like command pod.

The bulk of the ships overall mass is incorporated in the aft section of the ship. The bridge is located on a bulbous head, which is separated from the aft section by a relatively thin neck that flares out into the wings. Jutting from below these wings are a pair of outboard warp nacelles. The ship's impulse engines are located on the caudal section of the ship.

This design had evolved from a classic design lineage dating back well into the 22nd century with the early D5 class battle cruisers. (ENT: "Judgment") In terms of dimensions, it was comparable in size to the Federation's Constitution- class starship. (TAS: "The Time Trap")

Crew Complement

The average crew compliment of a Klingon D7 is comparable to a Constitution-class, and consists of around 430. (TOS: "Day of the Dove")

Tactical Systems

File:D7disruptors.jpg

Firing disruptors

File:D7 firing disruptor bolt.jpg

Firing a 'disruptor bolt'

A D7 class battle cruiser firing a magnetic pulse.

During the mid 23rd century, Klingon D7s were armed with disruptors and a forward magnetic pulse launcher as the primary weapon. (VOY: "Prophecy"; TOS: "Errand of Mercy"; TAS: "The Time Trap")

Although the torpedo-like weaponry fired from the D7s were never given a formal name in any episode, the Star Trek Concordance described the primary weapon systems, shown primarily in The Animated Series, as "disruptor bolts". These "bolts" were compared to Federation photon torpedoes. They could just as easily be photon torpedoes, which the Klingons had as early as the mid 22nd century.

By the late 24th century, these vessels were considered rather antiquated, and identified as being inferior in firepower to a Federation Intrepid-class starship. (VOY: "Prophecy")

Cloaking Device

Like its predecessor, the Romulan Bird-of-Prey, the Romulan D7 was equipped with cloaking technology.

Klingon D7s were outfitted with cloaking devices as late as 2269. One of the first vessels to acquire the new technology was the IKS Klothos. (TAS: "The Time Trap"; DS9: "Once More Unto the Breach")

Propulsion Systems

Klingon D7s were equipped with an S-2 graf unit, which was roughly equivalent to the warp drives in the Federations' Constitution-class starships. (TAS: "The Time Trap") These vessels could utilize a speed of at least warp 7 in an attack run, whereas Romulan D7s, using the same technology could surpass warp 9. (TOS: "Elaan of Troyius", "The Enterprise Incident")

Other Systems

Romulan D7s were outfitted with food synthesizers. (TAS: "The Practical Joker")

Interior Design

The interiors of the Romulan ship seen in "The Enterprise Incident" were the corridors of the Enterprise set with all wall props removed and a different lighting scheme.

Main Bridge

Referred to by the Romulans as "Control Central", the bridge is the nerve center of the D7 class. (TOS: "The Enterprise Incident")

Romulan Bridge, 2268

Romulan Bridge, 2270

Viewscreen, 2270

Bridge of Kohlar's battle cruiser, 2377

Kohlars battle cruiser bridge 2.jpg

Bridge, 2377

Bridge, 2377

Viewscreen, 2377

Conference Room

conference room

The conference room is used as a meeting place for the ship's senior staff for mission briefings.

It contained a triangular table embossed with the emblem of the Klingon Empire, with each side of the table having its' own set of chairs. Surrounding the table are various computer consoles. (TAS: "The Time Trap")

Ships Commissioned

Named

• IKS Gr'oth
• IKS Klothos

Unnamed

• Unnamed D7 class starships
  • Kang's battle cruiser
  • Kohlar's battle cruiser
  • Kuri's battle cruiser

Appendices

Appearances

• TOS:
  • "Errand of Mercy" (2007 remastered version)
  • "Friday's Child" (2006 remastered version)
  • "The Trouble with Tribbles" (2006 remastered version)
  • "Elaan of Troyius"
  • "The Enterprise Incident"
  • "Day of the Dove"
• TAS:
  • "More Tribbles, More Troubles"
  • "The Survivor"
  • "The Time Trap"
  • "The Practical Joker"
• TNG:
  • "The Naked Now" (display graphic)
  • "The Last Outpost" (display graphic)
  • "Conspiracy" (display graphic)
• DS9: "Trials and Tribble-ations"
• VOY:
  • "Drone" (display graphic)
  • "The Voyager Conspiracy" (display graphic)
  • "Prophecy"

Background

The term "D7" remained the speculated designation for the Klingon battle cruiser for many years, having apparently been an "inside joke" between Shatner and Nimoy.

It was not identified on screen by name until its appearance in the DS9 Season 5 episode "Trials and Tribble-ations" and later in the VOY Season 7 episode "Prophecy"

Model

Final design sketch.

The D7 class studio model was originally designed by Matt Jefferies. Its design was explored in the Star Trek: The Original Series Sketchbook (by Herbert F. Solow and Yvonne Fern Solow) where it was explained that in Jeffries' attempt to create the D7, he "had to design a ship that would be instantly recognizable as an enemy ship, especially for a flash cut. There had to be no way it could be mistaken for our guys. It had to look threatening, even vicious." Taking an aerodynamic approach to his design, he ultimately "modeled it on a manta ray, both shape and color, and that's why it looks as it does in the original series." Aviation buffs may notice an abstract resemblance to the North American XB-70 Valkyrie, an experimental aircraft used by the US Air Force and NASA during the 1960s. Its design was perfected by the twenty-fourth sketch on 20 November 1967.

The sketch was later sent to American Model Toy Corporation (AMT) and they returned the "master tooling model" that was used in the show. The original model for the D7 was given to the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum along with the original model of the USS Enterprise.

In 1996, a new model of the D7-class, IKS Gr'oth, was created by Greg Jein for DS9's "Trials and Tribblations". Referenced but not seen in the original version of the "Trouble with Tribbles", the model featured an amalgam of detail from both the Original Series model and the K't'inga-class seen in Star Trek: The Motion Picture. The Gr'oth also bore a pale green coloration in line with "future" Klingon vessels.

Yet another model of the Gr'oth, this time built entirely digitally, was created for the 2006 "remastered" version of "The Trouble with Tribbles" and "Friday's Child." Seen only at a distance, the model seemed to reflect the original design of the ship, rather than the slightly revised version seen on Deep Space Nine.

Inconsistencies

The D7 from "Prophecy"

The designation of the Klingon battle cruiser that appear in the VOY Season 7 episode "Prophecy" was misidentified in the script during the ship's appearance. The writers assumed the physical model built by Jein from "Trials and Tribble-ations" would be reused, but the special effect crew instead used the CGI model that should have, correctly, been identified as a K't'inga-class cruiser, corresponding with the model used. Unfortunately, by the time the writers learned of the type of CGI model used, they were unable to change the script to correspond with the model change. Some fans speculate (or justify) this error by claiming that this vessel may, in fact, be a transitional predecessor to the K't'inga in the D7 lineage.

External Links

• Template:Exastris
• Klingon/Romulan Battle Cruiser at Curt Danhauser's Guide to Animated Star Trek