bI'rel Class
'avwI' batlh tlhIngan (Klingon Honor Guard)

Class: bI'rel (B'rel)

Type: Light Cruiser/Scout

Space Frame Type: Bird of Prey

Unit Run: 1,654 built since 2327. 900 were in service at the beginning of the Dominion War or have been built during it; 521 were destroyed, leaving 379 in service.

Commissioned: 2327 - Present

Dimensions

Length: 327 m
Beam: 276 m
Height: 60 m
Decks: 15 excluding nacelles
Mass: 800,000 tons

Standard Crew: 390

Armament

2 Mark 10 pulse disruptor cannons, total output 9,600 TeraWatts
6 Mark 8 disruptor cannons, total output 14,400 TeraWatts
2 Photon torpedo tubes + 385 torpedoes
4 Single shot emergency photon torpedo tubes

Defense Systems

Shield system, total capacity 877,500 TeraJoules
Heavy Duranium/Tritanium double hull plus 5.0 cm High Density armor
Standard level structural integrity field
Mark 3.2a Klingon Cloaking Device

Warp Speeds (TNG Scale)

Normal Cruise: Warp Factor 6
Maximum Cruise: Warp Factor 7.8
Maximum Rated: Warp Factor 9 for ten hours

Strength Indices (Galaxy class = 1,000)

Beam Firepower: 285
Torpedo Firepower: 320
Weapon Range and Accuracy: 370
Shield Strength: 325
Hull armor: 700
Speed: 794
Combat Maneuverability: 2,800
Overall Strength Index: 484.86

Diplomatic Capability: Standard models approximately equivalent to Starfleet Grade 1. Some bI'rels have been refitted as diplomatic couriers for High Council members and are approximately equivalent to Starfleet Grade 3.

Expected Hull Life: 50 years

Refit Cycle

Minor: 1 year
Standard: 5 years
Major: 10 years

Original specs for this class are from the Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Technical Manual

Notes: The bI'rel class Bird of Prey is classified as a light cruiser, possessing slightly better defensive and offensive capabilities over other types of Birds of Prey.

One glance at the bI'rel class cruiser is enough to see the intention of its designers. Virtually identical in layout to the Bird of Prey vessels first seen in the late 23rd century, the bI'rel is three times the length and approximately twenty five times the volume of the smaller ship, putting it firmly into the cruiser bracket. The extra size has been used by the designers to provide an extra torpedo tube plus four emergency tubes in place of the Bird of Prey's one of each, replace the Mark 8 disrupters with Mark 10 models and install a secondary armament of six Mark 8 cannons. The thickness of armor across the ship has been more than doubled and the shield system has been considerably upgraded. Other systems have also been uprated in line with the ship's cruiser status. Internally, the deck layout has been accommodated within the scaled up design by simply putting three decks in the place of every one. Like the earlier Bird of Prey there are few windows on this ship; only one in three decks has any windows at all.

The bI'rel class vessel entered service in 2327, and has remained in the fleet ever since. An extensive program of refits has kept them front-line vessels for some forty years, although the vor'cha class Attack Cruiser has become the vessel of choice in this area. In the 2360s the bI'rel mostly patrolled friendly areas, and was a common sight to Federation Starships during this time. With the Klingons' war with the Cardassians and the brief conflict with the Federation, the type was brought into conflict with Federation Starships for the first time, where it performed reasonably well. Recently it has also seen a great deal of action against the Dominion where it has not performed so well, its age and second rank status counting against it. Nevertheless, the sheer numbers deployed mean that this design should continue to see service in some form until the turn of the century.

Current beq roster of the IKV

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