Vor ' cha class model The attack cruiser , making its debut in s fourth season episode , originated from the strong desire of the " The Next Generation " s production staff to have a distinctive Klingon ship style of their own . As explained by Michael Okuda in 2009 , " " Those two ships – the " Vor ' cha " and the " Negh ' Var " – were an important part of the TNG evolution . They were the first Klingon ships in the TNG era that were not recycled from the feature films . As much as we love the battle cruiser and the bird - of - prey , we wanted very much for TNG to have a Klingon ship style of its own , and these ships gave it to us . " " Design . The " Vor ' cha " - class attack cruiser was designed by Rick Sternbach . According to " " , Sternbach ' s design incorporated elements from the first Klingon vessel designed by Matt Jefferies for . Sternbach himself noted in 2009 , " The Klingon " Negh ' Var " class super battlewagon had its beginnings in the " Vor ' cHa " class attack cruiser back in September of 1990 , when the producers wanted a new main Klingon ship for the TNG episode " Reunion . " The familiar D - 7 type battle cruiser , even with its updated look from the " Star Trek " feature films , was getting perhaps too familiar , and I got the chance to come up with a new ship . The original design style of the battle cruiser was never far from my mind , since it was such an iconic Matt Jefferies creation , and I was always determined to provide some kind of lineage , some continuity , some evolution that viewers could recognize in the new hardware . " On top of that , keeping Starfleet and alien styles distinct and interesting was what many believe set " Star Trek " apart from other SF productions . The " Vor ' cHa " was great challenge and an opportunity to nail some specific bits of equipment , and add a little unofficial history to the " Trek " scenario . Before anything else , a big tip o ' the hat to Greg Jein and his minions for the terrific miniature . ( . . . ) The attack cruiser is a bit sleeker than the previous Bird of Prey , and less of a gritty dark green . It ' s still armored and armed to the teeth , however , sporting a number of disruptor banks and torpedo launcher s , as well as a new main disruptor cannon . " Additionally , the " " stated that the design of the " Vor ' cha " - class ship was meant to illustrate the marriage of Klingon and Federation technologies due to the ongoing détente between the two powers , as further confirmed by Sternbach , " " The structure , as well as the hull coloration , was meant to show a slight blending of Klingon and Starfleet technology , seeing as how there was something of a détente in operation " " , and , " " The idea here was to combine elements of the original battle cruiser ( and the hyper - detailed versions from the movies ) with some slight Starfleet influence , as though there was some deliberate technology sharing between the Federation and the Klingon Empire . The color was a bit lighter and less of a saturated dark green , the wing lines a bit curvier , but overall still recognizable as Klingon . " " This translated in warp engine s reminiscent of those of 24th century Starfleet vessels with the addition of Bussard collector s and a color scheme somewhere between the dark green of the Bird - of - Prey and the light gray of the . Sternbach intended the forward module of the " Vor ' cha " - class to be an ejectable module in cases of emergency as evidenced by this in regard to his later " Negh ' Var " - class modification , " " I suppose the " daughtercraft " was an extension of the thing I did with the " Vor ' cHa " with its main disruptor cannon section , in that it was detachable in a fight if damaged . I was influenced by the movie " The Beast [ sic . ] " , which Richard James worked on , where one of the Russian tank guys said , " Out of commission , become a pillbox . Out of ammo , become a bunker . Out of time , become heroes . " Figured it would work for the Klingons . It wasn ' t that the little ship was there to let them run away , but more to give them more options to stay in a fight . All a matter of what you do with the gear you ' ve got . " " Never seen or referenced to on - screen , his module intent , however , was dutifully transferred to the instruction sheet of AMT / Ertl ' s second TNG model kit of the " Vor ' cha " , no . 6812 , which stated that the forward part of the ship was a detachable mission specific module and interchangeable with other modules . In emergency situations it could act as a lifeboat . The model kit was designed as such , as the part was detachable . Even after the signing off on his final design in September 1990 , the forward module design of the " Vor ' cha " - class , continued to occupy Sternbach ' s mind as he envisioned alternative design variations as late as January 1991 , a solid two months after the episode was aired . A set of four of Sternbach ' s original design sketches for the " Vor ' cha " , was sold as , estimated at US $ 800 - $ 1 , 200 , in the Profiles in History ' s " The Ultimate Sci - Fi Auction " for US $ 850 . 00 on 26 April 2003 . Two of Sternbach ' s forward module modification designs , were sold off as lot Lot 321 in the Propworx ' s " The official STAR TREK prop and costume auction " , estimated at US $ 100 - $ 200 , where they sold for US $ 120 ( including buyer ' s premium ) on 8 August 2010 . Physical studio model . The size Sternbach settled on was three - quarters of the length of a , which was faithfully followed by Greg Jein , whose company built the studio model , and which came in at three feet , three - quarters of the length of the new four feet model of the . It marked one of the few times that a studio model was actually built in scale with a major " hero " studio model . Due to time restraints , Jein solicited the help of an acquaintance , David Merriman , Jr . , who recalled , " " A new Klingon ship miniature would be introduced in an episode where Worf learns of the existence of a bastard son . Anyway , in Greg ' s cover letter that accompanied the drawings , he explained that ( surprise ! – " [ remark : Merriman had made several more warp engines for Jein for previous models ] " ) they needed us to make the warp engine for that miniature . And ( surprise ! ) time was a critical issue ! Though possessing a great deal more surface detail than Federation warp engines , this one was at least symmetrical i . e . the left and right sides of the unit were of identical form . So , in the interest of time , I elected to make an intermediate master of only one side , make an in - house rubber tool and cast two sets ( left and right half piece ) . A single winglet , wart and warp engine front assembly were made as well . " " ( " Sci - Fi & Fantasy Models " , Issue 30 , 1998 , p . 39 ) In the " TNG Season 4 DVD " special feature : " Select Historical Data " ( disc 7 ) , both Sternbach and Jein are interviewed about the design and construction of the " Vor ' cha " - class . For its appearance in s fourth season two - part episode , , the notion of a marrying of Federation and Klingon technology was partly reverted as the model was repainted , with some of the raised hull paneling colored burgundy red and , in a few places , yellow . Having made its debut in the fourth season episode , , the model has only been used for the television franchise , and all footage of it , as was the footage of the other physical models mentioned below , was filmed at Image G . As of 2012 , the studio model itself , never modified save for the paint adjustments , and having escaped the " " and " It ' s A Wrap ! sale and auction " s , is still in the possession of CBS Consumer Products and has been on tour displays such as " Star Trek World Tour " , " " , and " Star Trek The Exhibition " as late as 2012 . Other physical models . In the aforementioned episode " Deep Space Nine " , " The Way of the Warrior " , several other physicals models of the " Vor ' cha " were also used for the massive battle scene , supervised by Dan Curry , Gary Hutzel and Glenn Neufeld . These were modified commercially available Playmate toys ( No . 6155 ) and AMT Star Trek model kits ( No . 6812 ) . ( " Cinefantastique " , Volume 28 , No . 4 / 5 , page 72 ) Being the first mass battle scene ever shown on " Star Trek " , it was also the last one entirely done with physical models ( save for a few shots with a CGI " Defiant " , the only one available at the time ) . David Stipes having stated at the time , " " I ' m not sure what " K ' t ' inga " is . There are a lot of old style Klingon D - 7 [ sic ] Cruisers and " Vor ' cha " s . ( D - 7 ' s are model kits and " Vor ' chs " s [ sic ] are the sound making toys . ) " " , repeated the procedure for " Deep Space Nine " season five closing episode , , using the same Playmate toys as before , the last time physical models of the " Vor ' cha " were used . An additional filming model for specific use in a live action television production , was constructed at Gregory Jein , Inc . For the later " Deep Space Nine " season four episode , he cast a copy of the model and modified it to showcase extensive damage to its superstructure sustained after it accidentally triggered on of its own cloak ed mine s . The model was featured as the in the episode . Intended as a throwaway shot , the model did not require internal lighting nor did it sport the with rust - burgundy painted paneling as had been applied by this time to the main filming model . This actually constituted something of a minor continuity error , as it was the main model with the redressed paneling that was featured being hit by the mine ( with the explosions added in post - production editing ) , before cutting to the damaged version of the " Drovana " prior to being towed for docking at Deep Space 9 . Jein repeated the procedure for the later seen " K ' t ' inga " - class , featured in the subsequent season . Pursuant the construction of the " Drovana " , a limited run of twelve , built from the same mold as the original studio model but without the internal lighting and endowed with the original light green color scheme , was later sold , in 1997 , at US $ 7 , 000 apiece with a certificate of authenticity signed by Jein at the in Chicago . Modified molds of the model had already been produced previously for the future Klingon attack cruiser seen in , a design which , in turn , developed into the " Negh ' Var " warship . Sternbach had his own personal AMT study model , as seen in the DVD special feature , auctioned off as , estimated at US $ 1 , 000 - $ 1 , 500 , in the aforementioned " The Ultimate Sci - Fi Auction " for US $ 800 . Debris from an exploded " Vor ' cha " - class breakaway model were sold in the " It ' s A Wrap ! sale and auction " as on 29 December 2006 for US $ 1 , 025 , having most likely been used in a " Deep Space Nine " episode . CGI models . For appearances in the last two seasons of " Deep Space Nine " , a CGI model was built at Foundation Imaging by Trevor Peirce , who had the original physical studio model in its revised livery at his disposal for reference , thereby giving his CGI model the darker green color usually associated with Klingon ships , under the supervision of Ron Thornton , it making its debut in . ( " Sci - Fi & Fantasy Models " , issue 32 , 1998 , p . 53 ) In 2001 , Robert Bonchune and Adam Lebowitz refined the CGI model for representation in their book " " , and the model went on to make several additional appearances in and onto licensed " Star Trek " print publications , most notably in the " " calendars and their book derivative . In 2014 , Fabio Passaro re - render ed Foundation ' s model into a new , more refined version for representation in the British " " partwork publication . His version lacked the rust - colored paneling that was there on both the physical and digital studio models .