The I.K.S. Qu'Vat is a Vor'cha-class attack battlecruiser and serves as part of the Shenandoah Valley Expeditionary Force.
This "Ship of the Cache" has been sent out on a long-term mission of exploration and conquest for the Klingon Empire --- exploring the unknown, seeking out other geocachers and conquering that which no travel bug has conquered before!
In all seriousness, this little traveller embraces the visions of the Star Trek universe as it seeks to explore the unknown.
Please assist it in its journey, posting photos and stories of its adventures for those of us left back home to see and enjoy.
One of the most fun parts of Geocaching is being out there and seeing things never before seen.
Our "Ships of the Cache" extend our reach and allow us to touch places we never as humans thought possible.
We thank you for your assistance in helping to keep these ships active and traveling.
Affiliation :Klingon
Class Name :Vor'cha Class
Type :Attack Cruiser
Dimensions :
Length : 481.32 m
Beam : 341.76 m
Height : 106.87 m
Decks : 28
Mass :2,238,000 metric tons
Crew :1,900
Armament :
3 x Mark 12 pulse disrupter cannon
12 x Mark 10 disrupter cannon, total output 60,000 TeraWatts
4 x Triple Fire photon torpedo tube with 580 rounds
Defence Systems :
Standard shield system, total capacity 2,079,000 TeraJoules
Heavy Duranium/Tritanium Double hull plus 16 cm High density armour.
High level Structural Integrity Field
Warp Speeds (TNG scale) :
Normal Cruise : 6
Maximum Cruise : 8.8
Maximum Rated : 9.6 for 4 hours.
Strength Indices : (Galaxy class = 1,000)
Beam Firepower : 1,200
Torpedo Firepower : 480
Weapon Range and Accuracy : 820
Shield Strength : 770
Hull Armour : 2,000
Speed : 1,000
Combat Manoeuvrability : 2,590
Overall Strength Index :919
Diplomatic Capability :Standard models approximately equivalent to Starfleet Grade 2. Some Vor'Chas have been refitted as diplomatic couriers for High Council members and are approximately equivalent to Starfleet Grade 4.
Expected Hull Life :80
Refit Cycle :Minor : 2 year
Standard : 2 years
Major : 16 years
Notes : The Vor'Cha class was originally the Klingon response to Starfleets Ambassador class design. Intended to be significantly more powerful than the Ambassador, the ship had something of a troubled beginning. The project was approved in 2332, and immediately ran into snags; the Klingons experienced problems with the manufacture of the Warp Coils, a problem Starfleet would later encounter for itself. In addition, despite much effort the Klingons could not match Starfleets development of the burst fire torpedo tube. However, the materials problems were overcome and the first designs indicated that the new ships would comfortably meet the design requirements using larger numbers of single fire torpedo tubes. However, by the time construction of the first vessel was begun in 2341, Starfleet had issued the requirement for the Nebula class Starship. This would clearly be more than a match for the proposed Vor'Cha class, leaving the Klingons with a major new warship design which would be obsolete the moment it left the shipyards.
The Klingons responded by going back to the drawing board and reworking the design. Three of the Mark 10 disrupter cannon were replaced with more powerful models, designated the Mark 12. These were capable of operating in a 'pulse fire' mode, increasing their effectiveness against shield systems. High density armour plating was added around the ships Warp Core, nacelles, and around the weapons platforms. Efforts continued to field a burst fire torpedo system; in 2343 a group of six torpedoes exploded wile being fired from a test vessel, destroying it with the loss of two hundred personnel, including nine of the projects best design specialists. Despite this tragedy the Klingons pressed on, albeit with a less ambitious tube design capable of firing three torpedoes at a time, and were eventually successful.
The re-designed Vor'Cha began construction in 2345 and launched in 2351, three years before the first of the Nebula class. Comparisons between the two are inevitable; the Vor'Cha is generally considered to be about 15% more powerful than the standard Nebula design because of its superior armour and pulse fire disrupters. However, when fitted with an enhanced weapons pod the Nebula is generally reckoned to be more than a match for the Vor'Cha. The advent of the Galaxy class swung the balance further toward Starfleet, and the Vor'Cha class is decidedly behind the latest designs beginning to enter service in the quadrant. The Klingons are reported to be planning to upgrade the Vor'Cha fleet with more powerful disrupters, the latest torpedo tubes, and enhanced shielding systems to keep them on the front lines. It is not known when this process might begin.