Futuristic ships tearing through space are a staple of sci-fi, and sci-fi doesn’t get much better thanStar Trek. So, naturally, the long-running franchise has given us some pretty iconic ships over the years. They come in all shapes and sizes and from all corners of the galaxy (and beyond).
Over decades of shows, films, and visionary artists introducing new starship designs, several Star Trek ships have become iconic—not just within the series, but in the entire sci-fi genre. So regardless of the species that built it or the captain behind the helm, let’s take a look at some of the best Star Trek ships of all time.
9Jem’Hadar Battle Cruiser
A Command Vessel For The Dominion’s Ruthless Jem’Hadar
Seen primarily in Deep Space Nine, the Jem’Hadar battle cruiser was a favorite of the Dominion. Sleek and heavily armed with directed energy weapons and torpedoes, the ship was a threat even to Excelsior-class starships.
Jem’Hadar battle cruisers were different from the Dominion’s smaller attack ships too, as they could serve as strategic command vessels. Battle cruisers that rivaled Galaxy-class ships in size, piloted by the brutal Jem’Hadar? No wonder the Dominion War stretched on for two years.
8T’Liss-class Bird-of-Prey
Small Yet Lethal
The T’Liss-class Bird-of-Prey—one of the Romulan Empire’s earliest warships—excelled at “cat-and-mouse” style combat against far larger and deadlier starships. Designed for speed and stealth, it had cloaking technology that allowed it to strike without warning.
And though it was relatively small, it still managed to pack a decent punch with disruptor cannons and plasma torpedoes. The look of it is also fantastic, hearkening back to the original era of Star Trek. It must have been quite a nuisance to look out your cockpit to see that painted bird underneath the ship as it flew overhead, just out of reach.
7Klingon Bird of Prey
A Versatile Warship You’ll Never See Coming
Known for its quick, aggressive tactics, the Klingon Bird-of-Prey was capable of both atmospheric and space flight. But what allowed the Bird-of-Prey to swoop in out of nowhere was its cloaking abilities, which the Federation chose not to emulate.
Both the Klingons and the Romulans have Bird-of-Prey ships due to Star Trek III: The Search For Spock’s art department. They repurposed ship models made for an alternate version of the film’s script in which the Romulans rather than the Klingons were the enemies. But in a way, it feels more fitting that the savage and honor-obsessed Klingons would have something as proud and intimidating as a predatory bird painted on the underside of their ship.
6Discovery
Outfitted With A Revolutionary Spore Drive
One of the few Crossfield-class starships we’ve gotten a look at, the design of the USS Discovery feels like a true balance between the old and the new. Designed by veteran Star Trek production artist John Eaves, inspired by a 1970s concept from Star Wars legend Ralph McQuarrie, and featuring the franchise’s first-ever spore drive (alongside the USS Glenn), the modern ship earns its place among classics like the Enterprise and Voyager.
Demonstrating speed, strength, and tight maneuverability, it wasn’t just the spore drive that made the USS Discovery feel like it could bolt into action and lead the charge at a moment’s notice—that feeling was designed into the ship itself.
5USS Voyager
Lost In The Delta Quadrant, Far From Starfleet
The king of all detours, the USS Voyager faced a hefty challenge when it was suddenly tasked with a seven-year journey back home. But with the incomparable Captain Kathryn Janeway at the helm, the Intrepid-class starship overcame every obstacle the Delta Quadrant threw its way.
Voyager’s arrow-head style—like the rest of the Intrepid Class—is a bit more compact than other ships, which sets it apart from other Star Trek eras. And under the hood, you’ve got variable geometry warp nacelles, bio-neural circuitry, and (of course) an advancedEmergency Medical Holographic program.
4Whale Probe
The Ship That Still Remains A Mystery
Who made it? What is it trying to say? And why the heck is it trying to say it to a bunch of whales? These questions may never be answered (at least not without someadditional reading), and that’s what makes the Whale Probe so fascinating.
Imagining what race could have created such a massive and uniquely designed ship—or arguing that the ship itself was a single lifeform—is part of what Star Trek is all about. The probe’s design seems simultaneously baffling to the human mind yet logical, perhaps, to some other sentience. For these reasons, few other ships can inspire such imagination as the Whale Probe.
3V-Ger
One Of The Best Reveals In All Of Star Trek
It’s hard to forget the extended sequence of the USS Enterprise traveling along the immense length of V’ger. The ship simply keeps looming out of the darkness, implying intelligence, unlike anything the crew has seen before. V’ger is 48 miles, meaning it would take you about an hour to drive across its length.
But far more memorable than V’ger’s size is the revelation of what it truly is. (Spoilers ahead). The idea that a machine planet captured a “simple” space probe and gave it the ability to learn so much that it had an existential crisis is a stellar idea for Star Trek’s first trip to the movies. It didn’t quite come together as well as otherStar Trek films, but that certainly wasn’t the fault of V’ger.
2Enterprise
The One That Started It All
Yes, we mean every iteration of the ship that remains the face of Star Trek. From the XCV-330 to the NX-01 and every beloved version of the NCC-1701, it’s impossible to pick just one. As the years have gone on, the Enterprise has seen many changes, such as increased capacity for civilians and the holodeck.
But each one has served Starfleet every bit as well as the crews that pilot them. As Vice Admiral Nakamura says, “For five hundred years, every ship that has borne the name of the Enterprise has become a legend.”
1Borg Cube
One Of The Most Feared Ships In Space
Few ships have become as synonymous with power and striking fear into their enemies' hearts as the Borg Cube. Equal parts spaceship, space station, and advanced weapon, Borg Cubes can house over a hundred thousand Borg “drones,” depending on their size.
While its imposing, too-perfect shape would be unsettling enough to come across in the far reaches of outer space, Borg Cubes have also proven wildly difficult to destroy. As we’ve seen many times throughout Star Trek, landing your first hit on the Borg is fairly easy. But once they adapt, evolve, and repeat, you just better hope Species 8472 is there to back you up.
