The Klingon Defense Forces (sometimes referred to as the Imperial Klingon Defense Forces) are the military branch of the Klingon Empire.
History
As of 2373, the headquarters of the Klingon Defense Forces have been relocated to Ty'Gokor. The majority of Defense Force members are common warriors. In order to become an officer a candidate must pass the entrance exam. The prospective officer then must be approved by an oversight council who can reject the application. Officers usually serve on the Klingon Empire's ships and warriors are sent into battle, whether it be on planetary assaults or when boarding other vessels. (DS9: "Apocalypse Rising", "Once More Unto the Breach")
The system of hierarchy aboard ships within the Defense Forces is highly structured. According to one of their systems, one that has operated successfully for centuries, the first officer of any Klingon vessel has the duty to assassinate his captain when and if the captain becomes weak or unable to perform. It is expected that his honorable retirement should be assisted by his "first". The second officer also shares similar duties with his "first". (TNG: "A Matter Of Honor"; DS9: "Soldiers of the Empire")
The Defense Forces are capable of deploying a fleet of ships to devastate the surface of an entire planet. They have done so on several occasions, including the successful destruction of the tribble homeworld in the late 23rd century. (DS9: "Trials and Tribble-ations")
Agencies
Military conflicts
- Attack on Breen (Second Empire)
- Battle of HarOs
- Temporal Cold War (2151)
- Augment Crisis (2154)
- Destruction of N'Vak colony
- Attack on Qu'Vat colony
- Federation-Klingon Cold War (c. 2220s-2293)
- Battle of Donatu V (2245)
- Occupation of Organia (2266-2267)
- Federation-Klingon War (2267) (2267)
- Raid on Caleb IV (c. 2260s)
- Battle of Klach D'Kel Brakt (2271)
- Battle of Narendra III (2344)
- Betreka Nebula Incident
- Federation-Klingon War (alternate timeline) (2344-2366)
- Khitomer Massacre (2346)
- Klingon Civil War (2367-2368)
- Klingon-Cardassian War (2372-2373)
- Federation-Klingon War (2372-73) (2372-2373)
- Dominion War (2373-2375)