The engineering complex design on board the Qa'pla class ships are one of the rarest designs ever manufactured in both Klingon and Federation space territories. One of the differences is that compared to most known layouts especially Federation layouts, the warp core is horizontal because of the ship's vertical thiness and the impossibility of vertical installation.

As a result of horizontal installation the engineering complex has a mezzanine that has elevators near the core on the core side of the safety doors and stairs near the chief engineer's office. Part of the catwalk is extended over the door to the dilithium chamber w/ a hole for easy access to switch crystals.