The Temar Vastaram Bird of Prey, created from plans for the older Vas'Hatham Class, was constructed in response to the need for increased firepower and speed. Its similarity to the Vas'Hatham on casual inspection is responsible for the prolonged myth that the Vas'Hatham was the mainstay of the Romulan Navy.

A slightly heavier cruiser, the Temar Vastaram mounts two lesser plasma mortars and many blast beams. The cruiser was a point of great pride in the Romulan fleet, and it - like the Vas'Hatham - were among the first ships to receive an upgrade to medium disruptor technologies once those became widely available.