A probe designed for extended flight at high warp speeds, the Class-8 is usually instrumented heavily with sensor equipment and is similar in both appearance and shape to a photon torpedo.

By removing the probe's sensor equipment, and fitting it with a life-support system, a Class-8 probe was used to send special Federation envoy and Klingon emissary, K'Ehleyr, to the Enterprise-D on Stardate 42901.3.