The Borg and Cloaking technology

[Icehawk]

Not sure if this has ever been brought up before but has it ever been stated or discussed as to why the Borg have not used or perfected cloaking systems?

This just occured to me that the Borg don't seem to ever use them and it would probably help them quite a bit. Plus you would think they could perfect and adapt the technology to the point where they are like the ones on the Scimitar.

[Darth Fanboy]

The BOrg originated in the Delta quadrant and theres no evidence of any major powers other than the Klingons or Romulans having the devices and implementing them in their fleets. The Borg would have to assimilate someone with the knowledge, unlikely since the only tech with the knowledge are probably on Q'o'nos or Romulus (Earth too technically).

since we havenever seen anh instances of the Borg taking over a ship and assimilating tech that way we can assume that they have never had the oipportunity or ne ver realized it.

[Chris OFarrell]

I highly dobut that they don't know cloaking technology. In Dark Frontier, the Delta Flyer was outquiped with some variation of cloaking technology. As soon as the Borg knew the flyer was around here somewhere, they addapted to the cloak and saw right through it in a few seconds. The more advanced stealth technology Admiral Janeways shuttle used fooled them until they managed to trace her signal back to its source.

I think they just think of it as inefficent and a waste of resources. They realy don't have a major reason to cloak as they grossly outgun just about everone out there with their capital ships. And the people that are a match for them will probably not be fooled by cloaking technology for very long.

[Superman]

I think that the Borg would say, "cloaking is irrelevant." They don't care about sneaking around because part of the reason cloaking species do so is for information gathering and spying. The Borg definitely don't spy, they just assimilate. Also, they never seem to retreat from a fight (even if they lose) so cloaking technology is probably useless for them.

I think that a better question might be whether the Borg can DETECT a cloaked ship. If the Borg come across a Romulan Warbird, for example, and the Warbird cloaks in order to escape, would the Borg employ some sort of detection technology to find it? I think that they would. Imagine this:

Romulan Helmsman: "Sir, sensors detect a Borg cube on an intercept course! They have detected us!"

Romulan Intercom: "We are the Borg. Lower your shields and..."

Romulan Captain: "Engage cloak! Get us out of here!"

Romulan Helmsman: "Cloak engaged. Setting course... Sir, the Borg have activated some sort of anti proton beam! They've got us in a tractor beam!"

Intercom: "You will be assimilated."

I think it's reasonable to assume that, because of the Borg's superior technology, they are well aware of the existence of cloaking device and have the means to detect it.

[GrandMasterTerwynn]

Not sure if this has ever been brought up before but has it ever been stated or discussed as to why the Borg have not used or perfected cloaking systems?

This just occured to me that the Borg don't seem to ever use them and it would probably help them quite a bit. Plus you would think they could perfect and adapt the technology to the point where they are like the ones on the Scimitar.

The mindset required to develop and use cloaking devices requires a bit of subtlety and the urge to be clandestine.

The Borg lack subtlety. They build their ships big and they don't do this negotiating thing very well. By extension, they're fans of sneaking around. Which means that though the Borg would know about cloaking technology (through assimilation,) it is something that they wouldn't find very useful.

[Exonerate]

I highly dobut that they don't know cloaking technology. In Dark Frontier, the Delta Flyer was outquiped with some variation of cloaking technology. As soon as the Borg knew the flyer was around here somewhere, they addapted to the cloak and saw right through it in a few seconds. The more advanced stealth technology Admiral Janeways shuttle used fooled them until they managed to trace her signal back to its source.

I think they just think of it as inefficent and a waste of resources. They realy don't have a major reason to cloak as they grossly outgun just about everone out there with their capital ships. And the people that are a match for them will probably not be fooled by cloaking technology for very long.

That was by triangulating the signal. Lets face it; not many races can go toe-to-toe with the Borg and come out alive. They probably havn't implimented it because there is no need for it.

[Darth Fanboy]

the DF had some variation, but still not th esame sort of cloak used on the Romulan or Klingon fleets.

How do they just adapt to the cloak? One second its hidden but through the uber magic of Trek the borg automatically adapt to the cloak?

I would say that the only experience Borg have with an Alpha Quadrant style cloak is with the few Klingon and ROmulans (and possibly some of the Federation) officers theyve assimilated. Granted one of the possibilities is that they got one of the engineers who was familiar with its operations enough to maintain and repair the device but not to actually build one.

We know how fucking ridiculous Borg tactics are but it stands to reason that if they had the capacity to install a cloak, at least on tactical cubes.

On the flip side of my opinion:
-It is possible that cloaks are a waste of energy on the massive borg cubes, possibly enough of a power drain to make it a hazard.
-If they assimilated someone with enough knowledge of a cloak, it is possible they used the knowedge to develop a countermeasure rather than use the cloak.
-Borg are even dumber than we think, as evidenced by a transcript of the new "Resistance is Futile speech"

We amm Borg, Resist are fitulll...futeeee..faaa....bad. You low shieldand we go us. All your base are belong to us......ummmm yea

[Superman]

The Borg are not stupid. Originally, they were meant to be a collective of mindless beings that were controlled by a central collective. That is why you cannot talk to them, and that is why they repeat the "resistance is futile" thing all of the time.

With the Queen now in existence, the Borg make no sense. Why are they so mindless when their leader is just like any other being. She even makes smart ass remarks... The Borg no longer make sense.