Plankwell class dreadnaughts are named for notable admirals in the Imperial Navy. The class name is taken from Grand Admiral Olav hault-Plankwell, a sector admiral who rose to Grand Admiral of the Marches and defeated the Outworld Coalition during the First Frontier War (589 to 604). Following his victory, he led the fleet to Core, personally dispatched the Empress Jaqueline I, and took over the government. The result was the long, bloody Civil War; Olav was the first of the Emperors of the Flag. Although Olav is in disrepute as an emporer, Grand Admiral Plankwell is still remembered and honored for his achievements as a naval commander; significantly, his name has not been assigned to any ship in the new Cleon class of battle riders, named for emperors of the Imperium.

Plankwell class dreadnaughts are built using a modular design and construction technique which has proven cost-effective in commercial ship-building. A central strut or keel serves as a foundation, bracing the drives and aligning the spinal mount, while all other parts of the ship are mounted to brackets or strengthened points along it. The technique allows separate construction of the various modules (such as quarters, electronics areas, fuel tankage, and control areas) with a final mating of all the various components being performed only after the drives and keel have been tested and accepted. There was some initial concern that the connecting points would be foci for weakness in battle, but the losses of two separate Plankwells in combat have been attributed by investigating boards to strategic misdirection.