The warp drive was the first attempt of the Mankind at FTL travel. It creates a moving bubble in the spacetime, allowing thus for any object inside of it to traverse space faster than light. Henry Helmerich was the first human known to successfully build and use one. Later his research was used to create the Helmerich generator, allowing for the creation of the Gates.
The warp drives are notorious for their capabilities as a war weapon. The impact of a high-speed warp drive bubble with a planet can lead to its destruction.
That is why the usage of the warp drives was forbidden by the Assembly, and thus making it a war crime to try to even build one. It was also agreed, that in a case of a such attempt, the Assembly does everything possible to prevent anyone from having such a device.