Changes: Plasma cannon

Revision as of 06:31, 5 November 2015

Plasma cannons were a form of directed energy cannon weaponry. On Starfleet vessels, they were the precursors to phase cannons. Plasma cannons fired a plasma discharge in the form of a beam or a burst similar to the plasma bullets fired by hand-held plasma weapons, but much bigger in size. (ENT: "Fortunate Son", "Horizon", "Shadows of P'Jem")

The plasma cannons and discharges fired by the Enterprise in "Broken Bow" were called launch turrets and torpedoes in the script. [1]

History

In the early- to mid-22nd century, Earth Cargo Service freighters were commonly equipped with low-yield turrets, often referred to as "popguns", designed only to break up asteroids and meteors. Earth Y class freighters were typically equipped with a single plasma cannon and J class ships with two turrets. The captains of these freighters, however, would often upgrade the cannons for more powerful ones the first chance they got. To achieve a weapons lock, the target had to be within a nine kilometer range. (ENT: "Fortunate Son", "Horizon")

The Enterprise NX-01 was equipped with several plasma cannons during the first days of its mission, but was eventually upgraded with the more advanced phase cannons. (ENT: "Broken Bow") Enterprise's Shuttlepod 1 was equipped with dual plasma cannons. (ENT: "Awakening") These plasma cannons had a range of less than ten kilometers. (ENT: "Shuttlepod One")

In the mid-22nd century, Nausicaan pirates also utilized fore and aft plasma cannons on their raiders. (ENT: "Fortunate Son")

In an alternate timeline, Vosk, the leader of the Na'kuhl, offered Nazi Germany plasma cannons and plasma rifles in exchange for materials to build a temporal conduit. (ENT: "Storm Front, Part II")

In the mirror universe, in 2155, the Terran Empire still used plasma cannons on NX-class starships. (ENT: "In a Mirror, Darkly", "In a Mirror, Darkly, Part II")

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-'''Plasma cannons''' are a form of [[weapon|weaponry]]. On [[Starfleet]] vessels, they were the precursors to [[phase cannon]]s. [[freighter|Cargo vessels]] were commonly equipped with one turret, designed to break up [[asteroid]]s and [[meteor]]s.
+'''Plasma cannons''' were a form of [[Directed energy weapon|directed energy]] [[Cannon#Directed energy cannons|cannon]] [[weapon|weaponry]]. On [[Starfleet]] vessels, they were the precursors to [[phase cannon]]s. Plasma cannons fired a [[plasma]] discharge in the form of a beam or a burst similar to the [[plasma bullet]]s fired by hand-held [[plasma weapon]]s, but much bigger in size. ({{ENT|Fortunate Son|Horizon|Shadows of P'Jem}})
+{{bginfo|The plasma cannons and discharges fired by the ''Enterprise'' in "Broken Bow" were called launch turrets and torpedoes in the script. ''{{Star Trek Minutiae|resources/scripts/ent001.txt}}''}}
-The ''[[Enterprise (NX-01)|Enterprise]]'' was equipped with several plasma cannons during the first days of its mission, but would eventually be upgraded with the more advanced phase cannons. ({{ENT|Broken Bow}}) ''Enterprise''{{'}}s ''[[Shuttlepod 1]]'' was equipped with dual plasma cannons. ({{ENT|Awakening}}) These plasma cannons had a range of less than 10 [[kilometer]]s. ({{ENT|Shuttlepod One}})
+==History==
-[[Earth]] [[Y class]] freighters, were typically equipped with a single plasma cannon. The captains of these freighters, however, would often upgrade them at the first chance they got. Often referred to as "popguns", to achieve a weapons lock, the target had to be within a [[kilometer|9 kilometer]] range. ({{ENT|Fortunate Son}})
+In the early- to mid-[[22nd century]], [[Earth Cargo Service]] [[freighter]]s were commonly equipped with low-yield turrets, often referred to as "popguns", designed only to break up [[asteroid]]s and [[meteor]]s. [[Earth]] [[Y class]] freighters were typically equipped with a single plasma cannon and [[J class]] ships with two turrets. The captains of these freighters, however, would often upgrade the cannons for more powerful ones the first chance they got. To achieve a weapons lock, the target had to be within a nine [[kilometer]] range. ({{ENT|Fortunate Son|Horizon}})
+The {{EnterpriseNX}} was equipped with several plasma cannons during the first days of its mission, but was eventually upgraded with the more advanced phase cannons. ({{ENT|Broken Bow}}) ''Enterprise''{{'}}s ''[[Shuttlepod 1]]'' was equipped with dual plasma cannons. ({{ENT|Awakening}}) These plasma cannons had a range of less than ten [[kilometer]]s. ({{ENT|Shuttlepod One}})
-''In an [[alternate timeline]], [[Vosk]] and the [[Na'kuhl]] offered [[Nazi]] [[Germany]] plasma cannons, and other weapons in exchange for materials to build the [[temporal conduit]].'' ({{ENT|Storm Front, Part II}})
+In the mid-22nd century, [[Nausicaan]] [[pirate]]s also utilized fore and aft plasma cannons on their [[Nausicaan raider|raiders]]. ({{ENT|Fortunate Son}})
+''In an [[alternate timeline]], [[Vosk]], the leader of the [[Na'kuhl]], offered [[Nazi]] [[Germany]] plasma cannons and [[plasma rifle]]s in exchange for materials to build a [[temporal conduit]].'' ({{ENT|Storm Front, Part II}})
+In the [[mirror universe]], in [[2155]], the [[Terran Empire]] still used plasma cannons on {{Class|NX}} [[starship]]s. ({{ENT|In a Mirror, Darkly|In a Mirror, Darkly, Part II}})
 <gallery>
-Image:Enterprise plasma cannon broken bow.jpg|''Enterprise'' fires plasma cannons
+File:Enterprise plasma cannon broken bow.jpg|''Enterprise'' fires plasma cannons
-Image:Shuttlepod 1 firing plasma cannons.jpg|''Shuttlepod 1'' fires plasma cannon
+File:ISS Avenger.jpg|ISS ''Avenger'' fires its plasma cannon
-Image:Plasma cannon - Nakuhl.jpg|A Na'kuhl plasma cannon
+File:ECS Fortunate firing plasma cannon.jpg|''Fortunate'' fires its plasma cannon
+File:Alien vessel fought off by the command module of the Horizon.jpg|The ''Horizon'' command module firing its plasma turrets at a pirate ship
-Image:Stuka.jpg|A Stuka dive bomber, retrofitted with plasma cannons
+File:Shuttlepod 1 firing plasma cannons.jpg|''Shuttlepod 1'' fires plasma cannon
+File:Nausicaan ship weapons.jpg|Nausicaan raiders firing plasma cannons
+File:Plasma cannon - Nakuhl.jpg|A Na'kuhl plasma cannon
+File:Stuka.jpg|A [[Stuka]] dive bomber, retrofitted with a  Na'kuhl plasma cannon
 </gallery>
 ==See also==
 * [[Electro-plasma]]
+* [[Plasma torpedo]]
 [[de:Plasmakanone]]
+[[ja:プラズマ・キャノン]]
 [[Category:Weapons]]