Talk:Photonic torpedo

Given that no actual evidence exists (Quite the opposite, as an entire section seems devoted to the lack of such information.) of any actual difference between a photon and a photonic torpedo, I'm concerned as to whether the comment about Klingon torpedo technology being more advanced that its human and Vulcan counterparts is actually warranted, going simply by a slight difference in names that could just as well be effectively interchangable.

Photonic torpedo the same as a photon torpedo

As far as I can tell a photonic torpedo is in fact no different then a photon torpedo. It appears to me that the shows creators simply used "photonic" to make it sound like an older more archaic name for the same technology. In my opinion this is also true for the relation of phase pistols/cannons and phasers. Same technology just an older name. The producers are trying to ignore some of the more "corney" bits of cannon in the original series and simply ignoring the lasers seen in The Cage and Where No Man Has Gone Before. Generalleoff 22:09, 27 April 2006 (UTC)

Actually, phase cannons must be different from phasers as per Worf's comments in "A Matter of Time", in which he specifically stated that phasers did not exist in the 22nd century. As for the photonic torpedoes and photon torpedoes, there may be a difference, there may not be... without the specifics of both weapons, we just don't know. --From Andoria with Love 23:43, 27 April 2006 (UTC)

According to the ST:TNG technical manual(pg 128) there were two types of warheads developed starting in 2215, the first was less effective but was quickly made ready for use quickly,it used six slugs of deuterium driven into six chambers filled with antideuterium. It also states however that fusion weapons were still the the mainly used weapon in the 22nd century. In 2271 a second type of warhead was finally perfected which held the reactants in thousands of minute packets to increase surface area of reaction. Perhaps 'photonic' weapons are the first type of warhead. I also assume the torpedoes were sub light only until late 23rd century, since shuttle craft up until then had only had impulse engines. -- takane2 11:34 December 18, 2007

Anti-Matter warhead?

I am curious, when is it said that photonic torpedoes have anti-matter warheads? I don't remember hearing that in the show. Are we just basing that off the fact that it has a similar name to photon torpedoes? --OuroborosCobra 16:46, 31 May 2006 (UTC)

In the very first episode featuring photonic torpedoes, season two's "The Expanse", the Enterprise fires the new torpedoes at a Klingon Bird-of-Prey. The Klingons are shocked when the weapons cause significant damage, and when Duras asks what caused the damage, one of his men shouts they were anti-matter warheads. The dialogue is supplied below. --From Andoria with Love 02:14, 1 June 2006 (UTC)

Archer: "You've been wanting to test those new torpedoes."

Reed: "What yield?"

Archer: "Start low. We just want to get them off our backs."

(Photonic torpedoes fire and hit the Klingon ship.)

Duras: "What was that?!"

Klingon: "Anti-matter warheads!"

Duras: "Increase shielding!"

Within the ST:Ent series we have heard (twice) that it does use a M/AM warhead.There's the dialogue above,and when the Insectoid ship with the Nursery becomes Archer's fixation and he transfers much of the ship's AM to it's reactor,Reed is heard to comment;

Reed: "...We barely have enough AntiMatter left for our torpedos."

1- We therefore know it's been confirmed they are M/AM based,and related to the future photon torpedo. -- 68.149.180.69

perhaps thats the difference - Photon torpedos combine Matter and antimatter, whereas Photonic torpedoes are just straight antimatter. consider that neither quote says anything about M/AM, just Antimatter.

Why photonic?

When M/Am react,there is a massive burst of extremely high-energy Gamma and X-rays as well as lesser forms of radiation.Example;when a nuke blows,it's this same Gamma/X-ray burst that creates the blast by driving all matter in the nearby vicinity to ultra-high energy plasma states which rapidly expands away from the detonation point.This means the local atmosphere too...

• M/AM reactions are FAR more efficient at creating this kind of matter/energy conversion;
• M + AM = (High Energy) G-Rays/X-Rays at a near-perfect 1:1 particle-to-energy conversion ratio.
• A nuke,generally only converts a fraction of an electron into pure energy/Gamma/X-Rays.
• Gamma and X-Rays are nothing more than extremely high-energy photons,the same constituents as visible light,just vastly more energetic.

Hence; 'Photonic'. -- 68.149.180.69

Warhead design theory

Archer's Era certainly doesn't have the incredible refinements available in the 24th Century,so,they'd have to use a simpler method for detonation of an M/AM warhead to achieve as efficient a reaction-process as possible.24th Century warheads have structured magnetic fields to ensure the most efficient reaction area for the M/AM particles in the containment chamber (As per the Next Gen Tech Manual). So...how do you get a good efficiency with less refined tech? The warheads found in Spatial Torpedos are small,and for their size deliver a good amount of energy. Take six smaller ones,and a spheroid magnetically containing AM. The 6 warheads are arranged equidistant around the spheroid,each having a blast-focusing shield around it to shape the detonation force and focus it into the center of the spheroid. The spheroid is two parts,an inner one holding the AM,and an outer shell. The outer shell acts to hold 6 Deuterium slugs (Frozen Deuterium) directly in the blast-path of the Spatial Torpedo warhead units. Upon detonation,the warhead of the Spatial Torpedos act as detonators and drive the deuterium (Now in a plasma-state) into the M/AM containment sphere,where the M/AM mixes,begins to react,and the reacting mas is held in check for an instant from the force of the focussed blasts acting to implode it. This implosion allows the reaction to make more use of the reactants and achieve a higher energy-density before the implosion-effect both fades and the reaction is now able to overwhelm it. Warhead yield is controlled by altering the amount of Antimatter loaded into the containment spheroid before firing,and by how many 'detonators' go off to drive the reaction. -- 68.149.180.69

Problem

In the Voyager episode with the mueum of heratage and warship voyager, the guide says that the Voyager was armed with Photonic Torpedos. How could that be right?– 7th Tactical 18:59, 2 April 2007 (UTC)

Maybe because it was an obvious inaccurate portrayal of Voyager. I thought that was clear. – 128.227.43.42 06:33, 9 June 2007 (UTC)

Mention of Columbia use?

Should there be a mention of Columbia utilizing these torpedoes in the history? In particular, about how the ship has ventral and dorsal launchers?--Terran Officer 07:33, 18 August 2007 (UTC)

It was stated that Columbia had ventral and dorsal torpedo launchers, but it was not specified whether the ship utilized photonic torpedoes or spatial torpedoes. Enterprise was armed with the new torps to better ready them for their mission in the expanse; we don't know for sure if the weapons were handed out to all other ships from that time forward. --From Andoria with Love 21:24, 18 August 2007 (UTC)

Origin of photonic torpedoes

There is a theory, supported by myself, for one, that suggests that the Vissians allowed Starfleet to borrow photonic torpedoes for the mission to stop the Xindi. This is obviously not canon, but my point is that the true origin of photonic torpedoes was never stated. However, this page presents it as a fact that Starfleet developed them. This was never established, photonic torpedoes simply appeared without explanation. (There are several reasons I believe they are Vissian in origin, but this is not the place for a debate.)

In any case, I believe the pseudo-factual statement regarding their origins should be removed, and replaced with something more correct, which would, in this case, mean more vague. Rogue Vulcan 18:15, 28 August 2008 (UTC)

Kind of an easy fix. --Alan 18:24, 28 August 2008 (UTC)

Cool. Thanks. I didn't want to do it myself, without some sort of collaborative support. I wasn't sure of the rules along those lines. Rogue Vulcan 22:26, 28 August 2008 (UTC)