A plasma cannon was a weapon technology, a directed energy weapons emitter installed on starships. Such a cannon fired a single projectile of plasma energy at a target, dealing more damage than a plasma beam array or plasma turret but less than plasma dual cannons. As a single cannon, it had a 180° firing arc. Compared to other energy weapon types, plasma space particle weapons had a chance of hitting a target with temporarily lasting plasma that could damage a ship's hull over time. Plasma cannons usually fired cyan pulses. (STO - Klingon War mission: "Welcome to Earth Spacedock")
History and specifications[]
Primary universe[]
Plasma cannons could be mounted on spacecraft, aerial vehicles, space stations and asteroid or ground-based outpost installations.
In the 22nd century, both the Earth Cargo Service and the Earth Starfleet made use of plasma cannons on their starships and shuttlepods. The civilian Y-class and J-class freighters each sported a single cannon and two turrets respectively, while Starfleet's NX-class prototype Enterprise (NX-01) sported several cannons before being fitted with the newer phase cannons in the year 2151, and its embarked OTV type K42 shuttlepod number 1 also sported dual cannons. (ENT episodes: "Fortunate Son", "Silent Enemy", "Horizon", "Awakening")
Around the same time in the 2150s decade, plasma cannons were also employed by Nausicaan pirates aboard their raiders. (ENT episode: "Fortunate Son")
In the 24th century, the Cardassian Union made use of plasma cannons on board their Kulinor-class vessels. (TNG video game: Armada II)
Alternate realities and timelines[]
Mirror universe[]
In the mirror universe, these weapons were still used by the Terran Empire aboard their NX-class warships in 2155, although they also had phase cannons available. The ISS Avenger fired a spread of plasma cannon fire at the USS Defiant. (ENT episode: "In a Mirror, Darkly")
Temporal Cold War[]
In the 20th century of an alternate timeline created by the time-traveling faction of Na'kuhl led by Vosk, Nazi Germany used plasma cannons both as ground-based artillery and fitted to their Stuka dive bombers in 1944. (ENT episode: "Storm Front")
Specifications[]
The Earth designs of this type of weapon had a range of between 9 and 10 kilometers. (ENT episodes: "Fortunate Son", "Shuttlepod One", "Horizon")
The Cardassian design of this weapon was designed specifically for planetary assault and thus was incapable of being used against starships. The plasma cannon was slung underneath the ship, where it launched a super-dense projectile at a planet's surface. Once the planet was struck, a significant amount of people were killed by the weapon's blast. (ST video game: Armada II)
- Presumably, starships were capable of avoiding this version of the weapon which was why it was not used against starships.
In the 25th century, plasma cannons fired cyan-colored bolts and were available with different ratings of advancement, ranging from mark I to mark XV, plus unrated variants. These cannons could be modified by personnel to improve accuracy, critical severity, critical chance and damage output. Aboard starships, plasma cannons could be slotted in fore weapon emplacements only. The variant plasma turret could be placed in either fore or aft weapon slot, however. (STO - New Dawn missions: "Explore the Flotilla", "The Hunt is On", "Ceremony", "Welcome to Earth Spacedock")
In the 2400s and 2410s decades, this type of plasma weapon was a standard model in the Romulan Republic Navy and other armed factions within the Romulan Republic, as well as the Romulan Star Empire and its Tal Shiar. (STO - From the Ashes mission: "Explore the Flotilla")
By the 29th century, antiproton weapons were the standard weapons for Romulan starships, including their mirror universe counterparts. (STO - Agents of Yesterday mission: "Explore the Flotilla")
Plasma cannon types[]
- standard plasma cannon[1]
- Dewan plasma cannon
- Altamid plasma cannon
- assimilated plasma cannon
- chronoplasma cannon
- corrosive plasma cannon
- Ferenginar plasma cannon
- isolytic plasma cannon
- plasma biomatter cannon
- Romulan plasma cannon
Combined cannons[]
Appendices[]
References[]
External links[]
- Plasma cannon article at Memory Alpha, the wiki for canon Star Trek.
- Plasma Cannon article at Star Trek Online Wiki.