Sonic disruptor

A sonic disruptor.

A sonic disruptor is a type of directed-energy weapon that uses disruptor technology with a medium of intense sound to achieve blast effects. This results in no visible beam being emitted by the weapon. Pistol variants of this type were fielded by the security forces of Eminiar VII in the 2260s. (TOS episode: "A Taste of Armageddon")

As disruptors, they are very basic in design, lacking the transtator technology that would allow them to be used as phase disruptors. This difference was exploited by the Klingons in the early 23rd century, who kept the powerful transtator-based disruptors for themselves, but manufactured and sold the cheaper sonic-based weapons to lesser powers, aided by the fact that many universal translators simply rendered the word "disruptor" when deals were made, regardless of the operating mode of the weapon in question. (TOS novel: The Final Reflection)

Starfleet had begun to use sonic disruptors by the 2370s. (DS9 novel: Station Rage)

External link

• Sonic disruptor article at Memory Alpha, the wiki for canon Star Trek.