Laser cannon

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Two heavy laser cannons point forward on the

Two heavy laser cannons point forward on the T-47 airspeeder

Laser cannons were powerful laser weapons that were commonly outfitted to vehicles, starfighters, and other starships,[1] emitting a focused laser beam,[2] while firing concentrated bolts of energy.[1] A laser cannon could be fixed in place or attached to a turret[3] or ball-mounted swivel,[4] allowing the weapon to aim and fire in many directions.

Description

A single-barrel turbolaser turret on an Imperial base

A single-barrel turbolaser turret on an Imperial base

Laser cannons operated on similar principles as blasters and blaster cannons — using high-energy gas to fire concentrated bolts of energy — but could be more powerful and with greater range. They were the dominant weapon of the galaxy, with a variety of different models mounted on both civilian and military vehicles and vessels.[1]

Like blasters, many laser cannons could vary the intensity of their shots. The laser cannons on a UT-60D U-wing starfighter/support craft could be adjusted so that a single shot would reduce a person to ash.[5] The laser cannons on a Low Altitude Assault Transport/infantry could fire bolts of up to 5 gigajoules.[1]

Laser cannons could also be used to shoot down enemy missiles.[6][7][8][9][10][11] However doing so required a working targeting computer, as otherwise hitting missiles traveling at extreme velocities could be incredibly hard.[9] Even with a targeting computer, some targets could be very difficult to hit: during the Great Hyperspace Disaster, Galactic Republic Longbeam cruiser fighters had a one-in-three chance of hitting debris from the Legacy Run traveling at close to light-speed.[12]

Manufacturers of laser cannons included Sureggi, whose product was on board the Auzituck anti-slaver gunship.[3]

History

Vehicles that were equipped with laser cannons included the All Terrain Tactical Enforcer (AT-TE), the All Terrain Armored Transport (AT-AT walker), the All Terrain Reconnaissance Transport (AT-RT), the All Terrain Scout Transport (AT-ST walker), the Gian heavy patrol speeder, the freeco bike, the WLO-5 battle tank, General Grievous' TSMEU-6 personal wheel bike, the T-47 airspeeder, and the Umbaran mobile heavy cannon (MHC).

Dwarf spider droids were equipped with nose-mounted laser cannons.

Dwarf spider droids were equipped with nose-mounted laser cannons.

Battle droids that were equipped with laser cannons included the DSD1 dwarf spider droid, which had a nose-mounted laser cannon.[13]

During a skirmish on Florrum, pirates loyal to their leader Hondo Ohnaka mounted a laser cannon on a tripod and used it to ambush pirates that had turned against him.[14]

Variants

Turbolaser

icon Main article: Turbolaser

More powerful versions of laser cannons were turbolasers.[1]

Rotary laser cannon

icon Main article: Z-6 rotary blaster cannon

A type of laser cannon that was used as a personal heavy weapon was referred to as a rotary laser cannon, rotating laser cannon, or as the Z-6 rotary blaster cannon. Such weapons were used by clone troopers Hardcase[15] and Thorn.[16]

Heavy, medium and light laser cannons

icon Main article: Heavy laser cannon

There were also heavier,[17] medium[18] and lighter variants of the standard laser cannon.

Appearances

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Non-canon appearances

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Sources

Non-canon sources

Notes and references

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Star Wars Complete Vehicles, New Edition
  2. ↑ Star Wars Encyclopedia of Starfighters and Other Vehicles (second edition)
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Star Wars Rebels: The Visual Guide
  4. ↑ Star Wars: The Last Jedi: The Visual Dictionary
  5. ↑ Victory's Price: An Alphabet Squadron Novel
  6. ↑ Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith novelization
  7. ↑ Heir to the Jedi
  8. ↑ Alphabet Squadron
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 Shadow Fall: An Alphabet Squadron Novel
  10. ↑ TCW mini logo Star Wars: The Clone Wars — "Duel of the Droids"
  11. ↑ EA-StarWars-Logo "Hunted" on the official Electronic Arts Star Wars YouTube channel (article) (backup link)
  12. ↑ The High Republic: Light of the Jedi
  13. ↑ Star Wars: Legion — DSD1 Dwarf Spider Droid Unit Expansion Card: Nose-Mounted Laser Cannon
  14. ↑ StarWars.com "Revival" Episode Gallery on StarWars.com (backup link); image #14
  15. ↑ StarWars-DatabankII Clone Trooper Hardcase in the Databank (backup link)
  16. ↑ StarWars.com "Crisis at the Heart" Episode Gallery on StarWars.com (backup link); image #9
  17. ↑ Star Wars: Commander
  18. ↑ Star Wars: Rogue One: The Ultimate Visual Guide