 |  |
- "The ion cannon will fire several shots to make sure that any enemy ships will be out of your flight path."
- ―Princess Leia Organa
The v-150 Planet Defender, also known as the v-150 ion cannon, was a model of planetary ion cannon designed to disable capital ships. Often deployed in conjunction with planetary shields, its purpose was to defend planets while the shields reached full power. It could disrupt Star Destroyers with a single ion bolt; however, its stationary nature made it vulnerable to attack, and its blast shield had to retract in order to utilize the cannon. It was equipped with an independent power generator buried roughly 40 meters below the weapon emplacement.[1]
As the Battle of Hoth began to unfold, the Alliance to Restore the Republic used a v-150 installed on the ice planet Hoth to allow their transports to slip past Imperial Star Destroyers. Coordinated by Commander Toryn Farr, the cannon did its job well and disabled at least one Destroyer, the Tyrant, allowing the first of the Rebel transports, the Quantum Storm, to escape into hyperspace.[3]
Behind the scenes
Concept art of a v-150 by Ralph McQuarrie
The v-150 Planet Defender first appeared in the 1980 film The Empire Strikes Back and was based on concept art by Ralph McQuarrie.[6] Although the 2014 mobile video game Star Wars: Galactic Defense stated that the Rebel Alliance's Hoth v-150 was destroyed during the Battle of Hoth,[2] the 2017 reference book Star Wars: The Rebel Files stated that it was not destroyed, with it in fact eventually being recovered after the Battle of Endor, although its internal mechanics were damaged by Hoth's climate.[4]
Appearances
- Star Wars: Galactic Defense (First identified as v-150 ion cannon)
- Star Wars: Starfighter Missions
- Star Wars Battlefront II
- Star Wars Battlefront
- "Epilogue" — Empire Ascendant 1
Star Wars Forces of Destiny — "Beasts of Echo Base"- Battlefront: Twilight Company (and audiobook) (Mentioned only)
- "In Service to the Empire" — Empire Ascendant 1
- Star Wars: Episode V The Empire Strikes Back (First appearance)
- The Empire Strikes Back: So You Want to Be a Jedi? (and audiobook)
- Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back junior novelization
- AT-AT Attack!
- "Ion Control" — From a Certain Point of View: The Empire Strikes Back (and audiobook) (Appears on screen)
- "Against All Odds" — From a Certain Point of View: The Empire Strikes Back (and audiobook) (Indirect mention only)
- "Return to Hoth" — Darth Vader – Black, White & Red 4
- Star Wars: Hunters
- The Last Jedi Adaptation 1 (Indirect mention only)
- Star Wars: Galaxy of Heroes
Non-canon appearances
- "One Battle... Two Sides!" — LEGO Club Magazine September/October 2014
- Star Wars: Battle Pod
- "Attack of the Microfighters" — LEGO Star Wars 28
