Laser cannon/Legends

"Target, maximum firepower."

- General Maximilian Veers

A laser cannon was the standard weapon for use on most starships and other vehicles. It existed in a myriad of forms, from huge anti-ship weapons on starships to smaller versions on sentry turrets.

Physics
Though based on the same principles, and their beams having a nearly identical nature, laser cannons were more powerful than blasters. Laser cannons were originally used on starships to blast debris, such as asteroids, out of their way. These cannons were incredibly destructive and targeted very accurately. They appear to be identical to blasters in the behavior and nature of the beam. It seems the laser cannon is not an actual laser, because the beam moves slower than light speed and has an explosive nature. More likely a laser cannon uses a laser in the energizing of the blaster gas.

History
Eventually, pirates adapted this technology to their ships, increasing their accuracy, so they could be effectively used in raids. To combat this, companies started to develop proper laser weaponry, making it more accurate while still retaining its destructiveness, for defense against pirates. The military quickly picked up this weaponry. Most starfighters and civilian ships would carry at least one cannon, and large capital ships had many. The technology was refined further to turbolasers, but these were too big for many small ships to carry.

Starships also eventually began using laser cannons as anti-starfighter defense, such as the Executor-class Star Dreadnaught, Viscount-class Star Defender, and the EF76 Nebulon-B escort frigate. These weapons were even engineered to fire beams with such accuracy and power to intercept enemy missiles from long range: the point-defense laser cannon, mounted on Zann Consortium Crusader-class corvettes.

Eventually, laser cannon technology was so refined ground-based vehicles, such as the AT-AT, would use them, as they were far deadlier than blasters. Some ground infantry, such as B-2 battle droids would even use them.

Variants

 * Point-defense laser cannon

Appearances

 * Darth Maul: Shadow Hunter
 * Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace
 * Jedi Quest: Path to Truth
 * Jedi Quest: The Way of the Apprentice
 * Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones
 * Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith
 * Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope
 * Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back
 * Star Wars Rebellion 6: The Ahakista Gambit, Part 1
 * Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi
 * ''X-wing: Wraith Squadron'
 * X-wing: Rogue Squadron
 * X-wing: Wedge's Gamble
 * X-wing: The Krytos Trap
 * X-wing: The Bacta War
 * X-wing: Iron Fist
 * X-wing: Solo Command
 * X-wing: Isard's Revenge
 * X-wing: Starfighters of Adumar
 * Heir to the Empire
 * Dark Force Rising
 * The Last Command
 * Dark Empire
 * I, Jedi
 * ''Star Wars: Empire at War
 * ''Star Wars: Empire at War: Forces of Corruption
 * ''Star Wars: Republic Commando
 * ''Star Wars: Battlefront
 * ''Star Wars: Battlefront II