Laser cannons were powerful laser weapons that were commonly outfitted to vehicles, starfighters, and starships.[1] A laser cannon could be fixed in place or attached to a turret[2] or ball-mounted swivel,[3] allowing the weapon to aim and fire in many directions.
Description[]
Laser cannons operated on similar principles as blasters and blaster cannons - they used energy-rich gas to induce light which would then be concentrated into high-energy beams and fired - but they could be more powerful and have a 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]
More powerful versions of laser cannons were turbolasers.[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.[4] 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.[5][6][7][8][9][10] However doing so required a working targeting computer, as otherwise hitting missiles traveling at extreme velocities could be incredibly hard.[8] 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.[11]
Starfighters and other small craft that were equipped with laser cannons included the T-65B X-wing starfighter, the BTL-A4 Y-wing assault starfighter/bomber, the Phantom, the patrol transports of Coruscant, the Nu-class attack/transport shuttle, the Lambda-class T-4a shuttle, the A-wing starfighter, the ARC-170 starfighter, the B-wing starfighter, the Republic attack gunships, the Gauntlet starfighter, the HH-87 Starhopper, the Hyena bomber, the Delta-7 Aethersprite-class light interceptor, the TIE fighter, the Grand Inquisitor's TIE Advanced prototype, and the clone Z-95 starfighter.
Starships that were equipped with laser cannons included the Malevolence, the Ghost, Merchant One, the Millennium Falcon, the droid gunship, the Imperial Star Destroyer, the Corona-class armed frigate, the Venator-class Star Destroyer (also known as the "Republic attack cruiser"), the Republic frigate, the Providence-class Dreadnought, the Separatist supply ship, Slave I, the IPV-2C Stealth Corvette, the Trade Federation landing ship, the Trident-class assault ship, and the Twilight.
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).
Battle droids that were equipped with laser cannons included the DSD1 dwarf spider droid, which had a nose-mounted laser cannon,[12] the LR-57 combat/retail droid, and the B2-series super battle droid, which had a double laser cannon built into its wrist.
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.[13]
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[14] and Thorn.[15]
Manufacturers of laser cannons included Sureggi, whose product was on board the Auzituck anti-slaver gunship.[2]
Appearances[]
Non-canon appearances[]
- Disney Infinity 3.0
- Rogue One: Recon A Star Wars 360 Experience
- LEGO STAR WARS: Celebrate the Season — "Snowflake Snack"
- LEGO Star Wars: The Force Awakens
- LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga
Sources[]
Non-canon sources[]
Notes and references[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Star Wars Complete Vehicles, New Edition
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Star Wars Rebels: The Visual Guide
- ↑ Star Wars: The Last Jedi: The Visual Dictionary
- ↑ Victory's Price
- ↑ Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith novelization
- ↑ Heir to the Jedi
- ↑ Alphabet Squadron
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Shadow Fall
- ↑ Duel of the Droids
- ↑ Hunted
- ↑ The High Republic: Light of the Jedi
- ↑ Star Wars: Legion — DSD1 Dwarf Spider Droid Unit Expansion (Card: Nose-Mounted Laser Cannon)
- ↑ "Revival" Episode Gallery on StarWars.com (backup link); image #14
- ↑ Clone Trooper Hardcase in the Databank (backup link)
- ↑ "Crisis at the Heart" Episode Gallery on StarWars.com (backup link); image #9