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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 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[]
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.[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]
Manufacturers of laser cannons included Sureggi, whose product was on board the Auzituck anti-slaver gunship.[2]
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.
Battle droids that were equipped with laser cannons included the DSD1 dwarf spider droid, which had a nose-mounted laser cannon.[12]
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]
Variants[]
Turbolaser[]
More powerful versions of laser cannons were turbolasers.[1]
Rotary laser 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[14] and Thorn.[15]
Heavy, medium and light laser cannons[]
There were also heavier,[16] medium[17] and lighter variants of the standard laser cannon.
Appearances[]
Non-canon appearances[]
Sources[]
Non-canon sources[]
- LEGO Star Wars: Build Your Own Adventure
Strap in Starfighter, Star Wars is Taking Over in Fortnite: GALACTIC BATTLE! on Fortnite's official website (backup link)
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: An Alphabet Squadron Novel
- ↑ Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith novelization
- ↑ Heir to the Jedi
- ↑ Alphabet Squadron
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Shadow Fall: An Alphabet Squadron Novel
- ↑
Star Wars: The Clone Wars — "Duel of the Droids"
- ↑
"Hunted" on the official Electronic Arts Star Wars YouTube channel (article) (backup link)
- ↑ 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
- ↑ Star Wars: Commander
- ↑ Star Wars: Rogue One: The Ultimate Visual Guide