Directed energy weapon

A directed energy weapon is a device which, in the form of a gun or other type of weapon, fires a beam, pulse or projectile made of, or charged with, high-energy particles or other energies. Most spacefaring species have the technology to fire directed energy, as it is preferable to firing projectile weapons in pressurized environments, and more effective against shielded components or personnel.

There are a wide array of methods available for dispensing such a discharge, from plasma weapons, lasers and phase weapons to modern Starfleet's phaser weapon, which fires particles called nadions. Another common energy discharge weapon is the disruptor, used by Klingons and Romulans. Compressed tetryon beam weapons are used by other Alpha Quadrant civilizations.

Subspace weapons of directed energy, including isolytic bursts, are generally forbidden by treaties, such as the Khitomer Accords.

Advanced weapons exist, in the forms of the planet-destroying antiproton beam (External Link) mounted on the so-called "planet killer." Federation technology had very little to match when faced with one in 2267. The Xindi superweapon was another planet-killer utilizing a directed-energy beam, but it was destroyed before the Sphere Builders, manipulating the Xindi, had an opportunity to complete their plan by using the device on Earth.

The Ennis, a Gamma Quadrant species, stopped using directed energy centuries before 2369, as it was, in Golin Shel-la's words, "not damaging enough".

Directed energy weapons

Ship-mounted

• Antiproton beam (External Link)
• Disruptor
• Forced plasma beam
• Heavy graviton beam
• Energy dampening weapon
• Galor-class phaser bank
• High-energy X-ray laser
• High yield particle weapon
• Isolytic burst (and other subspace weapons)
• Optronic weapon
• Phase cannon
• Phased polaron beam
• Phaser
• Phaser cannon
• Plasma wave
• Proton beam
• Pulse phased weapon
• Pulsed phase cannon
• Quantum resonance charge
• Subatomic disruptor

Planet-based

• See: Planetary defense system

Hand-held

• Compressed tetryon beam weapon
• CRM 114
• Disruptor rifle
• Energy whip
• Laser
• Phase pistol
• Phasers
  • Type 1 phaser (hand phaser)
  • Type 2 phaser (hand phaser or phaser pistol)
  • Type 3 phaser (phaser rifle)
• Phase compression rifle
• Thoron rifle
• Varon-T disruptor

Other

• Echo Papa 607
• Modulating plasma pulse
• Orbital weapon platform
• Planet killer
• Radiation pulse
• Xindi superweapon