Torpedo

The most common secondary weapon encountered in the Milky Way Galaxy, Torpedoes are among the most deadly weapons in the galaxy and that Starfleet employs.

Torpedo Launcher

Accessed by personnel from a torpedo bay, a Torpedo Launcher is the system used to deploy projectiles such as torpedoes and probes. A crucial component of the Launcher system is the Torpedo Tube itself - a compact area where torpedoes are stored immediately prior to launch. When torpedoes are fired the outer doors were open to allow the projectile to be discharged while inner doors protect the torpedo bay from the weapon's propulsion systems. While firing the torpedo passes through a series of field induction coils designed to allow the probe or torpedo to achieve a faster warp speed than the ship when traveling at warp. Because of these advancements torpedo launchers themselves can double as directed energy weapon emitters.

Class 0 Torpedo Launcher: Micro Fire

The Class 0 Torpedo Launcher is a Torpedo Launcher designed to utilize a payload of micro-torpedoes and is commonly attached to Runabout Class vessels. A Micro Fire Torpedo Launcher is a simple torpedo launch system and lack the magnetic accelerator assembly due to microtorpedoes using a miniature fusion thruster for propulsion. In the event that a Micro Fire Launcher needs to be fitted with standard torpedoes the system will deploy said Torpedoes in a fire and forget mode.

Class 1 Torpedo Launcher: Standard Fire

The Class 1 Torpedo Launcher is a basic model Torpedo Launcher that has been in use by the United Federation of Planets since the year 2233. The Standard Fire Torpedo Launcher can deploy one torpedo every ten seconds at a target.

Class 2 Torpedo Launcher: Dual Fire

Similar to the Standard Fire Torpedo Launcher, the Class 2 Torpedo Launcher shares many of the same components as its predecessor unit. Where Class 2 Launcher is unique is that the Launcher can deploy two torpedoes every ten seconds as opposed to one.

Class 3 Torpedo Launcher: Burst Fire

As the dangers of the Klingon Empire grew in the late 23rd Century Starfleet was tasked with developing new Torpedo technology for use against the increasingly aggressive Klingon designs. The Class 3 Torpedo Launcher was an immediate result of this research project. The initial generation of Burst Fire Launcher was used on the Ambassador Class Starship and could fire four torpedoes every 10 seconds; however, as time progressed, additional work led to the Galaxy Class being about to fire up to 8 torpedoes in the same period.

Class 4 Torpedo Launcher: Pulse Fire

Designed in response to the Borg threat, the Class 4: Pulse Fire Torpedo Launcher was designed to increase the destructive power of Federation vessels against larger threats. The Pulse Fire Torpedo Launcher is capable of launching 10 torpedoes in a 10 second period with a 3 second reload time.

Class 5 Torpedo Launcher: Rapid Fire

Considered one of the most dangerous Torpedo Launchers currently in use by the Federation, the Class 5: Rapid Fire Launcher was designed with one intention and one intention alone: to deter combat due to the threat posed by a combatant armed with this weapon. The Rapid Fire Launcher can deploy fifteen torpedoes in a ten second period with a 3 second reload period. This makes it the most deadly means of torpedo delivery in the known galaxy.

Torpedo Settings

Normal

Torpedoes set to Normal Setting upon launch are deployed in their standard configuration, which means that the Torpedo will detonate upon contact with its programmed target.

Overload

Torpedoes set to Overload at launch have been fitted with additional materials designed to make the torpedo unstable. Upon detonation with a target the torpedo delivers additional damage, at the risk of damaging the firing vessel due to their unstable nature.

Proximity

Torpedoes launched with Proximity Detonation settings will, instead of striking the target and exploding, will instead explode a short distance from its target. While they do less damage than a direct impact, they can guarantee at least some damage to an opponent.

Torpedo Types

Photon Torpedo

History

Created by the Klingon Empire in the 22nd Century, the Photon Torpedo is the standard heavy weapon used by most militaries in the galaxy. While Starfleet met the need for a weapon that could be delivered at high speeds with the Spatial Torpedo, Starfleet saw the need for a more advanced torpedo weapon after analyzing information recovered from a Klingon Raptor. This research allowed the engineers to perfect a means to control the detonation of matter and antimatter. From this the Photon Torpedo was created for Starfleet use. Though the design has been upgraded since its inception, the basic configuration remains the same even on the more advanced vessels. While still an advanced weapon, the torpedo has reached the maximum level of destructive ability.

Current Photon Torpedo

With a range of 4,000,000 kilometers the Photon Torpedo is a devastating weapon capable of carrying a warhead with a yield of 25 isotons of damage, enough energy to level an entire city or destroy an unshielded vessel in seconds. The Photon Torpedo itself is a weapon housed in an elongated elliptical terminium casing armed with a photon warhead filled with antimatter. Upon detonation the torpedo created a matter-antimatter explosion and a flood of ion radiation. As a safety measure the matter and antimatter are kept initially completely separated in the warhead. Only after the launch they are mixed during flight in the combiner tank, while still separated from each other in magnetic packets. This mixing takes a minimum of 1.02 seconds. As a safety precaution each torpedo is outfitted with a subspace detonator that can be used to destroy a torpedo before impact. This could also be used to protect the host vessel as a close range detonation could cause significant damage to the origin vessel. When launched in warp flight, torpedo will continue to travel at warp, when launched at sublight, torpedo will travel at a high sublight speed, but will not cross the warp threshold.

Polaron Torpedo

Quantum Torpedo

History

Following the attempted Borg Invasion of 2366, Starfleet began work on developing a new Torpedo as part of the Advanced Defense Initiative due to the Photon Torpedo having reached its maximum potential. Starfleet Engineers at the classified Groombridge 273-2A facility were tasked with investigating methods for achieving a higher release of energy from a projectile equal in design specifications as the existing Photon Torpedo. Based off of technology operated experimentally in 2236, the Engineering Team successfully developed the Quantum Torpedo a short period afterward. The weapon operates by utilizing an eleven-dimensional space-time membrane suspended in ultra-clean vacuum within the projectile. The membrane is then twisted into a string and then isolated from the background vacuum which results in the creation of a new particle and a tremendous release of energy. As of 2371 projectiles began to be deployed on select front line vessels for testing; however, it was soon afterward discovered that the Cardassian Union was testing a similar device that was believed to have been based off of stolen Federation designs.

Current Quantum Torpedo

Housed in a casing similar to the Photon Torpedo, the current generation of Quantum Torpedo is consists of a termium casing outfitted with a Quantum warhead. Featuring a range of nearly 5,000,000 kilometers, a bioneural processor controls navigational functions for the Quantum Torpedo and is responsible of maintaining the temporary warp field if the vessel was launched at Warp or high impulse speeds if the warhead was launched at sublight. The current discharge of energy upon detonation - either through impact or proximity detonation - releases a 55 isoton energy surge toward a target. When a target was destroyed by this manner the explosion would leave antimatter residue as its calling card. Despite its advancements and strength, the Quantum Torpedo does have limitations when against some materials such as neutronium.

Real World

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