Quantum torpedo The quantum torpedo was a tactical quantum weapon deployed aboard starship s that utilized a plasma warhead . Quantum torpedo es were used by several galactic powers including the United Federation of Planets , the Cardassian Union , and in the mirror universe , the Terran Rebellion . Specifications . The Federation quantum torpedoes contained a plasma warhead ( ) and used casings similar in shape to photon torpedo es and photonic torpedo es . ( ) When a ship was destroyed with quantum torpedoes , the explosion left antimatter residue on the hull fragments . ( ) Although they were powerful weapons , even a direct hit from a quantum torpedo might not destroy solid neutronium . ( ) History . Starfleet began to include quantum torpedoes within its arsenal as early as 2371 . In the same year , the mirror universe Terran Rebellion obtained quantum torpedo technology by stealing it from the Federation , along with the plans to build a starship . ( ) Quantum torpedoes have been carried aboard " Defiant " - and vessels , the , and the Federation attack fighter s . The Cardassian mobile weapon ATR - 4107 also carried quantum torpedoes . The Cardassian torpedoes would have needed modifications in order to be launched from a Federation torpedo launcher . ( ; ; ) Applications . In 2371 , after hijacking the and taking it deep into Cardassian space , Thomas Riker utilized the ship ' s quantum torpedoes against a modified cruiser just outside the Orias system . The " Defiant " fired four torpedoes at the cruiser ; two hit the ship ' s ventral hull , and two hit the tail . The damage from these four torpedoes knocked the ship ' s defense systems off line and caused the loss of main power . ( ) The following year , Captain Sisko used the " Defiant " s quantum torpedoes against the Klingon s , as he attempted to rescue the Detapa Council from the Cardassian ship " Prakesh " . ( ) Sisko ordered Chief O ' Brien to rig the " Defiant " s two atmospheric probe s with quantum torpedo warheads . ( ) After he traveled back to Earth , in 1947 , Quark offered to teach General Rex Denning how to make quantum torpedoes – for the right price . ( ) Commander Chakotay noted in 2372 that the missile " Dreadnought " s quantum torpedoes could be modified to be compatible with the ' s torpedo launchers , although the weapon was destroyed before the crew could salvage them . ( ) By mid - year , the had received a major upgrade , including a full complement of quantum torpedoes . Admiral Leyton suggested that Captain Benteen should use the increased firepower provided by the " Lakota " s quantum torpedoes as a means to destroy the " Defiant " outright . ( ) Later that year , Lieutenant Commander Worf destroyed a Klingon civilian transport ship , that suddenly decloaked in front of the " Defiant " , with a full spread of quantum torpedoes . ( ) In 2373 , the used quantum torpedoes in the Battle of Sector 001 to destroy a Borg cube . Four quantum torpedos were used in 2063 over Earth against a Borg sphere that had traveled back in time to sabotage First Contact by destroying the " Phoenix " . ( ) Later that year , Benjamin Sisko ordered Worf to attach a cargo pod containing two hundred kilogram s of trilithium resin onto two quantum torpedoes . These torpedoes were designed to detonate in the atmosphere of Solosos III , causing the planet to be uninhabitable for Human s , and forcing the Maquis colony there to be evacuated . ( ) In 2374 , the utilized quantum torpedoes in its engagement with a Jem ' Hadar fighter and the Jem ' Hadar battleship . ( ) Later that year in the First Battle of Chin ' toka six quantum torpedoes were used to destroy one of the off - line Cardassian orbital weapon platform s . ( ) In 2375 , the " Defiant " destroyed a Breen warship with a spread of quantum torpedoes during the Second Battle of Chin ' toka , before it was destroyed by the Breen ' s new energy dampening weapon . ( ) As the new pushed on towards Cardassia Prime , during the final battle of the Dominion War , Worf reported that the ship had used all but forty - five of its quantum torpedoes . ( ) In 2379 , the largest Starfleet vessels such as the USS " Enterprise " - E were armed with both quantum and photon torpedoes . ( ) Appendices . Background information . Quantum torpedoes were first mentioned and seen in . The effect used to display the torpedoes of the Federation attack fighters attacking the center of the Dominion lines had a yellowish halo instead of the bluish seen elsewhere . In the first draft of the script of " Star Trek : First Contact " , a fleet of Borg ships is defeated with the new quantum torpedoes . Entire Borg cube s are destroyed with single hits . Quantum torpedoes are described as oscillating and changing shape and color as they streak towards their targets , piercing through the hull like armor - piercing shells , exploding the Borg ships from within in an explosion visually resembling a supernova . A similar concept of a highly destructive weapon , the transphasic torpedo , was later on used in . " Technical Manual " . The " " states that the basic mechanism of the quantum torpedo was first operated experimentally in 2236 . The first warhead application was tested in 2355 , afterwards the mass fabrication started . The Federation quantum torpedo model is called " Pho - torp Mark Q - II " and it has a casing differently shaped from the photon torpedo . The quantum warhead relies on rapid energy extraction from vacuum . This is established from an space - time , twisted into a , housed inside the ultraclean vacuum of a 1 . 38 meter - long teardrop shaped zero - point field reaction chamber . The detonation of a photon torpedo warhead , enriched with fluoronetic vapor , inside the torpedo powers a continuum distortion emitter . It expands the membrane and pinches it out of the background vacuum . The membrane forms into s accompanied by a high - explosive energy release . The statement of quantum warheads and enriched photon warheads seems to contradict the canonical account that quantum torpedoes contain a plasma warhead , from . The isoton figures given in the " Star Trek : Deep Space Nine Technical Manual " are much smaller than the ones stated on - screen , in etc . The enriched photon warhead for example is rated only at 21 . 8 isotons and the membrane energy potential upon detonation is rated to be only at least 52 . 3 isotons in the " Manual " , while basic class - 6 photon warheads were rated at two hundred isotons on - screen . Propulsion system of the quantum torpedo is a warp sustainer engine and four microfusion thruster s . The engine coils of the warp sustainer grab and hold a hand - off warp field from the torpedo launcher tube ' s sequential field induction coils . A miniature matter / antimatter fuel cell adds power to the hand - off field . 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 . The quantum torpedo uses a bio - neural gel processor for flight control , and a thoron web to block countermeasure radiation . Deep Space 9 was armed later on with quantum torpedoes . class - 8 and class - 9 probe variants also use the quantum torpedo casing . There are apparently also micro quantum torpedoes . ( pp . 77 , 82 , 85 , 86 , 130 and " " , p . 129 ) Apocrypha . The video game " " establishes that quantum torpedoes are available in more limited quantities when compared to the more common photon torpedoes , and as such are used sparingly . A " Sovereign " - class vessel in the game is depicted wielding a maximum complement of only sixty quantum torpedoes . The manual for the other 2002 video game " " explains the origins of the torpedo in detail : " " The quantum torpedo is an advanced heavy weapon developed by Starfleet as a part of its Advanced Defense Initiative to combat Borg incursions . As the photon torpedo reached what many Starfleet researchers agreed was its highest possible explosive yield , a group of engineers at the Starfleet R & D facility on Groombridge 273 - 2A began investigating methods for achieving a higher release of energy from a projectile of equal dimensions to the photon torpedo . " " In the video game " " , the launcher is a heavy hand - held anti - infantry weapon , that fires mini - quantum torpedoes . The torpedoes can be guided to their targets using a phased laser sight . The video game " " also utilizes quantum torpedoes on ships such as " Defiant " - class and " Sovereign " - class . The torpedoes can be fired from forward torpedo launchers in spreads of three torpedoes while aft torpedo launchers still use photon torpedoes . According to the video game " Star Trek D - A - C " in the alternate reality , Starfleet had developed quantum torpedoes for use on starships as early as the 2250s . The MMORPG " Star Trek Online " features quantum torpedoes . Their characteristic differences from photon torpedoes is higher velocity and higher damage per torpedo , but slower reload rate . Some Federation NPC vessels are equipped with these , as well as all Dominion NPC ships . The assault cruiser refit is outfitted with a wide angle quantum torpedo launcher , which allows players to fire quantum torpedoes at a wider angle and while broadsiding .