Plasma cannon

Plasma cannons were a form of directed energy cannon weaponry. On Starfleet vessels, they were the precursors to phase cannons. Plasma cannons fired a plasma discharge in the form of a beam or a burst similar to the plasma bullets fired by hand-held plasma weapons, but much bigger in size. ()
== History ==
In the early- to mid-22nd century, Earth Cargo Service freighters were commonly equipped with low-yield plasma cannons, often referred to as "pop-guns", designed only to break up asteroids and meteors. Earth Y class freighters were typically equipped with a single plasma cannon and J class ships with two. The captains of these freighters, however, would often upgrade the cannons for more powerful ones the first chance they got. To achieve a weapons lock, the target had to be within a nine kilometer range. ()
 was equipped with several plasma cannons during the first days of its mission, but was eventually upgraded with the more advanced phase cannons. () Enterprises was equipped with dual plasma cannons. () These plasma cannons had a range of less than ten kilometers. ()
In the mid-22nd century, Nausicaan pirates also utilized fore and aft plasma cannons on their ships. ()
In an alternate timeline, Vosk, the leader of the Na'kuhl, offered Nazi Germany plasma cannons and plasma rifles in exchange for materials to build a temporal conduit. He also had a plasma cannon on top of his base which he used to damage when Archer refused to help them. During the Battle of New York City, Vosk's squadron used plasma cannons on the Enterprise after the plasma cannon at Vosk's base couldn't be used due to lack of available power. When the Enterprise destroys Vosk's compound with three photonic torpedos, the third torpedo impacts directly on the still-extended plasma cannon and destroys it. ()
In the mirror universe, in 2155, the Terran Empire still used plasma cannons on starships. ()
In 2384, the Starfleet vessel was also equipped with plasma cannons. ()
File:Enterprise NX-01 plasma cannon.jpg|Enterprise fires plasma cannons
File:ISS Avenger.jpg|ISS Avenger fires its plasma cannon
File:ECS Fortunate firing plasma cannon.jpg|Fortunate fires its plasma cannon
File:Alien starship repelled by ECS Horizon command module.jpg|The Horizon command module firing its plasma turrets at a pirate ship
File:Shuttlepod 1 firing plasma cannons.jpg|Shuttlepod 1 fires plasma cannon
File:Nausicaan ship weapons.jpg|Nausicaan ships firing plasma cannons
File:Na'kuhl plasma cannon.jpg|A Na'kuhl plasma cannon
File:Stuka.jpg|A Stuka dive bomber, retrofitted with a Na'kuhl plasma cannon
==See also==
* Electro-plasma
* Plasma torpedo
de:Plasmakanone
ja:プラズマ・キャノン
Category:Directed energy weapons