Weapon pod

**Weapon pods** were a subtype of tactical mission pod technology developed by Starfleet as a continuation of the old gun pod concept from many species' pre-warp eras. The benefits of an attachable weapons package were flexibility with regards to mission requirements, cost, ease of maintenance, and general simplification of systems.

While most Starfleet ships of the line carried defensive armaments, it was both politically unpopular and strategically unnecessary for their armament to be fully realized in terms of capacity. With the advent of the mission pod, Starfleet began investigating the viability of creating self-sufficient weapon systems that could be equipped to spaceframes.

Over the years, Starfleet developed a number of systems; some of which were specific to certain classes, while others could be equipped on any vessel with a hardpoint connection.

## Starfleet models

### Directed energy models

#### WP/P-1

A pod developed for the *Springfield*-class fitted with a single type-X phaser bank. While it was interchangeable between vessels of the class, it could not be attached to other space frames which limited its use. Production was discontinued when the class was retired.

#### XWP/P-2

A pod fitted with a single S/PPU-1, the prototype pulse phaser cannon developed in the latter half of the 24th century.

During testing it was discovered that firing the cannon generated dangerously high levels of heat. While barely within tolerances, it was clear that any further iteration of the cannon would require a redesign of the pod itself in order to accommodate a cooling system. Despite this issue, and the fact that it was only intended to be an experimental platform with which to test the cannon, the concept performed exceedingly well in war game simulations where it was used to augment the ship’s firepower. Strategically it was also recognized by the Advanced Starship Design Bureau as a method to rapidly deploy additional offensive systems to Starfleet vessels should the need arise.

#### WP/P-7

An improved version of the XWP/P-2, fitted with two S/PPU-8s the production model of the type-XII pulse phaser canon. This featured ventilation grills to port and starboard, a reinforced shell, and higher capacity EPS connections.

These pods were used extensively on *New Orleans*-class starships during the Dominion War to augment their firepower. S/PPU-8s, the primary armament of the *Defiant*-class, were being made at a much faster rate than the vessels in which they were intended to be equipped. The urgent situation meant that Starfleet could not afford a delay in getting ships and weapons to the front lines. Drawing on the lessons learned from the earlier XWP/P-2, the WP/P-7 was designed to be mass produced and accommodate the S/PPU-8. Miniaturization refinements meant that two such cannons could be equipped per pod, and cooling was solved simply by venting excess heat and plasma buildup into space using shielded grills.

### Torpedo models

#### WP/T-1

A pod developed for the *Nebula*-class, fitted with a photon torpedo launcher.

#### XWP/T-1Q

A pod developed for the *Nebula*-class, fitted with a quantum torpedo launcher.

#### XWP/T-69

A pod fitted with a tricobalt torpedo launcher. After witnessing the success of *Steamrunner*-class vessels equipped with tricobalt torpedoes in simulations, studies were conducted to investigate the ability to give other ships similar capabilities. However, it was found that limited ammunition storage combined with the volatility of the materials made the externally located pod a greater liability than boon.

#### XWP/T-76

Housed the chain reaction pulsar weapon, primarily equipped on *Akira*-class starships. Though visually similar to other weapon pods, the XWP/T-76 featured heavy interior shielding in order to protect the host vessel from the extreme magnetic forces required to charge the pulsar torpedo.

### Combined models

#### WP/C-22

Created for the *Akira*-class during the starship's development, the WP/C-22 carried both phaser and torpedo emplacements. The pod mounted 11 Mk 72 direct-fire, photon torpedo launchers and 4 type-X ACB-jacketed phaser arrays.

## Appendices

### Connections

**Propulsion systems:** Impulse • Quantum slipstream • Subspace conduit • Warp

**Science and remote sensing systems:** Sensor

**Tactical systems:** Deflector shield • Disruptor • Dynamic Tactical System • Launch tube • Phaser (array • bank • cannon • pulse cannon • turret)

**Utility systems:** Emergency holographic program • Modular Rapid Deployment System

**Mission pods:** Equipment pod • Habitation pod • Tactical pod (**Weapon pod**) • Transport pod

**Agencies:** Starfleet • Diplomatic Corps • Department of Temporal Investigations • Federation Security Agency

**Facilities:** 40 Eridani A Starfleet Construction Yards • Antares Ship Yards • Beta Antares Ship Yards • Copernicus Ship Yards • Laikan Starfleet Shipyards • McKinley Station • Memory Project • New Aberdeen Shipyards • Proxima Maintenance Yards • Salazaar Shipyards • San Francisco Fleet Yards • TL-9139 Starfleet Maintenance Yards • Tranquility Base • Utopia Planitia Fleet Yards

### Sources consulted

* Gun pod article at *Wikipedia*, the free encyclopedia.