TechMemo:Phasers
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Star Fleet Engineering
Bureau of Starship and Starcraft Technology
Star Fleet Engineering
Technical Memorandum
Stardate: 80326 (26 March 1996)
Revision History: 90626 (June 26 1997), 130807 (7 August 2001), 170322 (22 March 2005)
Split into 2 documents: 170408 (8 April 2005)
Revised: 190226 (26 February 2007)
RE: Weapon systems data -- Phasers
Phaser Arrays
A phaser is a beam weapon. It is a form of particle beam which uses nadion particles. The beam is generally created by a laser striking a crystal to generate the particle beam. The name is an acronym formed from the original process used to generate the beam, the PHASed Energy Rectifier. The standard array on most Federation capitol ships is the Type X. As of 2417, these arrays are being replaced by Type XI arrays on most newer designs. These are the most powerful arrays available for use on a starship. The normal configuration for these elements is a long strip array. This array may consist of hundreds of individual elements connected in parallel which appear as a slightly raised strip on the hull with most of the active components of the array hidden and only the emitter visible.
The Type X and its variants (Xa, Xc, Xf) are the type of arrays most commonly employed aboard Federation starships. Newer starships employ improved range versions of the Type X emitters, the Type XI and its variants (XIa, XIc, XIf). The newer arrays use a better gravitic beam collimator system -- sometimes mistakenly referred to as a gravitic lens -- to concentrate the neutral particle beam for better beam cohesion.
Note: The phaser type is the kind of emitter used in the array. Naturally, not all installations of a given type of emitter are identical. The capacitor banks and fire control systems for a battlecruiser using type X phaser emitters are much more powerful and sophisticated than those of a destroyer, for instance.
Phaser Types
- Type I - The type I phaser is the standard palm phaser. It is small and easily concealable. Although capable of killing most humanoid targets, it has limited firing power and limited duration. The weapon has 8 power level settings.
- Type II - The type II phaser, the phaser pistol, is the standard Marine and Naval security sidearm. It has much greater power reserved than the type I phaser and is capable higher power output rates. The weapon has 16 power level settings.
- Type III - The type III phaser, the phaser rifle, is carried in most ship stores for emergency situations. Type I and type II weapons are suitable for most situations. The type III has the same 16 beam settings of the type II, a multiple target acquisition system, a gyrostabilized beam emitter, and a larger power reserve than either the type I or II.
The type IIIa is a compact "phaser carbine" which has the capabilities of a standard phaser rifle in a smaller overall form factor. Its stabilization system is generally considered to be less effective than the standard type III.
The Type IIIc is a compact "bullpup"-style phaser rifle meant for close-quarters fighting. It has a heavier stock which can, itself, be used as a melee weapon.
- Type IV - The type IV phaser is a heavy ground or light space weapon. It may be mounted on a tripod or vehicle, including shuttle craft, reconnaissance skimmers, personnel transport skimmers, and as an auxiliary weapon on hover tanks. The power system configuration allows the type IV to deliver short blasts at near overload intensity for the emitter. All type IV phasers emit a pulsed blast which has earned the weapon the moniker of "phaser machine gun." In its tripod mounted form, it is often carried by 4-man heavy weapons teams as part of a marine heavy weapons squad. One person carries the weapon proper, 2 carry power cores, and 1 carries the tripod.
- Type V - The type V phaser is the heaviest phaser weapon normally used by the marines. It is mounted on fighter and strike combat shuttle craft, marine dropship shuttle craft, and as the main weapon on many hover tanks. It is the most powerful beam weapon deployed by the Federation for atmospheric use.
Type VI through X phasers are ship-mounted weaponry. Firing time and maximum power output are defendant upon the support systems for the phaser, not on the emitter itself.
- Type VI - The type VI phaser array is the most power weapon allowed aboard non-military craft. Its installation is starships and other space craft is strictly regulated. It is used primarily for asteroid mining operations.
- Type VII - The type VII is, essentially, an outdated main battle phaser. It is no longer used in large numbers on combat ships in the United Federation of Planets. Because of the efficiency of streamlining production to one class of phaser emitter, some vessels, notably non-combat oriented frigates whose power needs would be satisfied by the type VII emitter, carry type X emitters.
- Type VIII - The type VIII emitters has, in parallel with the type VII, been phased out of common use in most Federation starships. The most common use of the Type VIII class emitter is aboard older Star Fleet transport ships which often carry limited armament for defense.
- Type IX - The type IX phaser was long the main stay of the cruiser fleets of the Federation. Like the type VII and VIII, it has been phaser out in favor of standardization to the type X phaser. Additionally, many modern cruiser types need the expanded power handling capabilities of the type X phaser.
- Type X - The standard array on most Federation capitol ships is the Type X. These are the most powerful arrays available for use on a starship. The normal configuration for these elements is a long strip array. This array may consist of hundreds of individual elements connected in parallel which appear as a slightly raised strip on the hull with most of the active components of the array hidden and only the emitter visible. There are several specialized variants of the basic type X emitter.
- Type Xa - The Type Xa pulse phaser cannon mounts one or more standard type X phaser emitters in a ball turret. The turret is much like those used on the old Constitution-class vessels. What makes this phaser emplacement different is the power source. The power system configuration allows the Xa to deliver short blasts at near overload intensity for the Type X emitter. The net effect is an extremely rapid series of high powered packets of phaser energy which delivers an increased punch at somewhat shorter ranges. Because of the power configuration needed to operate in pulsed mode, these phasers cannot operate as a continuous beam.
- Type Xc - The Type Xc phaser cannon links type X emitters in series rather than parallel. The net effect in this case is a much higher power beam; however, beam focus breaks down and the range of the weapon is more limited than the standard parallel emplacement. Like the pulse phaser, this is an offensive weapon system employed on very few vessels.
- Type Xf - The Type Xf long range phaser directs energy stored in type X phaser banks into a tightly focused beam which is emitted in short bursts from a dedicated turret. While this allows for effective ranges greater than that of any other phaser, it also requires an enhanced targeting or sensor system to be effective and twice the recharge time of the type X (it also drains the phaser banks twice as fast).
- Type XI phasers use new gravitational collimator -- which focuses a particle beam in the same manner as lens focuses a laser -- technology which increases the efficiency of beam collimation and thereby increases the effective range relative to the Type X phasers while maintaining power levels.
