Directed energy weapon

A directed energy weapon was a device which, in the form of a gun or other type of weapon, fired a beam, pulse, or projectile made of, or charged with, high-energy particles or other energies. Most spacefaring species had the technology to fire directed energy, as it was preferable to firing projectile weapons in pressurized environments, and more effective against shielded components or personnel.

There were a wide array of methods available for dispensing such a discharge, from plasma weapons, lasers, and phase weapons to Starfleet's phaser weapons, which fired particles called nadions. Another common energy discharge weapon was the disruptor, used by Klingons and Romulans. Compressed tetryon beam weapons were used by other Alpha Quadrant civilizations. (TOS; TNG; DS9; ENT)

Subspace weapons of directed energy, including isolytic bursts, were generally forbidden by treaties, such as the Khitomer Accords. (Star Trek: Insurrection)

Advanced weapons existed, in the forms of the planet-destroying antiproton beam mounted on the so-called "planet killer". Federation technology had very little to match this technology when faced with one such weapon in 2267. (TOS: "The Doomsday Machine") The Xindi superweapon was another planet-killer utilizing a directed-energy beam, but it was destroyed before the Sphere Builders, manipulating the Xindi, had an opportunity to complete their plan by using the device on Earth. (ENT: "The Expanse"; ENT Season 3)

The Ennis, a Gamma Quadrant species, stopped using directed energy centuries before 2369, as it was, in Golin Shel-la's words, "not damaging enough". (DS9: "Battle Lines")

Directed energy weapons

Ship-mounted

• Antiproton beam
• Disruptor
  • Disruptor array
  • Disruptor bank
  • Disruptor cannon
  • Photonic disruptor
  • Subatomic disruptor
  • System-5 disruptor
• Energy dampening weapon
• Forced plasma beam
• Heavy graviton beam
• Laser
  • High-energy X-ray laser
  • Laser cannon
• Neutral particle weapon
• Neutronic weapon
• Optronic weapon
• Phase cannon
  • Pulsed phase cannon
• Phased ion cannon
• Phased polaron beam
• Phaser banks
  • Class 3 defensive phaser
  • Galor-class phaser bank
  • Particle phaser
  • Phaser array
  • Phaser cannon
  • Type 4 phaser
  • Type 8 phaser
• Plasma cannon
• Plasma wave
• Proton beam
• Pulse phased weapon
• Quantum resonance charge
• Subatomic disruptor
• Subspace weapons
  • Isolytic burst

Planet-based

• See: Planetary defense system

Hand-held

• Boolean gun
• Compressed teryon beam weapon
• Compressed tetryon beam weapon
• CRM 114
• Disruptors
  • Disruptor pistol
    • Varon-T disruptor
  • Disruptor rifle
  • Type 3 disruptor
• Energy whip
• Laser pistol
• Particle rifle
• Phase pistol
• Phasers
  • Hand phaser
    • Bajoran phaser
    • Ferengi phaser
    • Kzinti phaser
    • Type 1 Starfleet phaser
    • Type 2 Starfleet phaser
  • Phaser rifle
    • Bajoran phaser rifle
    • Compression phaser rifle
    • Regalian phaser rifle
    • Type 3 Starfleet phaser rifle
  • Plasma phaser
  • Regenerative phaser
• Stunstick
• Thoron rifle

Other

• Echo Papa 607
• Modulating plasma pulse
• Orbital weapon platform
• Planet killer
• Radiation pulse
• Verteron array
• Xindi superweapon