Changes: Torpedo

Revision as of 00:03, 16 October 2014

AT: "xx"

File:Spatial torpedo, Fight or flight 1.jpg

A 22nd century Starfleet spatial torpedo

USS Excelsior firing torpedoes — The USS *Excelsior* firing photon torpedoes

Romulan bird-of-prey, TOS-firing torpedo — A Romulan Bird-of-Prey firing a plasma torpedo

USS Defiant firing quantum torpedoes — The USS *Defiant* firing quantum torpedoes

Jellyship torpedoes — The *Jellyfish* firing torpedoes

A torpedo is a self-propelled, self-guided weapon. Torpedoes of some type were part of the standard weaponry of most Starfleet vessels in the 22nd to 24th centuries.

Torpedoes were primarily used in space combat as an alternative to directed energy weapons such as disruptors and phasers. Torpedoes could be configured before launch to fit various specifications. Normally a torpedo was equipped with a warhead, and the explosive yield of this warhead could vary depending on the type of torpedo. Torpedo launchers brought the weapon into the launch tube and allowed fire control from the ship's bridge, although a torpedo could be launched manually. (TNG: "Masks"; VOY: "Future's End, Part II") Most of the time a tactical officer was responsible for target acquisition and launch sequence.

The maximum effective range of a torpedo depended on its type. Range was dependent on propulsion and acquisition capabilities. Propulsion was categorized basically by whether the torpedo was warp-capable or used another method of propulsion. Some types of torpedoes were equipped with a self-destruction mechanism. For those types, if a torpedo needed to be aborted and destroyed, due to, for example ,a targeting acquisition problem, it could be destroyed.

The torpedo guided itself via internal sensors that could be configured by the tactical officer. (TNG: "Genesis") The advantage was that a firing pattern could be established whereby multiple torpedo launches could be coordinated to hit a single target and thus make the best use of every torpedo's explosive yield. (TNG: "Pen Pals") When necessary, the device's internal sensors could be replaced by specialized sensor packs, allowing for additional flexibility in use; for example, using a sensor pack designed to detect gaseous anomalies could enable a torpedo to lock onto impulse engine emissions. After configuration, the torpedo could be fired and would automatically acquire its target. (Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country) Some torpedoes featured advanced artificial intelligence to make the decisions about target acquisition, defensive maneuvers, etc. (VOY: "Warhead")

On 20th century Earth, the United States Navy trained whales to recover maritime torpedoes. (Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home)

Torpedoes were used by different species and varied in type, appearance, explosive yield, and effective range. There were several types of torpedoes:

Advanced long-range torpedo - an undetectable long-range photon torpedo designed by John Harrison in the alternate reality
Antimatter torpedo - an antimatter weapon, used by Kelemane's species
Chroniton torpedo - a torpedo in temporal flux, used by the Krenim Imperium
Gravimetric torpedo - a heavy weapon with a gravimetric charge, used by Starfleet
Isolytic burst - an illegal subspace weapon used by the Son'a
Photon torpedo - the most common type of torpedo, used by multiple species
Photonic torpedo - an antimatter weapon, used by Starfleet and the Vissians
Plasma torpedo - used by Romulan, Cardassian, and Kazon forces
Pulse wave torpedo - a torpedo that can be used to disrupt subspace anomalies
Quantum torpedo - an advanced weapon, used by Starfleet, the Terran Rebellion, and the Cardassian Union
Series 5 torpedo - an antimatter torpedo with artificial intelligence developed by the Druoda
Spatial torpedo - Triton class spatial torpedoes were used by Starfleet in the 22nd century
Stratospheric torpedo - a torpedo used in planetary atmospheres, used by Starfleet and the Maquis
Transphasic torpedo - an anti-Borg weapon, originally developed by Captain Kathryn Janeway in an alternate timeline

According to Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Technical Manual (page 92), torpedoes, like auxiliary craft, were equipped with shield window transponders. This allowed them to be launched while the shields were active, as they passed through during a window in the shields. Canonically, the concept of shield windows was introduced in the Star Trek: The Next Generation episode "The Wounded", where such things as beaming are possible for 1/50th of a second between sensor systems cycles.

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+{{at|xx}}
-[[Image:ExcelsiorFiring.jpg|thumb|The [[USS Excelsior|USS ''Excelsior'']] firing photon torpedoes]]
+[[File:Spatial torpedo, Fight or flight 1.jpg|thumb|A [[22nd century]] [[Starfleet]] [[spatial torpedo]]]]
-A '''torpedo''' is a self-propelled, self-guided weapon. Torpedoes of some type are part of the standard weaponry of most [[Starfleet]] [[starships]] in the [[23rd century|23rd]] and [[24th century|24th]] centuries.
+[[File:USS Excelsior firing torpedoes.jpg|thumb|The {{USS|Excelsior}} firing [[photon torpedo]]es]]
+[[File:Romulan bird-of-prey, TOS-firing torpedo.jpg|thumb|A [[Romulan]] [[Romulan Bird-of-Prey (23rd century)|Bird-of-Prey]] firing a [[plasma torpedo]]]]
+[[File:USS Defiant firing quantum torpedoes.jpg|thumb|The {{USS|Defiant|2370}} firing [[quantum torpedo]]es]]
+[[File:Jellyship torpedoes.jpg|thumb|The ''[[Jellyfish (ship)|Jellyfish]]'' firing torpedoes]]
+A '''torpedo''' is a self-propelled, self-guided weapon. Torpedoes of some type were part of the standard weaponry of most [[Starfleet]] [[starship|vessel]]s in the [[22nd century|22nd]] to [[24th century|24th]] centuries.
-Torpedoes are used in space combat as an alternative to energy weapons such as [[disruptor]]s and [[phaser]]s. Torpedoes can be configured before launch to fit various specifications. Normally a torpedo is equiped with a heavy warhead, but the explosive yield of this warhead may vary depending on the type of torpedo. [[Torpedo launcher]]s bring the weapon into battery and allow fire control from the ship's bridge, although a torpedo can be launched manually. ({{TNG|Masks}}) Most of the time a [[tactical officer]] is responsible for target acquisition and launch sequence.
+Torpedoes were primarily used in space combat as an alternative to [[directed energy weapon]]s such as [[disruptor]]s and [[phaser]]s. Torpedoes could be configured before launch to fit various specifications. Normally a torpedo was equipped with a warhead, and the explosive yield of this warhead could vary depending on the type of torpedo. [[Torpedo launcher]]s brought the weapon into the [[Torpedo tube|launch tube]] and allowed fire control from the ship's [[bridge]], although a torpedo could be launched manually. ({{TNG|Masks}}; {{VOY|Future's End, Part II}}) Most of the time a [[tactical officer]] was responsible for target acquisition and launch sequence.
-[[Image:USS Defiant firing quantum torpedoes.jpg|thumb|The [[USS Defiant (NX-74205)|USS ''Defiant'']] firing quantum torpedoes]]
-The maximum effective range of a torpedo depends on its type. Range is dependent on [[propulsion]] and acquisition capabilities. [[propulsion|Propulsion]] is categorized basically by whether the torpedo is [[warp]]-capable or uses another method, while acquisition capability is dependent on the range at which a tactical officer can control the torpedo, fundamentally the maximum effective [[sensor]] range of the ship from which the torpedo is fired.
-Some types of torpedoes are equipped with a [[auto-destruct|self-destruction mechanism]]. For those types, if a torpedo is fired accidently or experiences a targeting acquisition problem, it can be destroyed.
+The maximum effective range of a torpedo depended on its type. Range was dependent on [[propulsion]] and acquisition capabilities. Propulsion was categorized basically by whether the torpedo was [[Warp drive|warp-capable]] or used another method of propulsion. Some types of torpedoes were equipped with a [[auto-destruct|self-destruction mechanism]]. For those types, if a torpedo needed to be aborted and destroyed, due to, for example ,a targeting acquisition problem, it could be destroyed.
-The torpedo guides itself via internal [[sensor]]s that can be configured by the tactical officer. ({{TNG|Genesis}})  The advantage is that a firing pattern can be established whereby multiple torpedo launches can be coordinated to hit a single target and thus make the best use of every torpedo's explosive yield. ({{TNG|Pen Pals}}) When necessary, the device's internal sensors can be replaced by specialized sensor packs, allowing for additional flexibility in use; for example, using a sensor pack designed to detect gaseous anomalies could enable a torpedo to lock onto impulse engine emissions. After configuration, the torpedo can be fired and will automatically acquire its target. ({{film|6}}) Technologically advanced torpedoes feature [[artificial intelligence]] to make decisions about target aqcuisition, defensive manoeuvres etc. ({{VOY|Warhead}})
+The torpedo guided itself via internal sensors that could be configured by the tactical officer. ({{TNG|Genesis}}) The advantage was that a firing pattern could be established whereby multiple torpedo launches could be coordinated to hit a single target and thus make the best use of every torpedo's explosive yield. ({{TNG|Pen Pals}}) When necessary, the device's internal sensors could be replaced by specialized sensor packs, allowing for additional flexibility in use; for example, using a sensor pack designed to detect gaseous anomalies could enable a torpedo to lock onto impulse engine emissions. After configuration, the torpedo could be fired and would automatically acquire its target. ({{film|6}}) Some torpedoes featured advanced [[artificial intelligence]] to make the decisions about target acquisition, defensive maneuvers, etc. ({{VOY|Warhead}})
+On [[20th century]] [[Earth]], the [[United States Navy]] trained whales to recover maritime torpedoes. ({{film|4}})
-Torpedoes are used by different species and vary in type, appearance, explosive yield, and effective range.  Several types of torpedoes are known to exist:
+Torpedoes were used by different species and varied in type, appearance, explosive yield, and effective range. There were several types of torpedoes:
-* '''[[Spatial torpedo]]''' - the first torpedo weapon developed by [[Starfleet (Earth)|Earth Starfleet]]
-* '''[[Photonic torpedo]]''' - an intermediate step between the spatial torpedo and the [[photon torpedo]]
-* '''[[Photon torpedo]]''' -  the most common type of torpedo, used by mutliple species
-* '''[[Quantum torpedo]]''' - a replacement for the standard photon torpedo
-* '''[[Transphasic torpedo]]''' - a future Starfleet weapon
-* '''[[Plasma torpedo]]''' - in use by [[Romulan]] and [[Cardassian Union|Cardassian]] forces
-* '''[[Gravimetric torpedo]]''' - a high-yield weapon used by the [[Borg]]
-* '''[[Chroniton torpedo]]''' - a destructive weapon used by the [[Krenim Imperium]]
-* '''[[Stratospheric torpedo]]''' - a torpedo for use in planetary atmospheres used by Starfleet and, previously, by the [[Maquis]]
-* ""[[Pulse-Wave Torpedo]]""-a torpedo used for disrupting anomolys
+* '''[[Advanced long-range torpedo]]''' - an undetectable long-range [[photon torpedo]] designed by [[John Harrison]] in the [[alternate reality]]
-Firing a torpedo is not to be taken lightly, as torpedoes are generally the most destructive weapons in a ship's arsenal. Unlike [[directed energy weapon]]s, for which targeting and yield can be precisely controlled, a torpedo's explosive nature means that employing one may cause unintended collateral damage. As a result, [[Federation]] vessels usually employ torpedoes only when it is certain that the target's continued well-being is unimportant (as in a state of war) or if it seems able to withstand torpedo attacks (in use against a technologically superior foe). Therefore, decisions about target acquisition and fire control of a torpedo are limited to the highest [[rank]]ing [[bridge officer]]. This can be the [[Captain]] or the [[First officer]]. A tactical officer may only accept target coordinates and carry out the order to fire weapons.
+* '''[[Antimatter torpedo]]''' - an [[antimatter weapon]], used by [[Kelemane's species]]
+* '''[[Chroniton torpedo]]''' - a torpedo in [[temporal flux]], used by the [[Krenim Imperium]]
+* '''[[Gravimetric torpedo]]''' - a heavy weapon with a [[gravimetric]] charge, used by Starfleet
+* '''[[Isolytic burst]]''' - an illegal [[subspace weapon]] used by the [[Son'a]]
+* '''[[Photon torpedo]]''' -  the most common type of torpedo, used by multiple species
+* '''[[Photonic torpedo]]''' - an antimatter weapon, used by [[Starfleet]] and the [[Vissian]]s
+* '''[[Plasma torpedo]]''' - used by [[Romulan]], [[Cardassian]], and [[Kazon]] forces
+* '''[[Pulse wave torpedo]]''' - a torpedo that can be used to disrupt [[subspace]] anomalies
+* '''[[Quantum torpedo]]''' - an advanced weapon, used by Starfleet, the [[Terran Rebellion]], and the [[Cardassian Union]]
+* '''[[Series 5 long-range tactical armor unit|Series 5 torpedo]]''' - an antimatter torpedo with artificial intelligence developed by the [[Druoda]]
+* '''[[Spatial torpedo]]''' - Triton class spatial torpedoes were used by Starfleet in the [[22nd century]]
+* '''[[Stratospheric torpedo]]''' - a torpedo used in planetary [[atmosphere]]s, used by Starfleet and the [[Maquis]]
+* '''[[Transphasic torpedo]]''' - an anti-[[Borg]] weapon, originally developed by [[Captain]] [[Kathryn Janeway]] in an [[alternate timeline]]
+{{bginfo|According to ''[[Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Technical Manual]]'' (page 92), torpedoes, like auxiliary craft, were equipped with [[deflector shield|shield]] window transponders. This allowed them to be launched while the shields were active, as they passed through during a window in the shields. Canonically, the concept of shield windows was introduced in the ''[[Star Trek: The Next Generation]]'' episode {{e|The Wounded}}, where such things as [[Transporter|beaming]] are possible for 1/50th of a second between [[sensor]] systems cycles.}}
-:''This is based on observations that when a Starfleet weapon was fired, the command to fire always came from a Captain or First officer. Klingons seems to get the order to fire directly from the captain himself or the highest ranking officer on board at the time.''
 [[Category:Weapons]]
 [[cs:Torpéda]]
 [[de:Torpedo]]
+[[fr:Torpille]]
+[[ja:魚雷]]