Torpedo Launchers

Class-1 Photon Torpedo launcher
Also known as a Standard Launcher, this design loads and fires single torpedoes individually. Usually fitted to smaller ships or non-combat designs because of its small size and ease of maintenance this design is robust and rarely jams or breaks, the design’s only drawback is it’s slow rate of fire

Class-2 Photon Torpedo launcher
A development of the Class-1 launcher, this weapon system has be enhanced with an enlarged loading chamber that allows more than a single torpedo to be readied and launched simultaneously. The launcher was designed to be fitted to smaller ships that might see combat, the Class-2 launcher would therefore increase a vessel’s firepower without a drawn out redesign of it’s internal structure, this launcher still suffers from a slow rate of fire.

Class-2b Photon Torpedo launcher
Essentially just a scaled up version of the Class-2 design, this torpedo launch system was intended for the larger series of starships in development including the Galaxy and Nebula starships being built at the Utopia Ship Yards of Mars. The launch chamber was enlarged along with the torpedo acceleration tube itself increasing the number of photon torpedoes that could be simultaneously loaded and fired from two to a maximum of ten, though usually only eight were fired for an increased safety margin.

Class-3 Photon Torpedo launcher
The first rapid fire torpedo launch system designed by Starfleet from the ground up. This design featured a groundbreaking pre-launch chamber were up to three torpedoes could be fuelled and readied before entering the launch tube. Also known as the Pulse Launcher due to the launcher’s ability to fire three warheads in rapid succession with a pause for reloading in between.

Class-4 Photon/Quantum Torpedo launcher
A further development of the Class-3 system, essentially the same as the Class-3 Photon Torpedo launcher except that the new system has the ability to charge and fire quantum torpedoes as well as photon torpedoes.

Class-5 Photon/Quantum Torpedo launcher
Taking the Class-4 system one step further the Class-5 torpedo launcher increases the size of the pre-launch chamber to five ready torpedoes; this system can also handle photon or quantum torpedoes. This is the standard torpedo launcher fitted to the majority of Starfleet’s starships that are large enough to accept the new hardware.

Class-6 Photon Torpedo launcher
A further advance in torpedo launch systems, the Class-6 photon torpedo launcher is the newest refinement of the Class-5 system. Improvements in automation, torpedo handling, fuelling and programming have resulted in the Burst torpedo launcher system. Five pre-launch chambers serve each torpedo tube but unlike the Class-5 the chambers are rapidly reloaded as the torpedo tube is fired resulting in very rapid and sustained volleys from each tube. The Class-6’s main drawback is it’s high need for constant maintenance to keep the reload sequence working properly.

Class-7 Photon/Quantum Torpedo launcher
Known as the Rapid Launcher, this weapons system is the next logical step up from the Class-6 which is only capable of firing photon torpedoes. Practically identical in every way to the Class-6 the Rapid Launcher now has the ability to rapid fire the more deadly quantum torpedoes, this design is relatively new and still quite bulky restricted deployment of only one launcher per ship so far, but this is expected to be improved by the newer Class-8 still in development.