Quantum Torpedoes?

[robjkay]

I was wondering about SF Quantum Torpedoes.

1. Is a Quantum Torpedo bigger or larger then a Photon Torpedo?
2. Can a Quantum Torpedo fire from a regular torpedo launcher? Meaning can any ship fire them?
3. Is a Quantum Torpedo a short range weapon? Being it seems the Defiant is always firing them at point blank range.
4. Being the Sovereign has a turret launcher to fire there Quantum Torpedoes, does this mean that the guidance system for the weapon is less advanced then a Photon Torpedo?

[Blackstar the Chakat]

I was wondering about SF Quantum Torpedoes.

1. Is a Quantum Torpedo bigger or larger then a Photon Torpedo?
2. Can a Quantum Torpedo fire from a regular torpedo launcher? Meaning can any ship fire them?
3. Is a Quantum Torpedo a short range weapon? Being it seems the Defiant is always firing them at point blank range.
4. Being the Sovereign has a turret launcher to fire there Quantum Torpedoes, does this mean that the guidance system for the weapon is less advanced then a Photon Torpedo?

Hmmm... those are some good questions. The Defiant has fired both Photons and Quantums so they should be about the same size. However it's possible that they could be bigger and the tubes can still fire smaller photons, but in one Voyager episode they were planning to salvage and adapt Q-torps for their ship, but it was unclear if they were federation issue or cardassian technology. As for Range, there is no reason to assume a shorter range. The Defiants style has always been close and personal. E-e seemed to fire them from a good distance, and a turret may be to increase short range accuracy. However there is little canon data other then they're way more destructive then Photons.

[Teaos]

The size maybe slightly different but I am pretty sure you cant fire a QT out of a PT tube.

The Sov has fired a couple of semi long range shots. I cant imagin any reason why they would be less accurate.

[Deepcrush]

The sov's turret was to allow the ship to fire at a 180* forward arc. In theory that would allow them to fire sideways and then the QT could turn another 90* on its own and strike at someone behind them. But they are larger the PTs and i'm not sure if you can fire PTs out of a QTL, ask the site master for that one!

[Sionnach Glic]

1. Is a Quantum Torpedo bigger or larger then a Photon Torpedo?

I would imagine they are the same size, aproximately, given that we've seen Defiant carry both types without any aparent upgrades.

2. Can a Quantum Torpedo fire from a regular torpedo launcher? Meaning can any ship fire them?

Seems possible. Unless the launch mechanism is quite a bit different I can't see any reason they couldn't.

3. Is a Quantum Torpedo a short range weapon? Being it seems the Defiant is always firing them at point blank range.

The Defiant's tactics seem to revolve around close quaters combat, so I doubt we could judge from that. Although its possible that if the torpedo has a larger payload, it would also have less fuel.

4. Being the Sovereign has a turret launcher to fire there Quantum Torpedoes, does this mean that the guidance system for the weapon is less advanced then a Photon Torpedo?

Again, that's possible due to size constraints. Although its more likely that the Federation realised the superiority of a turreted launcher over a stationary launcher.

[Captain Seafort]

I was wondering about SF Quantum Torpedoes.

1. Is a Quantum Torpedo bigger or larger then a Photon Torpedo?

Difficult to tell. PTs have always appeared as points of light, whereas QTs appear more elongated (best shown here). They may be slightly bigger, but not hugely so.

2. Can a Quantum Torpedo fire from a regular torpedo launcher? Meaning can any ship fire them?

I doubt it. PTs can certainly fire from QT tubes, given that the Defiant has fired both, but we've never seen QTs fired from a PT launcher. It's possible that launchers can be modified during a refit, given that the Lakota carried QTs, but it's more likely that they ripped out the old launchers and put new ones in.

3. Is a Quantum Torpedo a short range weapon? Being it seems the Defiant is always firing them at point blank range.

As Blackstar said, the Defiant has always engaged at short range, so that may be a targetting issue for the ship rather than the weapons. The E-E fired from what appeared to be a fair range at the Borg Sphere in First Contact.

4. Being the Sovereign has a turret launcher to fire there Quantum Torpedoes, does this mean that the guidance system for the weapon is less advanced then a Photon Torpedo?

The Sovvies' main torpedo launcher has always been something of a mystery to me - it's placement is good, being about as close to the centre of the ship's forward profile as possible, but it's also somewhat vulnerable to enemy fire, protruding from the hull as it does. Insurrection put the lift and docking clamps for the captain's yacht in the same place. I don't see how all those systems can fit in that space. It's possible that the turret is usually stored in the hull above the bulge (much as DS9's turrets are usually tucked away inside the weapons sails) and lowers into the forward half of it for firing, leaving the aft half clear for the yacht's docking systems.

[Blackstar the Chakat]

That retractable turret idea is a pretty good explination. I'm not sure I'd want to complicate the system like that when a different placement would work just as well.

Maybe the QTs are a little longer which is why they may not be fired out of a PT tube. I doubt it could be too much larger in width and height though, that would make firing PTs more difficult.

[robjkay]

Well it always seems that Photon Torpedoes have a longer range and are more of a better guidance system. It seems when a Quatum Torpedo is fired its at real close range and normally aimed or guided in a straight line.

Wondering if the Q-torp uses the same casing as a Photon Torp that maybe it has a larger warhead to where it sacrifices range and maneuverability.

The reason I say is because you would think there would be more of a difference between the torpedoes other then firepower. The Photon Torpedo was a weapon that allready reached it limits to where it could not upgraded anymore.

Also being the Q-torp uses exotic materials, is this why it has not been only two ships the Sovereign and the Defiant carries the weapon? I would think more ship would be carring at least a combination of both weapons especially during the Dominion War making them more capable of defeating enemy ships.

[Captain Seafort]

That retractable turret idea is a pretty good explination. I'm not sure I'd want to complicate the system like that when a different placement would work just as well.

I wouldn't either, but it's canon that both the main QT launcher and the Captain's yacht are located in the bulge at the bottom of the saucer. I'd rather have a more complicated system that keeps all the important stuff (AM storage and loading being the most important) as deep inside the ship as possible. Besides, when given the choice between a simple solution and a complicated one, which do you think Starfleet would choose?

[Captain Seafort]

That retractable turret idea is a pretty good explination. I'm not sure I'd want to complicate the system like that when a different placement would work just as well.

I wouldn't either, but it's canon that both the main QT launcher and the Captain's yacht are located in the bulge at the bottom of the saucer. I'd rather have a more complicated system that keeps all the important stuff (AM storage and loading being the most important) as deep inside the ship as possible. Besides, when given the choice between a simple solution and a complicated one, which do you think Starfleet would choose?

[Blackstar the Chakat]

True, or maybe it's bigger on the inside.

As for the earlier question about the reason Q-torps are used less is that 1) they may be more difficult or expensive to manufacture and/or 2) It would be difficult to refit the entire fleet with Quantum torpedo launchers. And with the war it would be even more difficult to keep up with demand.

[Captain Peabody]

Interesting...I agree mainly with Captain Seafort's answers...

...but, another question; what advantages (if any), have Quantum torpedoes been shown to have over Photons, canonically speaking? Is a canon comparison of the two possible?

I leave these questions in your capable hands...

[Blackstar the Chakat]

Interesting...I agree mainly with Captain Seafort's answers...

...but, another question; what advantages (if any), have Quantum torpedoes been shown to have over Photons, canonically speaking? Is a canon comparison of the two possible?

I leave these questions in your capable hands...

They do more damage, make the Borg go boom, and they look cooler.

[Sionnach Glic]

IIRC, isn't it the Transphasic torps' that kill the borg?
But yeah, aside from that they just look pretty and do more damage.

[Monroe]

As for the torps going 90 degrees to hit targets today we have sidewinders that can do that so its no push of the imagination for all missiles in Star Trek to be able to do that.