An explosion powerful enough to disrupt a soliton wave could be created with five torpedoes set to level 16. In 2368, Federation photon torpedo warhead yields had at least 16 preset levels. The detonator destroyed the torpedo before impact. It could be activated remotely to abort a torpedo that had been launched. ( VOY: ' Future's End, Part II') Federation photon torpedoes had a subspace detonator. ( TNG: ' The Wounded') When launched, Federation photon torpedoes expelled plasma exhaust into the torpedo tube. In 2367, the range of Federation photon torpedoes was slightly below three hundred thousand kilometers. ( Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan Star Trek III: The Search for Spock DS9: ' Tribunal' VOY: ' Good Shepherd' TNG: ' The Loss', ' New Ground') Upon detonation the torpedo created a matter-antimatter explosion and a flood of ion radiation. The warhead had a detonation chamber filled with antimatter. The weapon was armed with a photon warhead. The components of a Federation photon torpedo were contained within an elongated elliptical casing, also known as a photon tube. ( DS9: ' Defiant' Star Trek Nemesis)Ī class-10 photon torpedo carrying Borg nanoprobes Nonetheless, photons continued to be utilized along with the new quantum torpedoes by such starships as the USS Enterprise-E. The 24th century saw the deployment of an improved type of ordnance in the year 2371: the quantum torpedo. Starfleet vessels, operated by the United Federation of Planets, began using photon torpedoes by at least 2233. ( ENT: ' Fight or Flight', ' Sleeping Dogs', ' Judgment', ' The Expanse', ' Borderland')

In comparison, during that same period, Earth's Starfleet was still employing the spatial torpedo, although they soon upgraded to photonic torpedoes, the precursors to the photon torpedo. They used them extensively on board Raptor-class scout vessels, D5-class battle cruisers, and Birds-of-Prey. Klingons began using photon torpedoes by at least the mid- 22nd century. Starfleet photon torpedo launchers in 2233 Scott's Guide to the EnterpriseĪ 22nd century Klingon D5 firing a photon torpedo

6.2.3 Star Trek: Voyager Technical Manual.

6.2.2 Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Technical Manual.

6.2.1 Star Trek: The Next Generation Technical Manual.

Photon vs quantum torpedoes