Laser cannons were powerful laser weapons that were commonly outfitted to vehicles, starfighters, and starships. A laser cannon could be fixed in place or attached to a turret or ball-mounted swivel, allowing the weapon to aim and fire in many directions.
A single-barrel turbolaser turret on an Imperial base
Laser cannons operated on similar principles as blasters and blaster cannons - using high-energy gas to fire concentrated bolts of energy - but could be more powerful and with greater range. They were the dominant weapon of the galaxy, with a variety of different models mounted on both civilian and military vehicles and vessels.
More powerful versions of laser cannons were turbolasers.
Like blasters, many laser cannons could vary the intensity of their shots. The laser cannons on a UT-60D U-wing starfighter/support craft could be adjusted so that a single shot would reduce a person to ash. The laser cannons on a Low Altitude Assault Transport/infantry could fire bolts of up to 5 gigajoules.
Laser cannons could also be used to shoot down enemy missiles. However doing so required a working targeting computer, as otherwise hitting missiles traveling at extreme velocities could be incredibly hard. Even with a targeting computer, some targets could be very difficult to hit: during the Great Hyperspace Disaster, Galactic Republic Longbeam cruiser fighters had a one-in-three chance of hitting debris from the Legacy Run traveling at close to light-speed.
Vehicles that were equipped with laser cannons included the All Terrain Tactical Enforcer (AT-TE), the All Terrain Armored Transport (AT-AT walker), the All Terrain Reconnaissance Transport (AT-RT), the All Terrain Scout Transport (AT-ST walker), the Gian heavy patrol speeder, the freeco bike, the WLO-5 battle tank, General Grievous' TSMEU-6 personal wheel bike, the T-47 airspeeder, and the Umbaran mobile heavy cannon (MHC).
Dwarf spider droids were equipped with nose-mounted laser cannons.
Battle droids that were equipped with laser cannons included the DSD1 dwarf spider droid, which had a nose-mounted laser cannon.
During a skirmish on Florrum, pirates loyal to their leader Hondo Ohnaka mounted a laser cannon on a tripod and used it to ambush pirates that had turned against him.
A type of laser cannon that was used as a personal heavy weapon was referred to as a rotary laser cannon, rotating laser cannon, or as the Z-6 rotary blaster cannon. Such weapons were used by clone troopers Hardcase and Thorn.
Manufacturers of laser cannons included Sureggi, whose product was on board the Auzituck anti-slaver gunship.
- Disney Infinity 3.0
- Rogue One: Recon A Star Wars 360 Experience
- LEGO STAR WARS: Celebrate the Season — "Snowflake Snack"
- LEGO Star Wars: The Force Awakens
- LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga
- LEGO Star Wars: Build Your Own Adventure