Using a turret-mounted laser cannon, Luke Skywalker is seen defending Echo Base.
A laser cannon served as the standard armament for the vast majority of starships and various other vehicles. The destructive capacity of a laser cannon was directly proportional to its wattage. On the well-known X-Wing, cannons had outputs ranging from 126 to 500 terawatts. Imperial Star Destroyers mounted turbo laser cannons with outputs exceeding 3,000 terawatts. These weapons came in numerous forms, from the massive versions used by starships to medium-sized turret-mounted models, and even the much smaller personal cannons occasionally utilized by infantry. While capable of inflicting significant damage, they were outmatched by more sophisticated beam weapons like electromagnetic plasma cannons, turbolasers, and superlasers.
Throughout the galaxy, laser cannons were the most prevalent type of starship weaponry. These ranged in power from low-output weapons installed on independent vessels like freighters to military-grade versions seen on capital ships. Laser cannons, which operated on similar design principles as blasters, were essentially more powerful versions of them.
A power generator or main reactor supplied power to laser cannons. Blaster gas was kept in puncture-resistant and supercooled chambers. Within the laser cannon's laser actuator, the blaster gas was energized by a potent charge, and the prismatic crystal produced the high-energy beam consisting of charged particles. This beam was then directed through the laser barrel, which was lined with galven coils and circuitry to maintain its cohesion before exiting the laser tip.
These weapons were typically lightweight and had a rapid rate of fire. They proved most effective against starfighters and other smaller ships. However, laser cannons lacked the ability to breach strong deflector shields or inflict damage on thick armor plating. The energy conversion process within laser cannons produced a significant amount of waste heat, necessitating the use of a complex and extensive cooling system to safeguard the weapon's internal components.
The energy beams generated by laser cannons were designed to be visible within the light spectrum, as pilots often preferred to rely on visual targeting during combat. These cannons were linked to combat computers that worked in tandem with turret servos to make minor adjustments, ensuring operational accuracy.
Originally, starships employed laser cannons to clear debris, such as asteroids, from their flight paths. These cannons exhibited both remarkable accuracy and destructive power.
Laser cannons began to be utilized as anti-starfighter defenses on starships, including the Executor-class Super Star Destroyer, Viscount-class Star Defender and the EF76 Nebulon-B escort frigate. Later, these weapons were modified to fire beams with sufficient power and precision to intercept incoming enemy missiles from a distance; the point-defense cannon mounted on Crusader-class corvettes of the Zann Consortium serves as one example.
Eventually, laser cannon technology advanced to the point where ground-based vehicles like the AT-AT could employ them. Even some infantry units, such as B-2 battle droids, were equipped with laser cannons rather than personal blasters. D'harhan, a cyborg bounty hunter, had a laser cannon surgically attached to his body in place of his head. Around 4 ABY, Holowan Laboratories developed the IG-88 assassin droid series, each featuring a repeating laser cannon mounted along each arm.