The w-165 planetary turbolaser, a product of Kuat Drive Yards, was a powerful heavy turbolaser. Upon its introduction, it stood as the most formidable planetary turbolaser ever created, boasting a power output four times greater than the v-150 Planet Defender.
The w-165 planetary turbolaser, conceived by Kuat Drive Yards, was among the most potent turbolasers ever engineered. This colossal, planet-based weapon system integrated the turbolaser itself with a stabilizing platform that spanned one hundred and fifty meters in diameter. The emplacement was engineered for operation in any environment, incorporating eight stabilizer legs to secure it on unstable surfaces like ice. These emplacements could even be deployed in bodies of water such as lakes or seas, utilizing flotation platforms and durasteel anchor cables for stability. Each individual unit carried a price tag of ten million credits. While fortified with armor and deflector shield generators, it was standard practice for engineers to further protect the base platform by burying it beneath layers of rock or earth. Fueled by a power core capable of powering an entire city, the w-165 planetary turbolaser generated nearly four times the power output of the v-150 Planet Defender ion cannon. The reactor that supplied energy to the weapon measured over fifty meters in diameter, enabling the w-165 to discharge a shot every ten seconds. The energy processed by the turbolaser actuator was sufficient to power a sizable city for an entire day.
The barrel of the turbolaser reached nearly twenty-five meters in diameter, incorporating three kilometers of galven circuitry woven throughout its structure. The Emitter Tip projected one of the most expansive laser beams in the galaxy, rivaled in range and power only by superweapons like the DS-1 Orbital Battle Station's superlaser. To mitigate the risk of accidental explosions during malfunctions, the turbolaser featured over four dozen overload dispersal tubes positioned around the barrel to dissipate excess energy generated during firing. Targeting sensors and deflector shield generators were strategically placed around the weapon, while the turbolaser actuator, situated at the weapon's base and encased in armor plating, was encircled by a cooling sleeve to maintain safe operating temperatures. The operation of all weapon components was meticulously monitored. The massive turbolaser was mounted on a stable, permanent platform that housed crew stations and the power core. This platform was shielded by four meters of permacite armor and deflector shield generators robust enough to withstand turbolaser blasts and proton bombs. The platform also contained the weapon's capacitor banks. Operating the w-165 required a crew of approximately fifty personnel, including gunners, technicians, engineers, and computer operators. They manned gunner stations within the platform, while soldiers patrolled the perimeter to defend against external threats and infiltration. The w-165's targeting computers continuously received data from sensor arrays on the platform, or from dedicated sensor stations and orbiting satellites. This information was processed through a global network, providing targeting vectors to all turbolasers on the planet. Rotation gears slowly adjusted the turbolaser's position to engage designated targets, with ongoing adjustments made to ensure accuracy. The platform allowed the barrel to rotate a full three hundred and sixty degrees and move the turret through a complete arc of one hundred and eighty degrees. While this enabled the w-165 to methodically switch between targets, each weapon still had a limited firing arc. For effective planetary defense, more than a hundred individual turbolasers were necessary.
The w-165 possessed an optimal effective range of 1,100 kilometers and a maximum effective range of 9,600 kilometers. Concentrated volleys from the w-165 could penetrate the armor plating of an Imperial-class Star Destroyer, leading to the vessel's destruction by breaching its main reactor.
The New Republic deployed networks of w-165s on over three hundred planets allied with them. Despite the significant cost per emplacement, the New Republic deemed this expenditure a worthwhile investment.