The Yaret-Kor, more widely recognized as a plasma cannon, volcano cannon, or lava cannon, functioned as the primary ship-to-ship weapon system for the Yuuzhan Vong fleet. Consistent with all Yuuzhan Vong bio-technology, the Yaret-Kor was an organically engineered creation.
The operational principle of the Yaret-Kor involved ingesting stone or other substantial materials, subsequently superheating these materials, and then projecting them towards an enemy vessel as a fiery projectile. The dimensions of both the cannon and the projectile were proportional to the size of the vessel it was integrated with. For instance, Yorik-et starfighters were equipped with up to three plasma cannons that launched small, burning rocks. A single Yaret-Kor of starfighter scale was reportedly more potent than all four laser cannons found on a New Republic T-65 X-wing. Larger ships, such as miid ro'ik warships, possessed numerous cannons, capable of launching larger projectiles in continuous volleys. Koros-Strohna worldships were armed with hundreds of cannons of diverse sizes, although these weapons had a slow firing rate and were not designed for anti-starfighter defense.
The plasma projectiles of the Yaret-Kor possessed sufficient energy to melt through the hull of a New Republic starfighter, and direct hits could easily disrupt the flight paths of fighters or incapacitate enemy pilots. These weapons presented a significant challenge to defend against, even with the assistance of deflector shields; point defense systems offered the most effective countermeasure. Given that Yaret-Kor cannons were organically grown into yorik-et vessels, differentiating between the ship and the weapon was often problematic, making it difficult to ascertain the weapon's size.
Being an organic weapon, the Yaret-Kor provided several advantages over traditional, laser-based weaponry. Yaret-kor possessed the ability to self-repair over time and did not rely on an external power source. They replenished their ammunition by consuming various materials, thereby eliminating the requirement to return to designated resupply locations. Furthermore, the plasma cannons installed on yorik-et coralskippers also contributed to propulsion, working in conjunction with the vessel's dovin basal. The reactive force generated when the Yaret-Kor discharged actually propelled the starfighter through space.