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V-150 anti-orbital ion cannon

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(Redirected from V-150 Planet Defender)
v-150 Planet Defender anti-orbital ion cannon
Production information
Manufacturer

Kuat Drive Yards[1]

Model

v-150 Planet Defender anti-orbital ion cannon[1]

Type

Heavy Ion Surface-To-Space Cannon[1]

Cost

1,5 million credits (1 million used)[2]

Physical and technical specifications
Range

100 kilometers[source?]

Usage and history
Era(s)
Affiliation
[Source]
"The ion cannon will fire several shots to make sure that any enemy ships will be out of your flight path."
―Leia Organa, briefing Rogue Group prior to the Battle of Hoth[src]

The v-150 Planet Defender anti-orbital ion cannon was a heavy ion cannon of the Clone Wars era, built by Kuat Drive Yards. It was designed by Can Lar, who originally attempted to sell the design to CoMar Weapons. Before the introduction of the v-150, anti-orbital ion cannons were considered to be an engineering impossibility.

During the Galactic Civil War, the Alliance to Restore the Republic came in possession of several v-150s, placing them at the most important of bases. The secret Echo Base on the ice world of Hoth was defended by a v-150 and, during the Battle of Hoth in 3 ABY, was instrumental in helping many of the base's GR-75 medium transports to escape through the Imperial blockade of the planet.

Contents

[edit] Characteristics

Cross-section of the Echo Base v-150 Planet Defender.

The v-150 was able to be employed by planetary installations as an effective defense against enemy targets in orbital and superorbital space. When used in tandem with planetary shields, the v-150 was successful in deterring orbital siege activities,[3] with a maximum firing range of 180,000 kilometers.[source?] The weapon was a stationary emplacement only, typically installed on a rotating base and covered by a semi-circular reinforced permacite shell. Powered by a subterranean reactor core typically placed some forty meters below the surface, the v-150 was modular and able to be erected in a matter of hours.[3]

The ion cannon operated with a crew of twenty-seven, or a skeleton crew of twelve. It was equipped with an unlimited amount of ammunition, with its power output supplied by a power generator and/or reactor.[1] The v-150 also held three months of supplies.[source?]

By the time of the Galactic Civil War, Kuat Drive Yards typically marketed the v-150 at 500,000 credits, though it could be obtained used at a discounted rate of 100,000 credits.[1]

[edit] History

"Stand by, Ion Control...Fire."
―Toryn Farr, directing the firing mechanism of Echo Base's v-150 ion cannon during the Battle of Hoth[src]

Originally an artillery piece from the Clone Wars era,[source?] several v-150 cannons were eventually acquired by the Alliance to Restore the Republic for use during the Galactic Civil War.[1]

[edit] Rebel Alliance v-150 Planet Defenders

The v-150 Planetary Defender was the most powerful, and consequently the most expensive, ground-based weapon in the Alliance arsenal. The Rebellion obtained several v-150's, assigning them to the most important bases. Two were stationed on the safeworld of Bulwark and at the Alliance High Command's Echo Base on the planet Hoth—the locations of the other ion cannons remained a closely guarded secret.[1]

The v-150 anti-orbital ion cannon that provided covering fire for escaping Rebel transports.

The Hoth v-150 proved to be an invaluable addition to the base's defensive armament. It was stolen during a daring super transport hijacking in the Kuat system.[1] Its power generator was remotely connected to the base's main reactors, which were scavenged from a Praetor-class Star Battlecruiser. While v-150's were usually powered by reactors located forty meters below ground, the Echo Base generator was buried a full kilometer below the icy surface, with its main reactors located at the main base, further away.[source?] The entire crew of twenty-seven that maintained the ion cannon hailed from the planet Alderaan and were among the last to evacuate the planet during the Battle of Hoth. During the battle, the crew put up a fierce fight against invading Imperial snowtroopers trying to seize the cannon,[1] though they eventually set the cannon's power generator to self-destruct as they evacuated to mask the sensor reading of their escape.[4]

Before its abandonment, the cannon was successful in providing valuable cover fire for the escaping transports of Echo Base as they attempted to run the blockading line of Death Squadron's Imperial-class Star Destroyers orbiting Hoth. From the base's command center, head controller Toryn Farr directed the ion cannon to fire upon the Imperial I-class Star Destroyer Tyrant, disabling it as the GR-75 medium transport Quantum Storm, the first transport to evacuate Hoth, slipped past the Imperial warship and entered hyperspace. The protecting fire from the ion cannon served as the opening shots of the engagement.[1][5]

However, the cannon itself was structurally intact and operational when Jaden Korr arrived in 14 ABY searching for the Disciples of Ragnos.[6]

[edit] Appearances

Concept art by Ralph McQuarrie.

[edit] Sources

[edit] Notes and references

  1. ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 Galaxy Guide 3: The Empire Strikes Back
  2. ↑ Rebellion Era Campaign Guide
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1  Heavy Ion Cannon in the Databank
  4. ↑ The Essential Guide to Weapons and Technology
  5. ↑ Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back
  6. ↑ Star Wars: Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy
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