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| {{Status|Canon}}
| | '''Directed Energy Weapon''' is a term used to refer to a broad range of weaponry that use energy directed in some manner rather than projectile ammunition. |
| {{Wikipedia|Directed-energy weapon}}
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| A '''directed-energy weapon''' ('''DEW''') is a type of weapon that uses a non-solid projectile with a high enthalpy (kinetic and thermal energy) rather than solid ballistic ammunition. It transfers energy to a target for the desired effect.
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| ==Lasers== | | ==Lasers== |
| [[File:M6 Spartan Laser.png|200px|thumb|The UNSC's only infantry laser weapon, the ''Spartan Laser'' or ''Galilean''.]]
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| {{Main|Laser}} | | {{Main|Laser}} |
| Lasers are used for a wide array of functions, ranging from repair equipment to weaponry. [[Pulse laser turret]]s are standard armament on Covenant warships and, unusually, [[UNSC prowler|UNSC Prowlers]], and are used for precision strikes against small targets, intercepting incoming missiles and fighters,<ref name="FoR">'''[[Halo: The Fall of Reach]]''', ''page ??''</ref> and general point-defense. Other lasers are used to repair equipment by both the Covenant,<ref name="ContactHarvest">'''[[Halo: Contact Harvest]]''', ''page ??''</ref> and the UNSC<ref name="FirstStrike">'''[[Halo: First Strike]]''', ''page ??''</ref> while the only infantry-portable laser weapon is used by the UNSC, the [[M6 Grindell/Galilean Nonlinear Rifle]] or "Spartan Laser". During the Human-Covenant War, the UNSC began using nuclear bomb-pumped X-ray lasers as warheads for anti-ship missiles, such as the [[Bident missile|M4020 Bident]] used by [[Epoch-class heavy carrier|''Epoch''-class heavy carriers]].<ref name="Warfleet17">'''[[Halo: Warfleet]]''', ''page 17''</ref> In the post-war era, [[Hannibal Weapon Systems]] has experimented with mounting laser weaponry on its testbed [[XM820B4 Scorpion]] tanks.<ref>''[[Halo 5: Guardians]]''.</ref>
| | [[Image:Plasma Rifles.jpg|200px|thumb|One of the most commonly used Directed Energy Weapons]]Lasers are standard armament on Covenant warships, and equipped to [[UNSC Prowler]]s, used for precision strikes and for [[Point Defence Laser|point-defence]], intercepting fighters and missiles attacking the ship. |
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| ==Plasma== | | ==Plasma== |
| [[File:Plasma Rifles.jpg|thumb|200px|One of the most commonly used directed-energy weapons, the {{Pattern|Okarda'phaa|plasma rifle}}.]]
| | {{Main|Plasma Torpedo}} |
| {{Main|Plasma weaponry}} | | The Covenant also utilise a type of superheated plasma, contained and guided by a controlled magnetic field, for extremely damaging strikes against UNSC targets, such as warships or [[glassing]] a conquered planet. Plasma is also used in the majority of Covenant small-arms, such as the [[Plasma Pistol]], [[Plasma Rifle]], [[Plasma Grenade]] and [[Fuel Rod Cannon]]. |
| The Covenant's most common weapon type, however, is superheated plasma that is contained within a controlled magnetic field, able to be guided to a target and dealing heavy damage. Ship-mounted plasma weapons can launch torpedoes, capable of tracking their targets with precision, making them devastating in ship-to-ship combat, or can fire very large streams of plasma from afar to "[[glassing|glass]]" a planet's surface from orbit. Vehicle-mounted plasma weapons usually have a high rate of fire, but lack guidance systems. Infantry weapons commonly use guided plasma, such as the Plasma Rifle, [[Type-25 Directed Energy Pistol|Plasma Pistol]], and the [[Anskum-pattern plasma grenade|Plasma Grenade]]. Towards the end of the Human-Covenant War, the UNSC began using nuclear-pumped "focused plasma spears" in ship-to-ship missile warheads.{{Ref/Reuse|Warfleet17}} | |
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| ==Electrolaser== | | ==Particle Beam Weapons== |
| [[File:HINF ShockRifle.png|200px|thumb|A [[Sicatt Workshop shock rifle]].]]
| | {{Main|Energy Projector}} |
| Weapons that make use of electrolasers include the [[Banished]]-made [[Sicatt Workshop shock rifle]]. This weapon's electrolasers consist of electromagnetically-guided plasma beams capable of disabling electronics components of vehicles and even [[MJOLNIR Powered Assault Armor]] via [[electromagnetic pulse]].{{Ref/Book|Id=EN|Enc22|Page=477}}{{Ref/Novel|Id=SOR21|HSoR|Chapter=21}}
| | {{Main|Beam Rifle}} |
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| | The Covenant also use accelerated particles as weaponry, such as the devastating capitol-ship mounted [[Energy Projector]] and the infinitely smaller [[Type-50 Sniper Rifle System]]. These weapons use charged or neutral particles, and may appear similar to lasers though the differences are extensive. |
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| ==Particle beam weapons==
| | [[Category:Science]] |
| [[File:Bnetbeamrifle.jpg|200px|thumb|A [[Type-50 particle beam rifle]].]] | |
| {{Main|Particle beam weapon}}
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| The Covenant also uses accelerated particles as weaponry, such as the devastating capital ship mounted [[energy projector]] and the infantry [[Type-50 particle beam rifle]]. These weapons use charged or neutral particles and may appear similar to lasers though the differences are extensive. Though humans have an understanding of accelerated particle technology they have not yet used it for weaponry.
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| ==Ionized Particles==
| | [[Category:The Covenant]] |
| [[File:H4-Scattershot.png|250px|thumb|A [[Z-180 Close Combat Rifle/Asymmetric Engagement Mitigator|Scattershot]].]] | |
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| Not much is known about this type of weapon other than it is exclusive to the Forerunners and shares traits from both plasma and particle beam weapons. [[Z-1500 Automated Systems Drone|Aggressor Sentinels]] use a powerful continuous firing beam type called the [[Sentinel Beam]] as their main weapons. Many [[Promethean]] weapons are this type and have a tendency to disintegrate targets, and bounce off solid surfaces. The ionized particles fired by these weapons can come in a variety of colors, including gold, orange, purple, and blue.
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| ==Hard light==
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| [[File:H5G-Lightrifle.png|200px|thumb|A [[Z-250 lightrifle]].]]
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| {{Main|Hard light}}
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| Weaponized hard light seems to be exclusive to the Forerunners as the Covenant never managed to fully reverse-engineer the technology.
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| ==Sources==
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| {{Ref/Sources}}
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| [[Category:Weapons|Directed-energy weapon]]
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| [[Category:Directed-energy weapons|Directed-energy weapon]]
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