Pulse laser turret

The Pulse Laser Turret is a light Covenant ship to ship weapon, later reverse-engineered by the UNSC. These pulse weapons are known to have been mounted on most covenant ships including artifact retrieval ships such as the Minor Transgression. The weapon can be used against starships but is also a likely candidate for a Covenant anti-aircraft weapon. Strangely enough, UNSC Prowlers also have these energy weapons, as United Nations Space Command warships typically utilize projectile or explosive weaponry. However, it makes sense that, since ONI is the group responsible for reverse-engineering Covenant technology, their ships would be the first to reap the benefits. Another possibility is that the UNSC pulse laser is a prototype of the Spartan Laser, although obviously on a larger scale. Since ONI is also in charge of weapons development, they would outfit it on their ships.

Physics

Main article: Laser

Before the weapon fires, it must first charge, during the charge a sphere of light energy forms around the charging weapon. After it is finished charging, it expels a cyan/purple beam of energy. According to the Halo novels and combat observations, a section of the ship's shield must be dropped for it to fire completely.

Damage

The weapon is said to have reduced the UNSC frigate Commonwealth's armor in sections three and four to a quarter which would mean (as frigates are known to have 60cm-thick armor) that a pulse laser salvo is capable of melting through 45cm of Titanium-A battle-plate in mere seconds. This means that pulse lasers pose a serious threat to UNSC frigates and smaller, lighter armored UNSC ships as it would only take one salvo to melt through parts of its armor. However, it is believed that larger UNSC ships with thicker armor would have to take multiple pulse laser salvos to show the same results. The Halcyon-class cruiser class can only resist 1-2 pulse lasers and Supercarriers can resist 2-3.