Mike Dicenso on Photon Torpedoes

[FedRebel]

http://stardestroyer.net/mrwong/wiki/in ... .27s_edits[/quote]

However, the TNG Technical Manual is also inconsistent with itself regarding torpedo yields. At least two other entries on page 141 gives wildly differing torpedo estimates based on the primary and secondary destruct mechanisms. Approximately 2.39 gigatons and 5 kilotons respectively. It is uncertain whether these yields would come before or after the 74% efficiency is applied.

It's been a long time and my copy's buried deep in boxes, but I'm only familiar with the 64.3 megaton estimate from the 1.5kg antimatter/1.5kg matter stated warhead configuration on page 129.

Anyway, 'Enterprise' Canonically indicated that torpedoes have an insanely wide dialing range.

[Batman]

The TNG Tech Manual doesn't give any yields for photon torpedoes, it just states the 1.5kg antimatter payload. I can only surmise this is in reference to the DS9 TM which if memory serves 'does' have the 74% efficiency number. Not that we ever saw GT range photorp explosions anywhere in the franchise and we don't need ENT to establish highly variable torpedo yields-an empty torpedo casing dropped from orbit would have done massively more damage than the one the E-A fired on 'God' in TFF.

[Captain Seafort]

The TNG Tech Manual doesn't give any yields for photon torpedoes

Actually, it does, albeit a bit indirectly:

*the primary auto-destruct system produces* an energy release on the order of 10^15 megajoules, roughly equivalent to 1,000 photon torpedoes

Ergo a PT yield of 239 Mt.

The release yield of the secondary sytem is calculated to be 10^9 megajoules, roughly equivalent to 500 photon torpedoes.

A PT yield of 478 tons of TNT.

So the numbers are all over the shop. What a surprise.