Phased poloron beams

[Sarevok]

The Federation was aware of poloron particles and their shield piercing properties before encountering the Dominion. For instance the Borg used poloron beams to scan ships as revealed in the Voyger episode "Scorpion". So why did not the Federation try to develop defenses against poloron weapons earlier ?

My guess is the Federation never realized that poloron beams can be used as weapons hence they did not bothering researching means to stop poloron beams.

[Howedar]

Or the Borg never used them against the Federation. Hell, they may be new to the Borg for all we know.

[Kamakazie Sith]

The Federation was aware of poloron particles and their shield piercing properties before encountering the Dominion. For instance the Borg used poloron beams to scan ships as revealed in the Voyger episode "Scorpion". So why did not the Federation try to develop defenses against poloron weapons earlier ?

My guess is the Federation never realized that poloron beams can be used as weapons hence they did not bothering researching means to stop poloron beams.

Since this scanning technology was mentioned in VGR then it's probably likely the borg acquired this technology sometime after STFC because I don't recall it being mentioned during the events of "Q Who", "BOBW1&2", and "Descent1&2" or "STFC"

[Stofsk]

The Federation was aware of poloron particles and their shield piercing properties before encountering the Dominion. For instance the Borg used poloron beams to scan ships as revealed in the Voyger episode "Scorpion". So why did not the Federation try to develop defenses against poloron weapons earlier ?

The Federation was NOT aware of shield piercing properties 'inherent' to 'phased-polaron beams' before encountering the Dominion. In "The Jem'Hadar" the USS Odyssey was caught surprised by the Jemmies and their polaron beams, which was causing widespread damage of the ship. Now, if they WERE aware of the nature of these weapons, why didn't they prepare better?

Of course, a short time later the Defiant rocks up to DS9, and ventures forth into the GQ to kick some butt (well, I was hoping they would anyway) - their shields weren't effective either, but they did survive due to armour being in place. So in essence, the Federation HAD developed a defence to Dominion weaponry, either in a short amount of time or as part of the original design.

If the former, Starfleet has a pretty impressive R&D rate. If the latter, then the implication is the Borg DO use these 'polaron' beams - OR, something similar to them. When did the Borg use polaron beams before? You referenced "Scorpion" - that took place 3 YEARS after the Dominion contacted the Federation, rather explosively. No mention of it in all the other Borg episodes.

I suppose the Borg had 'something' which could lower shields - that green torpedo of Doom they used in "QWho" may have been what you're talking about. Of course, that episode was superior because they refused to put in technobabble. However, it could very well be the missing link here. The Borg came, kicked the E-D's arse, kicked the fleet's arse at Wolf 352, then died in 11th hour solution seemingly pulled out of Data's arse. Starfleet starts designing the Defiant-class warship to fight and combat the Borg. The Borg use tractor beams, cutting lasers, and the green torpedo thingy that seems to disable shields. So Starfleet designs the warship to have tough shields, as well as armour for when the shields get disabled.

[EDIT] I forgot to mention, DS9's shields stood up to Jem'Hadar weapons in "A Call To Arms" - bringing a grimace of surprise from Weyoun or someone, who noted "Federation shields have never been effective in withstanding our weapons before." - I take from this 3 years worth of R&D in countering the Jem'Hadar advantage, while at the same time keeping the development project tightly under wraps. It seemed old ships didn't receive this upgrade because in "Sacrifice of Angels" we see some ships take hits without the characteristic shield-flare (mainly those 2 mirandas that died rather spectacularly), yet the Defiant toughed it out through the battle, and seeings it was assigned to DS9 - which received the upgrade - it stands to reason the Defiant got it too.

[Howedar]

Of course, a short time later the Defiant rocks up to DS9, and ventures forth into the GQ to kick some butt (well, I was hoping they would anyway) - their shields weren't effective either, but they did survive due to armour being in place. So in essence, the Federation HAD developed a defence to Dominion weaponry, either in a short amount of time or as part of the original design.

If the former, Starfleet has a pretty impressive R&D rate. If the latter, then the implication is the Borg DO use these 'polaron' beams - OR, something similar to them. When did the Borg use polaron beams before? You referenced "Scorpion" - that took place 3 YEARS after the Dominion contacted the Federation, rather explosively. No mention of it in all the other Borg episodes.

The third option, of course, is that the Federation armored the Defiant simply to improve survivability and not as a countermeasure against any specific weapon.

[teleguy]

In "Paradise lost" Starfleet command didn't even know the Defiant had armor.

[Chris OFarrell]

Starfleet operations didn't, Brenton may well have not had the need to know about the Defiant program.

Regardless, in 'The Search' when the Jem'Hadar attack, the Defiant it crippled when they fire through their cloak and completly disable the warp drive. But despite the damage and the ship shaking like hell, the shields DID withstand the attack to a degree when they decloaked and raised them. Its only when T'Rul comments that main power is out and they lost shields that Sisko orders everyone to abandon ship and the Jem'hadar start boarding.

In later episodes WELL before season 5, the Defiants shields do easily stop Phased Polaron Beams, despite Weyouns pouting to the countrery.

MY guess is that as the Defiant was built to fight Borg cubes, it incorperated far more advanced shields to defeat the many shield penetrating weapons the Borg carry around. These enhancements were effective against Phased Poloron beams and protected the Defiant.

[seanrobertson]

In later episodes WELL before season 5, the Defiants shields do easily stop Phased Polaron Beams, despite Weyouns pouting to the countrery.

That's true. Even in third season episodes like "The Die Is Cast," Defiant's shields held up to Jem'Hadar weapons. (So did a Runabout's, for that matter )

MY guess is that as the Defiant was built to fight Borg cubes, it incorperated far more advanced shields to defeat the many shield penetrating weapons the Borg carry around. These enhancements were effective against Phased Poloron beams and protected the Defiant.

That's a thought.

I was reading the transcript for "The Defiant," and stumbled across this:


SISKO
Is there anything I can do for you
while you're here? A look around
the station... maybe a tour of the
Defiant? Chief O'Brien's working on
her polaron deflector this morning...
I'm sure he'd love to show you around.


What's a "polaron deflector"?

The writers probably threw that in to meet a technobabble quota, but perhaps we could make sense of it

We might guess, for instance, Defiant and some of DS9's Runabouts used these "polaron deflectors" as quasi-shields against Dominion weaponry--a stopgap measure, something thrown together before a more permanent, effective solution was realized (which, if Weyoun's to be believed, was sometime before "Call To Arms").

[Jeremy]

Did the Romulans only decide to help by giving Starfleet the Claoking Device when they saw the Dominion?

[Lord Pounder]

Did the Romulans only decide to help by giving Starfleet the Claoking Device when they saw the Dominion?

Yip, and even then Starfleet weren't suposed to use the cloak without a Romulan observer (See Tal'shiar Officer) present.

[Stofsk]

Did the Romulans only decide to help by giving Starfleet the Claoking Device when they saw the Dominion?

Yip, and even then Starfleet weren't suposed to use the cloak without a Romulan observer (See Tal'shiar Officer) present.

It's funny (and by that I mean NOT) that this observer's grand total appearance was in ONE episode (well... two-parter). Real funny, that. You'd think they'd try harder.

[Jeremy]

You are quite right there. I'm sure that I can use this to my advanatage in defaming ye ole "New Order" in my writing.

Did they ever mention how they approached the the UFP with this idea or if they worked on anything else?