The Tricobalt Torpedo, or Tricobalt Device, was the first torpedo weapon in Starfleet. These weapons proved very effective against unshielded targets, but rather ineffective against shields. The torpedo also lacked the range Starfleet wanted, thus, they began developing the Photon torpedo. Once the Photon torpedo was in service, the tricobalt torpedo was removed from Starfleet ships. A few were left aboard ships and used primarily as demolition weapons.
Currently in it's 26th version, the tricobalt is a very powerful weapon when used against unshielded targets. With a maximum yield of 22,000 TeraCochranes, the device is powerful enough to tear subspace (this can be done with a yield of 18,000 TeraCochanes or higher). However Starfleet doesn't consider these subspace weapons, which are banned by the second Khitomer Accords. This is due to the thermokinetic explosion being the primary method of damaging a target. To not violate the Khitomer Accords tricobalt torpedoes are kept to Seventy-five percent of their maximum yield and there for not posing any threat to subspace.
With the recent conflicts with the Borg and Dominion, tricobalt torpedoes have been re-add to Star ship torpedo inventories, even though their arsenals are more impressive than ever with the inclusion of more current versions of the Photon Torpedo and the Quantum Torpedo standard on all ships, with some also carrying powerful and Hellfire and Transphasic torpedoes.
Photon Torpedo Configuration
Outer casing:
The standard photo torpedo casing is 2.1 x 0.76 x 0.45 meters and is constructed of of molded gamma expanded duranium plasma-bonded terminium outer skin. The casing is fabricated as a shingle unit that is split in two halves with phaser cutters. The unit is cut along the equatorial line by phaser cutters. These cutters are also used to cut the required penetration for reactant injections and ODN connections and propulsion exhaust.
Warhead:
The warhead consist of a detonation chamber of duranium lined with shaped charges a around a sphere of tricobalt. At the point of detonation the shaped charges are detonated simultaneously causing the tricobalt sphere to compress unto the point the material starts to fuse and the sphere reaches supercrtical mass starting a exponentially growing nuclear chain reaction that leads to the destruction of the torpedo and damage to or destruction of the target.
Targeting and Control Assemblies:
The targeting and control assemblies are two different sub-assemblies working in tandem to direct the torpedo to the target. The first is the targeting scanners and the other is the isolinear control module.
Prelauch trajectory instructions are uploaded to the ICO via OND connect points while in the torpedo launcher. After launch the torpedo will automatically track the target via the on board targeting scanners. If necessary the torpedo's trajectory can be updated if via subspace comm link.
Warp Sustainer Engine:
The warp sustainer engine is not a true warp engine due to the WSE not having the ability to drive the torpedo beyond the speed of light. The WSE is powered by diverting some of the matter and antimatter from the holding tanks. The WSE consists of a reaction chamber of Hafnium. The resulting plasma is feed to the sustainer coils flanking the reaction chamber. The coils are constructed from verterium cortenide.
If the torpedo is launched while the ship is travailing at warp speeds the WSE will grab and retain a portion of the vessels warp field allowing the torpedo to remain at warp once outside the area of space affected by that warp field. If launched at impulse speeds the WSE will drive the torpedo at sublight speeds.
Use of Bravo Fleet's Tricobalt Torpedo is permitted under the Creative Commons 4.0 License and may or may not have been modified to suit the purpose of AioRPG.