The following is a list of weapons shown in the Star Wars universe. By type Directed-energy weapons Directed-energy weapons (DEW) figure prominently in the Star Wars franchise, with the most common type referred to as lasers or blasters. The in-universe description for how these weapons function is that a high-energy gas is charged by a power cell and converted into plasma, which is fired as a coherent energy bolt at the enemy via magnetic bottle effect. Small-arms blasters come in many types, from pistols to rifles, with accuracy and range improving as barrel length increases. Blaster cannons and laser cannons are more powerful types of these weapons commonly found on Star Wars vehicles, starfighters and other spacecraft, with laser cannons generally considered superior of the two. The most powerful type of these weapons are referred to as turbolasers, commonly found on Star Wars capital ships. Turbolasers require large crews and power generators to function but are effective against other capital ships and planetary targets. Another common type of DEW in the Star Wars universe is the ion cannon, which background literature describes as firing powerful bolts of ionized energy designed to overload electrical systems or fuse mechanical components, disabling a target without causing lasting damage. Jawas use scrap-built ionization blasters to disable droids as seen in A New Hope. The v-150 Planet Defender which appears in The Empire Strikes Back defends the Rebel base on Hoth. A surface-based ion cannon designed to ward off orbiting starships, the v-150 is described as having a maximum range of and is powerful enough to disrupt an Imperial Star Destroyer with a single bolt. A unique type of DEW appearing in Star Wars films and other media are sonic weapons. Such weapons are commonly used by bounty hunters as a way to incapacitate their prey according to background material. It also refers to Geonosians specifically as being well-known within the setting for their sonic weaponry. First appearing in Attack of the Clones, Geonosian sonic weapons are described as using oscillators to create powerful sonic blasts which are enveloped in plasma-containment spheres and fired at the enemy. Projectile weapons Projectile weapons, also referred to as slugthrowers, appear in the Star Wars universe in various forms. Reference material identifies the Tusken Raiders as using a type of slugthrower called a cycler rifle, built from stolen and scavenged parts and firing a solid shot enveloped in energy.