The Type 19 Andorian Assault Phaser Cannon is part of a family of directed energy, nadion particle weapons based upon the original United Earth/Starfleet M2 Phase-Modulated Cannon, which was popular in the 22nd century. Disseminated among members of the Federation through trade and observation, the Type 19 is the ultimate form of the M2, seeing service as late as the 24th century on some models of military off-road vehicles.
History
The Type 19 was originally conceived by Andorian scientists in 2288 with the advent of nadion particle phaser technology in an attempt to create a mid-power, flexible-mount weapon for mounting on shuttlecraft or vehicles. Major improvements over the original model included a significant decrease in weight and an overhaul of the operating mechanism, which changed the internals to resemble those of a larger, more powerful Andorian phaser weapon, firing nadion particles at a resonance frequency that result in a distinctive blue projectile color. It itself is an incarnation of the M2 phase-modulated pulse cannon, which in turn was developed from the M2 laser cannon which borrowed heavily from design cues of the M2 Browning heavy machine gun, going back to the early 20th century.
Upscaled versions of the Type 19 are used on modernized variants of the Kumari-class escort as wingtip cannons. A single, heavily modified Starfleet Type 19 was mounted on the rear of the Argo buggy onboard the USS Enterprise-E.
While it's use on shuttlecraft has rapidly diminished over the years in favor of more flexible light phaser arrays and microtorpedo launchers, some organizations, such as Solas Tempus, have taken an interest in the weapon as a man-portable infantry weapon reconfigured for use with motor-assisted harnesses. The Type 19 boasts significantly more firepower than even the largest hand phaser currently in service, the Type 3 rifle, owing to it's roots as a vehicular-based weapon system, and such is being considered as a replacement support weapon for the M240 ST after the failure of the DRX-24 program. In Solas Tempus service, it is designated as the Mark 19 Assault Phaser.
Design
Externally, the Type 19 is a very rectangular weapon, featuring an ambidextrous plug for powerpacks, an easy-access top maintenance cover, a power gauge, and a lower screwed-in maintenance panel on both sides. It strongly resembles the M2 line of weaponry in terms of appearance, although it is less mechanical and features a larger muzzle brake and specialized barrel. Designed for shuttlecraft, they featured removable twin "spade" grips on the rear of the weapon, which could be removed if the weapon was to be mounted on an external system. Later models, specifically the Mark 19 Assault Phaser, removed the spade grips and added a gas pump-esque grip for easier use with exoskeletons and harnesses. A vertical grip could be added parallel or perpendicular to the receiver on either side for ease of use. The barrel is a special polygonal low-profile "fluted" design that features a special fully-sealed jacket, allowing it to be dipped in water to be cooled.
The internals of the Type 19 are in line with typical phasers of it's day, passing plasma to a phaser emitter to discharge nadion particles towards a target. Over the years, the design has been streamlined and slightly modified to accommodate new technology, although the boxy shape of the receiver and distinctive heatshield remain as timeless holdovers. Post-2367 model Type 19s are modified to accept or come with preset phaser adapter chips, as well as regenerative phaser technology allowing for operation in radiogenic environments and energy dampening fields. The Type 19 feeds from a modified Type 3 phaser fully-autonomous power cell, which was enlarged and stacked in a 2x4 array, that can be attached to the side of the weapon or worn on a bag or backpack and plugged into the weapon.
In part due to the higher power requirements as well as Andorian technological and cultural advances of the time, the weapon does not feature a stun function, instead having 20 different "kill" settings ranging from "low kill" to total disintegration of most known materials to man. When set to compression setting, the weapon maintains a cyclic rate of fire of 450-600 RPM. The controls are accessible from a simple panel attached to a grip on either side of the weapon, and can easily be changed on the fly. There is a dial for dispersion frequency as well as switches for beam width and pulse settings, which can complicate and impede operation on the fly. As a whole, the weapon is less versatile than a standard hand phaser.
The Type 19 is fully compatible with all modern sights in use by Starfleet and Solas Tempus, and newer models with updated hardware are capable of gyro-stabilized multiple target acquisition, much like it's smaller brethren. Despite all of this, the weapon weighs no more than 35 pounds with a full load, and measures in at roughly 54 inches (137 cm) overall with a full-length barrel. Mark 19s are typically field-modified to be lighter at 25-30 pounds, with shorter barrel lengths culminating in overall lengths between 40-50 inches.
Mark 19 Assault Phaser "Super Smartgun"
In part due to the advanced technology already incorporated in newer Type 19s, Solas Tempus has adopted the Type 19 as the Mark 19 Assault Phaser, currently undergoing testing and modification. So far, it has been incorporated with pre-existing autonomously-targeting technology used in the TR-240, with a modified "heavy-duty" harness that helps steer the weapon towards targets in lieu of having a remote-transporter projectile delivery system. While heavy, field-modified weapons are no heavier than Mark 1 Mod. 1 railguns, with motor-assisted harnesses helping relieve much of the weight. Main concerns for R&D currently are weight, the lack of low-power settings, and the overall length, which is considerably longer than most weapons in Solas Tempus service.