An early experimental point-defense laser turret mounted to defend a fire-support base on a planet being cleared of a Bug infestation
Point Defense Lasers are small chemlasers or diode lasers in a turret mounting used as a light point-defense system by starships or surface vehicles, to defend them against starfighters and incoming missiles.
Small warships (corvette- or frigate-sized) have the room to carry the larger, more powerful plasma phalanx point defense systems. Larger warships (destroyer-sized on up) are big enough to carry particle phalanx, currently the most powerful and effective point defense systems available.
Behind the Scenes[]
The use of this acronym is inspired by the TV show Gene Roddenberry's Andromeda, but practically every sci-fi franchise uses them in some form.