| rdfs:comment | - The Federation Alliance had noticed the small ships numbers in the Chin'toka system and Benjamin Sisko had formulated a plan to attack it. The allies later discovered the placement of the platforms and also that they were not operational. Knowing the Chin'toka system was the best place to attack Cardassia from in the future, the plan remained in place and the Allies moved up their departure from Deep Space 9.
- The first platforms were deployed in the Chin'toka system, since the system's defending forces had been thinned substantially. In the subsequent allied attack, the platforms demonstrated their superior firepower against the allied fleet, scoring numerous kills against larger starships. Their regenerative deflector shielding also protected the platforms from return fire, rendering them nearly invulnerable.
- The system had a crucial flaw that the Alliance fleet was able to exploit and defeat the system. The individual platforms did not have a internal power source, instead they received power from a single large external generator located on an asteroid moon orbiting one of the planets. Once destroyed the entire system was rendered inert. (DS9: "Tears of the Prophets") Following the Dominion War, several of these platforms wound up on the black market. One was purchased by Claude Rathale, hollowed out, and placed in orbit of Kal-Dixas under the name Caliban Outpost. (Kal-Dixas Spaceport)
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| abstract | - The system had a crucial flaw that the Alliance fleet was able to exploit and defeat the system. The individual platforms did not have a internal power source, instead they received power from a single large external generator located on an asteroid moon orbiting one of the planets. Once destroyed the entire system was rendered inert. (DS9: "Tears of the Prophets") A network of these platforms were deployed in orbit of Cardassia Prime. Starfleet was tasked with destroying these platforms as the allied fleet encircled the planet. The Dominion's surrender just before the allies pressed their assault meant that Starfleet did not have to engage these weapons. (DS9: "What You Leave Behind") Following the Dominion War, several of these platforms wound up on the black market. One was purchased by Claude Rathale, hollowed out, and placed in orbit of Kal-Dixas under the name Caliban Outpost. (Kal-Dixas Spaceport)
- The Federation Alliance had noticed the small ships numbers in the Chin'toka system and Benjamin Sisko had formulated a plan to attack it. The allies later discovered the placement of the platforms and also that they were not operational. Knowing the Chin'toka system was the best place to attack Cardassia from in the future, the plan remained in place and the Allies moved up their departure from Deep Space 9. When the Allies arrived at the Chin'toka system some time later, they found the platforms still offline. The Jem'Hadar ships there commenced suicide attacks on the Klingon forces, giving the Cardassians time to get the platforms operational. The Starfleet and Romulan ships began firing on the platforms, destroying several before the network was activated. The Allies began to take heavy casualties, with several ships being destroyed or disabled. The crew of the USS Defiant were able to locate the power source for the platforms and attempted to destroy it, although it proved impenetrable. Miles O'Brien suggested imprinting a Federation warp signature on the power source. His plan was successful and the platforms fired on the moon, destroying the facilities there. The power generator exploded soon after, destroying the moon in the process. With the power source destroyed the platforms were deactivated, allowing the Allies to destroy them and take the system. (DS9 episode: "Tears of the Prophets")
- The first platforms were deployed in the Chin'toka system, since the system's defending forces had been thinned substantially. In the subsequent allied attack, the platforms demonstrated their superior firepower against the allied fleet, scoring numerous kills against larger starships. Their regenerative deflector shielding also protected the platforms from return fire, rendering them nearly invulnerable. However, the network of platforms possessed a crucial design flaw that the Cardassians had not expected the allies to be able to exploit. In order to decrease the mass (and complexity) of the platforms as much as possible, and still supply them with enough energy, the individual platforms were not equipped with their own power source but instead received energy from a large central generator. This generator was placed on an asteroid moon orbiting one of the planets in the system. Although a frontal attack against the power generator proved futile due to the generator's high-powered shields, the allies developed a means of tricking the automated platforms into firing on their own power source by imprinting a Federation warp signature on the generator. The gamble was successful, and with their power source destroyed, the weapon platforms deactivated. (DS9: "Tears of the Prophets") Despite the enormous potential of the weapon platforms, they proved of little use through most of the remainder of the war. Although information on the Cardassian military's assessment of their performance at Chin'toka is unknown, it seems apparent that the design flaw was severe enough to delay the deployment of additional platforms for at least a year. No other networks were encountered by the allies until the Battle of Cardassia, in late 2375, when the Federation Alliance encountered several of these platforms in orbit of Cardassia Prime. Starfleet was to attack the platforms, but, fortunately, the Female Changeling surrendered to the Alliance before the battle came. (DS9: "What You Leave Behind")
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