The Variable-Frequency Phased Array Laser (or VFHAL) is one of the most common weapon systems found on vehicles and armor within the Republic and can be seen in the hands of both the military and civilians. The VFHAL system is capable of generating and guiding multiple laser beams and has no moving parts, making it exceptionally durable. VFHAL weapon systems are commonly seen in conjunction with HECAC armor as the later is designed so that laser systems under it are able to fire through.

The Variable-Frequency Phased Array Laser (or VFHAL) is one of the most common weapon systems found on vehicles and armor within the Republic. They can be seen in use by both the military and (in a substantially less powerful version) civilians and are in fact the most common defensive weapons found on civilian starships due to their reliability, efficiency, and relative low cost.

The VFHAL system utilizes an array of quantum dot-based laser diodes to generate its beam. Like all phased array EM systems, the VFHAL utilizes the destructive and constructive interference of its constituent laser diodes to generate coherent laser beams. This method results in a number of bonuses to its operation

• Reliability: The VFHAL system has no moving parts and since its power-transfer systems utilize superconductors it has little to no wear-and-tear, allowing a unit to operate for years without any maintenance.
• Durability: Since the VFHAL system is composed of thousands (or far more in larger arrays) of independent diodes the array can suffer damage to a larger percentage of its surface without a serious drop in capability.
• Efficiency: The quantum-dot diodes used in the VFHAL are extremely efficient converting essentially all of its input power into the emitted laser.
• Versatility: VFHAL systems are able to generate and steer a multitude of different beams (even ones at differing frequencies) at any given time allowing the VFHAL to perform in multiple roles at once. The diodes are also able to act as receivers, allowing the vehicle or armor on which the VFHAL is installed to see through the weapon system.

The feature that distinguishes VFHAL systems from simpler phased array-type lasers is its ability to alter the quantum-dot structure through alterations of the applied current. This allows the array to change the frequency of its emitted light over a wide range. In civilian systems this ranges the low radio-frequency range up to the high ultra-violet. Military units are able to reach in to the high x-ray range. Unfortunately, since gamma-rays can only be produced by nuclear processes the VFHAL system cannot create them (although the upper-end photon energies of military units overlap into the gamma-ray energy band).

Most vehicles and armors that utilize VFHAL systems use them in a multitude of roles, ranging from sensors to weapons to communications. On military vehicles and armors they are also a key component in their active camouflage systems.

VFHAL systems are assigned a designation with the following structure: [Prefix Descriptor][Application Class][Generation][Series Number]

• The Prefix Descriptor identifies the general application (civilian, C, or military, M). Systems using the related Layered VFHAL technology have a prefix descriptor of L.
• The Application Class shows what the intended purpose of the system is, ranging from 1 to 5 as shown on the following table.

• Generation: VFHAL-type systems have been in use within the Republic (and the OCG before it) for centuries and have gone through several generations. The table that follows lists some important improvements in subsequent generations.

• Series Number. Simple as it sounds, the series number of that particular VFHAL system. It is usually a 2 or 3 digit number but can be longer so as to ensure a unique code.

Layered VFHAL systems are quite simply weapons where multiple layers of the VFHAL network are placed on top of each other with a waveguide between the layers. These systems are intended purely as weapons and are capable of much higher power output than normal VFHAL systems. They could be deployed to cover the surface of a armor of vehicles as are normal VFHAL systems they are not quite as resilient in that configuration and because of this are almost always seen in compact applications, such as carried weapons or high-powered emplacements.