It’s not necessarily fair to say that these creations are used solely for violence. Still, it is true that their main use throughout the franchise is to blow stuff up. Like phasers, the photon torpedoes can be used for a plethora of scientific reasons, like collapsing unstable warp bubbles or removing debris hurtling towards an innocent colony. In keeping with the show’s ethos of peace over warfare, they were used as such a lot of the time. They were, however, initially envisioned to be a means of attack for not only Starfleet, but also a range of other alien races and militaries (as Starfleet is, despite what they might preach, a military organization). In fact, they were used most notably by the mighty Klingons.
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The photon torpedoes were first introduced in The Original Series during its second season. Since then, they have been envisioned as the Star Trek future’s version of a nuclear missile. The ships of the future have become incredibly advanced, with shields capable of deflecting the majority of modern day weaponry (especially weaponry from the late 60s). As such, it would be impractical for a ship to fire these measly nuclear torpedoes at one another, which would likely not make a dent on even the smallest of vessels.
A photon torpedo, then, is like a nuclear one multiplied by 100. While a nuclear explosion works, to put it simply, on the splitting of an atom, a photon explosion relied on the timed combination of matter and antimatter. Specifically, it utilized deuterium and anti-deuterium. The warhead of a photon torpedo was filled with anti-deuterium, and upon desired detonation (which could be done remotely) they would mix and cause massive destruction.
It’s noted that there were two types of photon torpedo being developed by Starfleet. One would be used as a warning shot for defensive purposes only. It worked much like an informal nuclear weapon, with the matter and antimatter mixing and causing an implosion. Meanwhile, the second type used thousands of tiny magnetic packets where the combustibles would mix, setting off a chain reaction — more like thousands of nuclear explorations going off at the same time. The explosion caused by one of these is noted to be able to completely destroy a galaxy class ship with its shields down. This second type of torpedo was, of course, more dangerous. The blast wave that it created was almost as destructive as the blast itself, meaning its use in close combat was forbidden.
What makes these torpedoes even more powerful is that they are also warp-capable. This meant that not only could they travel at a speed faster than light, but they could be used while traveling at warp speed, making warp speed pursuits all the more nerve-racking. Their ability to be remotely detonated was a bonus as well. Users could abort their attack right at the last second, or even use them as mines. When used in conjunction with transporter technology, they could scatter these mines across large areas of space, a terrifying roadblock to stop any unwanted visitors across an area of space.
While their destructive capabilities were immense, the torpedoes were also used as part of a sentimental Starfleet ritual. Over the years, it became custom to use an empty torpedo casing to launch dead crew members into the vacuum of space. This was done, for example, after the pointless demise of Tasha Yar. It’s similar to the Earth tradition of those who died at sea, their bodies being returned to the ocean.
Star Trek does a good job at presenting itself as a show full of a utopian future, filled with Federation peace and harmony across humanity. However, the franchise does not shy away from the deemed necessity of being able to protect oneself, or others, if needed. These high-tech exploration vessels are filled with crew armed with highly versatile yet highly powerful phasers. And each ship is fitted with more firepower than the entirety of a modern day nation. Despite this however, they are primarily used for good. The statement that seems to go against all notion of peace over violence, but it all comes down to how the weapons are used. Across the franchise, they are modified time and time again to do incredible things. Photon torpedoes expose clocked Klingon warships, open up temporal rifts, illuminate large areas of concealed space, and even revitalize a dead sun. This weapon — and tool — truly showcases the ingenuity of Starfleet officers, consistently converting war and violence into peace.
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