Flame projectors combine high-energy flammable liquid fuels with air and heating elements to produce superheated cones of flame. This makes them powerful tools of intimidation as well as effective military weapons. While limited in both ammunition and range, flame projectors provide outstanding options for close-combat and some specialty operations.

MIlitary units commonly use flame projectors to quickly flush enemy soldiers out of bunkers, force back soldiers in close-range combat, and clear paths through thick vegetation. Imperial soldiers often use them to sweep through Rebel installations in efforts to force Rebel soldiers out of hiding. Flame projectors can also be rigged in makshift trip-wire traps, with devastating results. Since most soldiers don't carry flameproof clothing or portable oxygen supplies, the danger from burns and smoke inhalation is great.

A single blast from a flame projector can cause tremendous damage to enemy equipment and vehicles, and the fuel burns for several minutes. Under the right circumstances the fire will spread uncontrollably and with horrifying speed. Imperial soldiers and Corporate Sector Authority security police ("Espos") frequently use flame projectors to break up civilian demonstrations and enforce martial law on rebellious worlds; those incidents were invariably reported to the local media as "Rebel-orchestrated revolutionary movements" in an effort to justify the excessive casualties that were incurred.

Space pirates often use flame projectors as boarding weapons; since narrow starship corridors limit the mobility of opponents, the flamers can quickly eliminate any resistance.

Flame projectors come in a wide variety of sizes and capabilities, ranging from Boba Fett's wrist mounted Czerka ZX unit to the deadly flame carbines and rifles favored by military forces. Fett's flame projector produces a cone of flame up to five meters long and up to a meter wide; the backpack fuel canister supplies him with over fifty shots. His projector can be activated via a control stud, or it can be voice-activated through Fett's computer control system located inside his helmet

The Merr-Sonn C-22 flame carbine was issued to CSA Espos as a secondary weapon to the standard-issue blaster or riot gun. It has an optium range of three meters, an maximum range of seven meters and a small fuel canister clips to the user's belt, holding enough fuel for ten six-second discharges. The larger CR-24 flame rifle has a slightly longer maximum range--ten meters--an optimum range of five meters, and a canister holding enough fuel for twenty-five shots. The Corporate Sector Authority also mounted powerful CR-28 flamers on numerous ground vehicles for use in crowd control efforts; the CR 28 has an optimum range of ten meters, a maximum range of twenty meters, and enough fuel for fifty blasts.