AP Driver

"The AP Driver (Armor Piercing) is a VSec Kinetic weapon designed to break through defensive lines. Each shot can punch through many ships."

General
The AP Driver is a long-range Kinetic weapon with the ability to punch through multiple ships.

It fires a brilliant blue shell that punctures through up to 5 targets, dealing damage to each of them plus the final target it hits.

Advantages
AP Drivers can potentially deal up to 6x their normal DPS by hitting multiple ships in a line. They are often used against Sector Cargo Fleets due to the AI of directly chasing the target, causing the ships to form a line.

Similar to the Gladius Driver, AP Drivers have rather fast projectiles and do not require the assistance of Iridium Magnets. Phased Projectiles can be used to enhance the shield bypass of this weapon without sacrificing too much accuracy. Alternatively, you can combine the best of both worlds through equipping Phased Magnets.

Disadvantages
AP Drivers have less raw firepower than the standard mid-level Kinetic weapon - the Gladius Driver - and lack its proximity trigger, the key to high accuracy. They are hence less favored in long-range combat.

AP Drivers have a significant minimum range that can be exploited, decreasing its viability in close combat. Oftentimes, the Gatling Ray is a better substitute due to the higher DPS, projectile speed and lack of minimum range: it's not like you'll get to hit more than 2 ships in a line anyways.

Trivia

 * Despite puncturing through a ship's hull, AP Drivers do not inflict any extra damage to the target.