An ice-cutter (on the left) affixed to a Rebel cannon sled inside Echo Base's hangar.
The laser-ice cutter served as a laser cannon with the specific purpose of cutting through ice formations. During 3 ABY, the Rebel Alliance Corps of Engineers employed these laser-ice cutters to rapidly excavate corridors within the ice of the frigid planet Hoth. Utilizing their specialized industrial lasers, they were able to construct Echo Base in mere weeks.
Laser-ice cutters on Hoth were typically attached to Rebel cannon sleds. One such cutter was present within Hangar 7 during the Battle of Hoth.
This cannon made an appearance, without a specific name, in Star Wars: Episode V The Empire Strikes Back. It was mounted upon the Rebel cannon sled vehicle. The original design documents for the vehicle identified the laser-ice cutter prop as an "existing cannon unit". The reference source Star Wars: Complete Locations makes note of the laser-ice cutter, while later materials specify that the vehicle it's attached to is a Rebel cannon sled.
Footage from the set featuring both the cannon and the vehicle was included within the rare documentary by Michel Parbot, titled The Making of "The Empire Strikes Back". Numerous promotional photographs exist showing Luke Skywalker operating the cannon. According to Lucasfilm Story Group executive Pablo Hidalgo, these were not deleted scenes, but rather on-location photos taken with the prop.