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[[File:Starfleet phase rifle.jpg|thumb|A [[Starfleet]] phase rifle.]]
 
[[File:S Money firing EM-41 phase rifle.jpg|thumb|[[S. Money]] aiming a phase-rifle]]
 
[[File:S Money firing EM-41 phase rifle.jpg|thumb|[[S. Money]] aiming a phase-rifle]]
 
[[File:em41_extended.jpg|thumb|A MACO using a phase-rifle with extended barrel]]
 
[[File:em41_extended.jpg|thumb|A MACO using a phase-rifle with extended barrel]]

Revision as of 20:28, 18 May 2010

File:Starfleet phase rifle.jpg

A Starfleet phase rifle.

File:S Money firing EM-41 phase rifle.jpg

S. Money aiming a phase-rifle

File:Em41 extended.jpg

A MACO using a phase-rifle with extended barrel

File:Em41 scope.jpg

The scope of the MACO phase-rifle in night vision mode

The phase rifle was a standard-issue directed energy weapon in use by Starfleet and Earth's MACO forces in the mid-22nd century.

In 2151, a Starfleet security officer carried a phase rifle into Cargo Bay 2 while investigating the presence of a strange alien lifeform with Captain Archer and Commander Tucker aboard the Enterprise NX-01. The security officer attempted to use his phase rifle, which was set on stun, to fend off the creature when it began to attack them, but was distressed to find out that the weapon had no measurable effect on the creature. (ENT: "Vox Sola")

In 2153, two security officers accompanying Lieutenant Reed attempted to use phase rifles to fend off two Tarkaleans who had been assimilated by the Borg, but were unable to penetrated the Tarkaleans’ personal force fields. (ENT: "Regeneration")

The MACO’s phase rifle fired blue pulses of concentrated energy at its target and was capable of multiple settings. The observed power settings range from stun, to kill, to a high-power kill setting capable of blasting a perfectly symmetrical hole over an inch in diameter through a Human torso. (ENT: "The Augments") Power levels could be changed by manipulating either of a pair of circular dials mounted on either side of the weapon. Rotating the power level selector forward / away from the user appears to increase the power level. (ENT: "In a Mirror, Darkly")

The weapon featured a tubular stock, vertical foregrip, and a multifunction scope that could be retracted into the body of the weapon. There may also be a sniper variant, though it is unclear whether or not the sniper / designated marksman version is a distinct weapon system or a standard MACO phase-rifle with a retractable barrel or separate barrel attachment. (ENT: "The Xindi")

A short, tubular-shaped part of the rifle beneath the muzzle of the weapon that is very similar to a set of three objects the MACO's carry in a specialized pouch / carrier on their utility belts, suggesting the ability for the weapon to be reloaded. The MACO variant of the EM-33 energy pistol features an identical object, also beneath the muzzle of the weapon, which may also be storage space for spare power cells for the rifle and pistol.

While extremely powerful when set to kill, its stun setting appeared to be somewhat ineffective against species that were more physically resilient, such as enraged Vulcans, Xindi-Reptilians and the Augments. (ENT: "Impulse", "Rajiin", "Borderland")

At their highest setting, MACO phase rifles were extremely powerful, capable of penetrating a humanoid target. In 2154, Captain Archer used a MACO phase rifle to kill the Augment Malik in this manner, using the rifle to literally bore a hole through Malik's torso. (ENT: "The Augments")

Phase rifles were in use as late as 2161, when a team of MACOs utilized the weapons during a mission to rescue Talla, the daughter of Shran and Jhamel, from a group of alien kidnappers on Rigel X. (ENT: "These Are the Voyages...")

The Starfleet phase rifle was the same model used for the plasma rifles.

Appearances

External link