Compression phaser rifles are among the most powerful personnel-carried weapons in the Starfleet arsenal. These powerful weapons are assigned to starships that could possibly see intense close-quarters or surface combat.

In the early 2370s, the compression phaser rifle was introduced to Starfleet personnel. It was a greater source of firepower. The rifle fired pulses of a similar but more powerful type of energy as well as a tight beam, depending on the setting.