With regards to Starfleet Personal Hand Weapons, the model shown here represents the first Type 3 Phaser Rifle, developed (concurrently with the smaller and less powerful Types 1 and 2 personal hand phasers) during the early 2260’s and issued to Starfleet personnel on a limited basis in 2265. Under this division, the old laser based weapons technologies of the 2250’s would give way to the breakthrough phaser technologies of the 2260’s. As the result of serious deficiencies in Starfleet weapons systems revealed during the Federation Weapons Research and Development Hearings of 2250, it was by order of the Federation Council and Starfleet Command that on June 7, 2251, Starfleet Tactical was established to oversee all future weapons R&D and defensive strategies, with administrative offices located at Starfleet Headquarters in San Francisco on Earth, under the command of the Chief of Starfleet Tactical.
