US military unveils non-lethal heat ray weapon

[jimnyc]

Wow, I wonder if I can get my hands on a portable version of this thing? No long lasting effects and doesn't kill. Therefore it must be a torture mechanism! I laugh now, but only a matter of time before it gets labeled as so...


A sensation of unbearable, sudden heat seems to come out of nowhere -- this wave, a strong electromagnetic beam, is the latest non-lethal weapon unveiled by the US military this week.

"You're not gonna see it, you're not gonna hear it, you're not gonna smell it: you're gonna feel it," explained US Marine Colonel Tracy Taffola, director the Joint Non-Lethal Weapons Directorate, Marine Corps Base Quantico, at a demonstration for members of the media.

The effect is so repellant, the immediate instinct is to flee -- and quickly, as experienced by AFP at the presentation.

Taffola is quick also to point out the "Active Denial System" beam, while powerful and long-range, some 1000 meters (0.6 miles), is the military's "safest non-lethal capability" that has been developed over 15 years but never used in the field.

It was deployed briefly in Afghanistan in 2010, but never employed in an operation.

The technology has attracted safety concerns possibly because the beam is often confused with the microwaves commonly used by consumers to rapidly heat food.

"There are a lot of misperceptions out there," lamented Taffola, saying the Pentagon was keen to make clear what the weapon is, and what it is not.

The frequency of the blast makes all the difference for actual injury as opposed to extreme discomfort, stressed Stephanie Miller, who measured the system's radio frequency bioeffects at the Air Force Research Laboratory.

The system ray is 95 gigahertz, a frequency "absorbed very superficially," said Miller.

The beam only goes 1/64th of an inch (0.4 millimeter), which "gives a lot more safety."

"We have done over 11,000 exposures on people. In that time we've only had two injuries that required medical attention and in both cases injuries were fully recovered without complications," she said.

http://ca.news.yahoo.com/us-military-unveils-non-lethal-heat-ray-weapon-032512781.html

[Abbey Marie]

Jim, this has been around forever- it's called a hot flash.

:laugh2:

[jimnyc]

Jim, this has been around forever- it's called a hot flash.

:laugh2:

And the woman's version IS lethal, just that the military found a way to control it and weaponize it! :slap:

[revelarts]

Jim you covering up torture again?

I've seen a few videos of this in testing. Or something almost exactly like it. local police have some for crowd control, to start.

as far as it being used for torture. well a a pair of pliers or a tazer aren't specifically torture tools. but if they or this new weapon was repeatedly applied to the balls or breast of a person detained most would probably call that torture. unless the president did it then it's enhanced interrogating to some folks, the folks ordering and doing the interrogation mostly... but that's another story.

[Missileman]

Wow, I wonder if I can get my hands on a portable version of this thing? No long lasting effects and doesn't kill. Therefore it must be a torture mechanism! I laugh now, but only a matter of time before it gets labeled as so...



http://ca.news.yahoo.com/us-military-unveils-non-lethal-heat-ray-weapon-032512781.html

Set phasers to...uncomfortable!:laugh2:

[jimnyc]

Imagine you're in the military, and in a foreign country, and in hostile territory. Let's say large crowds gather with intent to harm, like the public recently did in Afghanistan over the Quran issues. Rather then engaging them, or risking death to the military, local police or the civilians themselves, turn this sucker on and watch them all run for the local rivers! Saves lives as it saves lives.

[logroller]

I think its just a microwave with the door safety removed.:eek:

[jimnyc]

I think its just a microwave with the door safety removed.:eek:

I can't remember the name of it right now, but there's another device that kind of looks like a megaphone. Its filled with all different types of LED's and different colors. When you pull the trigger, anyone seeing/looking at it would almost instantly become disoriented, possibly up to the point of vomiting. It's already being looked at as a tool for dispersing riots and such. I'll have to look around for it, but it was a cop friend who showed it to me. Can you imagine the military grade version? Probably have entire towns throwing up! "Just look into the light for a moment" :laugh2:

[logroller]

I can't remember the name of it right now, but there's another device that kind of looks like a megaphone. Its filled with all different types of LED's and different colors. When you pull the trigger, anyone seeing/looking at it would almost instantly become disoriented, possibly up to the point of vomiting. It's already being looked at as a tool for dispersing riots and such. I'll have to look around for it, but it was a cop friend who showed it to me. Can you imagine the military grade version? Probably have entire towns throwing up! "Just look into the light for a moment" :laugh2:
I'm thinking I need to add welding goggles to my riot gear.
I remember joking with Kathianne about a navy laser weapon; her punchline was 'Ol' mirror-sides'. :laugh:

[jimnyc]

Here's the thing I was talking about...

http://www.technologyreview.com/computing/19142/

[SassyLady]

A reporter actually let them use it on him and had it filmed.

Watch here:

http://foxnewsinsider.com/2012/03/11/peter-doocy-tests-out-the-militarys-new-crowd-controlling-weapon/

[Shadow]

Wow, I wonder if I can get my hands on a portable version of this thing? No long lasting effects and doesn't kill. Therefore it must be a torture mechanism! I laugh now, but only a matter of time before it gets labeled as so...



http://ca.news.yahoo.com/us-military-unveils-non-lethal-heat-ray-weapon-032512781.html

I need one of these. I can think of a few people I would like to shoot in the ass with it when they piss me off. :thumb:

[revelarts]

A reporter actually let them use it on him and had it filmed.

Watch here:

http://foxnewsinsider.com/2012/03/11/peter-doocy-tests-out-the-militarys-new-crowd-controlling-weapon/

hmm interesting report Small note , the guy who tried it says that he was told that there have been a handfull of injuries, a few 2nd degree burns. cuase becuase the people didn't move fast enough.
I guess if you held it on someone or a person fell down in the mad rush of others or was handicapped and couldn't move that quickly you'd be in a world of hurt.
2nd degree burns are no light thing. How would that effect you eyes or groin? not lethal but not exactly "safe" i'd say.
the military spokes person mentioned that it doesn't cuase cancer, wasn't harmful to pregnant women or the unborn, um, how do they know that?

Also he mentioned that the thing coast over a million bucks, right now. So no walmart versions ready for Christmas I guess.

[SassyLady]

hmm interesting report Small note , the guy who tried it says that he was told that there have been a handfull of injuries, a few 2nd degree burns. cuase becuase the people didn't move fast enough.
I guess if you held it on someone or a person fell down in the mad rush of others or was handicapped and couldn't move that quickly you'd be in a world of hurt.
2nd degree burns are no light thing.
the military spokes person mentioned that it wasn't harmful to pregnant women or the unborn, um, how do they know that?

Also he mentioned that the thing coast over a million bucks, right now. So no walmart versions ready for Christmas I guess.

The injuries (I read there were 2 serious ... not a handful) were due to not knowing how long to make the burst of heat. I read that it now has fail safe of 3 second bursts so that burns don't happen.

Also, remember, those that were injured were probably volunteers and knew the risks.

[Abbey Marie]

I can't remember the name of it right now, but there's another device that kind of looks like a megaphone. Its filled with all different types of LED's and different colors. When you pull the trigger, anyone seeing/looking at it would almost instantly become disoriented, possibly up to the point of vomiting. It's already being looked at as a tool for dispersing riots and such. I'll have to look around for it, but it was a cop friend who showed it to me. Can you imagine the military grade version? Probably have entire towns throwing up! "Just look into the light for a moment" :laugh2:

I'd like to send this one over the internet sometimes.

[Shadow]

I'd like to send this one over the internet sometimes.

Another good idea. :laugh: