RAYTHEON DEVELOPS NON-LETHAL DIRECTED ENERGY GUN

Tucson Citizen ^ | Apr 08.04 | Romano Cedillos

[vannrox]

Stopping an adversary in his boots with a nonlethal ray gun is no longer just a sci-fi pipe dream, according to a local defense contract official.

Nonlethal directed-energy scientists have tested a weapon that does just that, only on a slightly larger scale than a handgun, said Wade W. Smith, deputy of Raytheon Missile Systems' Directed Energy Weapons division.

[vannrox]

I'll bet you that the anti-gun crowd doesn't want citizens to own these non-lethal devices.

[Jorge]

Cool. I wonder who we can test them on.

[bayourod]

"The weapon is in response to the needs of U.S. field commanders who wanted options short of deadly force. "

I bet. I can just see our Marine officers begging the Pentagon for a weapon that doesn't offend the scumbags killing their men.

But what I really hate is the tin foil crowd getting the last laugh.

[eno_]

Yeah. That'll be an interesting one. If it's safe, why not let the serfs own one? And if someone develops a protective shield (tin foil suit?!) any bets that will become illegal, too?

[Feckless]

I don't want one red cent of my tax dollars spent on anything that doesn't kill or blow something up. How about a bomb that not only kills the enemy but most of his family tree? Now that would be progress.

[BipolarBob]

Buncha' commies. Oh the fun we could have with an energy directed non-lethal ray gun. It's practically our God-given right to own one. Who's taxpayer money funded it? That's right. Sigh.

[Flavius]

your absolutely right

I was waiting for this... once the powder guns become obsolete...

the 2nd amendmend says arms not guns or semi automatic weapons... it sayss ARMS.. Jefferson knew and the rest of the guys, that science will change the mode of defense...

wierd times we live in

[armyboy]

So in other words, it's "shoots" a beam of microwaves? Big deal there have been plans for years for such things, the only "new" thing is the accuracy.

[pointsal]

sounds like a deal

[sociotard]

It say's it only just barely penetrates the skin. What happens to eyeballs?

Anyone taking bets on how long it takes before we find out this causes skin cancer?

[bolobaby]

the energy penetrates less than 1/64 of an inch into the skin

I hope it penetrates more that 1/64 of an inch worth of clothing, because I see a lot of radicals in Iraq running around covered from head to foot.

Wouldn't it be ridiculous if you could defeat this just by wearing leather? Or maybe even a tinfoil hat? Heh.

[GeronL]

Hey guys, interesting thing to add to a story? How much more advanced do you think it could be in a decade?

[GeronL]

I can just see our Marine officers begging the Pentagon for a weapon that doesn't offend the scumbags killing their men

Give it to the cops for use against left-wing protesters.

[DBrow]

This sounds like millimeter wave technology.

If it can make your skin uncomfortably hot at 700 meters, imagine what being 50 meters in front of the horn would be like! And having it manned by a less-than-well-trained operator.

Imagine being used for crowd control in our steel-and-metallized glass cities- the beam will bounce.

Nope, this will not be for civvies, it is too dangerous and full of unintended consequences.

[Objective Reality]

I'd imagine infrasound would be a better non-lethal armament, capable of quelling whole riots. I suppose the potential boiling of random organs amongst the targeted crowd would throw a wet blanket on the whole "non-lethal" requirement, though.

[TheLion]

Wonder what it's lethal qualities are when it is not in a non-lethal mode?

[Solamente]

What happened to the sound gun that gives crowds spontaneous loss of bowel control? The Army tested that one years ago; that would be much more humiliating to those terrorist mutts than being beaten with a shoe!

[Finalapproach29er]

What's the point? Bush won't use it against our enemies.

We need to be "fair" with our enemies,instead of annihilating them. -George W. Carter

I'm disgusted by our restraint.

[struwwelpeter]

My GF's nephew can build a ray gun in 15 minutes. He's now taking bids.

[EQAndyBuzz]

"So in other words, it's "shoots" a beam of microwaves? Big deal there have been plans for years for such things, the only "new" thing is the accuracy."

Sounds to me like a great way to cook 7/11 burritos.