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Air Force lab develops
non-lethal laser weapon
By CHairforce.One
CHairforce Webmaster
The U.S. Air Force
Research Laboratory at Kirtland AFB, N.M., has developed the first
man-portable, non-lethal weapon to protect military personnel and
control hostile crowds.
The new weapon -- called the Personnel Halting and Stimulation Response
(PHaSR) -- employs a laser system that can temporarily impair aggressors
by illuminating, or "dazzling," them, removing their ability to see the
laser source.
Am I the only one who pictures the Kirtland Research Laboratory
employees holding the weapons in the air and dancing to the Bruce
Springsteen tune, Blinded by the Light?
Anyway ... the military is normally connected with lethal tanks,
devastating attack helicopters, powerful smart bombs, and high-tech
fighter aircraft that rain destruction on enemy personal and resources.
In an America full of peace-nic wannabes who protest at the drop of the
hat, it's no surprise the U.S. military is developing non-lethal
weapons. It's also no surprise that the Air Force is developing the new
weapon. I don't think the Army or Marine Corps are ready to employ
anything other than weapons that blow big holes in stuff.
Personally, I'm not ready for "peaceful" military weaponry. I can see
where the non-lethal weapon would come in handy during a civilian
protest, but if someone is actually trying to kill me, I'd rather have a
weapon capable of taking my enemy's arm or leg clean off. After all,
blinding your enemy doesn't take away your enemy's ability to fire their
weapon in your direction, it only impairs their ability. When I shoot an
enemy, I'd prefer they don't have even a small chance of shooting back.
Maybe that's just me.
According to an Air Force News article, systems such as PHaSR have
historically been too powerful at close ranges and ineffective at long
ranges. The next prototype is planned to include an eye-safe range
finder (for the shooter, I imagine) and is planned for completion in
March 2006.
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