I have heard of some of these gadgets already. While a few may be a boon for police and citizens (if they are not banned outright from private ownership), the acceptance of even more non-lethal implements in the military points rather ominously toward the increasing "global cop" role our soldiers will have in the brave new world where it is not politically correct to kill the enemy. Rest assured that whoever we are pit against will be using real bullets and explosives.
Jeff
http://more.abcnews.go.com/sections/us/DailyNews/weapons990510.html
Military Develops Non-Lethal Strategies
Less Than
Deadly Force:
New World of Military Conflict
Calls for 'Non-Lethal' Weapons
By David Phinney
National Correspondent
ABCNEWS.com
Q U A N T I C O, Va. — Some of the toughest guys on earth may be going soft in the 21st century. Standard weapons in the U.S. Marines' arsenal could soon include guns shooting foam rubber plugs called "batons." When faced by a threatening force, soldiers might heave "flash bang" grenades that make loud, scary noises and explode with hundreds of little "sting balls." And if things get really rough — look out.
They could use a robotic vehicle to fend off oncoming adversaries by firing off Day-Glo beanbags at high velocity or shooting nets at them. The Changing World of Conflict
It sounds a bit like the comic book weapons of Spider-Man, but similar "non-lethal" weapons are already being used on peacekeeping missions in Bosnia and have been tested in Somalia. Some believe an international force may be carrying them into Kosovo if NATO ever gets its way in Yugoslavia. "Ever since the end of the Cold War, we find ourselves operating in that gray area between using lethal force or just doing nothing," notes Marine Capt. Steve Simpson, who recently took part in non-lethal weapons demonstrations at Quantico Marine Corps Base in Virginia. "The commanders need an option to be able to influence the battlefield without actually exercising the last option, which is lethal force." Welcome to a new era of military engagement. Preparing for combat remains key, but U.S. forces also are expected to handle a far greater spectrum of conflict — which now ranges from humanitarian efforts to quelling ethnic unrest and civil wars. "We're breaking new ground and we're changing the traditional paradigm," explains Marine Col. George Fenton, director of the Pentagon's Joint Non-Lethal Weapons Program. Microwave Guns and Laser 'Dazzlers'
Funded with just $34 million in 1998, the program has ignited some turf wars with other Pentagon programs. But many agencies — along with private inventors — are pitching in. Electromagnetic weapons may soon stop vehicles or even shipping on the high seas. Microwave guns could trigger high fevers in adversaries. Researchers are working on laser "dazzlers" that would cause disorientation without permanent eye damage. And don't forget things like stickums, slickums, super acids, goop guns, aerial stink bombs, metal-eating microbes, and computer viruses, along with experiments in acoustic energy and radio waves. "We're trying very hard to leverage the vast talent and research being done," observes Fenton. Some of the work remains very much in the realm of James Bond, Star Trek and Captain Crunch. Other efforts have made their mark in a big way. Non-Lethal Power Outages
Payloads dropped by an F-117A stealth fighter over Yugoslavia unleashed little "bomblets" containing chemically treated spools of graphite thread in early May. The highly classified weapon exploded over power stations and short-circuited 70 percent of Yugoslavia's power grid for seven hours. Total destruction would have caused billions of dollars in damage, but the temporary power outage for seven hours did the trick. It disoriented the Yugoslav military, but posed minimal threat to the civilian population and the environment. That's a primary goal in the development of all non-lethal weapons, says John B. Alexander, author of Future War: Non-Lethal Weapons in Modern Warfare. "Such options offer a tremendous advantage, because we can take away military capability, without a deleterious effect on the citizenry," explains the retired Army colonel, who once supervised weapons research at Los Alamos National Laboratory. Another objective is to avoid what military officials and politicians bemoan as the "CNN effect." When viewers see bloody images of violence and death, public support for U.S. involvement in overseas missions can erode quickly. "Every soldier has a camera trained on him, so in many ways it's the low-level guy who is establishing foreign policy," notes Alexander. Most doubt that non-lethal weapons will replace conventional warfare. Some national security experts even doubt they should be used at all. "Protection comes from lethality, not a kinder, gentler technology," says Harvey Sapolsky, who heads the securities studies program at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. "As soon as the first soldier gets killed, they'll put the bean bags aside." That may be. Deadly force will continue to be the ultimate threat, but the beanbag could become another step in the escalation to signal that a soldier means business.
Other Non-Lethal Weapons
Stink Bombs: Otherwise known as odorous substances. The idea is to develop "distinctive odors" (in other words, "PHEW!") for specific populations and geographic regions. Some will be repulsive; others may be attractive or imitate dangerous smells like leaking gas. A good stink bomb emitting the odor of dead bodies, called "cadaversine," could alert local oncoming forces or crowds to maintain their distance or drive workers away from critical industrial areas. Stink bombs may be delivered by hand grenade, mortar, warplane or missile. Spider Webs: That's right. Spider webs. The high-strength, light elastic fiber is five times as strong as steel wire. The Pentagon sponsored research for the use of spider webs as a possible way to ensnare vehicles, foul propellers and stop helicopters. There's a snag, though. Colonies of spiders prove impractical for mass production of silk. In the Air: The U.S. Air Force recently acknowledged the viability of non-lethal weapons and is pursuing a range of options from stink bombs to microwave and radio-jamming devices. Precision guidance bombs have already successfully dropped graphite thread over power stations in Iraq and Yugoslavia to create short-term power outages. Electric Vehicle Stopper: The U.S. Army has completed testing an electromagnetic radiation device designed to stop moving vehicles without causing permanent damage to passengers. Similar technology may be used to stop speedboats and possibly ships. Foam Guns: Sticky foam got off to a poor start when it was discovered it might suffocate people if it landed on their mouths and noses. Now the military has trained its sights on fast-curing "rigid" foams to seal off doors, windows and other access points to bar people from entering or leaving buildings. Slippery foams will be used to delay people or vehicles by causing them to slip and lose traction.
Jeff
http://more.abcnews.go.com/sections/us/DailyNews/weapons990510.html
Military Develops Non-Lethal Strategies
Less Than
Deadly Force:
New World of Military Conflict
Calls for 'Non-Lethal' Weapons
By David Phinney
National Correspondent
ABCNEWS.com
Q U A N T I C O, Va. — Some of the toughest guys on earth may be going soft in the 21st century. Standard weapons in the U.S. Marines' arsenal could soon include guns shooting foam rubber plugs called "batons." When faced by a threatening force, soldiers might heave "flash bang" grenades that make loud, scary noises and explode with hundreds of little "sting balls." And if things get really rough — look out.
They could use a robotic vehicle to fend off oncoming adversaries by firing off Day-Glo beanbags at high velocity or shooting nets at them. The Changing World of Conflict
It sounds a bit like the comic book weapons of Spider-Man, but similar "non-lethal" weapons are already being used on peacekeeping missions in Bosnia and have been tested in Somalia. Some believe an international force may be carrying them into Kosovo if NATO ever gets its way in Yugoslavia. "Ever since the end of the Cold War, we find ourselves operating in that gray area between using lethal force or just doing nothing," notes Marine Capt. Steve Simpson, who recently took part in non-lethal weapons demonstrations at Quantico Marine Corps Base in Virginia. "The commanders need an option to be able to influence the battlefield without actually exercising the last option, which is lethal force." Welcome to a new era of military engagement. Preparing for combat remains key, but U.S. forces also are expected to handle a far greater spectrum of conflict — which now ranges from humanitarian efforts to quelling ethnic unrest and civil wars. "We're breaking new ground and we're changing the traditional paradigm," explains Marine Col. George Fenton, director of the Pentagon's Joint Non-Lethal Weapons Program. Microwave Guns and Laser 'Dazzlers'
Funded with just $34 million in 1998, the program has ignited some turf wars with other Pentagon programs. But many agencies — along with private inventors — are pitching in. Electromagnetic weapons may soon stop vehicles or even shipping on the high seas. Microwave guns could trigger high fevers in adversaries. Researchers are working on laser "dazzlers" that would cause disorientation without permanent eye damage. And don't forget things like stickums, slickums, super acids, goop guns, aerial stink bombs, metal-eating microbes, and computer viruses, along with experiments in acoustic energy and radio waves. "We're trying very hard to leverage the vast talent and research being done," observes Fenton. Some of the work remains very much in the realm of James Bond, Star Trek and Captain Crunch. Other efforts have made their mark in a big way. Non-Lethal Power Outages
Payloads dropped by an F-117A stealth fighter over Yugoslavia unleashed little "bomblets" containing chemically treated spools of graphite thread in early May. The highly classified weapon exploded over power stations and short-circuited 70 percent of Yugoslavia's power grid for seven hours. Total destruction would have caused billions of dollars in damage, but the temporary power outage for seven hours did the trick. It disoriented the Yugoslav military, but posed minimal threat to the civilian population and the environment. That's a primary goal in the development of all non-lethal weapons, says John B. Alexander, author of Future War: Non-Lethal Weapons in Modern Warfare. "Such options offer a tremendous advantage, because we can take away military capability, without a deleterious effect on the citizenry," explains the retired Army colonel, who once supervised weapons research at Los Alamos National Laboratory. Another objective is to avoid what military officials and politicians bemoan as the "CNN effect." When viewers see bloody images of violence and death, public support for U.S. involvement in overseas missions can erode quickly. "Every soldier has a camera trained on him, so in many ways it's the low-level guy who is establishing foreign policy," notes Alexander. Most doubt that non-lethal weapons will replace conventional warfare. Some national security experts even doubt they should be used at all. "Protection comes from lethality, not a kinder, gentler technology," says Harvey Sapolsky, who heads the securities studies program at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. "As soon as the first soldier gets killed, they'll put the bean bags aside." That may be. Deadly force will continue to be the ultimate threat, but the beanbag could become another step in the escalation to signal that a soldier means business.
Other Non-Lethal Weapons
Stink Bombs: Otherwise known as odorous substances. The idea is to develop "distinctive odors" (in other words, "PHEW!") for specific populations and geographic regions. Some will be repulsive; others may be attractive or imitate dangerous smells like leaking gas. A good stink bomb emitting the odor of dead bodies, called "cadaversine," could alert local oncoming forces or crowds to maintain their distance or drive workers away from critical industrial areas. Stink bombs may be delivered by hand grenade, mortar, warplane or missile. Spider Webs: That's right. Spider webs. The high-strength, light elastic fiber is five times as strong as steel wire. The Pentagon sponsored research for the use of spider webs as a possible way to ensnare vehicles, foul propellers and stop helicopters. There's a snag, though. Colonies of spiders prove impractical for mass production of silk. In the Air: The U.S. Air Force recently acknowledged the viability of non-lethal weapons and is pursuing a range of options from stink bombs to microwave and radio-jamming devices. Precision guidance bombs have already successfully dropped graphite thread over power stations in Iraq and Yugoslavia to create short-term power outages. Electric Vehicle Stopper: The U.S. Army has completed testing an electromagnetic radiation device designed to stop moving vehicles without causing permanent damage to passengers. Similar technology may be used to stop speedboats and possibly ships. Foam Guns: Sticky foam got off to a poor start when it was discovered it might suffocate people if it landed on their mouths and noses. Now the military has trained its sights on fast-curing "rigid" foams to seal off doors, windows and other access points to bar people from entering or leaving buildings. Slippery foams will be used to delay people or vehicles by causing them to slip and lose traction.