For years, the Air Force Research Lab, along with the Joint Nonlethal Weapons Directorate, has been working on a microwave-like pain ray, to keep potential rioters at bay. And for years, we’ve been hearing that this so-called “Active Denial System” — which penetrates 1/64th of inch beneath the skin, activating pain receptors, and sparking serious burning feelings — was just about ready to ship to Iraq.
But that prospect — already growing more remote, because of concerns about speed and reliable tests — just got downright distant. Because now, the Secretary of the Air Force wants to try out systems like the pain ray “on American citizens in crowd-control situations before they are used on the battlefield,” the AP reports. And we all know: zapping home-growing protesters is not going to happen any time in the near future.
Domestic use would make it easier to avoid questions in the international community over any possible safety concerns, said Secretary Michael Wynne.
“If we’re not willing to use it here against our fellow citizens, then we should not be willing to use it in a wartime situation,” said Wynne. “(Because) if I hit somebody with a nonlethal weapon and they claim that it injured them in a way that was not intended, I think that I would be vilified in the world press.“
The Air Force has funded research into nonlethal weapons, but he said the service isn’t likely to spend more money on development until injury issues are reviewed by medical experts and resolved.
Last year, as New Scientist noted, Active Denial System testers “banned glasses and contact lenses to prevent possible eye damage to the subjects, and in the second and third tests removed any metallic objects such as coins and keys to stop hot spots being created on the skin.” But the real concern, at least in the military, was that the thing was too slow for use, not too dangerous. (After all, one of the primarily corwd control devices today is the decidedly-lethal M-16.) Several units in Iraq from requested the pain ray, ASAP. Pentagon poobahs majorly boosted the long-term budget for Active Denial and other “less-lethal” weapons. After 9300 test shots, for many, the only question was whether to use the system at sea, on land, or in the air.
So what happens to Active Denial now? My guess is that we’re on our way to an old-fashioned, intra-service smackdown. Maybe the big wigs will even zap each other, in the process.
(Big ups: RC)
My guess is that he’s willing to choose more traditional crowd control methods abroad (read: more lethal) because he knows that smart-alecky bloggers and left-wing media types already have their articles written about how the Bush administration is literally cooking live human beings (insert photo of crying toddler here) over in Iraq.
As we’ve all been told on this site, Bush “has a real hard-on for Iraq” and hence wouldn’t think twice about frying innocent civilians in order to test out his newest toy, the Buck Rogers Pain Ray.
So I guess it’s back to the more humane methods of rubber bullets and tear gas. Or just exposing US servicemen to more physical danger.
One thing I don’t understand is why they don’t put this on top of control towers at airports to shoo away the damn birds from the runway. It would give them a lot of data on how ‘non’-lethal it really is and it would lower the cost of bird strikes.
Good Evening Folks,
If the U.S. can no longer use CS, CR, or CN agents in combat it is unlikely that any weapon that militarizes microwaves would pass the Geneva Convention Test.
ALLONS,
Byron Skinner
It is alleged that directed energy weapons are being used experimentally on unwilling, non-consenting American citizens in actions that amount to torture and leave the body destroyed and in pain.
There is a group of selected, targeted individuals of these weapons that are lobbying Senate and Congressional representatives in Washington, DC and holding rallies. There will be an article in the Washington Post Magazine this late September or October 2006 by Sharon Weinberger exposing these experimental weapons and their use on non-consenting individuals.
It’s just a matter of time before ADT/ADS is deployed on domestic protestors and others engaged in civil disobedience. A water cannon might knock you on your ass, but at least it won’t cook your eyeballs. Expect to see co-legislation exempting the military and municipal police from injury lawsuits.
If it this is really a vital system I am sure the DOD can find some volunteers to test it on. How about it John and katsesama?
Active Denial is like Los Alamos under UC managment. Looks promising in the beginning, but over time it’s fate will uncertain.
“There will be an article in the Washington Post Magazine this late September or October 2006 by Sharon Weinberger exposing these experimental weapons and their use on non-consenting individuals“
Sharon’s a bit of a skeptic when it comes to strange new weapons, so I suspect her take on this will be rather different.
you yanks are ruddy Crazy, you NEED Smaked down.. this is inhumane, if any one shot me with one of those I’d buy a gun & fight back, dont care who you “work” for, who your trying to protect, I’d be your new enmey…
Its same in ALL humanity, you attack or treat some one dihonerably, & they Take offence or become an enmey.
think of it this way… your soldier Beats & head bags a teenage boy/girl in mid east & drag them away for a week & treat em like shit, that Persion hates you, so dose that persions family, along with the family in the U.S/E.U… get the idea..
Oh, this must be one of those ray guns the USAF was testing on unsuspecting senior citizens back in the 1970’s. At least Mr. Secreteary tried to be honest about it for a second, now Black Bag.
Remember SAND CREEK!!