New weapons - interesting

[baggygreen]

http://news.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=181475

[bookworm_020]

I saw a photo of it, it looks like an oversized sat dish. They say it's got a range of 500 meters, and has no long lasting effects.

I see problems in that it's an obvious target!

[Konovalov]

Excellent. My hands and feet really feel the cold during winter so this would be great for heating the house. :-j

[Konovalov]

Heat is not the only weapon being developed by US military scientists. Artificial 'black ice' (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/6295567.stm)could also be used on the battlefield to make the enemy slip up. :lol:

[Letum]

One problem I can see is that, unlike existing crowd control methods, it is indiscriminate. i.e. With existing crowd control methods you can choose not to target some members of the crowd. You may wish to not target the injured or frail for example. This new weapon does not appear to have this capability.

Limitations aside, I dislike any weapon that allows the few to dominate the many; there is always someone in the world who will want to use it against peaceful or semi-peaceful demonstrations and/or protests, but I'm sure that this weapon will have some positive uses in the world as well.

[StandingCow]

There is a video of this floating around.. I think it is the first weapon to be able to take out a mortar round... amazing.

Good time too, it will help keep our troops safe.

[JSLTIGER]

Does anyone else think that this weapon sounds like it might be microwaving people?

[StandingCow]

Does anyone else think that this weapon sounds like it might be microwaving people?

No, its a laser beam. Direct heat to the target.

[Letum]

Does anyone else think that this weapon sounds like it might be microwaving people?
No, its a laser beam. Direct heat to the target.

Direct heat? Really? That must use HUGE amounts of power.

:huh: I hope no one in the crowd had a Molotov cocktail in their hand.....

[STEED]

At long last I can cook my food faster. :lol:

[U-533]

Never saw much use for a weapon that just pisses-off the enemy or crowd. (whatever)

If a people get to a point where nothing will stop them from changing whatever they want to change then making them hurt will not help the matter.:up:

[tycho102]

Yeah, it's just an ordinary 2.4ghz microwave beam. One hell of a magnetron, but an ordinary microwave beam. The oxygen-hydrogen bonds absorb that *very* effectively, but it just doesn't cause much DNA damage (unlike ~215nm UV). So, it's more efficient than an IR emitter because the magnetron is very efficient. Can still cause retinal damage along with blistering. And Katie-bar-the-door if you've got anything metallic on you, touching your skin. Might even possibly cook off ammunition, but I don't know at what ranges.

It's a good idea but I'm curious to see what kind of damage it can sustain and still function. That thing will be targettable outside it's field, and I'd imagine one good RPG or a full clip would sign it off.