Non-Lethal Weapon Systems

Non-Lethal Weapons have been popping up sporadically in the news. From the death in Boston due to the improper use of a Pepper Ball gun to the use of new technologies in Iraq for crowd control.

American Technology Corporation has deployed the Long Range Acoustic Device (LRAD) system in Iraq through the military. (obviously) Have a Look. Pretty cool technology.

Microwave 'Active Denial Technology' is another one. I've found much whining about this system online. The Economist whines:

Tests on volunteers, the air force claims, have shown no long-term effects other than tenderness caused by repeated exposure; of the $51m spent on developing the system so far, $9m has been devoted to evaluating its effect on victims.

And

The term "non-lethal" is something of a misnomer, since weapons described as such do not have to pass any specific test to demonstrate their non-lethal nature, and nearly all NLWs can kill if used in a certain manner. Even America's Joint Non-Lethal Weapons Programmedefines NLWs as "weapons that are explicitly designed and primarily employed so as to incapacitate personnel...While minimizing fatalities, permanent injury to personnel, and undesired damage to property." minimizing fatalities is not the same as preventing them altogether.

Let's see, 'Victim' and 'not the same as preventing them altogether.' I'd say someone is completely missing the point on where these 'weapons' will be deployed. The 'victim' will be part of large, out-of-control crowds where the use of guns or batons would definitely cause more deaths and serious injuries. Not just to the 'victim' but to the constabulary involved in crowd control. Or think about military uses. The army could disperse large violent opposition, like that seen in the Somalian Civil War [See the bottom of the page. or remember the phrase 'black hawk down'], without having to kill them, or be killed by them.

My favorite that NLWS is the "Tactical Maloderant Ball." [To see this scroll down the page.] It's a Paint ball Stink Bomb. Wonder if whoever invented the paint ball gun ever thought that it would be used as a real weapon? The linked site has a bunch of "Police Only" equipment. Some are a bit scary.

Well, there are more, but I have to work for a living.

UPDATE:

I checked on the history of paintball.
Damn, if you don't learn something new every day.
Started in New Hampshire.
Gun creator - James Hale of Daisy Manufacturing. So it's not likely that it was ever intended for non-fun-as-long-as-you-follow-the-directions use.