thedrifter
10-30-07, 01:03 PM
Editorial: Marines in Iraq need nonlethal ray weapon
Albuquerque Tribune
Buck Rogers in Iraq? If the Marines get their way. And, they should, ASAP.
The Marines would like to field a directed-energy ray gun developed jointly by the Air Force Research Laboratory and Sandia National Laboratories, both based on Kirtland Air Force Base here in Albuquerque.
It might sound like space-cowboy laser stuff, but actually it's far more docile - as it uses nonlethal energy.
But that makes the Active Denial System, as it has been dubbed, ideal for the kind of urban, insurgent warfare that U.S. forces are facing in Iraq, where Marine commanders have urgently requested the weapon for deployment.
One of its major advantages would be fewer civilian casualties, considered critical in the political battle to win the hearts and minds of Iraqis. They increasingly are disenchanted with the war - in part because of incidents like the recent Baghdad shootings involving Blackwater USA employees, who are perceived as having quick trigger fingers and a lack of regard for civilians who might be caught in the line of fire.
In contrast, U.S. military forces definitely need a weapon, Marine Corps. Col. Kirk Hymes told reporters last week, that is more potent than shouting but less final than shooting. Hymes is director of the Defense Department's Joint Non-Lethal Weapons Directorate and would like to see the Active Denial System in the field as soon as possible.
Its directed-energy beam heats up its target, creating a burning feeling. Most who have experienced the feeling say it produces an instant desire to flee. In testing at Kirtland and the Marine Corps base at Quantico, Va., test subjects could tolerate the beam for no more than a few seconds.
But Hymes says it still is undergoing testing and development to ensure it is safe, mobile and sturdy enough to survive the rigors of combat.
While ground commanders can't wait for their troops to get their hands on the beam weapon, Hymes acknowledged it would be a mistake to rush it.
"We don't want to hand the operating forces a science project," he said, noting the Raytheon company has developed and is preparing to produce a field version within the next year.
In ordinary circumstances that would all be understandable. But the Iraq occupation is far from ordinary - and, to many Americans, including many troops in battle in Iraq, far from understandable.
U.S. troops should not again be denied equipment they consider vital to their mission, which includes technology and weaponry that will minimize civilian casualties and possibly improve our military's relationship with the people of Iraq.
The Pentagon should be doing everything it can to get the Active Denial System directed-energy weapon into the hands of U.S. troops at the earliest possible date.
This isn't, after all, Buck Rogers. It's for real. It's Iraq.
Ellie
Albuquerque Tribune
Buck Rogers in Iraq? If the Marines get their way. And, they should, ASAP.
The Marines would like to field a directed-energy ray gun developed jointly by the Air Force Research Laboratory and Sandia National Laboratories, both based on Kirtland Air Force Base here in Albuquerque.
It might sound like space-cowboy laser stuff, but actually it's far more docile - as it uses nonlethal energy.
But that makes the Active Denial System, as it has been dubbed, ideal for the kind of urban, insurgent warfare that U.S. forces are facing in Iraq, where Marine commanders have urgently requested the weapon for deployment.
One of its major advantages would be fewer civilian casualties, considered critical in the political battle to win the hearts and minds of Iraqis. They increasingly are disenchanted with the war - in part because of incidents like the recent Baghdad shootings involving Blackwater USA employees, who are perceived as having quick trigger fingers and a lack of regard for civilians who might be caught in the line of fire.
In contrast, U.S. military forces definitely need a weapon, Marine Corps. Col. Kirk Hymes told reporters last week, that is more potent than shouting but less final than shooting. Hymes is director of the Defense Department's Joint Non-Lethal Weapons Directorate and would like to see the Active Denial System in the field as soon as possible.
Its directed-energy beam heats up its target, creating a burning feeling. Most who have experienced the feeling say it produces an instant desire to flee. In testing at Kirtland and the Marine Corps base at Quantico, Va., test subjects could tolerate the beam for no more than a few seconds.
But Hymes says it still is undergoing testing and development to ensure it is safe, mobile and sturdy enough to survive the rigors of combat.
While ground commanders can't wait for their troops to get their hands on the beam weapon, Hymes acknowledged it would be a mistake to rush it.
"We don't want to hand the operating forces a science project," he said, noting the Raytheon company has developed and is preparing to produce a field version within the next year.
In ordinary circumstances that would all be understandable. But the Iraq occupation is far from ordinary - and, to many Americans, including many troops in battle in Iraq, far from understandable.
U.S. troops should not again be denied equipment they consider vital to their mission, which includes technology and weaponry that will minimize civilian casualties and possibly improve our military's relationship with the people of Iraq.
The Pentagon should be doing everything it can to get the Active Denial System directed-energy weapon into the hands of U.S. troops at the earliest possible date.
This isn't, after all, Buck Rogers. It's for real. It's Iraq.
Ellie