New Non-Lethal Energy Weapon Heats Skin
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   by Kelly Hearn
   UPI Technology Writer

   Source: United Press International
   http://www.vny.com/cf/News/upidetail.cfm?QID=163207

   February 26, 2001

   WASHINGTON,  Feb.  26  (UPI)  --  The  Marine  Corps  is  developing a
   non-lethal  weapon  that  uses  electromagnetic energy to heat but not
   permanently  burn  human  skin. The weapon could help soldiers counter
   terrorism  threats,  control  unruly  crowds  and defend airfields and
   ships.

   Experts  confirmed  it  was the first time the military had designed a
   so-called "directed energy weapon" for use against human targets.

   The  weapon  concentrates energy into a beam of micro-millimeter waves
   that  penetrate  clothes  to  rapidly  heat  moisture particles in the
   outermost  layer  of flesh without going deep enough to damage organs.
   The  device  reportedly  causes  no permanent damage to the body or to
   electronic devices such as pacemakers.

   Dubbed  the  Vehicle-Mounted  Active  Denial  System,  the  weapon was
   revealed in a story published first in the Marine Corps Times Monday.

   Officials at the Joint Non-Lethal Weapons Directorate in Quantico, Va.
   reportedly  planned  to  show the classified system to top generals in
   April.  But  Monday's  story  scuttled  those plans and sent officials
   scrambling to contain a possible public relations fiasco.

   A  Marine  spokesmen would not comment on the system, saying only that
   subject specialists would be available for interviews later this week.

   Though   detailed   information   about  the  weapon's  design  remain
   classified,  the  story  stated  that the weapon would heat a target's
   skin  to  approximately  130  degrees Fahrenheit in about two seconds.
   Humans  start  to  feel pain at 113 degrees. The report went on to say
   that  soldiers  could  fire  the  weapon  from distances exceeding 750
   meters (2,250 feet) from their target -- a range that would allow them
   to  remain outside the reach of most small arms fire. The weapon could
   be mounted atop a military vehicle or on an aircraft.

   Defense experts told United Press International the Marines especially
   have  sought  new ways to non-lethally confront large, hostile crowds.
   Among  other  things,  the Department of Defense has looked to lasers,
   teargas and rubber bullets for less-than-lethal impact. But these have
   either  proven  ineffective or have attracted consternation from human
   rights groups.

   "Unlike  the other three branches, the Marines often are in situations
   where  there  are  lots  of  innocent  bystanders,  where they have to
   control    an    unruly    mob,"   said   John   Pike,   director   of
   GlobalSecurity.org,  a  non-profit policy research firm in Alexandria,
   Va.  "Tear  gas  and  rubber  bullets just have not been effective, so
   they've  want something more lethal than those and less lethal than an
   M16. Whether they have found that here remains to be seen."

   "One  of the fears is that there will be a misapplication of this kind
   of  technology,  particularly  in  terms  of civilian use," said Chris
   Hellman,  a  senior  analyst for the Center for Defense Information, a
   Washington   D.C.-based   independent  research  group  that  monitors
   military  planning  and  policy.  "Clearly  we've seen military combat
   weaponry migrate to the civil sector. Just walk past any Swat Team and
   you see what is basically an army unit," he told UPI.

   The  article  quoted  an  official saying that human subjects had been
   exposed   to   the  beams  more  than  6,000  times  under  laboratory
   conditions.  Furthermore,  military researchers had completed a study,
   which  has  not  been  released,  on  the  long-term health effects of
   exposure.

   "This  puts  a  non-lethal  arrow  in  quiver of commanders," said Ron
   Madrid,  former  Marine  and  an  expert on non-lethal weaponry at the
   University of Pennsylvania. "It provides decision makers with options.
   You  can  guarantee  that  the Marines were excruciatingly detailed in
   building  in  technological  limiters to keep the system from having a
   lethal effect,"

   Retired  Major  General William L. Nash, the former commanding general
   of  the  1st  Armored  Division,  told  UPI the device will inevitably
   create  a  race to build counter weapons. "The good news is the weapon
   is non-lethal but the bad news is that for every weapon there is bound
   to  be  a  counter  weapon," he said. "I can imagine someone trying to
   develop a polymer based shield against this, for example."

   The  Defense  Department  spent  nearly  $40  million over 10 years to
   develop  the  technology,  said the Marine Corps Times report. The Air
   Force  co-sponsored  the  project,  the  story said, doing much of the
   research and development.

   Copyright 2001 by United Press International.
   All rights reserved.