Law enforcement gearNonlethal Active Denial Systems find commercial buyers
Published 7 August 2009
The U.S. military hesitates to deploy pain beam weapons in the field, but there appears to be an interest from commercial entities in these nonlethal systems; Raytheon says one of its Active denial Systems has been bought by a commercial organization
The U.S. military is not about to deploy its pain ray to the battlefield anytime soon (“U.S. Military Interested in Airborne Non-lethal System,” 23 July 2009 HSNW), but commercial entities may have fewer inhibitions. David Hambling writes that it is not clear who bought the system, but the sale is mentioned in a presentation by Raytheon, which built the microwave weapon for the Defense Department.
The Active Denial System works by heating the outer surface of the target’s skin using millimeter waves — short wavelength microwaves. The effect is painful, but generally harmless, and forces the target to get out of the beam. Recently, it’s been proposed as a possible defense against pirates (6 November 2008 HSNW); last month, Raytheon gave a presentation on Active Denial at a NATO workshop on anti-pirate equipment and technologies. This presentation mentions an “Impending Direct Commercial Sale” of a commercial version of the Active Denial system known as Silent Guardian. Hambling writes that this is Active Denial in a box, a 10,000-pound containerized system that can be mounted on a ship, a truck, or a fixed installation. It has an effective range of about 250 meters. The beam has a power of around 30 kilowatts. The anti-pirate presentation shows how a set-up with two antennas could achieve almost 360-degree coverage for a small container ship.
The Active Denial System was first unveiled in 2001, but delays have prevented it from being fielded in spite of requests for it in Iraq. Danger Room reported the wrangling in 2006 and in 2008, with the Defense Science Board conclusion that deployment was “not politically tenable” because of a possible association with torture. This would be particularly true if the weapon was used at detention centers, and a recent Government Accountability Office report indicated that the attempts to get the ADS to Iraq have now been discontinued.
Hambling notes that, paradoxically, it seems that the controversial pain beam may be more acceptable in the civilian market than in the military — depending on how the weapon is used. Few people would object to the Active Denial System being used for zapping off pirates. The Long Range Acoustic Device (LRAD), which produces an intense beam of sound, was used to fend off pirates attacking the cruise ship Seabourn Spirit in 2005. It might be received differently if it were used in a prison or to repel intruders (or protesters) from company property.
So who bought the system? “Raytheon’s non-lethal Silent Guardian system has attracted widespread interest, but it would be premature for us to discuss any sales until contracts are signed,” a Raytheon spokesperson told Hambling.
In the longer run, Raytheon believe that Active Denial might have all sorts of applications in law enforcement, prisons, and protecting installations — not to mention chasing geese away from airports. One day a domestic version might even repel burglars.
