Military considers 'pain ray' for aircraft, apparently unaware of seat

[msbae]

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,534833,00.html

How about we say F the ADS and just start using Death Rays instead? That would be cool...

 

[CuttingEdge100]

Re: Military considers 'pain ray' for aircraft, apparently unaware of

msbae,

This active denial system, the thing about it I don't like is that since it's non-lethal I have a feeling it will be used a LOT.

I also have a feeling it would be employed on all protests, even ones that are not violent in nature (And therefore under the Constitution of the US, are legitimate)


CuttingEdge100

 

[All Seeing Eye]

Re: Military considers 'pain ray' for aircraft, apparently unaware of

Shooting microwave radiation at someone is harmless? WTF!

This weapon is more likely getting funding to develop it into a much more damaging offensive weapon.

 

[Robert Maxwell]

Re: Military considers 'pain ray' for aircraft, apparently unaware of

Yeah, I'm sure this will be just as "non-lethal" as tasers.

 

[msbae]

Re: Military considers 'pain ray' for aircraft, apparently unaware of

Shooting microwave radiation at someone is harmless? WTF!

This weapon is more likely getting funding to develop it into a much more damaging offensive weapon.

For once, Tachyon posted something that made sense. I'm stunned...

Also Cutting Edge, no politician in their right (or wrong) mind would ever dare to use force against a peaceful protest. That would just prove the protesters are right to call that guy a bastard and it will sap his approval numbers. What politician wants that on his record?

 

[CuttingEdge100]

Re: Military considers 'pain ray' for aircraft, apparently unaware of

Tachyon Shield,

You're probably correct that it will most likely be developed into a far more damaging weapon.


msbae,

See that's the thing though, since such a pain ray is non-lethal it wouldn't be considered as heinous as shooting and killing protestors.

The fact that there are a sizeable number of police and government officials (though certainly not all) often misconstrue dissent with disloyalty or treason and would likely be overly quick to use this. And with it being non-lethal, they really wouldn't have to worry about any serious repercussions.


CuttingEdge100

 

[Robert Maxwell]

Re: Military considers 'pain ray' for aircraft, apparently unaware of

It saddens me to think this will probably be used willy-nilly until someone is killed by it. And then you'll have people coming out to justify it, the same way they justify people killed by tasers. "Well, it's usually non-lethal!"

 

[CuttingEdge100]

Re: Military considers 'pain ray' for aircraft, apparently unaware of

Robert Maxwell,

Yup

 

[Trekker4747]

Re: Military considers 'pain ray' for aircraft, apparently unaware of

Yeah, I'm sure this will be just as "non-lethal" as tasers.

For the most part Tasers are non-lethal. They have a "death rate" of about 1 in 900 and in many of the cases where someone died it was from some other circumstance that the Taser simply just amplified.

But they're far safer than the alternative, a gun, for the target and far safer for the cop than waiting to get into close-combat with the intended target to use the PR-24/"billy-club"/"nightstick."

Tasers, like any other tool, can be misused and like many, many things in the media you only hear about it when something bad happens. You hear that ONE story once every few months where someone had a Taser used on them and died. You do NOT hear about the 1000s of times they're used every single day and nothing of note happens; other than a potentitaly dangerous and/or disruptive suspect is neutralized and detained without a shot fired with no one harmed in the end.

Are they abused? Yes. But that's not from the weapon itself; guns, nightsticks and the simple fist are far more abused and cause far more deaths and injury than the Taser and all of that occurs from poor officer training, discipline and screening processes.

 

[Deranged Nasat]

Re: Military considers 'pain ray' for aircraft, apparently unaware of

As someone who has unusually high sensitivity to microwaves- and is unable to use several common electronic items because they emit microwaves- the use of such a weapon on me would almost certainly cause me serious consequences. I find this development frightening. If it's designed to cause an average person "intense pain" I dread to think what it'll do to me...

 

[Trekker4747]

Re: Military considers 'pain ray' for aircraft, apparently unaware of

Pardon my ignorance, but how do you have "sensitivity" to microwaves and not just have these "serious consequences" from light which on the EM spectrum are "more radioactive" than microwaves?

 

[Lindley]

Re: Military considers 'pain ray' for aircraft, apparently unaware of

Well, try not to join any mob riots and you should be okay.

 

[Robert Maxwell]

Re: Military considers 'pain ray' for aircraft, apparently unaware of

Pardon my ignorance, but how do you have "sensitivity" to microwaves and not just have these "serious consequences" from light which on the EM spectrum are "more radioactive" than microwaves?

You've never heard of a pacemaker?

 

[Trekker4747]

Re: Military considers 'pain ray' for aircraft, apparently unaware of

Pardon my ignorance, but how do you have "sensitivity" to microwaves and not just have these "serious consequences" from light which on the EM spectrum are "more radioactive" than microwaves?

You've never heard of a pacemaker?

This was only true for old pacemakers and even then improperly shieled microwave ovens. This problem isn't a big one today, short of the person climbing into the microwave and turning it on.

However, if the poster is wearing an older-model pacemaker it might present a problem. But I would see that as a pretty big "might" as there's microwaves all around us in the air right now being emitted by things like RADARs and cell phones.

 

[msbae]

Re: Military considers 'pain ray' for aircraft, apparently unaware of

Well, try not to join any mob riots and you should be okay.

Bingo.

 

[Deranged Nasat]

Re: Military considers 'pain ray' for aircraft, apparently unaware of

Pardon my ignorance, but how do you have "sensitivity" to microwaves and not just have these "serious consequences" from light which on the EM spectrum are "more radioactive" than microwaves?

You've never heard of a pacemaker?

This was only true for old pacemakers and even then improperly shieled microwave ovens. This problem isn't a big one today, short of the person climbing into the microwave and turning it on.

However, if the poster is wearing an older-model pacemaker it might present a problem. But I would see that as a pretty big "might" as there's microwaves all around us in the air right now being emitted by things like RADARs and cell phones.

No, no pacemaker, fortunately. I'm simply more sensitive to microwaves than most people. I cannot use mobile phones or microwave ovens because they cause me pain. I'm quite aware microwaves are all around us- I can feel it. Usually, though, they're not directed right at me in large doses. I can handle background levels but if I can't use phones and such I'd hate to see what this weapon would do to me. Anyway, it's not about radiation in general, it's specifically microwaves that cause me pain, although I do have heightened senses in most regards. I've come to realize I'm unusual in most regards, it doesn't bother me too much anymore.

 

[Deranged Nasat]

Re: Military considers 'pain ray' for aircraft, apparently unaware of

Well, try not to join any mob riots and you should be okay.

Bingo.

You don't need to join a mob riot to have weapons used against you.

 

[Amaris]

Re: Military considers 'pain ray' for aircraft, apparently unaware of

Shooting microwave radiation at someone is harmless? WTF!

This weapon is more likely getting funding to develop it into a much more damaging offensive weapon.

For once, Tachyon posted something that made sense. I'm stunned...

Also Cutting Edge, no politician in their right (or wrong) mind would ever dare to use force against a peaceful protest. That would just prove the protesters are right to call that guy a bastard and it will sap his approval numbers. What politician wants that on his record?

Never assume anything. You underestimate the power of spin and the ability to bullshit one's way out of responsibility. This is what politicians do.

J.

 

[Lindley]

Re: Military considers 'pain ray' for aircraft, apparently unaware of

Well, try not to join any mob riots and you should be okay.

Bingo.

You don't need to join a mob riot to have weapons used against you.

Yes, but in most other circumstances there are other weapons which would be much more applicable.

This one is specifically designed for nonlethal subduing of combatants hiding in large groups which may include innocents.

And they're not going to try to make it "more damaging", since they've already got more damaging weapons called M-16s.

 

[RobertVA]

Re: Military considers 'pain ray' for aircraft, apparently unaware of

Possible application chasing birds from airport traffic patterns, maybe in the form of a tight beam that's activated when the birds fly near the aircraft flight paths?