NONLETHAL WEAPONS
CNN body counts and nuclear disasters make for lousy PR, so it's no wonder the US military is seeking less damaging ways to end conflicts. The best options, says sci-fi novelist turned defense contractor Janet Morris, CEO of M2 Technologies, are "nonlethal weapons," the kind she and husband Chris describe as life-conserving, environmentally friendly, and fiscally responsible.
Although the use of these weapons dates back to ancient China - where billowing smoke pots stoked with pepper powder were used to drive back marauders - the first successful American implementation was during 1995's Operation United Shield in Somalia. Marines subdued rioting crowds with beanbag shotgun rounds, pepper spray, flash-bang grenades, and anti-personnel foam. A year later, Congress approved the Defense Department's Joint Nonlethal Weapons Program. Because its $25 million annual budget is a negligible fraction of the department's $310 billion, Morris and other advocates would like to see it increased to $100 million. Below are some highlights from today's no-kill arsenal.
Protein Foam
Description: A sludgy brown foam made from whipped hooves, horns, and cartilage that sticks to surfaces and then hardens. Environmentally safe, but disgusting. A vegan's worst nightmare. Effect: Creates a sticky, gross-out mess as it immobilizes crowds and blocks escape routes. Range: Depends on delivery mechanisms (e.g., it can be sprayed from vehicles). Plus: Can be mixed with fire retardant. Availability: Commercially sold, most often to firefighters. Noteworthy: In 1996, it was available to the FBI at the Freemen standoff near Jordan, Montana. It wasn't deployed. Developers/manufacturers: M2 Technologies, Hyannis Port, Massachusetts, and Pneumax, Peoria, Arizona.
Sonic Bullet
Description: High-frequency sound beam aimed via parametric array; the beam's interference pattern disrupts a subject's equilibrium. At maximum settings, it can kill. Russia reportedly has a device that projects a 10-Hz sonic packet more than 100 yards. Effect: Disorientation, bowel spasms, loss of balance, and severe kinetic impact (in terms of force, it's like sitting next to a wall of Marshall amps cranked to top volume). Range: Length of a football field. Plus: Can also project audible tones over long distances. Availability: Unknown. Developers/manufacturers: Research is being conducted by Science Applications & Research Associates, Huntington Beach, California.
Vehicle-mounted Active Denial System
Description: Projects a millimeter-wave energy beam that disperses crowds with a burst of electromagnetic energy. Redefines the term "nuke 'em." Effect: The beam penetrates clothing and up to 1/64 inch of a subject's skin, causing an intense burning sensation similar to touching a hot lightbulb. Discomfort stops when the device is turned off, or if the subject moves out of the beam's path. Range: Classified, but beyond small-arms range. Plus: Effective at distances greater than 650 yards. Availability: Ready for field testing. Developers/manufacturers: Primary contractors: Raytheon AET, Rancho Cucamonga, California; CPI, Palo Alto, California; Veridian Engineering, San Antonio, Texas; and Air Force Research Laboratory, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio.
Search-and-destroy Nanoparticles
Description: Molecules of magnesium oxide that attach to, and chemically disable, the toxic molecules in bacteria like anthrax and compounds like nerve gas. Effect: Creates a toxin-free zone for friendly troops. Range: Depends on delivery system; it can be used in spray or aerosol form - or built into filters and clothing. Plus: A little goes a long way - a Coke can of particles could cover an entire football field. Availability: Less than a decade away; prototypes are now being tested. Developers/manufacturers: Department of Chemistry, Kansas State University, and M2 Technologies.
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