It's funny, no matter how many times we see some
poor, hapless reporter getting wave after wave of pain washed over them like a cool summer storm, it really never gets old. We'd argue that this 60 Minutes clip of correspondent David Martin taking on the
Air Force's Active Denial System (aka the pain gun) is possibly the best we've seen yet, and not just because this guy actually has some cred to lose (unlike that time Amanda Congdon took a taser). Oh, and a parting note to enemy combatants: bring your mattress into combat. You'll have a comfy spot to nap on before the pain gun shows up and you use it as a shield. Video after the break.
Would be interesting to see if something could be constructed that bounces it back, after all we are talking sound waves right?
Also, what if some idiot decides to rough it, what kind of damage would you be looking at?
It's not sound its microwave radiation. You're thinking of a similar device.
Worries me a bit though, at least now with water canons etc the people have a way of protesting. Something like this would enable whatever force in power to employ absolute control....
no, it's not sound waves its microwave radiation, the same as the microwave in your home just alot more powerful and concentrated.
Zat guns are still far cooler. One shot stuns, two shots kill...
i saw this on Future Weapons!
I bet it causes cancer... or worse
Cheap, commonly available metal mesh (screen door material) configured either as a lightweight shield or draped over clothing (beekeper-style outfit) would block the microwaves.
And this device is not harmless - according to the report, it has caused second-degree burns on some test subjcts, AND notice they had the test subjects turn their backs to avoid exposing their eyes.
Yes, according to the report, it has caused 2nd degree burns in 2 out of 11000 people it was tested on. I don't think the military is too much concerned with that low percentage.
I mean, rubber bullets and whatnot would cause more people to get hurt in a crowd than that thing.
well.. the bullet still wins... I'd bet i can fire a bullet at that thing and break it before it hits anything. Also that matras did a pretty good job.. and guess what.. bullets fly trough matrasses like it wasn't even there... in short..looks painfull but is useless.. unless deploit from space... then we are f***d
sure, the point is to get to people to run away, not hospitalize them. this is for crowd control, not warfare, no one actually wants to arrest 1000 people in a riot, they just want the riot to break up. and if you fire on it, that's an assault and you will be shot at.
this also isn't meant to break up protests, but riots. there is a very large difference between a protest and riot. You've all seen pictures of a SWAT team in a line in full riot gear just standing there as a protesters yell and screen and jump up an down. as long as no one is physically hurting any thing or anybody they just keep on standing there.
@Chris
sorry, but your description on when Riot Cops "just standing there" only happens in an ideal world. In practice, I'm afraid that is not true at all (come live in a college town were protests are common. all it takes is one person to throw a can and then ALL the people get hit with the tear gass.)
I smell Atreides Sonic tank from Dune II here!
Just wait until the government approves it for use on civilians during protests or riots. Enjoy what's left of civilization while it lasts, there is no more tomorrow for you.
Even scarier then the government authorizing this for use on protesters is the notion that some one will make a small enough version to market to women as a rape deterrent that will end up getting used on her boyfriend's genitals in his sleep every time he pisses her off.
Just one question: does it go "ping" when he's done cooking? :P
I think you guys are missing the point... it's mainly crowd/mob control. We still have guns for the crazies charging the thing with a gun and a mattress. Also, I'm pretty sure they aren't going to have a fleet of these things driving around unprotected even if they wanted to bring them on to the battlefield. I'm guessing this thing (as with most things disclosed by the government or military) has either a better range and capability than they let on, or it's made of cardboard. I'm pretty sure it's not made of cardboard, and I don't intend on being a test subject. I'm betting this thing could drive insurgents out of a house pretty quickly...
"I'm betting this thing could drive insurgents out of a house pretty quickly."
na, that's what the grenade launching full automatic shotgun is for http://www.noob.us/miscellaneous/aa-12-fully-automatic-shotgun/
Funny you put up that vid...I actually shot one of those awhile back (in Chesapeake) and it knocked me back on my ass.
Interrogation just got funner...
yep while our enemies and other countries beat the crap out of prisoners, murder thousands of innocent civilians, and shoot first and ask questions later people complain about our government making a microwave weapon that causes pain that feals like a really bad sunburn. Evil, evil US army how dare you.
There is a reason why enemy combatants practicly beg to be captured by US forces. Towards the end of WWII hundreds of thousands of German troops surrendered to US forces to speed up the US advance so they wouldn't get taken by the Soviets. Hell we got a lot of Saddam's troops to surrender for a chocolate bar.
I'd much rather have a microwave turned on me than be shot by an M-16. I could actually see this weapon causing riots to be worse. If people know that they are just going to be shot with a microwave they might get more violent.
"yep while our enemies and other countries beat the crap out of prisoners, murder thousands of innocent civilians, and shoot first and ask questions later people complain about our government making a microwave weapon that causes pain that feals like a really bad sunburn. Evil, evil US army how dare you."
Yes. How dare anyone say anything against the U.S. Government.
It's okay that they use sonic weapons, tasers and microwave weapons against the population to suppress any freedoms we have left to voice an opposing opinion against the actions it might take. You are correct. How could I have forgotten.
Oh, and why don't you just hand in any weapons you might be in possession of just to be safe and so you don't hurt anyone you come in contact with. You don't need to protect yourself as the government will do that for you too.
If the U.S. Government would stop covertly starting conflicts throughout the world, we wouldn't be in need of such weapons.
Also, just in case, you think that the U.S. Government is any less guilty of doing the things you described being done by foreign countries, you're living in denial.
I liked Martin's earlier demonstration a couple of years ago on CBS when he stood in front of an air turbine machine to demonstrate the power of hurricane force winds. He was knocked on his a** at about 80mph. What a trooper for journalism!!!
"There are FOUR lights!"
there are five lights!
so by your logic we just have to be more moral than Saddam and we have a free check to do whatever else in between that we want?
I believe this is going to be tomorrows woot.
The Second Amendment is so outdated now. As if we're going to be able to challenge the government when they have weapons like these.
I'd love to see them use this on the guy in the Evolution of Dance video.
that guy ran like a bitch, only 3 second jesus grow a sack
Am I weird for thinking of all the potential uses of cooking real food?
Like trying to line up 1000 bowls of instant noodles and watching all hook in 60 seconds!
Am I weird for thinking of all the potential uses of cooking real food?
Like trying to line up 1000 bowls of instant noodles and watching them all cook in 60 seconds!