Army's multimode death ray knocks out IEDs, vehicles, whiners
By Joseph L. Flatley 
posted Apr 24th 2009 6:32AM
posted Apr 24th 2009 6:32AM
While the US Air Force is dead set on shooting down missiles with airborne lasers, it looks like their colleagues in the Army are busy cooking up a little something called the Multimode Directed Energy Armament System (see our artist's conceptual rendering, above). According to Wired, this device uses an ultra-short pulse laser to create an ionized channel through the air, which it can use to send bursts of energy, conduct electricity, or act as a waveguide for an intense pulse of microwaves. If you're looking to knock out an IED, an oncoming vehicle, or an enemy combatant, this bad boy should do the trick just fine. The Army's Armament Research Development and Engineering Center (ARDEC) plans on having a working prototype operating in a the real world sometime in 2011.
[Via Wired]
[Via Wired]
Pew pew pew
I want one. Srsly.
I think everyone "Srsly" wants one.
This should be given away as an Engadget's recession antidote prize!
When can we get a civilian version so we can knock out chav cars?
I'd rather stick with the IEDs for the chavs to be honest with you
Nice for dealing with roadside cameras too I imagine.
Sounds very Star Trek to me... "...set phasers to stun" ;-)
I'm sure this is how the Lightning Gun in UT is supposed to work........YAY!
Same principle as a plasma taser, but with the plasma generated in-situ rather than being projected. Neat.
'Multimode Directed Energy Armament System' - MDEAS for short. Hardly strikes fear into the heart of the enemy. They should call it THOR'S HAMMER or some shit like that.
I vote that we rename the MDEAS as "The Mediator."
Absinthe, you should join the research division's naming department.
Epic.
THE HAMMER OF DAWN
Noisy Cricket
Farscope?
Angel Arm.....
they should have calle dit a device rather than a system: MultiDEAD
hmm, and they should get milla jovovich (leeloo) to voice the ads... ("mul-ti-pass")
Man, I wanted to patent an idea a year ago, for frying people mobile phones that play crap music out loud on the bus. Looks like I missed the boat
Honestly, Dan... it would be pretty hard to patent a "fist."
@ absinthe party
I rofl'd... hard.
The only problem with that is the subsequent assault charges.
If this can be made small and discrete, you will be much harder to catch. Also, if your aim is good, you may even be able to burn out their eardrum, so they can't hear crap music ever again. Permanent solution.
sigh...
discreet != discrete
You really think those types would stop because they were deaf? Seriously?
@ Kamokazi
Subsequent assault charges, eh?
I think "The Law Office of James D. Skullcrusher and William Vindication" (that's what I call the combination of my left and right fists, if you haven't been paying attention) are going to settle this matter OUT OF COURT.
Touché Monsieur Absinthe, .. touché. I'm not a truly violent man by nature, but sometimes you gotta keep the pimp hand strong
I saw plans for building something like this (big, but you could mount it in the back of a station wagon) a decade ago, but I forget where. I'm sure proper engineering can greatly affect it's potency, but even with the parts you could buy at a hardware store it sounded impressive.
Oh, and best not to be in front of it if you have pacemaker or other cyborg life support systems.
Can you say, Halo3 warthog mounted? Also, I should have been a little clearer with my first comment. I meant to say that my idea was a directed discrete EMP device, that could be activated from within your jacket pocket (of course I would probably need a car battery my other pocket to get it going). This has a two fold effect, you can fry the mp3/phone playing music OUT LOUD (not through headphones) annoying EVERYONE on the bus/tube/sunny picnic day, and secondly, you get to watch the fun while said party scratches their head as to why smoke is coming out of their micro-ghetto blaster
So the military's best ideas are coming from Knight Rider, now? What's next? Fully autonomous vehicles?! Tires that can't go flat?! TV screens in cars?! That's kooky talk!
this is exactly how the plasma guns work on covenant ships. except its magentic fields instead of lasers making the channels.
god i need to get out more...
lol.
Needs more sharks.
Aren't HERF guns already in use?
So let's agree, nobody will give these things to ANY cop EVER, OK? Thanks, we agree, it's a promise.
Civilians.. maybe, but not cops, no.
When's the last time you've seen a red Grand Marquis? I didn't they made them in that color.
Primary fire launches an instant-hit lightning bolt with perfect accuracy. Secondary fire zooms. The weapon deals double damage upon a headshot, enough to kill an unshielded opponent. The weapon's zooming ability and perfect accuracy make it suitable for sniping, but the bright lightning bolt will always give away the snipers position. Of all weapons in the US Army, the lightning gun has the longest recharge time between shots, but other weapons can still be fired while the weapon is recharging. Maximum ammo capacity is 40 charges.
More like a Disruptor wouldn't U say.
Just a reminder: Don't use indoors, ozone is harmful to your health.
Yeah, but does it kill zombies???
creates an ionized plasma channel? so would this shit actually look like a high-voltage electrical "bolt" going through the air?
Bastards