Raytheon's pain gun finally gets deployed in Afghanistan (update: recalled)

It's been six long years since we first got wind of the Pentagon's Active Denial System, and four since it was slated to control riots in Iraq, but though we've seen reporters zapped by the device once or twice, it seems the Air Force-approved pain gun is only now entering service in Afghanistan. The BBC reports the device -- which generates a targeted burning sensation in humans -- is now deployed with US troops, though a military spokesman is assuring publications that it "has not been used operationally," and that the armed forces have yet to decide whether to actually use it. Wired reports the unit was plagued by technical and safety issues for years, not to mention political concerns, but as to that last we have to imagine even a semi-damaging heat ray beats the pants off lead-based alternatives.

Update: Sorry folks, false alarm -- a Air Force spokesperson just informed us that though the pain gun was indeed sent to Afghanistan, it's now being returned to the US without ever seeing use.

[intentionality Posted Jul 18th 2010 6:53PM]

I thought the AGONIZER only belonged in the Alternate Universe where we were an Evil Empire... oops, oh yeah, I forgot..

[delicatessen lama Posted Jul 18th 2010 8:32PM]

Pain Gun = Potentially Good.
War = Bad.
Civilian Casualties = Bad.
Your country's soldiers dead = Bad.
Politicians = Mostly Bad.
Religion = Bad, more harm than good.
Enemy Checkpoints in your country = Bad.
Enemy Patrols in your country = Bad.
Defending your country = Good.
Abusing your power = Bad.
People that downrank this = Bad.
Old men getting the young killed = Bad.
Imprisoning your enemies rather than killing them = Bad.
Becoming the most feared country = Bad.
Political Propaganda = Bad.
Tabloids = Bad.
Helping other countries stop fighting = Good.
Spending more money on your army than on the wellbeing of your people = Bad.
Arguing that spending that much is defending the wellbeing of your people = Plausible.

Summary:
In war nobody wins, but sometimes it is necessary, which is not good as you can see.

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[John Doe Posted Jul 18th 2010 11:10PM]

So is this the same device that was burning people?

[dnlpalestina Posted Jul 19th 2010 1:42AM]

This is sad!!! A weapon is not a gadget!!! why am i reading this kind of stuff in here???

[MoFoQ Posted Jul 19th 2010 1:45AM]

millimeter wave you say....so...in essence...all one needs to reflect that wave back is a satellite dish....(or the solar death ray from Mythbusters)

[toddjy Posted Jul 19th 2010 2:28AM]

I love it when people complain when their loved one is shot and killed with a taser during the committing of a criminal act. You would rather have him/her shot with lead?

[xslavic Posted Jul 19th 2010 6:54AM]

it could be good to implement this in the SECURITY SERVICES's weapons ,it will do so much good to the Humanity