U.S. could use energy weapons in Iraq next year
Thu Sep 8, 2005
NEW YORK, Sept 8 (Reuters) - U.S. forces could be less than a year away from using energy beam weapons against insurgents in Iraq and Afghanistan, a Department of Defense official said on Thursday.
The U.S. Army says it wants the short-range, nonlethal "directed energy" weapons to help deal with crowds and warn suspects in close situations without immediately resorting to gunfire.
The weapons project an invisible beam of energy through millimeter waves -- smaller than radio waves or microwaves -- causing a burning sensation and disabling but not killing the victim. The Department of Defense is hoping the weapons will lessen damage to buildings and prevent unnecessary civilian casualties.
The weapons have been developed by U.S. defense contractor Raytheon Co. (RTN.N: Quote, Profile, Research), which delivered a prototype to the Defense Department earlier this year.
While development of the weapons has received federal funding, it's too soon to tell how profitable the project might be.
The weapons are to be integrated into a range of new high-tech systems that are being mounted on a Stryker combat vehicle, which is made by General Dynamics Corp. (GD.N: Quote, Profile, Research)
The Defense Department aims to produce a full prototype vehicle by December and test up to three of those vehicles in Iraq or Afghanistan by next summer, "if everything falls into place," said the Defense Department official, who asked not to be named.
The development of the new range of weapon systems -- code-named Project Sheriff -- is being overseen by the Defense Department's Office of Force Transformation, which was created to introduce new technology to the U.S. military.
"This system will protect U.S. and allied warfighters operating in dangerous urban settings while reducing the number of civilian casualties," Mike Booen of Raytheon said in a statement on Thursday.
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