NEWS: Plasma Rifles and Stun Rays

GEEK: Plasma Rifles and Stun Rays

Weapons more often attributed to science-fiction novels, but no longer limited to them, will be making a slow debut over the next several years. While most of them are still in concept or development phase - such as a muscle-freezing laser gun - several companies under military contracts have plans to test-run weapons such as the Active Denial System - a joint effort between Air Force research laboratories and Raytheon, a defense systems contractor - in military deployment situations by 2005.

Looking not far off into the future, two companies are developing directed-energy rifles for the Marines. One company, Xtreme Alternative Defense Systems, will send electrical charges through a stream of plasma. Another, HSV Technologies, plans to use an ultra-violet laser beam in place of ionized gas.

Both weapons would produce a similar effect, and would work on electronics as well as human beings.

Some are concerned about the potential abuse of such weaponry, such as using the weapons for non-lethal torture devices. Others “believe the use of directed energy will be limited by international law and treaties.”

Defending the research, military officials have said that strict rules will govern the use of such weapons.

Another concern is possible medical side-effects as a result of using such weapons. Dominique Loye of the International Committee of the Red Cross , for example, has been pushing the government to release test data on voluntary subjects hit by the ADS.

Whatever happens…lasers and stun rays? Cool factor ten.

I think that may even exceed cool factor ten, and go right into hypercool.

So much awesome....

Fallout, best PC RPG ever...

Very interesting stuff. It certainly merits a cool factor ten.

Dueling bowel disrupters in the town square at noon. I'm nearly shitting myself in anticipation.

Sounds interesting..there could be some wonderful spin-off industry inventions from these weapons. But yea, we need to look at the long terms effects phsycologically and physcially and not just developed these arms through zapping chickens.

I can't wait for my Lightsaber™.

Was that the one like Wasteland, with the top view and the menus and the psycho clowns?

I LOVED that game.

This could be the answer to the movie theatre problem mentioned in another thread.

It certainly would be the answer, come to think of it. Where do we get to sign up for these things?

You know... ONCE THE FUSION Cannon Happens....My plans for World Domination will be complete.... *laughs maniacally like MEGATRON*

i think it was either based on or heavily influenced by it. i just can't wait to kick the sand dunes in my electric motorcycle and junk spear.

will the post-apocalypse just hurry up already?

"Shut the fuck up, stupid kid!"

*zot*

Kid: "Gnya-gnya-gnya-gurble...." *thump*

creepy as f@ck.

but cool too, yes.

yeah but you'll still need a snarky fighter plane to aim and fire you once you transform

no. i only feel a mild discomfort.

Damnit, it was set for muffin. We'll try a stronger setting, baked potato.

Another victory for the Military-Industrial Complex!

*Invites hippies to suck it*



*Hippies don't seem to go for it, return to hacky sack*

[Edited on Aug 03, 2004 by Extreme_Akim]

Reality TV and/or Japanese game shows.

dude, DO NOT let japanese game shows get a hold of one of these.

wait, on second thought...do.

Sadly, I expect the ADS (microwaves that make your skin feel like it is on fire) will be used for torture maybe twenty minutes after the first batch gets deployed. Mostly by non-Americans who get hold of black-market weapons, but in due time by US forces. It's not an indictment of the USA, it's just the way technology and human nature works.

They missed a few others. The Airborn Laser Theatre Defense is approaching deployment. Big chemical laser in a 747 with an optical turret mounted in the nose. If it works as designed it can knock down scuds over a region maybe fifty or a hundred miles across. And aircraft. And ground targets. Basically, anything that gets within range on a clear day is toast.

And the Navy is looking to develop railguns for ship defense. Electric powered, with a muzzle velocity of Mach 6. I think the primary mission is short-range anti-aicraft, but I wouldn't put it past them to figure out how to launch shells at ground targets as well.

The future is so bright . . .

So not cool. They're obviously going to be used for torture and other really bad purposes. And then ten years later we'll find out they cause cancer.