Posted on 01/10/2011 1:24:50 PM PST by decimon
Sailors may soon have a weapon in their battle against sea-borne raiders: an anti-pirate laser.
BAE Systems has demonstrated its new laser system, which can temporarily blind would-be attackers.
The system would prevent pirates from being able to aim their weapons at targets, BAE claims.
But further safety testing is needed before such a system could be commercially deployed.
BAE said it has developed a low-cost laser distraction system that can travel through the sea air while being housed onboard a moving ship.
At distances of more than of between 1.2km (0.75 miles) and 1.5km (0.85 miles), the laser beam acts as a warning signal, letting the pirates know they've been spotted, said Brian Hore of BAE.
"Today's pirates tend to be opportunistic. If they know they've been spotted, they're likely to look for an alternative target," he told BBC News.
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Green lasers - which have been shown to interfere with eyesight - have been used by the US military in Iraq and to temporarily blind targets.
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(Excerpt) Read more at bbc.co.uk ...
I see you've been stealing Russian navy defense policy secrets again. Niekulturky!
It won't help 'em against Stingray. And I like the idea of a bunch of blind pirates returning to home port to serve as an example of what happens if you aim anything toward a Stingray-equipped vessel or vehicle.
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