US military unveils heat-ray gun

BBC ^ | Thursday, January 25, 2007 | James Westhead

[tlb]

>>>It appears to me that it makes an easy target for a terrorist with a rocket propelled grenade.

That's not the point. You expect a first generation prototype to be large. Later models will be reduced in size and increased in power assuming the M 1 meets expectations.

Note, what can hurt on a low setting will kill at a high enough setting.

[agere_contra]

Heat-ray? This is a microwave spallation weapon, surely?

[Gorzaloon]

They did try it out on journalists.....

I can hardly wait for them to start the human trials!

[doodad]

I heard this on the radio this morning here. They had audio clips from the miltitary volunteers being "shot." Absolutely hilarious.

Gezz #&*$%^ that hurt!! Son of ^&*(%&^%**(. It was great.

[jwparkerjr]

re: much further than existing non-lethal weapons like rubber bullets

I guess some of the personnel cuts this news organization made to stay viable included the position of copy editor.

The correct word in this sentence is "farther", not "further."

[Jedi Master Pikachu]

Not going to critcize Jame Westhead too much. What separates the two?

[Jedi Master Pikachu]

James.....

[Grig]

Should have called it the Ronald Ray Gun. :)

[AntiGuv]

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[Sensei Ern]

Let's see...50 C...50 x 9 = 450...450 / 5 = 90...90 + 32 = 122.

So, used to control anyone south of the Mason Dixon line will be as much control as a heat wave.

And, it won't work in Iraq, where it may work as an airconditioner, bringing the temp down a few degrees.

Any possibility this was designed to control Ted Nugent when he goes wango tango after finding out Hitlery Clinton is president?

[Sensei Ern]

The semideaf hippies were all for it because they thought it was the, "Hate Reagan".

[farlander]

Exactly. It's definitely gotta be a microwave based weapon. So, hook it up to a large enough energy source, and you have insta-boiled 'insurgents'...erm... 'terrorists'. Can you imagine a focused microwave beam strong enough to boil any water/liquid it hits ? That'd make for a fantastic anti-personell weapon. No ballistics (can't miss, really), direct fire, zero travel time.

[King Prout]

it was down here at Moody, outside of Valdosta.
we cycle a LOT of folks out to the front, which might be why it was unveiled here.

[truemiester]

If they got RPGs you don't need non-leathal weapons. It's gonna be killin' time.