Military ray gun: is it a laser?

[luvlasers]

Been reading articles in the last week or so about non lethal ray gun that the US military is testing.

The latest link i've found is http://www.military.com/NewsContent/0,13319,123278,00.html?ESRC=dod-b.nl

At first it sounds like an IR laser but that does not make sense.

Any idea if this is laser based? If so, what kind of laser do you think it is?

Haha ideal for cleaning out bars at closing time:laughing:

 

[jmw19]

Nope, not a laser. It's millimeter-wave frequencies, which fall in the radio spectrum. From the photo, I'm pretty sure it's not even a MASER, the microwave equivalent of a laser. Looks like a microwave emitter in the smaller disk, bouncing the beam off the larger dish to focus the beam and add range.

Now, the laser rifle Stavatti submitted to the Army - look up TIS-1 - that's interesting. Thermal pumped gas laser powered by a Polonium radioisotope cell. Of course, it's still on the drawing board, but there's got to be other ways to make man-portable, lethal laser systems. It's only a matter of time.

 

[shoe]

I saw that on the news. Right away "microwave oven" came to mind.
The link you send says it uses "millimeter waves".

A quick look at the EM Spectrum shows that to be between Infrared and Microwave so it basically cooks the victim. I can't wait for the pocket version!

 

[liveforphysics]

TIS-1 is a very funny hoax.

http://www.defensereview.com/352003/TIS1.pdf


Gas dynamic lasers are definately real, and definately powerful, but this elaborately drafted plan is certianly a hoax.

The whole "stavatti" company is just a hoax. No such thing exists, but they sure spent a lot of time on the hoax.

Might want to check this out for a good laugh as well.

http://www.military.com/soldiertech/0,14632,Soldiertech_DREAD,,00.html

Another of those looks good at a glance from the general public type gags.

And like the laser spoof, it is baised from selected real principals, yet comical with its talk of no recoil and not mentioning the 55MW power requirements or gyroscopic effect on bearing load.

Great for giggles