Military Advancement- A safe ray-gun?

A technology that immediately comes to mind in support of military is the Active Denial System (ADS), referred to as a ray gun on a recent feature on 60 Minutes on CBS. The ADS is a non-lethal millimeter-wave transmitter designed to subdue unruly crowds. The technology works by targeting high-frequency microwave radiation at 95 GHz toward the subjects. The waves from the ADS targets the water molecules in the epidermis (outside layer of the skin) to around 130, 135 degrees Celsius causing a sensation of pain until those targeted get out of range of the device. As long as it’s being used properly, it causes no harm to your body- an amazing technological improvement of crowd control from the horrific images of riots in our nation’s history where guns were used, as well as enormous water-hoses. The goal of military campaigns is to defeat the enemy while limiting collateral damage, and as seen in an e-mail profiled in the 60 minutes feature. (http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/02/29/60minutes/main3891865.shtml) “Twenty civilians were killed in April 2003 when soldiers from the 82nd Airborne fired on threatening crowds in Fallujah. That prompted an e-mail to the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff from a senior military scientist who knew what the ray gun could do. "I am convinced that the tragedy at Fallujah would not have occurred if an Active Denial System had been there," the e-mail read.” If threatening crowds can be subdued without using lethal force, then we as a society have a reached an amazing breakthrough of technology in how militaristic campaigns are operated for centuries to come.

There are several catalysts for this technology, but I’ll just try to document the major ones. If large crowds can be subdued without using lethal force, then that is a huge benefit for crowd control for centuries to come. This technology can be used to clear ways for military operations to flow through a location without using force, limiting un-necessary casualties. Before the ADS system, the longest range in the world for non-lethal crowd control were sponge grenades, which had a maximum distance of 50 yards. The ADS has range to just over 550 yards, and has no chance for a lethal strike- sponge grenades have been known to be lethal and caused some permanent damage when used improperly- distances closer than 10 meters. The last great catalyst to this technology and how it’s going to play such a role in years to come is that it has such great accuracy; it can be controlled to fire at several different sizes of crowds and be monitored to extend how far the blasts go. This directs the unruly crowd where the users of the ADS want to go, and the success rate is 100% of getting people to move out of the striking zone- this technology is a huge breakthrough.

Unfortunately, no different from all technologies, there are corrosions. When used improperly it can deter greatly with what the ADS was designed for- non-lethal crowd control. Extended use of the ADS on someone’s body could eventually lead to lasting burns and eventual death, so if this technology got in the wrong hands it can be used extremely effectively as a device of torture. If it were to get into the wrong hands, it can also be used to neutralize defenses to terrorist attack, thus leaving room open for terrorists, enemy combatants, criminals, etc. to take out the American armies. Slight adjustments can be made to the severity and range of the attack of the ADS, into which it can become a death ray of sorts- it all depends on how the technology is used. Ultimately, despite the enormous success rate of getting crowds to go where they want to go, therein lies a huge problem- further angering the mob because they can’t advance to where they want to go. This could lead to terrorist attacks, more ammunition for people to be infuriated with the current system. All technologies have catalysts and corrosions, it all depends on how the technology is used- if used properly, this military technology will be a part of history for years to come.