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Video of the Pentagon’s Newest Weapon

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By James W. Crawley, Media General News Service

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Published: Fri, October 26, 2007 - 3:50 pm
Last Updated: Fri, October 26, 2007 - 6:07 pm

QUANTICO, Va. - I stood up against the invisible "heat ray" for a good three seconds before succumbing to the hot blast.
I could have lasted longer ... maybe five seconds ... but my reflexes took over and I involuntarily stepped away from the beam of radio waves.
Several journalists, military officials and others joined me as guinea pigs for a demonstration here of the Active Denial System, a prototype of a non-lethal weapon meant to stop and deter insurgents and enemies from attacking U.S. troops.
The military's newest weapon doesn't shoot bullets, fire missiles or drop bombs.
But, at 500 yards or more, it can heat up an attacker's skin hot enough for him to turn and run.
It's no "death ray" or Star Trek "phaser," but the Active Denial System could be the first directed-energy weapon on a battlefield.
And, the battlefield likely will be Iraq -- maybe early next year.
Col. Kirk Hymes, head of the Joint Non-Lethal Weapons Directorate, said Marines have asked for the weapon, which is just a prototype now, to help deter insurgents in Iraq from attacking checkpoints and fixed bases.
For the past year, the Air Force has been testing it at Moody Air Force Base, Ga. After additional testing, a final legal review and a sign-off by Defense Secretary Robert Gates, the prototype could be Iraq-bound, Hymes said.
An improved version could be fielded as early as 2010, he added.
The Marine colonel said ADS gives troops a wider range of options in dealing with potential enemies when civilians are nearby.
Currently, troops can shout at adversaries or shoot them with rubber or metal bullets.
"There needs to be a choice between shouting and shooting," Hymes said. "This is effective, it's safe and we think there's some relevant uses (on the battlefield)," Hymes said.
Mounted on a military truck, it looks more like a radar antenna than a weapon.
But, a 100,000-watt transmitter inside sends a highly focused beam of extremely high frequency radio waves. Using a TV camera to aim, an operator can center the beam on a single person.
At the speed of light, it heats up the top layer of skin with the intensity of an oven. Unlike a microwave that can penetrate deep into food or tissue, the heat ray warms just the skin.
During a demonstration at Quantico this week, the heat ray was aimed at role-playing Marines, military officials and a troop of reporters willing to get zapped for a story.
On a rifle range, 700 yards from the truck-mounted ADS, Marines playing "protesters" tossed yellow tennis balls at other Marines protecting a simulated roadblock. A blast from the heat ray scattered the protesters.
In one-on-one matches against the heat ray, most reporters lasted only a split second before scurrying away like skittish dogs.
I was determined to stay as long as possible.
Without warning, a flash of light or a bang, the nerves in my skin screamed "fire!"
I grimaced. Tried to count off the seconds in my mind. Tried not to move.
But, I failed. After a few seconds, I hurried toward some orange traffic cones marking the safety zone. The heat abated.
The biggest surprise was the quickness of the heating effect. One second, a cold mist chilled my body. In a blink, my skin felt like I had been thrust into an oven.
Just as suddenly, the heat turned off.
Since I had been shivering in the October weather, I asked for another blast -- this time with my back turned -- so I could warm up. But, they declined my request.
My face stayed warm for a minute or so afterwards.
The weapon, said Air Force physiologist Stephanie Miller, creates a "repel response" that causes people to run.
"There's a safety margin between run away and injury," she said.
More than 600 people have endured nearly 11,000 test firings of the ADS, and only eight suffered second-degree burns -- blistering. Only two required medical attention.
Military doctors have determined that it doesn't cause eye injuries, cancer or birth defects.
Pentagon lawyers have reviewed the research and determined ADS doesn't violate laws and treaties on the use of weapons.
The Pentagon has spent about 12 years developing the idea.
So far, $60 million has been spent on the project. Another $9 million is budgeted for the next two years.
But, the heat ray has collected heat from some human rights activists.
"In general, Human Rights Watch supports non-lethal weapons," said Marc Garlasco, the group's senior military analyst. "Our concern has been the lack of communications, the total secrecy."
The organization is concerned about the legality, medical testing and possible misuse of ADS, he said.
But, he added, the veil of secrecy about ADS has opened.
The Pentagon showed off the weapon to Garlasco and others recently.
After being exposed to the heat ray, he said, "Three seconds is about all I want to see of that thing."
Conceding there was a deterrence factor, Garlasco said ADS has limited applications on the battlefield.
"It's not a panacea," he added.
He's not passing judgment until he's seen more medical test results and legal reviews.
"This is the beginning of the dialogue," Garlasco said.

E-mail James W. Crawley, national correspondent for Media General News Service, at jcrawley@mediageneral.com.

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