Non Lethal weapons – an urgent need

Non Lethal weapons – an urgent need

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What might happen on the border-line fence in the Golan Heights immediately after 4501975_sthe Assad regime will fall is a nightmare scenario.

For some now the IDF is examining a series of new defense equipment to disperse demonstrations and riots. These are modern means with which to disperse hundreds and thousands of demonstrators or, for this reason – cross borders, without the need of using lethal force. 

Israel’s MOD is examining, for example, frequency noise generators that create pain in the ears. MOD admits that the defense should get approval that there are no health hazards when using such a system before it is allowed and used.

Israel also finds interest in a system that is being developed in the United States – a pain beam that paralyzes the target by causing unbearable pain. The development is part of an effort to solve the problem of handling a lot of wild and violent protesters without using firearms. The Pentagon revealed last year the new development –a system sending electronic beam at the demonstrators that will cause them burns similar to the burns felt by contact with a hot object.

The system was developed in the laboratory of the U.S. Air Force in New Mexico, as part of an overall effort to develop “no kill” weapons, for the use of American units participating in international peacekeeping tasks.

According to the developers, the electron beam penetrates only a few millimeters under the skin and therefore does not make any permanent damage, but only a locally painful burning sensation in the skin.

The U.S. military has performed experiments with the pain beam on animals but the results were published, very likely because no one wanted to upset the animal rights groups in the U.S.

i-HLS ISRAEL Homeland Security

So far, approximately $ 40 million dollars were invested in the project and it is expected to become operational in the next few years.

Israeli MOD deals these days with classification of the expected bizarre suggestions to disperse demonstrations. No one is willing to say what is under examination at the moment but we can understand the overall direction of the effort is to get the protesters to retreat and disperse without physical confrontation.

Riot experts say that only means for remote crowd control could prevent thousands of injuries and possibly casualties.

It is possible that the changes in Syria are expected to accelerate the processes of selection and procurement of modern means to disperse demonstrations. Too bad it was not done so far from the wrong perception that it would not be necessary.

By: Arie Egozi

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