NATO Laser Weapon Source: TRUTH IN MEDIA September 10, 1997
PHOENIX - The message we received on Sept. 10 (enclosed
below) from a TiM reader was prompted by our recent Balkan affairs
stories. It looks like the Serb civilians in Bosnia may be about to
become the guinea pigs for a field test of a newfangled laser
technology which attaches to an M16, a standard NATO assault rifle:
There is a local company, SEA (don't know what it stands
for), which has been working on a device which attaches to the M16
rifle, much the same as a grenade launcher, under the barrel. This
device is about the same size as a small OJ concentrate can and
attaches basically where the bayonet lug is. Replaces the M79 GL.
This device has two switches on it.
The first switch is On/Off and is pretty straight
forward-this is how you turn it on and off.
The second switch has three positions: AIM, TEMP,
BLIND. (may be labeled differently, but the function is correct).
The device is a laser. In the first position of the
selector switch, you get a nice little red dot used for aiming the
M16. The second position turns the power up on the laser and if the
laser hits your eyes, you get temporarily blinded, it lasts anywhere
from 15 minutes to a day depending upon how long the target is
exposed. The third position will blind the target permanently. (Ever
wondered why the FCC bans aiming of a laser at a vehicle.)
What is most interesting, this device just started
deploying recently(within the last year or so). And, insiders at SEA
indicate, one of the chief engineers of the product has been issued a
plane ticket to fly to Bosnia for yet unannounced reasons.
Speculation is that maybe there is a problem or maybe
they want some first hand instruction, but the device is deployed.
Now here is MY speculation, Bosnia is mainly a "civil
disobiedence" at this time. Maybe the brass is going to find out how
to use it on some other population and then..... [deploy it on
Americans at home?] Of course you guys in Phoenix wouldn't know
anything about (the) martial law, yet, huh?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
September 11, 1997
Another military source has verified the validity of the
above information. Here is what a relatively recently U.S. Army
retiree wrote:
The weapon is functionally as stated by your TiM reader.
It was being highly touted at the time I was leaving the military as a
"humane" method of "riot control."
The only defensive protection is sight protection.
Fortunately, it is available commercially. Anyone who services the
high tech laser industry would be a supplier.
In an emergency, "chrome" sunglasses, like the old
California Highway Patrol type, will do the job at the lower settings.
Laser is simply amplified light, and any reflective surface will
disperse it. The more reflective the better, the thicker the coating
the better.
Another method is to use fogging; preferably something
containing easily suspended glassine particles. Something available
locally might be white fibreglass. Water fogging will also work very
well. ANYTHING to refract, diffuse, absorb, or reflect light.
Another defensive tactic to know is that laser light can
be easily seen, if only momentarily. If detected through fog or mist,
those at a slight angle to the impact of the ray can bring fire upon
the general vicinity and to the rear of the source.
The AIM switch is the lowest calibration, used for
"Zero-ing" the device to the sight alignment of the individual weapon.
At a distance of 35m, the soldier aligns his weapon
sights front sight post, seen through the rear sight aperature with
the center mass or specific point of the target calibration unit.
Since the individual weapon is already "zeroed," the newly installed
laser attachment needs to be in alignment as well. When the soldier
finds his target using his conventional sights, his option is to fire
the weapon or the laser, via a separate triggering device close to the
M16A1/A2 trigger.
Just a small clarification; the M203A1 is the Grenade
Launcher which attaches to the M16A1 / M16A2. The M79 is a hand-held
grenade launcher, which is still in the inventory, but is NOT attached
or attachable to the M16A1 / M16A2.
As it appears the weapon is deployed, there will be
information available under the FOI Act. DOD and Dept. of the Army
will have FM's (Field Manuals) and TM's (Technical Manuals) already
published. The only thing that will be restricted are tactical and
deployment information manuals.
by Bob Djurdjevic
bobdj@djurdjevic.com
Phoenix, Arizona