Tuesday, December 22, 2015

Chinese Military Using Blinding Laser Weapons

China’s military has equipped its forces with blinding laser weapons in apparent violation of an international agreement signed by Beijing. “China has been updating its home-made blinding laser weapons in recent years to meet the needs of different combat operations,” the official military newspaper PLA Daily reported Dec. 9.

12 comments:

Fred said...

Without a permit? Huh? That never happens. I guess they aren't banned hard enough. They should ban them again only this time really, really mean it. The Chinese better not go to Chicago with those or they will get in big trouble.
Somewhere in there is an allegory for gun control.

Anonymous said...

They need to be put on "double secret probation".

Chiu ChunLing said...

"In response to numerous incidents of laser pointers being used to illuminate commercial aircraft pilots in flight, the FBI last year launched a campaign offering rewards for people illegally firing laser pointers at aircraft cockpits."

Okay, the entire article is hilarious, especially the part where anyone thought the Chinese would actually honor an international agreement. But this quote was especially funny.

Anonymous said...

Any non-eye safe laser diode is a potential blinding weapon. The laser diode inside a CD player is not eye safe, but is allowed by FDA to be used for that application because it's installed in a sealed unit where there is no way the beam could ever impinge on a human eye ball, and because any laser that was weak enough to be eye safe would not be strong enough for that application.

This is of course a visible laser, but if it were run through an IR filter (technically a visible light filter) it wouldn't be, and because the light is not visible, there is no "blink' response. It is no big feat of electronics engineering to replace the diode in an eye safe laser point with one salvaged from a CD player. Of course, aiming it now requires observation through night vision equipment of some type.

During the Iran/Iraq war of the 1980's, both sides used Russian made laser rangefinders against each other with devastating effect, likewise a Russian spy trawler used one against an observation aircraft, causing permanent eye damage/retinal burns to a crew member.

Since this is "less than lethal", it is not beyond the realm of possibility that we could see such devices used by the government against the likes of armed protesters in a "Bundy Ranch" scenario. Get your laser protective glasses no while they are still legal boys and girls.....

Anonymous said...

I wonder what the power output of those Chinese weapons is (are?)?
For now, you can already buy, over the counter, laser "pointers" up to 2 Watts output power, class 4 (greater than 0.5W). More than enough to blind a JBT (Jack Booted Thug) driving a milsurp MRAP down your street (oops. did I say that?)

B Woodman
III-per

Anonymous said...

The US Military was working on one back in the late 1980, but then thought it was too inhumane to blind someone instead of wounding or killing them. I guess this is more stolen military secrets by the Chinese.

Sedition said...

Hell,I could build one that would blind permanently.
I already have the parts. We may see a new weapon on the battlefield should CW2 begin...

One of the benefits of being a laser tech...they can't take the knowledge away from you.

Anonymous said...

China doesn't have to use them on US Forces, they are already blinded by their paychecks instead of fighting the domestic enemy we have identified at home...

Sign ME, Neal Jensen

Sedition said...

Anonymous @1:14

Before you go out and buy goggles, you should find out what wavelength the lasers being used are. They generally work on a very narrow bandwidth.

IR lasers will damage the back surface of the eye, UV will "sunburn" the surface.

Attempt to stay away from visible wavelengths; with any amount of dust or mist in the air, the beam can be quickly traced back to the source.

Anonymous said...

All measures have countermeasures.

Anonymous said...

You don't know you are blind until you suddenly cant see...Are people REALLY that stupid that they don't get it, you cant defend against a weapon with nor report, no sound and no battlefield exposure or defense against? They could use it with impunity against ANYONE at ANY TIME with no recourse...Blinded people are NO THREAT ever again..its instantaneous and even partial blindness a winning situation for them..

Has science fiction so blinded us to the reality of what this means? Apparently so...as if every one has magically come into laser protective goggles and wear them all the time...People live in their imaginary boxes of understanding with no clue. you don't need megawatt weapons a milliwatt laser designator pen will get the job done as easily as a destroyer mounted one... people don't know jack shit about Lasers, that's obvious. get educated folks.

Sign Me, Neal Jensen

Sedition said...

Neal Jensen

Wow, your anger has blinded you to your own stupidity from the content of your incoherent ramblings.
I would suggest that you either study up a little more on lasers and their various effects or leave the discussion to the big boys.
I can assure you, it is YOU who don't know jack shit about lasers, and THAT is what is obvious.
I have forgotten more about lasers than you have learned.