US microwave-weapon tests revealed

US microwave-weapon tests revealed

Edward Hammond, director of the US Sunshine Project - an organisation campaigning against the use of biological and non-lethal weapons - requested details of tests carried out in 2003 and 2004 into the Pentagon's "less-lethal" microwave weapon, under the Freedom of Information Act.

The ADS (Active Denial System) fires a 95-gigahertz microwave beam, and is supposed to heat skin and to cause pain but no physical damage but very little information has been made available about it. According to the Department of Defense a vehicle-mounted version of ADS called Sheriff could be in service in Iraq in 2006, and it is also being evaluated by the US Department of Energy for use in defending nuclear facilities. The US marines and police are working on portable versions, and the US air force is building a system for controlling riots from the air.

Details of US microwave-weapon tests revealed (New Scientist 23 July 2005)