Now on Offer in London:
Crowd Control, War of the Worlds-Style

Silent Guardian by Raytheon / Active Denial System

DAVID ROBERTSON / The Times (UK) 10sep2007

The ray gun has been a staple of science fiction since HG Wells’s The War of the Worlds, but fantasy is now reality as the first heat-ray weapon goes on display in London this week.

Raytheon, the American defence company, is hoping to find customers for its Silent Guardian system, developed as a form of non-lethal crowd control, which will be shown at the Defence Systems and Equipment International (DSEi) exhibition, the world’s largest arms fair, at the Excel centre in Docklands, East London.

The weapon emits a wave of energy that vaporises skin moisture, causing an intense burning sensation. Ministry of Defence (MoD) officials will be invited to place their hands in front of the machine’s ray and experience what its maker describes as “intolerable” pain.

A Raytheon marketing brochure explains: “The system’s antenna emits a focused beam of millimetre-wave energy. The beam travels at the speed of light and penetrates the skin to a depth of 1/64th of an inch, producing an intolerable heating sensation that causes the targeted individuals to instinctively flee or take cover.”

Raytheon envisages that the ray gun will be deployed for crowd-control and peacekeeping missions. It said that the machine had been certified by Guinness World Records as the first heat-ray gun.

The weapon is shaped like a satellite dish and can be mounted on a van or on a security checkpoint. It emits a beam of electromagnetic radiation up to half a kilometre, which causes water particles in the skin to vibrate, creating a burning sensation equivalent to touching an oven ring.

Raytheon insists that the gun does not cause any physical harm unless a victim is exposed to the ray for a sustained period.

Anti-arms industry campaigners are opposed to Raytheon promoting the system in Britain. Symon Hill, a spokesman for the Campaign Against Arms Trade, said: “The Silent Guardian sounds like a dictator’s dream – a weapon to suppress dissent and protest.”

Raytheon began work on the raygun in 1993 when 19 US soldiers were killed in Mogadishu, Somalia. The troops were trying to withdraw from the city and were surrounded by thousands of civilians and armed militia.

A Raytheon spokesman said that a heat-ray gun would have given the troops the ability to clear streets without using lethal force.

Despite the claims that the heat ray is harmless, the American military so far has rejected calls for it to be deployed in Iraq. There are still concerns about how the weapon affects eyes or contact lenses worn by those coming into contact with it.

The Silent Guardian will be just one of thousands of weapons and pieces of military equipment on display at the controversial show, which is a rare opportunity for leaders in the global defence industry to meet. Antiarms trade protesters are planning a campaign outside Exel, which effectively will become a high-security military base for the four days of the show.

An estimated 1,350 firms will be exhibiting at DSEi, including the big British and American companies. There will also be arms businesses from Russia, China and Israel.

Howard Wheeldon, a defence analyst with BGC Partners in London, said: “Defence exports are very important to the UK economy, improving our balance of trade by about £5 billion a year and employing over 65,000 people. It is also something we happen to be good at and DSEi is an important showcase.

source: 27sep2007

Silent Guardian™ Protection System

Less-than-Lethal Directed Energy Protection

From Raytheon Online Brochure

Silent Guardian™ Protection System saves lives, stops aggressors, protects assets and is proven safe.

Benefits

• Provides a zone of protection that saves lives and protects assets
• Minimizes collateral damage
• Provides real-time ability to establish intent and de-escalate aggression
• Does not cause physical harm; prevents injury and death
• Provides precise effects at a longer range than current less-than-lethal systems
• Fills the gap between shout and shoot

Silent Guardian™ Protection System employs millimeter wave technology to repel individuals without causing injury. This capability enables users to stop, deter and turn back adversaries without the use of lethal force. The system also disrupts an assailant’s ability to effectively use a weapon. Silent Guardian provides extraordinary tactical ability to control outbreaks of violence, minimize collateral damage and ultimately saves lives.

The system’s antenna emits a focused beam of millimeter wave energy. The beam travels at the speed of light and penetrates the skin to a depth of 1/64 of an inch, producing an intolerable heating sensation that causes the targeted individuals to instinctively flee or take cover. The sensation ceases immediately when an individual moves out of the beam or the operator steers the beam away. Silent Guardian does not cause injury because of the shallow penetration depth of the millimeter wave. Substantial government testing has been conducted to characterize the effects of millimeter waves on the human body. These tests have confirmed the technology’s safety and have established there is a significant margin between safe and harmful exposure levels.

The system can be operated across a broad range of scenarios, including maritime and desert environments. Silent Guardian has been sealed for dust and supports operations in conditions up to 125 degrees Fahrenheit ambient. The antenna is capable of sustaining multiple bullet holes with minimum system performance degradation and is also protected from environmental damage caused by rain, dust and salt fog. Silent Guardian is easily transportable on standard military tactical vehicles and can also be integrated into combat vehicles. The system’s magazine is only limited by fuel availability. Silent Guardian is designed, developed and manufactured by Raytheon Company. Raytheon is the only company producing this millimeter wave capability. The system is available now and ready for action.

Silent Guardian™ Specifications 

			 Height   Width   Length   Weight
AC/DC Converter 	 65 in 	  45 in   74 in    3,870 lb
Transmitter Unit 	 95 in    83 in   94 in    6,440 lb
Transmitter with Antenna 136 in (level)
			 147 in (maximum inteference)
Antenna 45 in2

System Characteristics

Range:
• Greater than 250 meters*

Targeting:
• Stationary firing position with 360-degree coverage
• Integrated sensors with joystick control
• Single-man operation

System Setup:
• Automatic target tracking
• Modular architecture
• Secure antenna stabilization platform – able to operate in 40 mph winds

Mission Profile:
• Less than 2-second retargeting capability
• Shoot-and-scoot capability
• Less than 2 seconds to switch from standby mode to armed

Contractor Support:
Complete logistics support package available 
to include:
• Return and repair maintenance
• System training
• Web-enabled supply support
• Supports Army two-level maintenance system

*The Joint Non-Lethal Weapons Directorate has stated that the long-range active denial systems (ADS) are effective beyond small-arms range, typically up to 500 meters.

The Raytheon-funded mid-range Silent Guardian ADTS’ range is greater than 250 meters.

source: 27sep2007