Weapons of fiction, now a reality

Active Denial mounted on its main heavy carrier

Smaller mobile unit of Active Denial

The idea of using invisible rays to inflict pain and/or disable an opponent has long been a favourite theme for thriller and science fiction writers and audiences alike. However such a device or system has been moving through the concept phase to active development for three decades. A prototype was in fact developed for the United States Air Force as far back as the year 2000. Using millimetre waves (which are described as very short wavelength microwaves) with a frequency of 95 gigahertz, the effects penetrate only the outer 0.4 millimetres of skin. The effect however is dramatic and is described as impossible to resist. The United States has spent around $120 million on these devices which are named Active Denial and have progressively been reduced in size from the enormous 7.5 tonnes to military versions which can be mounted on smaller vehicles. Active Denial resembles a large flat antenna dish mounted on the back of a small truck and has a beam diameter of 2 metres with a range of several hundreds of metres in distance. It fires in bursts of 3 to 5 seconds duration. With civilian versions now being developed for deployment with police forces, the obvious question is one of public safety and potential misuse. The deployment of military technology in connection with civilian matters and public order  is usually controversial with the risk of unintended consequences such as injury and/or political repression. Active Denial is a  new device and its potential effects are still relatively unknown. It should remain in limited use until the proven safety and appropriateness of deployment in civilian settings has been effectively demonstrated.