U.S. Marines could deploy the non-lethal weapon if it proves viable
Posted 01.20.2010 at 2:45 pm
18 Comments
EMP Cannon
This skewed perspective shows a presumably older version of Eureka Aerospace's EMP car-stopper.
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Stopping a speeding car without killing its driver and passengers with traditional means--bullets--can prove tricky, even if skilled snipers can put a disabling shot in a car's engine block. But a Canadian company could soon demo an electromagnetic pulse (EMP) cannon capable of effectively scrambling a car's chips and other electronics, according to Flight International. The U.S. Marines have lined up as possible, if skeptical, customers.
Eureka Aerospace's system consists of a suitcase-sized antenna that weighs roughly 50-55lbs, and can supposedly stop cars in their tracks up to 656 feet (200 m) away. That disabling power only works for more modern cars that rely upon microprocessors and various electronics for their engine, as opposed to pre-1970s cars.
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Technology, Jeremy Hsu, air force, automobiles, car-stopping, cars, electromagnetic pulse, emp, emp cannon, marines, non-lethalWe previously examined more unusual EMP applications include cutting steel in 200 milliseconds. The potentially tank-crushing power has so far only found usage in manufacturing, given the bulkiness of that particular EMP device. And we were talking about non-lethal uses, right?
Regardless of which way the military leans on the EMP cannon, our own Future Of on the Science Channel got a personal demo with the EMP cannon earlier. Take a look here:
[via Flight International]
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what happens if it hits a pace-maker?
@Thumper_DS: I think you would hear the words "Mr. Chaney your pacemaker needs to be replaced"
Wow, only took the a decade to catch up this time.
I bet within a week the taliban will be using older diesel vehicles which will be immune to this !
Size of a handgun in 5 years? I doubt it.
What would this puppy do to a detonator?
judgedead
The Taliban will be using even older technology than old diesels to counter this. They're called mules and sandals for walking.
handgun size in 5yrs doesnt seem that far fetched to me. and the uses of this device are infinite (on both sides of the law). this could be excellent for the good guys, but the bad guys are gunna like em too....i wouldnt mind having a handgun sized one myself when available 5-20yrs down the road.
It would be great to stop tailgaters and drivers on their cell phones.
Hmmm..... or the Taliban buys the stolen plans makes one and begin to shoot American Helicopters out of the Sky
That would be a bummer wouldn't it.....
can you disable an EMP canon with an EMP canon?
@ste3v3 that's almost metaphysical.
@Science123456789... Turns out all US military equipment is built hardened to EMP, as a result of the scare from EMP during the cold war days. One of these wouldn't even come close to taking down a military aircraft.
How convenient, huh?...
But then couldn't every one else make their equipment hardened to EMP?
Just wondering
since many IED's are triggered with cell phones, could this be used to disable them? How controlled is the pulse? can it be focused, or is it wide area? can you imagine stopping a high speed chase on the freeway and not only stopping the bad guys, but everyone around them too?
@ste3v3: Sounds like it could work. Also sounds like a new cold war is on the horizon. Whoever pushes the proverbial big red button first would win.
And I know: the French never win a war.
But then couldn't every one else make their equipment hardened to EMP?
http://burnwiigames.org
A more pressing concern could be that a EMP cannon could potentialy be powerfull enough to scramble electrical impulses in the brain. prolonged exposure to a powerful enough concurrent electromagnetic wave could result in brain death.
This could be counter productive to troops in the field without proper protection.