Katana VentraIP

Dazzler (weapon)

A dazzler is a non-lethal weapon which uses intense directed radiation to temporarily disorient its target with flash blindness. They can effectively deter further advances, regardless of language or cultural barriers, but can also be used for hailing and warning.[1] Targets can include electronic sensors as well as human vision.[2]

Initially developed for military use, non-military products are becoming available for use in law enforcement and security.[3][4]

Design[edit]

Dazzlers emit infrared light against various electronic sensors and visible light against humans. They are intended not to cause long-term damage to eyes. The emitters are usually lasers, making what is termed a laser dazzler. Most of the contemporary systems can be carried by a person, and operate in either the red (a laser diode) or green (a diode-pumped solid-state laser, DPSS) areas of the electromagnetic spectrum. The green laser is chosen for its unique ability to react with the human eye.[5] Dazzlers maintain eye safety by producing diverging light that is less coherent (focused) than typical lasers. This produces a larger, less concentrated spot at greater distances which is easier to aim at longer distances and retains the desired effect on targets.[6]

Countermeasures[edit]

One defense against laser dazzlers are narrowband optical filters tuned to the frequency of the laser. To counter such defense, dazzlers can employ emitters using more than one wavelength, or tunable lasers with wider range of output.[14] Another defense is photochromic materials able to become opaque under high light energy densities. Nonlinear optics techniques are being investigated: e.g. vanadium-doped zinc telluride (V:ZnTe) can be used to form electro-optic power limiters able to selectively block the intense dazzler beam without affecting weaker light from an observed scene.

LE Systems, under the sponsorship of , developed a dazzler based on a DPSS laser, with green light output at 532 nm, essentially a higher-intensity version of a green laser pointer. 532 nm light interacts with human eyes well in both daylight and reduced light conditions.[5]

DARPA

B.E. Meyers & Co. produces several dazzlers, including the GLARE LA-9/P, GLARE MOUT, GLARE RECOIL LA-22/U, and GLARE HELIOS. The GLARE RECOIL and GLARE HELIOS dazzlers utilize built-in safety mechanisms to prevent eye damage by pairing the dazzler with a rangefinder; the dazzler will self-modulate power output with respect to range to target so the closer the target, the lower the output and the farther the target, the greater the output. As a result the maximum safe laser intensity output is utilized without risking ocular damage.[16][17] The older GLARE LA-9/P variant includes a rangefinder and an automatic cutoff failsafe but does not have automated modulation capability.[18] Effective range for the various GLARE dazzlers ranges from 400 m to 20+ km. Despite having the greatest effective range of 5 to 25+ km, the GLARE HELIOS is classified as an FDA Laser safety#Class 1M eye-safe laser.[19][20][16][15]

[15]

The Guardian, Dazer Laser Stealth, and "Dazer Laser Defender" by Laser Energetics, Inc. are different types of optical distraction laser systems which can temporarily visually impair, illuminate, target designate, warn and/or communicate visually with the intended target.

Dazer Laser

The Saber 203 dazzler is a grenade launcher based system. It is similar to the -developed optical munition, Project Perseus. The dazzler is launched from a standard 40 mm grenade launcher and activated via a control switch to induce glare. The U.S. Marine Corps brought Saber 203 dazzlers to Somalia in January 1995 during Operation United Shield, but senior U.S. Department of Defense officials reportedly halted its experimental use at the last minute for "humane reasons".[21] According to the Air Force, the Saber 203 system is also usable for law enforcement purposes.[2]

LANL

The JD-3 laser dazzler is mounted on the Chinese main battle tank. It is coupled with a laser radiation detector, and serves as a countermeasure by automatically aiming at any enemy's illuminating laser designator, attempting to overwhelm its optical systems or blind the operator.

Type 98

The Portable Laser Disturber is a Chinese electro-optic countermeasure laser device. It can blind enemy troops at up to 2 to 3 km range and temporarily blind them at up to 10 km range. This weapon is banned by the 1995 United Nations Protocol on Blinding Laser Weapons.

ZM-87

The Photonic Disruptor, classified as a laser (TALI), was developed and manufactured by Wicked Lasers in cooperation with Xtreme Alternative Defense Systems. This tactical laser is equipped with a versatile focus-adjustable collimating lens to compensate for range and power intensity when used at close range to incapacitate an attacker, at a distance to safely identify threats. The Photonic Disruptor has been featured on Discovery Channel's "Future Weapons." It was also reportedly used by Sea Shepherd Conservation Society during their operations with the Ady Gil in the Southern Ocean against Japanese whaling.[22]

threat assessment

The Outfit DEC or Laser Dazzle Sight (LDS) is a British ship-based laser. The utilizes ultraviolet light and is designed to dazzle by causing fluorescence in the lens of the human eye. There are other such laser weapon systems in development.[2][23][24][25]

veiling-glare laser

Flashbang

Flashlight

Terra-3

List of laser articles

Laser designator

AN/PEQ-1 SOFLAM