BAE Systems Develops Non-Lethal Laser to Defend Against Pirate Attacks

[seanfoster]

Well, maybe it's a step in the right direction!

http://www.baesystems.com/Newsroom/NewsReleases/autoGen_111010105948.html

 

[Angele]

I can suggest an improvement. Drop the "non-" bit.

 

[seanfoster]

Quite!

 

[Ubergeekian]

Well, maybe it's a step in the right direction!

http://www.baesystems.com/Newsroom/NewsReleases/autoGen_111010105948.html

How long will it take the pirates to learn to attack with two skiffs? One goes in first to get the laser's attention, the other looks for it and goes in the other side of the funnel. Oh yes, and a few of these:

 

[maxi77]

I can suggest an improvement. Drop the "non-" bit.

Not possible deliberate blinding is against the Geneva convention. I do hope they have improved their standards at Filton, many years ago I was involved in some competitive trials with then and their kit may have been OK in the lab it was useless in the field.

The real question is firstly how much does it cost, special lasers can be very very pricey, and secondly just how close is it to realistic commercial availability.

This sounds a bit like a one off proof of concept demo, at Messybeast speed that would be 5-10 years to real world. Also perhaps some decent sunglasses may be a good countermeasure

 

[davidfox]

How long will it take the pirates to learn to attack with two skiffs? One goes in first to get the laser's attention, the other looks for it and goes in the other side of the funnel. Oh yes, and a few of these:

Apparently it can acquire more than one target at a time - and I would like to see the bloke on the RPG hit a ship wearing those!

It will delay the attack, giving time for the Navy to turn up possibly. The Royal Australian Navy foiled an attack the other week by having a helicopter in the hover over a ship for a few hours whilst they raced back to it, the pirates thought better of it and called it off.

Apparently its not designed to blind - read the article, sounds good.

 

[electrosys]

Apparently it can acquire more than one target at a time

Wot - on both sides of the ship at the same time ?

- and I would like to see the bloke on the RPG hit a ship wearing those!

The top-of-the-range jobs have optically perfect lenses - I can read a book wearing mine, and look straight into the sun (not at the same time, of course). Firing a gun or missile wearing one would be a doddle.

One problem with escalating the technology like this, is that the pirates may also start using lasers - only they won't care if they blind anyone or not.

A couple of heavily-armed vessels rigged as Q-ships, squawking tell-tale AIS info would be the answer - dunno why these are not being deployed.

 

[beserksail]

Pirate sees laser, thinks its a laser sight and opens fire. Clever.

 

[Woodlouse]

I think the idea is that get this laser in your eye and all you can see is the big splodges like you get after looking at the sun, or a light bulb. So the laser can flit between several boats before the targets vision has time to recover.

It would seem that a welding mask would be the ideal countermeasure though, and so the arms race shall continue.

 

[Bosun Higgs]

Not possible deliberate blinding is against the Geneva convention.

The Geneva conventions apply to wars or to armed conflicts between countries. They do not apply to simple criminal acts which is what piracy is.

Having said which any pirates even dazzled by the light will no doubt have the right to come to the UK where the govt will fund a legal claim against itself under the European Human Rights act.

Until we change our legal system the best thing to do is to stay away from the pirate areas.

 

[RichardS]

Having said which any pirates even dazzled by the light will no doubt have the right to come to the UK where the govt will fund a legal claim against itself under the European Human Rights act.

Ain't that the truth

Richard

 

[nimbusgb]

Laser light may not trigger an automatic welding mask.

Next trick will be for the pirates to just fire a laser tracking round right back up the beam!

 

[electrosys]

It would seem that a welding mask would be the ideal countermeasure though,

Plus a handful of shaving mirrors ...
(Visions of pirates with hundreds of used CDs glued to their hulls)

 

[sarabande]

the USAF have a laser which burns holes in missiles. I'd like an infra-red laser to drill holes in the skiff's hulls at beyond AK47 range, or start a small fire in their fuel tanks. Rowing home then become the only choice.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boeing_YAL-1

 

[reginaldon]

I'd be interested to learn how the Saga Rose foiled the latest attempt.

 

[Ubergeekian]

I'd be interested to learn how the Saga Rose foiled the latest attempt.

Passengers showed pictures of their grandchilden, complained about the latest plots of "The Archers" and discussed hip replacements until the pirates were pleading to be released.

 

[maxi77]

Laser light may not trigger an automatic welding mask.

Next trick will be for the pirates to just fire a laser tracking round right back up the beam!

Your first point may well be valid as if I remember correctly the nasty bit from arc welding is towards the UV end and may the mask may well be more responsive here. Mind you as the system is not intended to do permanent occular damage then sunglasses may reduce the impact adequately.

As for the second whilst the laser tracking round is possible, current seekers would not work on this I suspect and no guided rounds are of any type are currently available fot the RPGthe present big bang weapon for pirates.

 

[rbcoomer]

How long will it take the pirates to learn to attack with two skiffs? One goes in first to get the laser's attention, the other looks for it and goes in the other side of the funnel. Oh yes, and a few of these:

Perhaps phase 2 will have a 'boost' feature whereby if the target ignores the warning then extra heat either blinds or ignites their fuel? Defended vessels are going to need quite some generator aboard however...

I personally don't believe the non-lethal approach will work - the stakes are too high for it to be a deterrent. However I also fear it will only take a few trips for them to equip their boats with reflective material/sunglasses etc and if it can't permanently blind them then it isn't strong enough to work effectively through good sunglasses either.

I'd have thought some form of ultrasound or EMF weapon would be more effective - although unlikely to be sanctioned for non-miltary use.

 

[maxi77]

To be honest as long as there iss a ready supply of hungry footsoldiers who can be coerced into doing the warlords business they will not stop. What is really neaded is to close down the bases they operate from then there will be no need for patrols and protection. Perhaps if the Americans had not made quite so much of a hash of their attempt to deal with the country the first time this may never have happened.

Until the warlords and robber barons are dealt with this problem will stay with us and smart weapons will simply cream off the more stupid boat crews

 

[Woodlouse]

To be honest as long as there iss a ready supply of hungry footsoldiers who can be coerced into doing the warlords business they will not stop. What is really neaded is to close down the bases they operate from then there will be no need for patrols and protection. Perhaps if the Americans had not made quite so much of a hash of their attempt to deal with the country the first time this may never have happened.

Until the warlords and robber barons are dealt with this problem will stay with us and smart weapons will simply cream off the more stupid boat crews

With all the money to be made through ransoms I doubt the hungry foot soldiers need much coercion. Sadly the only way to stop piracy is to make it a very dangerous and unprofitable business to be in.