The Pentagon's Ray Gun

David Martin Reports On A Non-Lethal Weapon Straight Out Of Buck Rogers

(CBS)  This story was originally broadcast on March 2, 2008. It was updated on May 30, 2008.

What if we told you the Pentagon has a ray gun? And what if we told you it can stop a person in his tracks without killing or even injuring him? Well, it’s true. You can’t see it, you can't hear it, but as CBS News correspondent David Martin experienced first hand, you can feel it.

Pentagon officials call it a major breakthrough which could change the rules of war and save huge numbers of lives in Iraq. But it's still not there. That because in the middle of a war, the military just can't bring itself to trust a weapon that doesn't kill.

---

It's a gun that doesn't look anything like a gun: it's that flat dish antenna which shoots out a 100,000-watt beam at the speed of light, hitting any thing in its path with an intense blast of heat.

An operator uses a joystick to zero in on a target. Visible only with an infrared camera, the gun, when fired emits a flash of white hot energy - an electromagnetic beam made up of very high frequency radio waves.

Col. Kirk Hymes, head of the Joint Non-Lethal Weapons Directorate, is in charge of the ray gun which is being tested at Moody Air Force Base in southern Georgia.

The targets at the base are people, military volunteers creating a scenario soldiers might encounter in Iraq, like angry protestors advancing on American troops, who have to choose between backing down or opening fire. Off in the distance, half a mile away, the operator of the ray gun has the crowd in his sights.

Unlike the soldiers on the ground, he has no qualms about firing away because his weapon won't injure anyone.

He squeezes off a blast and the first shot hits like an invisible punch. The protestors regroup and he fires again, and again. Finally they’ve had enough. The ray gun drives them away with no harm done.

Officially called the "Active Denial System," it does penetrate the body, but just barely.

What happens when the beam hits a person?

"It's absorbed in the top layer, 1/64th of an inch, which is about three sheets of paper that you’d find in your printer," Col. Hymes explains.


"And it’s hitting what inside that 1/64th of an inch?" Martin asks.

"Well, right within that 1/64th of an inch is where the nerve endings are," Hymes says.

You have to feel the ray gun to believe it, and there's only one way to do that. Martin, who voluntarily became a target, described the sensation of being hit by the ray gun like scalding water.

What makes this a weapon like no other is it inflicts enough pain to make you instantly stop whatever it is you’re doing. But the second you get out of the beam the pain vanishes. And as long as it's been used properly, there's no harm to your body.

[j_wildgen]

If the Military does not find the "Ray Gun" appealing, I think a viable candidate for an alternative deployment would be the Border Patrol. There are increasing reports of BP agents being "rocked" by unruly mobs. The ray gun would be a humane stand-off technology for the BP, and might have a great calming effect on those who would attack our officers. It is not a cure-all, but it might help secure the Border.

[nydharma]

I found this report so outrageous that I had to stop watching and come down to my computer to comment. The report is very one sided and lacking in depth. The reporter seems to be willing to sing the military''s tune about how it can save lives. My issue with the coverage is the following

Where is the scientific data that this thing is safe? (History has taught us that so called "SAFE" products cause life ending diseases)
What about human psychology while handling such weapons? There is a tendency to over use such weapons when there is no real need (tasers for example)

We need some thinking, independent reporters Please !

[caliengineer]

Great, the Russians have scalar guns that will drop every plane out of the sky except theirs and a plasma system which makes their planes invisible to eye and radar... but we have a "hot potato" gun?

Great, just great.

If America would return to God, it would not be like this. If you are reading this, seek God with all your heart. It may not make a difference for the nation, but it will make a difference for YOU.

[jeancprius]

Tonights segment on the Ray Gun was childish and silly--a bunch of little boys playing at Buck Rogers. The content was downright laughable. Please refrain from such dumb programs in the future.

[koamaui]

Dear Mr Martin:

May I suggest you have a CAT or MRI scan of your organs and another scan in 3 months then compare them against any pre-Death Ray scans you have had or against what an average man your age and size would look like. Then report back on how "safe" the Death Ray might or might not be.

How can the Death Ray go through a mattress or clothing yet only penetrate the skin to the depth of 3 pieces of paper?

Good Luck

KoaMaui

[hollargirl]

Why not use that new gun on the border between Mexico and the US. If it works there, it should work anywhere and maybe they can get additional funding for it.

[misscowgirl]

Take the "Ray Gun" to the US/Mexico border ASAP! We desperately need to repel the constant flow of illegals coming in everyday!!

[schoemann543]

The story was interesting at first until I heard it would save lives in Iraq. We need to get off the iraq bus and look the possibility of using this tool for border security. it''s obvious the federal government will not pursue this but state governments might. mmmmmmm.

[ericg21]

Why would the American people have doubts about the ray%u2013gun device being developed by the US military?

Given the US military leadership%u2019s recent much earned disgraceful reputation for torture, mismanagement and dishonesty, why should we ever entrust any weapon to the Pentagon?

I%u2019m not sure if it is more troubling that the weapon could be used as a torture device without leaving marks on the victims (and surprised that your host did not raise that possibility) or that the military is so disconnected from the American people that it did not see the absurdity and offensiveness in having their volunteers to be zapped carrying signs supporting %u201CWorld Peace%u201D.

Our government and military needs to do more to foster peace for the US and the world.

Who decided the signage the volunteers carried? Why did they rule out carrying signs that read %u201DVote%u201D, %u201CFeed the Poor%u201D, %u201CWhat Would Jesus Do%u201D or supporting a poorly planned, limitless war against a country that was not a threat to the US?

It was just one more example of our military%u2019s poor judgment and our media%u2019s inability to look critically at the military.

[incog-nito]

Ah, the ultimate torture device.

[fstop100]

cheney new, this is the worst administration ever. the greatest power on earth should promote peace not war

[twigbender55]

As a person interested in peace, not war, I am concerned that in the demonstrations 60 Minutes showed us, US armed forces were operating their ray gun (active denial system) against people like me. Let them instead shoot their ray gun at someone with a sign that says "I want to kill you!" rather than a sign that Jesus would have no problem carrying.

[tf3x9jkk6kkk]

Send the Active Denial system to the US/Mexico border ASAP! Who cares if there is a "down the road" medical effect on people entering our country illegally? If there isn''t OK, and if there is, the word will spread that the only way in is legally.

[victim09]

hi, i am a vicitm of non-lethal weapons as they called it, i am one of many americans nationwide that is being attacked 24 hours a day and stalked, some it mind control, electronic harrassment, non-lethal weapons, unknowning to the public, these weapons are also used on innocent americans, and the cover up is death when the vicitm trys to get help. also these weapon have some how leaked into the wrong hands, like hate group, drug gangs, etc. i have email the president, congress, senators, about the terror within american, but they have done nothing. if they can do this me, they can do it to anyone in congress, i send an email warning the president clinton, mrs. clinton, etc, that these criminals are functioning like a terror cell, there are always 4 or more using this electronic weapons, microwave radio freq, it''s not like a laser beam, it is a wide beam that can cover an entire supermarket, when the criminals target me, they are also hitting everyone else, children, teenagers, elderly. i would someone to expose this mind control on tv, and how many vicitm''s in america, and how the criminals work to put vicitm''s in prison, kill their on children''s, suicide, cause mass murder, similar to virgina tech school shooting. which is thier main goal. other than that, these criminals go around torturing anybody regarless of age. help save america. ban these weapons.

[peace1235]

Wow! Amazing technology. It looks like "Applied Energetics" [AERG] is behind this great technology. Only if the administration stepped up and put some money behind this, we could reduce the number of our own casualties abroad.
What are they waiting for???

[incog-nito]

k1hop: Don''t you think you''ve made your point enough?

[victim09]

hi, these non-lethal weapons, and specially the mind control which is microwave radio freq are used on innocent americans, which have caused many deaths, they are not volunteers. these are used to stalk, 24 hour torture, kidnapping, attempted murder and mass murder. they are used on 5 year old children, elderly, etc. and some of these weapons have gotten into the public domain. these weapons must be banned. and congress needs to act on this. or there will be an internal war to hunt and kill these wannabe terroists using electronic weapons in our country natiowide. help save american and it''s children''s. know the criminals work, how they do it, and protect your children. more info at MIND CONROL FORUM.

[summerhunt-2009]

Maybe how the military can test this ADS effectively is on our own border control. This could surely convince whether its works or not.

[tf3x9jkk6kkk]

Thanks "incog-nito"! . . . . .

[santosangre]

I have a feeling this thing is going to end up at Guantanamo, Abu Ghraib and police stations around the country.

[tvorsky]

Interesting how the protesters in the story looked more like Americans practicing civil disobedience and exercising their First Amendment Rights than dangerous Iraqis.

It is interesting that the story did not reference the 2006 AP story in which Air Force Secretary Michael Wynne is quoted as saying of non-lethal weapons:

%u201CIf we%u2019re not willing to use it here against our fellow citizens, then we should not be willing to use it in a wartime situation,%u201D said Wynne. %u201C(Because) if I hit somebody with a nonlethal weapon and they claim that it injured them in a way that was not intended, I think that I would be vilified in the world press.%u201D

It''s clear that these weapons are less intended to be used against dangerous foreigners, and are really designed to be used against U.S. Citizens.

Thanks again to the MSM for convieniently omitting that fact.

Look out for your town''s Barney Fife''s to have them soon!

[eawkw]

I have a feeling this weapon is going to be used on the citizens of this country to further suppress free speech and lawful assembly, as was so blatantly shown in the report as "training" the troops to use the ray gun. No accident, that.

[iceman_1960]

Interesting weapon.

But why did they name it after Ronald Reagan ?

[iceman_1960]

If we had had this weapon earlier, we could have used it to keep Neocons out of the State Department.

[tvorsky]

Interesting how the protesters in the story looked more like Americans practicing civil disobedience and exercising their First Amendment Rights than dangerous Iraqis.

It is interesting that the story did not reference the 2006 AP story in which Air Force Secretary Michael Wynne is quoted as saying of non-lethal weapons:

%u201CIf we%u2019re not willing to use it here against our fellow citizens, then we should not be willing to use it in a wartime situation,%u201D said Wynne. %u201C(Because) if I hit somebody with a nonlethal weapon and they claim that it injured them in a way that was not intended, I think that I would be vilified in the world press.%u201D

It''''s clear that these weapons are less intended to be used against dangerous foreigners, and are really designed to be used against U.S. Citizens.

Thanks again to the MSM for convieniently omitting that fact.

Look out for your town''''s Barney Fife''''s to have them soon!

[tvorsky]

Interesting how the protesters in the story looked more like Americans practicing civil disobedience and exercising their First Amendment Rights than dangerous Iraqis.

It is interesting that the story did not reference the 2006 AP story in which Air Force Secretary Michael Wynne is quoted as saying of non-lethal weapons:

%u201CIf we%u2019re not willing to use it here against our fellow citizens, then we should not be willing to use it in a wartime situation,%u201D said Wynne. %u201C(Because) if I hit somebody with a nonlethal weapon and they claim that it injured them in a way that was not intended, I think that I would be vilified in the world press.%u201D

It''''s clear that these weapons are less intended to be used against dangerous foreigners, and are really designed to be used against U.S. Citizens.

Thanks again to the MSM for convieniently omitting that fact.

Look out for your town''''s Barney Fife''''s to have them soon!

[iceman_1960]

"It"s clear that these weapons are less intended to be used against dangerous foreigners, and are really designed to be used against U.S. Citizens."
- Posted by tvorsky at 09:02 PM : Mar 02, 2008

It would definitely make a frat party memorable.

[incog-nito]

This weapon, and another one in development that temporarily blinds people, will mean a lot of trouble if and when it gets into public hands. Can you imagine it being pointed at highway traffic? The pilot of an airplane during takeoff or landing? Sooner or later these weapons will be in civilian hands, and when that happens, watch out!

[spike98-2009]

As sometimes happens after a 60 Minutes story, I have trouble comprehending the implications of the facts as presented in your second story tonight. Do I understand this correctly?

In a time of war the Pentagon has a weapon that can protect American troops, save American lives and isn%u2019t deploying it immediately?

Because the military made a mistake at Abu Graib, they are going to make another (seemingly unrelated) mistake by not accelerating research and deployment of the new %u201CActive Denial System%u201D ray gun?

All too often, %u201CMilitary Intelligence%u201D appears to be a contradiction in terms. It%u2019s rarely the foot soldier, or the middle level officers either; it%u2019s the brass that makes these decisions, these grotesque mistakes. These are the people controlling our 475 billion dollar military budget? Unbelievable!

There is one thing I have no trouble comprehending; 60 Minutes is the best show on television.

Jim Vann
Waitsfield, VT

PS I%u2019m sending a check out to Remote Area Medical too. Stan Brock is a righteous human being.

[jrrbiggs]

This was the most asinine report that 60minutes has ever done. No attempt was made to point out the obvious limitations of this "weapon", for example, what does the operator do when the opposition is shooting back? What a rediculous show highlighted by the equally rediculous sec''ty''s comments.

[incog-nito]

k1hop: After reading your posts I can only come to one conclusion: You''re not very smart.

[pegmadsen]

Don''t tase me, bro.

At first it sounded like a good idea, but it is electromagnetic *radiation*, not simply a "beam" -- we know so little, or admit to so little as to the harm it could do.

So, is it better than the army killing everyone? Any weapon in the hands of a runaway organization like the military can be made dangerous and abusive -- and not representative of how the American people truly feel about their fellow human beings the world over.

[pegmadsen]

Don''t tase me, bro.

At first it sounded like a good idea, but it is electromagnetic *radiation*, not simply a "beam" -- we know so little, or admit to so little as to the harm it could do.

So, is it better than the army killing everyone? Any weapon in the hands of a runaway organization like the military can be made dangerous and abusive -- and not representative of how the American people truly feel about their fellow human beings the world over.

[rowdytexan2]

OK, so let''s go test it out! We''ve spent $43 million on it, and lethal weapons are flying right and left in Iraq! Get it over there and let''s see what it can do?

[k1hop]

While the knowing of the existence of such weapons is of news interest, I found the depth of coverage very shallow. Particularly missing was any reasonable discussion of ways to avoid the effects of the "ray gun." Holding up a piece of plywood or a mattress are plain stupid and lacking any informed view of how this weapon works. It seems "the enemy" could make clothing out of readily available conductive fabric and block the effect of the beam quite readily, cheaply, easily, and effectively. Vision could be enabled and protected by simple use if ITO (Indium Tin Oxide) coating as found on computer touch panels over the viewing glass/plastic surface.

I don''t think it would take long for any opponent to yield the weapon completely ineffective. So the joke here perhaps is that we''re spending MONEY on this approach in the first place! I doubt there is any "safe weapon" that cannot be defeated very easily. Research into one is valid, but where is the basic testing... or specifically the CBS REPORTING on same... re this weapon?

[marcosis78]

...and yet we cant fix our own airplanes or help infantry get the flack jackets they need.

[liberalme]

Posted by k1hop

You posted an opinion her not something profound!!!! STOP or you''ll be reported!!!

[cbs_oliver]

The only reason I can think that David Martin and others at CBS and elsewhere keep writing stories pushing this weapon is that the military wants to use it for crowd control here in America as well as in Iraq and elsewhere and is afraid (rightly) that it will be seen as a terror weapon.

Well - gosh - it is a terror weapon.

Dave Martin though is the kind of guy who would endure 10 seconds of waterboarding by his friends whom he knows don''t intend to kill him and then announce that waterboarding is no more scary than frat challenges.

But after all, crucifixtion by your friends is not so scary either if you can trust your frineds to not put nails through you and let you down real fast. Sometimes though, even friends can turn out not to be trustworthy.

Anyway, CBS, please stop it. You are making me barf.

[kesac4650]

Of course, some will call this "torture".

[inventagod]

''But the second you get out of the beam the pain vanishes. And as long as it''s been used properly, there''s no harm to your body.''

Of course, if not used ''properly'', it will cook you to the bone?

[iceman_1960]

"Can it be used for coffee??"
- Posted by cav_03 at 09:22 PM : Mar 02, 2008
-------------------

That would be one of the "perks" of military service.

[inventagod]

Pentagoons - the guys who brought you endless Iraq invasions...

[mckwag]

Good story, but David Martin holding out for 3 seconds against the ray gun looks just plain wimpy. Why not send it to American Gladiators?

[summarex]

Wouldn''t surprise me if something like that could cause cancer

[hillaryin08]

Oh no, another unfair advantage for the Americans. I''m sure the Democrats will cancel it.

[tmamta]

REDICULOUS REPORTING!

CBS employs FCC licensed broadcast engineers. CBS knows, failed to report, and disserved the public by CONCEALING that -- the electromagnetic wave "ray gun" can be easily defeated by simply wrapping one''s body in 1/64" thick aluminum foil. Ever try cooking a potato in a microwave oven, when it is wrapped in aluminum foil? DUH!

No wonder all the great talent has left 60 Minutes. The staff does not even care enough to moderate this forum, allowing one person flood it. I prefer to watch "Dan Rather Reports."

[bcatcreative]

"Why not try the Ray Gun on the illegals that walk across our border each day. Perhaps it will curve their motivation to advance northward." -- Great Idea. There''s Chertoff''s "virtual fence."

[doctorriee]

The material the military gave you has some minor points that should be addressed.

1 The energy is dissipated exponentially with depth in to human tissue but unfortunately the wave exceeds usa standards for radiation - mainly genetic damage - DNA. The penetration of RF energy is called skin effect.

2. The cost of the weapon to defense is astronomical. The defense for the weapon is simply cardboard with a metalized finish ie aluminum foil or metalized mylar
- a few micrometers.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skin_depth

3. They have never demonstrated the weapon against people wearing wet clothing. Especially with salt water. Clothing that is wet ie wool will dissipate incident rf energy at the same rate or higher than human tissue

4 a simple cardboard box corner lined with aluminum foil (engineers call it a corner reflector) will REFLECT the beam back at it''s source http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corner_reflector

If you do not believe me just look it up.

doc

[airjackie]

It''s all about the money. As the White House has given friends contracts for nothing now this agency is looking to cash in to. Look it look nice but do you think we are more advanced then other countries? This is just another company with a so called attack machine that will go like the others. Now what was more interesting was this machine being set on Iraq people who want the US out of their country. Question do they have any rights on their land. What would the US do if someone used the Ray Gun here when someone illegally invaded the United States. Do the math the US is 24th in education compaired to the World. Check out who''s in the top 5 as to what''s up to date attack machines. We are so far behind other countries it''s become a joke.

[bcatcreative]

"Why not try the Ray Gun on the illegals that walk across our border each day. Perhaps it will curve their motivation to advance northward." -- Great Idea. There''s Chertoff''s "virtual fence."