[release]Sailors may soon have a weapon in their battle against sea-borne raiders: an anti-pirate laser.
BAE Systems has demonstrated its new laser system, which can temporarily blind would-be attackers.
The system would prevent pirates from being able to aim their weapons at targets, BAE claims.
But further safety testing is needed before such a system could be commercially deployed.
BAE said it has developed a low-cost laser distraction system that can travel through the sea air while being housed onboard a moving ship.
At distances of more than of between 1.2km (0.75 miles) and 1.5km (0.85 miles), the laser beam acts as a warning signal, letting the pirates know they've been spotted, said Brian Hore of BAE.
"Today's pirates tend to be opportunistic. If they know they've been spotted, they're likely to look for an alternative target," he told BBC News.
At closer ranges, the green laser beam will dazzle them, making it difficult for the pirates to use weapons of their own, said Mr Hore.
Green lasers - which have been shown to interfere with eyesight - have been used by the US military in Iraq and to temporarily blind targets.
The challenge has been to develop a system that can be used safely - but effectively - over long distances at sea, said Mr Hore.
Weapons designed to cause permanent blindness are banned by a United Nations protocol.
BAE has conducted a series of optics experiments to demonstrate that its distraction laser operates within known safety limits, said Mr Hore.
Human tests would have to be conducted before the system is made commercially available, he added.
Any commercial system would see the laser cannon integrated with BAE's existing targeting systems.
This would allow it to adjust the intensity of the laser beam to account for the target's distance and atmospheric conditions, Mr Hore said.
The International Chamber Of Commerce's International Maritime Bureau said there were 430 pirate attacks worldwide reported last year, up from 406 in 2009.[/release]
[img]http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/50734000/jpg/_50734511_004laserdistractionimagery.jpg[/img]
[url]http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-12154117[/url]
This is pretty cool. I wonder how much it would be nullified by wearing sunglasses, or welding goggles.
Me thinks the pirates will use this to their advantage, who wouldn't want free laser eye surgery?
[QUOTE=TrouserDemon;27345396]
[img_thumb]http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/50734000/jpg/_50734511_004laserdistractionimagery.jpg[/img_thumb][/QUOTE]
Holy shit, is that vaporizing them too?
[editline] fuck you doonbugie 2[/editline]
Or why not alternatively fire a round at them. Get rid of them.. thats all you gotta do.
I think pirates will look away from the laser and continue to engage the vessel.
^ Ass broke my automerge
[QUOTE=Richard Simmons;27345446]^ Ass broke my automerge[/QUOTE]
Harsh.
Let's just hope that the pirates don't use mirrors..
[QUOTE=doonbugie2;27345445]I think pirates will look away from the laser and continue to engage the vessel.[/QUOTE]
Ever tried to move towards something which blinds you all the time? How can you move along something you don't see?
Kill their retinas with IR lasers
[QUOTE=Richard Simmons;27345441]Or why not alternatively fire a round at them. Get rid of them.. thats all you gotta do.[/QUOTE]
Because most ships which get attacked are civil ships which are not supposed to have a weapon on board. Also, the pirates WILL fire back once you attack them with deadly force. Except your ship is heavily armed.
[quote]Weapons designed to cause permanent blindness are banned by a United Nations protocol.[/quote]
major buzzkill.
That'd be one hell of a deterrent, though. Go to hijack a ship, come home blind.
[QUOTE=doonbugie2;27345633]Would welding goggles solve this?[/QUOTE]
Sort of. It's pretty hard to see out of welding goggles in normal light, and the pirates are trying to navigate what is basically a zodiac in the open ocean.
[QUOTE=Regulas021;27345706]Sort of. It's pretty hard to see out of welding goggles in normal light, and the pirates are trying to navigate what is basically a zodiac in the open ocean.[/QUOTE]
You can see normal light on a bright day. I agree with the laser beam in face while trying to navigate open oceans would make it harder. But what if BAE accidentally sold the device to a pirate.
Mirrors!
[QUOTE=Regulas021;27345706]Sort of. It's pretty hard to see out of welding goggles in normal light, and the pirates are trying to navigate what is basically a zodiac in the open ocean.[/QUOTE]
The goggles/glasses have to be specially made to block the specific or range of wavelength of the laser.
My 445nm goes right through my wielding mask
Just let the ship crew carry guns
Just shoot that laser in the water and everybody around will be blinded
[editline]11th January 2011[/editline]
[QUOTE=Laserbeams;27345865]Just let the ship crew carry guns[/QUOTE]
Laser guns!
First thing that came to mind when I saw that picture.
[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tL46lBdV0Qc[/media]
[QUOTE=doonbugie2;27345755]You can see normal light on a bright day. I agree with the laser beam in face while trying to navigate open oceans would make it harder. But what if BAE accidentally sold the device to a pirate.[/QUOTE]
If they had the money to buy such devices they wouldn't be pirates to begin with.
[editline]11th January 2011[/editline]
They really aren't doing the whole pirate thing with some ideology in mind like your usual terrorist but rather because they need the money.
:pcgaming:
[QUOTE=TrouserDemon;27345396][img_thumb]http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/50734000/jpg/_50734511_004laserdistractionimagery.jpg[/img_thumb]
[/QUOTE]
I bet if it ever gets used it will look nothing like this
[QUOTE=sam2d2;27346813]I bet if it ever gets used it will look nothing like this[/QUOTE]
Well obviously. But you would hardly see anything if it was shown realistically. From the view of the pirates you'd probably just see nothing but white.
Does it play this song in the background?
[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qZX62imOapU[/media]
[QUOTE=TrouserDemon;27345396][img_thumb]http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/50734000/jpg/_50734511_004laserdistractionimagery.jpg[/img_thumb][/QUOTE]
Oh yes a red laser beam... Considering the article stated it uses green light. Some artistic freedom that guy took.
[QUOTE=doonbugie2;27345755]You can see normal light on a bright day. I agree with the laser beam in face while trying to navigate open oceans would make it harder. But what if BAE accidentally sold the device to a pirate.[/QUOTE]
"accidentally"
more like intentionally it is BAE
But wait wouldn't that hurt like fuck and burn your retina? Like looking into the sun?
Oh wait banned by UN, anyway;
I looked into the sun when I was little and now at night I have a black fulcrum spot.
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