US and India: Uses of NONLETHAL Weapons for National Security

Dr. D V Giri is a Harvard Ph. D and one of America's leading researchers in high-power electro-magnetics. He has written an insightful and path-breaking book, published by Harvard University Press, which focuses on "the science and technology of nonlethal weapon systems."

What are nonlethal weapon systems?

The effectiveness of weapons has advanced over the centuries -- their purpose being to outsmart and overpower one's enemy, accomplished primarily through the use of lethal force. From bows and arrows, to nuclear and biological weapons, the mission is to kill the opponent. Modern weaponry far exceeds the early forms of weaponry in terms of carnage and destruction yielded, including the ability to wipe out entire countries with chemical, nuclear and biological weapons. However, throughout the ages, each new level of weapon sophistication and lethality has presented new concerns: how to eradicate powerful armies without wiping out the surrounding civilian population. In other words, can we win a conflict without excessive collateral damage and without exposing our own forces to excessive risk?

The major modern themes in weapons innovation have been on accuracy , precision and controllability. Precision can ultimately reach a point where rather than just targeting specific buildings, specific pieces of equipment, or people, they can be targeted from a safe distance away. Controllability can also be achieved by weapons that disable instead of destroy. These weapons may be able to disable people or equipment without any permanent major damage.

Information is becoming the battlefield in the modern age. Communication and coordination are vital to the modern army. If the adversary's communication links can be effectively destroyed, this can present an important strategic advantage. The future battlefield can, thus, be thought of as an information battlefield which may be just as fierce, but may turn out to be much less lethal than traditional battlefields.

Dr Giri affirms that lethal weaponry as the only source of protection and defense is a concept that may soon be outdated. In the 21st century, new strategies and weapons are becoming available that are nonlethal in nature and designed to minimize casualties on all sides.

Nonlethal weapons generally are "life conserving and environmentally friendly".

Nonlethal weapons are of two kinds: a) Conventional -- tear gas, plastic bullets, tasers, sprays; b) Unconventional -- high-power microwaves, low energy lasers, acoustic weapons.

The new frontier and the area that offers the most potential for nonlethal weapons is within the unconventional category.

There are two types of life-conserving unconventional nonlethal technologies (NLT), that greatly minimize the killing of soldiers and civilian noncombatants:

1) Anti-material nonlethal technologies -- designed to destroy or impair hardware, munitions, electronics, or in other ways to stop the enemy's systems from functioning.

2) Anti-personnel nonlethal technologies -- impairs the functioning of people without causing lasting serious physiological damage.

Nonlethal technologies can be implemented at a minimal cost and will expand the options available to all levels on the defense continuum from domestic crime to strategic war.

The value of nonlethal defense lies first as a means for assessing the enemy's weaknesses. The other important function concerns its role for targeting the enemy's critical assets without harming the people associated with those networks.

Nonlethal weapons (NLW) hold the potential for playing an active role in six key areas: psychological operations, mobility denial, vision denial, communications denial, close combat, and paralysis of administrative/logistical infrastructures.

NLW systems could also be used to disable sensor systems, communications, computers, enemy weapons, and air, sea and ground vehicles. NLWs possess both defensive and offensive capabilities. Their introductions to current defense systems are expected to profoundly impact the direction and outcome of conflict.

As Clausewitz said (quoted by Giri): "The supreme object of war is to render the enemy incapable of resistance".

CYBER WARS AND TECHNO-WARRIORS:

Some NLWs are a result of the technological advances in information systems. By the year 2020, one computer would be as powerful as all the computers in Silicon Valley today. Research and development in "information warfare" hopes to transform the way wars are fought.

NLT currently being researched, will be used to confound, confuse, harass, and otherwise debilitate the perpetrator, in short to stop him in his path without killing him or blowing up the road. Examples of such devices include laser rifles that will temporarily blind the enemy or compromise his optical-sensing gear, low frequency infra-sound generators that can trigger nausea and bowel spasms, electronics-disrupting pulses of electromagnetic radiation that are emitted by RF (Radio Frequency) weapons, slick and sticky chemicals that can make roads and railways impassable (either through sticky glue or extreme slipperiness), and biological agents made to "chew up" assets.

A non-nuclear electromagnetic-pulse (NNEMP) "bomb", when used against a financial institution such as a bank, can scramble the electronics of the computer and communications systems , thus incapacitating the entire operations of that institution.

Computer viruses can be fed into the enemy's switching networks and cause massive failure to the country's telephone system. Technology-warriors can jam the communications equipment of enemy armies. Using electronic technology the armed forces can send out incorrect information to enemy forces, rendering their systems virtually useless. These techno-warriors can also jam the signals for the enemy's government television stations and actually insert "morphed" television announcements. And finally, "logic-bombs" can shut down the mainframe computers that run the enemy country's air-traffic control system and route its railroads. In this way, enemy planes end up at the wrong airports and railcars carrying military supplies are misdirected.

Giri makes it clear that NLTs are not intended to replace lethal weaponry. Rather they are intended to supplement our current approach and to increase our options.

CIVILIAN AND MILITARY SCENARIOS WHERE NLW CAN BE BENEFICIALLY APPLIED

Civilian law enforcement scenarios: automobile chase in approaching criminals, illegal border crossing between nations, snipers shooting at civilians, certain hostage situations, suicide attack against public places, riverboats carrying contraband, and trucks carrying contraband.

Military scenarios: unarmed crowds blocking a convoy, armed civilians blocking a convoy, peace enforcement and support efforts, suicide attacks against military facilities, large numbers of unarmed civilians hiding armed individuals, area denial and perimeter security, enforcement of no-fly zones by attacking air defense facilities, violation of demilitarized zones (eg: tunnelling through the DMZ in Korea), deny successful mission to hostile aircraft and incoming missiles.

An example of NLW: Active Denial Technology. This uses millimeter-wave electromagnetic energy to stop, deter and turn back an advancing adversary from relatively long range. It will save countless lives by providing a way to stop individuals without causing injury , before a deadly confrontation develops.

NON-ELECTROMAGNETIC NLWS

These are optical, acoustic, and chemical NLW technologies.

Optical NLWs can be broken down into four basic categories: 1) Low-Energy Laser (LEL) Weapons, 2) Isotropic Radiators, 3) LIDAR (Light Detection and Ranging), and 4) Visual Stimulation and Illusion (VSI).

LEL weapons -- man-portable nonlethal weapons resemble conventional rifles and can be powered by portable battery parks or other conventional electrical sources. They can flash-blind people and disable optical and infrared systems used in target acquisition, tracking, night vision and range finding. They provide law enforcement with an additional option that is nonlethal.

Isotropic Radiators are special munitions that illuminate with laser-bright intensity. These illuminations act the same way as LEL weapons They can be packaged for airdrops, fired aloft from mortars or artillery, or used by hand. They are effective against aircraft, in the dark, or when people look toward the light.

LIDAR, or light detection and ranging, can be used for plume identification as well as for sensor blinding. LIDAR systems could identify the plume of covert drug manufacturers or other illicit processes, pinpointing manufacturing sites. LIDAR may be used as either an offensive weapon or as a sophisticated type of sensor.

VSI (Visual Stimulus and Illusion) -- employs high intensity strobe lights that flash at a frequency that causes vertigo, disorientation and vomitting. This technology can be effective if the facility is installed in airports, security check points, banks and prisons. Law enforcement vehicles equipped with banks of high intensity strobe lights and power generators might be dispatched within minutes to riot or hostage-barricade situations. When VSI weapons are combined with infrasound technology they create a very effective nonlethal disabling package.

Acoustic NLW Technologies are of two categories -- Acoustic Weapons and Voice Recognition Technologies (VRT). These weapons are intended to disable individuals and communication systems.

Chemical NLW technologies include those technologies of polymers, acids, sedatives, and other agents designed to disable equipment and humans, but not to kill people. Current chemical NLW include Liquid Metal Embrittlement, Supercaustics, Calmative Agents, Anti-traction, Polymers, Combustion Alteration, Entanglements and Foams.

Thus, there are a variety of NLWs that can be used to defend and protect ourselves from threatening forces with or without the use of LWs.

Giri's less than 300 page book -- its full title is "High-Power Electromagnetic Radiators: NonlethalWeapons and Other Applications" -- has 7 chapters and 5 Appendices. Three of the chapters and all the appendices are highly technical: to understand them one needs to be strong in higher mathematics. However, there are 4 chapters which the layman can follow. I have summarized the contents of the four chapters in the foregoing paragraphs.

Giri has plans to write one more book on this subject tentatively titled
"Bloodless Wars" which he expects would appeal to a wider audience. He tells me that "Very complicated matters can sometimes be described in simple terms".


Meanwhile, some very important questions call for answers:

1) Are NLT weapons being currently used by the US in Afghanistan and Iraq? If so, how effective are they?

2) Is India employing NLT weapons to fight terrorists and insurgents in Kashmir and elsewhere in the country?

3) Is the US law enforcement system using NLT weapons to outwit hostage-takers?

4) Is India's law enforcement system employing NLT weapons to tackle civil riots? The latest incident involving the Gujjars in Rajasthan resulted in police firing and the death of a number of people. Could the deaths have been avoided and the riots better managed by using suitable NLT weapons?

5) Will democracies like the US and India be able to stay ahead of authoritarian and militarily fast growing countries like China so that their continued superiority in NLT weapons (apart from LT weapons) will act as a severe deterrent to any possible future Chinese attempts to tamper with their computer and communication systems or grab Indian territory or be overassertive in the Pacific Ocean or the Indian Ocean areas?

6) How do democracies like the US and India stay ahead in building effective defense mechanisms against ALL NLT weapons being developed by countries like China? An example would be against computer viruses that can be fed into our switching networks and cause massive failures in our telephone systems?. Also cyber attacks in recent months on government computers in India by Chinese hackers. "The challenge will be in harnessing our advanced technologies into powerful weapons that cannot be used against us." India needs to let the Chinese know that if India is affected, China would be more than harmed in equal terms, electronically.

7) Since China has shown a strong propensity to steal, through espionage or otherwise, advanced US technology in restricted areas, the US needs to make fool proof arrangements to protect its vital technologies. Increasingly, this caution will apply to India too.

8) How do nations such as the US and India ensure that terrorists and other non-state hostile elements within their boundaries or outside do NOT acquire or develop NLT weapons?

Finally, Isn't it time the US and India actively collaborate to develop cutting edge NLT weapons, to stay well ahead of China, and also join forces in training their armed forces, anti-terrorist forces and law enforcement systems in using the most effective NLT weapons?