Marines get Star Trek like weapons to stop people in their tracks

Marine Corps Times:
Marines will soon have a Star Trek phaser-like new green laser that can reach out and “warn or visually suppress” opponents without firing a round.

The Ocular Interrupter System is essentially a green light with a combined laser range finder that gauges shooter-to-target distance then adjusts the light to deter, but not blind, personnel, said Ryan Smith, team leader for force protection programs at Marine Corps Systems Command.

It can be mounted on a the M16/M4 rail system or used separately with a pistol grip, Smith said.

The Glare Recoil nonlethal Hail and Warning device was developed as a commercial off-the-shelf product by B.E. Meyers & Co., Inc., based in Redmond, Washington. It is a $49 million contract, according to the company’s website.

Marine requirements wanted a system to operate up to 500 meters. Company spokeswoman Grace Strong said in an email that the gear, “provides immediate and recognizable visual warning quite a bit farther than the stated 500 meters. It is, in actuality, effective to (more than) 25 kilometers.”

Marines expect 144 units to be delivered in the coming months and 1,848 units fielded by early 2019, officials said.
...
 It looks like a crowd control weapon that is non-lethal.  I suspect it would be used against civilians in a hostile environment.

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