Laser rifle: a weapon against pirates

BAE Systems, a British defense company demonstrated how a non-lethal laser weapon can be used to ward off pirates.

Now, American researchers have created a more powerful laser gun that should be more effective against sea bandits.

While the crystalline Neodymium Yttrium Aluminium Garnet laser canon, developed by BAE Systems, can temporarily disorient an assailant with a pulse of blinding light, another prototype called the TR3 Threat Deterrent Laser Rifle is compact and the laser settings can be adjusted to inflict some serious pain.

To learn more about BAE Systems’ laser canon, check out John Herrman’s Smart Planet post here

The TR3, developed by Xtreme Alternative Defense Systems and SPA Defense, can deliver an intense 3-watt green laser at targets up to one and a half miles away. The greater range is most effective when operated at night. The rifle’s re-chargeable lithium-ion battery allows for up to 30 plus minutes of continuous firing.

David Crane of DefenseReview.com got to test out a prototype during the recent Shooting, Hunting, Outdoor Trade Show and Conference or SHOT show and described the experience on his website:

"We got to try the TR3 ourselves, and came away very impressed with it. You can adjust the intense green laser beam’s focus using a dial that surrounds the weapon’s emitter (“barrel”/”muzzle”). You can disperse the beam so that it’s eye-safe for hitting bad guys in the face, or dial the beam into a retina-frying focus."
"Unfortunately, we didn’t shoot video of the TR3 operating, during the demo."

A video produced by the company, shows the TR3 in action does exist but is not currently available in the public domain.

The TR3 is intended for military and defense markets only but it's only a matter of time until this weapon becomes more readily available.