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Sailor pictured with laser rifle on board USS Minnesota nuclear sub

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Re: Sailor pictured with laser rifle on board USS Minnesota nuclear sub

#11

Post by throwaway0a5e »

supernova87a wrote: post #2

Two side observations unrelated to the laser rifle: 1) It's surprising or kind of amusing that such a huge and complex submarine uses plain old Raytheon / Raymarine radar when operating in harbor, etc. as if were just a little sailboat. But whatever works and is effective! I wonder how it has to be dismantled and put up, taken down each time? Perhaps it's mostly for being visible to other ships/monitoring stations? I…

>It's surprising or kind of amusing that such a huge and complex submarine uses plain old Raytheon / Raymarine radar when operating in harbor, etc. as if were just a little sailboat.

A warship has a lot more manpower (as well as highly refined policy/procedure) to get the most out of that cheapo radar.

Re: Sailor pictured with laser rifle on board USS Minnesota nuclear sub

#12

Post by tomashubelbauer »

hajile wrote: post #5

There's a reason this kind of thing is against the rules of war. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Convention_on_Certain_Conven... https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Protocol_on_Blinding_Laser_W... These conventions don't matter unless they're actually enforced. For example, gas shells were banned 16 years before their use in WW1 by the very countries using them. Lots of victims lived horrible lives of suffering or killed…

Based on my reading of the article this laser weapon doesn't (maybe even is not capable of without modification?) cause permanent blindness.

Re: Sailor pictured with laser rifle on board USS Minnesota nuclear sub

#13

Post by mtnGoat »

hajile wrote: post #5

There's a reason this kind of thing is against the rules of war. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Convention_on_Certain_Conven... https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Protocol_on_Blinding_Laser_W... These conventions don't matter unless they're actually enforced. For example, gas shells were banned 16 years before their use in WW1 by the very countries using them. Lots of victims lived horrible lives of suffering or killed…

im going to assume you did not read the article or understand the device in the photos.

Re: Sailor pictured with laser rifle on board USS Minnesota nuclear sub

#14

Post by IgorPartola »

Do note that blinding an enemy soldier is considered a really serious war crime by international law. You can kill them outright, not a crime. But you cannot blind them, including using a laser in this manner.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Protocol_on_Blinding_Laser_W...

Re: Sailor pictured with laser rifle on board USS Minnesota nuclear sub

#15

Post by valuearb »

newacct583 wrote: post #4

FWIW: these have been reported to be in active use against the Portland protesters. It's so frustrating that HN chooses the gadget puff piece to push to the top of the front page instead of the actual deployed weapons. Most especially because the much-lower-power pocket laser pointers have been cited by the white house directly as having "permanently blinded" federal agents. (Consumer red/green lasers are extraordina…

RTFA: It’s not the same, the Navy laser has a distance control that disables it if it’s close enough to damage someone’s eyesight. It’s only usable at long distances.

Re: Sailor pictured with laser rifle on board USS Minnesota nuclear sub

#16

Post by dmh2000 »

hajile wrote: post #5

There's a reason this kind of thing is against the rules of war. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Convention_on_Certain_Conven... https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Protocol_on_Blinding_Laser_W... These conventions don't matter unless they're actually enforced. For example, gas shells were banned 16 years before their use in WW1 by the very countries using them. Lots of victims lived horrible lives of suffering or killed…

apparently the difference is between temporary and permanent blindness.

Re: Sailor pictured with laser rifle on board USS Minnesota nuclear sub

#17

Post by ravenstine »

14 wrote: post #9

I couldn’t help but think Star Trek when they talked about the laser modulating it’s power based on range of target and shutting down if someone accidentally crosses it’s path. They are not allowed to intentionally permanently blind people. Set phasers to stun is what I thought of. It would be nice if we could have a world without lethal weapons.

WORF: Captain, they are now locking lasers on us.

RIKER: Lasers???

PICARD: Lasers???

Re: Sailor pictured with laser rifle on board USS Minnesota nuclear sub

#18

Post by xendo »

newacct583 wrote: post #4

FWIW: these have been reported to be in active use against the Portland protesters. It's so frustrating that HN chooses the gadget puff piece to push to the top of the front page instead of the actual deployed weapons. Most especially because the much-lower-power pocket laser pointers have been cited by the white house directly as having "permanently blinded" federal agents. (Consumer red/green lasers are extraordina…

Any sources on either of the claims? I know nothing about portland, but you can buy 5W lasers which can easily burn through stuff.

Re: Sailor pictured with laser rifle on board USS Minnesota nuclear sub

#19

Post by valuearb »

tomashubelbauer wrote: post #12
hajile wrote: post #5

There's a reason this kind of thing is against the rules of war. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Convention_on_Certain_Conven... https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Protocol_on_Blinding_Laser_W... These conventions don't matter unless they're actually enforced. For example, gas shells were banned 16 years before their use in WW1 by the very countries using them. Lots of victims lived horrible lives of suffering or killed…

Based on my reading of the article this laser weapon doesn't (maybe even is not capable of without modification?) cause permanent blindness.

Correct, it’s got safeguards to ensure it’s only usable at ranges that won’t damage human eyesight.

Re: Sailor pictured with laser rifle on board USS Minnesota nuclear sub

#20

Post by tantalor »

hajile wrote: post #5

There's a reason this kind of thing is against the rules of war. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Convention_on_Certain_Conven... https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Protocol_on_Blinding_Laser_W... These conventions don't matter unless they're actually enforced. For example, gas shells were banned 16 years before their use in WW1 by the very countries using them. Lots of victims lived horrible lives of suffering or killed…

"The dazzler is a non-lethal weapon intended to cause temporary blindness or disorientation and therefore falls outside this protocol."

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dazzler_(weapon)#Legislation

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