This seems to be an upgraded, directional version of a signal lamp, and describing it as a weapon has caused confusion and outrage.
(Provided the claims about automatic power limit are true)
Sailor pictured with laser rifle on board USS Minnesota nuclear sub
31–40 of 150 posts
Re: Sailor pictured with laser rifle on board USS Minnesota nuclear sub
#32The youtube channel smarter every day is doing a series about live aboard a nuclear attack sub (different class than the one in the article, Los Angeles class IIRC) during an exercise where they navigate under ice, called ICEX. which might be of interest if you like this article. It's obviously propaganda but it is very interesting nonetheless. actual submarine part: https://youtu.be/RXXMJAU6vY8 the leadup and contex…
>It's obviously propaganda but it is very interesting nonetheless.
Sorry, how is this video obviously propaganda?
Re: Sailor pictured with laser rifle on board USS Minnesota nuclear sub
#33Do 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...
It's only a war crime if it is intentional and the weapon has no other function except to cause blindness.
Re: Sailor pictured with laser rifle on board USS Minnesota nuclear sub
#34FWIW: 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…
You can buy or build a laser that can cause permanent blindness. There is ample evidence of protesters using lasers. Where is your evidence of federal agents using lasers?
Re: Sailor pictured with laser rifle on board USS Minnesota nuclear sub
#35FWIW: 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.
Diffusion rates are highly dependent on a lot of environmental factors. I doubt they can predict enough of these with enough reliability to ensure they are not causing damage.
Finally, there's zero evidence that laser light sufficient to blind temporarily isn't also sufficient to cause permanent damage.
Re: Sailor pictured with laser rifle on board USS Minnesota nuclear sub
#36There'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
Citation missing.
I'll guarantee you there has NEVER been a ruling about this and it's just an assertion added by someone who has a vested interest in the idea.
Re: Sailor pictured with laser rifle on board USS Minnesota nuclear sub
#37FWIW: 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…
Fyi, lasers aren't safe/dangerous because of their power output but because they are so perfectly parallel. The human eye takes diverging light and turns in into a parallel beam to make images. The same lense takes a parallel beam and makes it focus onto a spot. Focusing to a near zero sized spot makes even very low powers blindingly bright...
The same is true for the sun (enormous distance means near parallel rays).
Re: Sailor pictured with laser rifle on board USS Minnesota nuclear sub
#38Can a laser rifle fired from a submarine damage targets across the water-level barrier?
Re: Sailor pictured with laser rifle on board USS Minnesota nuclear sub
#39Laser pointers for Sphinx scale cats. Very informative article too. The quoted "it won't blind people, really" verbiage smells a lot like bullshit, doesn't it?
The bit about "unequivocal, cross-cultural warning" tho, that i buy. A more pointed way of saying "I see you" than launching a flare.
Re: Sailor pictured with laser rifle on board USS Minnesota nuclear sub
#40The youtube channel smarter every day is doing a series about live aboard a nuclear attack sub (different class than the one in the article, Los Angeles class IIRC) during an exercise where they navigate under ice, called ICEX. which might be of interest if you like this article. It's obviously propaganda but it is very interesting nonetheless. actual submarine part: https://youtu.be/RXXMJAU6vY8 the leadup and contex…
>It's obviously propaganda but it is very interesting nonetheless. Sorry, how is this video obviously propaganda?
It's not. The guy lives and works in Huntsville. The primary revenue of the city is weapon and propulsion research for the government. I'd imagine that perspective is the norm in that area (even more than the South in general).