The US Army is putting laser weapons to work, and officials say the safety rules are simple: don't look down the barrel
Soldiers are safest if they're ten feet away from a target, "and it's like any other weapons system: don't look into it," an official said.
Directed-energy weapons, including laser weapons, have been increasingly utilized by the US Army, particularly at the southern border. According to US Army officials, safety protocols for using these weapons are surprisingly simple: maintain a distance of at least 10 feet from the target and avoid looking directly into the laser. These rules are similar to those for other weapons systems, such as an M-16, where soldiers are advised not to look down the barrel.
The Army aims to deploy various types of directed-energy weapons on different vehicles, making them easy for soldiers to learn and operate. The system's simplicity is one of its key advantages, as soldiers can be trained to use it in as little as five minutes. This ease of use allows the Army to integrate high-energy lasers onto any vehicle in its fleet, enhancing the service's flexibility in deploying laser weapons across all Army formations.
US Army officials emphasize that the risk to soldiers using laser weapons is low, and the need for protective gear is minimal. The primary concern is specular reflection, which occurs when light bounces off a surface and could potentially cause eye or skin damage to nearby soldiers. However, the Army has implemented safeguards to mitigate this risk, such as shutting down the laser if there is a risk of hitting unintended targets.
During a panel discussion at the Association of the United States Army (AUSA) convention in Washington, DC, officials and industry partners discussed the developments in directed-energy weapons. They highlighted the Army's priorities in deploying laser weapons, including their potential for widespread use in various units and their intuitive controls, such as those similar to those used in video game consoles.
The Army's testing of laser weapons at the southern border has underscored the need for layered defenses against a range of drone threats, particularly from drug cartels.
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