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Old 13th Dec 2008, 18:20
  #210 (permalink)  
Double Zero
 
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: West Sussex
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L+ser attack

I have posted here before, but was struck by the post " what does it feel like? "

I am a technical photographer, and years ago worked on test ranges recording the results of laser designated bombs.

I had eye protection and a l*ser detector ( from inside a 1950's plywood caravan rather close to the target ) ! -

Snag is, such protection has to be tuned to the frequency of the expected bad guy's kit.

This is a lot different compared to some idiot kid playing with things bought on the 'net - BUT ! this thing was not a weapon, just a designator, but it had a BLINDING - not dazzling - range of 9 miles.

The expert who briefed me had one eye, after a l*ser lab accident - he descibed it as the most unbearable pain he'd ever known, as his eyeball literally exploded.

I suspect the kiddies' version will just give a dazzling effect, if one can resist the instinctive reaction to look towards what's bothering you.

I still don't fancy that on finals, and just to boost your blood pressure a little more, there are deliberate anti-fighter Pilot Incapacitation L*sers ( P.I.L's ) which can seriously dazzle or blind the pilot as set ( seems the same end result to me in a low level aircraft )- even Admiral Sandy Woodward mentions having them on some ships in 1982, but the story goes that they never had a chance to use them, then they were found to contravene the Geneva Convention so binned.

I am sure people who use a gullible 13 year old with a wheelbarrow full of explosives share the same scruples...

Countermeasures are being developed, in the meantime it's up to you guys - I'd have the first officer under something like an 'instrument training hood' for now, whether approaching Birmingham or Basra.
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