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Active Denial. That's the code name for the
world's first non-lethal directed energy weapon, currently being tested. It
directs heat energy at insurgents carrying weapons, selectively targeting
those who are dangerous, because of the metal objects (weapons) they hold,
and causes no harm to others. It could protect the staff of a US embassy in a
volatile third-world country; it could chase off villagers surrounding downed
pilots in a war; or it could take out terrorists before they get a chance to
act. That’s the theory. Active Denial. You have to appreciate the
creativity of the newspeakers in the Department of Defense who came up with
that name. "Directed energy is not science fiction," repeats author
Doug Beason several times, as if to make sure the reader understands that
these weapons are more than just Pentagon pork-barrel projects, as he
outlines their technology, uses and possibilities. Directed
energy weapons are high-powered energy sources--lasers, microwaves or
particle beams--that can be focused on insurgents or weapons. Traveling at
the speed of light, directed energy makes evasive maneuvers impossible, and
allows military forces to attack targets immediately: no time is required to
transport troops, fly planes, or even launch missiles. Unlike explosives or
projectiles, long the only type of weapon used in conflicts or war, this
technology may lead to a "revolution in military affairs." As
Beason points out in this book, "The size of the army matters, but
technology wins wars," and this new technology may be so disruptive that
no force can combat it. But
the mere thought of this is chilling. "National leaders will soon have
the ability to instantly deter threats anywhere in the world with infinite
precision at the speed of light."
Should this be true, the new Army will depend much more on
surveillance, and such interventions could become far too easy, limiting the
possibility of free expression and assembly. Also, this type of weapon is
fine if a benevolent government holds it, but, like other forms of military
technology, proliferation is inevitable. What will happen when every major
power has these weapons? Will they lead to an increase in hostility? Or will
they, on the contrary, eliminate wars altogether? But
will directed energy weapons work? This book reads, at times, like a funding
report for the technology. This is no surprise, since the author has been
"a key architect and leading expert in directed energy research,"
and has also written "some popular fiction techno-thrillers" (all
out of print). There is no lack of sensationalism, and the book is full of
"gee-whiz" scenarios, showing how directed energy weapons can save
lives. (Curiously, the author focuses more on saving American lives, rather
than decimating enemy troops.) We
are all familiar with Reagan's famous "Star Wars" project, also
known as the Strategic Defense Initiative. This project, which would have
used lasers to take out missiles approaching the United States, never really
worked, in spite of the huge amounts of money that were tossed liberally to
defense contractors. Is directed energy another white elephant that will eat
up defense budgets, which could be spent on people rather than weapons, or
can it really make a difference? I
must give credit to Beason for outlining the reasons why directed energy may
not work: it may be too costly, it may not live up to the hype, and the
military might simply be hesitant to use a new technology that it doesn't
understand. But Beason explains how these weapons may work, discusses the
concepts behind the technology, and gives the reader enough information to
grasp the how and why of directed energy. Flitting from chapters on the
science of lasers and microwaves to discussions of weapons tests, and from
fictional scenarios of how these weapons may work in the field to an overview
of directed energy programs, this book is a well written handbook for this
new technology. Some
of the science is complex, but Beason explains things simply and
clearly--even readers with little knowledge of the basic science will have no
trouble understanding the principals in play. The book is written at about
the level of Scientific American,
with diagrams, graphs and illustrations when necessary, and patient
explanations of what may seem to be complex technology. Curiously,
the final chapter, "This is the End", gives an ideal overview of
the book in merely four pages. In a way, this "executive summary"
should have opened the book, giving readers a roadmap of the key issues and
technology in a nutshell. Rather than a conclusion, it acts as an elevator
pitch for directed energy weapons. If you read this book, start with the last
chapter, then go to the beginning. And while you read, remember: this is not
science fiction.
Kirk McElhearn
Kirk McElhearn (kirk@mcelhearn.com)
is a freelance writer and translator living in a village in the French
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