Non-lethal weapons (NLWs) can be useful to U.S. military forces in a variety of contexts, but the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) faces a challenge in evaluating their appropriate use and the potential impact of their deployment.
These diverse systems—including acoustic hailers, eye-safe laser dazzlers, flash-bang grenades, various technologies that stop vessels or vehicles, and the “Active Denial System” that induces a temporary heating sensation—provide valuable complementary capabilities to lethal systems, enabling fighters to use the most appropriate tools in different situations.
For example, in “gray-zone” confrontations short of war with other powers, they can be used to demonstrate resolve while limiting the risk of unwanted escalation. In other circumstances, U.S. forces facing mixed crowds of civilians and fighters could use non-lethal weapons to get them to disperse.