Militair gebruik van niet-letale wapens. Een eerste verkenning (Military Use of Non-Lethal Weapons. A First Exploration)
Abstract
Of late, the international defence community has become very interested in the potential of Non-Lethal Weapons (NLW). This interest proceeded from the operational need to extend the present arsenal of lethal weapons, with means that can be applied when the use of lethal force is impossible or undesirable. This report deals with the possible contribution of NLW in reaching the operational goals of the Dutch armed land forces. After a first characterisation of NLW, a selection is made of the most promising categories of missions and NLW concepts. By analysing two specific scenarios, the potential of using NLW is illustrated. This analysis is performed using a simplified Quality Function Deployment method. NLW are characterised by the proportionality, reversibility and limited duration of the weapon effects. The most fruitful areas for the use of NLW are considered to be peace support and constrained combat operations, where they augment the existing weapons arsenal. NLW are useful in many military applications, where in some cases new operational possibilities become possible. NLW are more task-oriented than lethal weapons. During the study the need for developing an objective assessment method to evaluate the effectiveness of NLW in general, became evident. Developing such a method requires further study.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Dec 01, 1997
- Accession Number
- ADA340536
Entities
People
- J. J. Paulissen
Organizations
- Prins Maurits Laboratorium TNO