Policy Implications of Non-Lethal Weapons
Abstract
As the U.S. military continues to adjust to the post-Cold War era and prepares to protect and advance the nation's interests in the 21st century, it faces vexing choices on the programs, capabilities, and weapon systems it will develop. In his guidance to the panel conducting the Department of Defense's Quadrennial Defense Review, Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld told the members of the panel ".. U.S. forces should have the capabilities and concepts to meet the uncertain challenges of the future." He also told the panel "New combinations of technologies, combined with innovative concepts of operations and organizational arrangements will serve as the multipliers of future U.S. forces, both active and Reserve." Among the new technologies is a class of weapons called non-lethal weapons. Non-lethal weapons are devices designed to thwart the efforts of opposition forces without a high risk of inflicting life-threatening injuries. Some non-lethal weapons achieve this result by temporarily incapacitating humans, some by immobilizing equipment, and some by emplacing barriers to movement. In order to dominate any opponent across the spectrum of conflict from peace monitoring to full-scale war, U.S. forces must take advantage of the capabilities provided by non-lethal weapons. As with any weaponry, the capabilities realized are dictated by the choices made during research, development, and acquisition. With the immature state of some of these technologies, there is a fleeting opportunity to influence the future of non-lethal weaponry. It behooves the well-rounded military expert to become conversant with those technologies and the employment potential they represent.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Apr 09, 2002
- Accession Number
- ADA404218
Entities
People
- Charles A. Hamilton
Organizations
- United States Army War College