Only $1,500

[Dagobert II]

It is said to be non-lethal but if it can start fires, and a 1000 shot capacity...


Whilst everyone’s making jokes on Trump’s announcement of a Space Force, the Chinese appear to have a jumpstart in what appears to be the latest Space race ever since Ronald Reagan announced his “Star Wars” initiative in the 1980s. The Chinese claim that that they have a laser rifle that can cause trouble to those that it targets
The South China Morning Post (SCMP) (http://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy-defence/article/2153310/china-brings-star-wars-life-laser-ak-47-could-set-fire) reports that the rifle, the ZKZM-500, is a non- lethal laser, but can cause “instant carboniszation” of human skin and tissue. It weights the same as AK-47 rifle, though it does not look like those sleek laser blasters that we see in sci-fi movies. The laser is invisible and can go through glass windows.
With a range of 800 metres, the ZKZM-500 can burn through clothing and if the target is unfortunate to wear flammable clothing, can be set on fire. It’s powered by rechargeable lithium batteries and can fire 1,000 shots, with each shot not lasting no more than 2 seconds. A prototype of the laser rifle was developed by the Xian Institute of Optics and Precision Mechanics at the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Shaanxi province.
https://www.popularairsoft.com/files/images2018/china_lasergun_02.jpg
Image: External view of the ZKZM-500 Laser Gun
According to the SCMP, the rifle is now ready for production at a cost of 100,000 yuan each and units that will first receive them are the anti-terror squads of the Chinese Armed Police.
China tinkering with laser weapons is not exactly new. Before the ZKM-500 there have been prototypes of laser rifles being designed for the Chinese PLA. Also, reports of U.S. pilots being shined with laser lights from suspected Chinese sources in Africa and East Asia. On two occasions, minor injuries were caused to two C-130 pilots in Djibouti (http://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/20615/us-military-says-chinese-lasers-injured-pilots-flying-a-c-130-near-its-base-in-djibouti) where which China also has a military base.
The only thing that that is missing when the ZKZM-500 gets released to the units, is e a new set of uniforms that will make Emperor Palpatine proud.

Top photo: Chinese soldier with WJG-2002 laser weapon (Source: China Military Online) Source: https://popularairsoft.com/chinese-claim-they-have-laser-rifle-ready-production

[CenTexDave]

Saw the video of this thing about a month ago. Don't know what to think about it.

[sojourner truth]

When they get to experimenting, improving, and upgrading, it may be a pretty neat little thing.

Beam me up Scotty.

[mac]

Saw the video of this thing about a month ago. Don't know what to think about it.

2 seconds is a long time to hold a laser dot in place.....w/o a T&E mechanism .........

[Dagobert II]

2 seconds is a long time to hold a laser dot in place.....w/o a T&E mechanism ......... That's true, especially if there's movement at either or both ends of the shot. I imagine "dwell time" could be reduced by increasing the power of the beam which might require increasing the size of the weapon and/or reducing the number of available shots.

Calling it a rifle is probably inaccurate as I suspect it doesn't have an ounce of rifling in it. It also should be more user friendly as wind, gravity and coriolis effect should be negligible. I wonder if trick shots will be possible with mirrors? Maybe it would bring back static trench warfare for the infantry as they hunkered down in trenches clothed in reflective mylar uniforms bouncing their lasers off of mirrors angled above the trench berm toward the targets.

[fchafey]

2 seconds is a long time to hold a laser dot in place.....w/o a T&E mechanism .........

Once weed is legalized you will be able to hold that laser in place for hours. Of course you will have forgotten why you are doing it , but man oh man will your hand ever be steady…..:)

[mac]

That's true, especially if there's movement at either or both ends of the shot. I imagine "dwell time" could be reduced by increasing the power of the beam which might require increasing the size of the weapon and/or reducing the number of available shots.

Calling it a rifle is probably inaccurate as I suspect it doesn't have an ounce of rifling in it. It also should be more user friendly as wind, gravity and coriolis effect should be negligible. I wonder if trick shots will be possible with mirrors? Maybe it would bring back static trench warfare for the infantry as they hunkered down in trenches clothed in reflective mylar uniforms bouncing their lasers off of mirrors angled above the trench berm toward the targets.

8 ball, side pocket.

[sojourner truth]

Well, they do have a functional laser that can bring down a missile. Saw it on some science show last week about Star Trek technology that is driving science in some areas.

Of course, the thing is the size of a 5 ton truck. The scientists involved say that making it smaller is just beyond our current technological abilities.

Give me a call when they are small enough to fit in a holster, and can evaporate a Klingon in a second.:))

[Ludwig]

Laser weapons have already been outlawed by international convention. But so were flechettes and white phosphorus and we did not seem to mind.

[mac]

Laser weapons have already been outlawed by international convention. But so were flechettes and white phosphorus and we did not seem to mind.

nukes have been outlawed too.....and wmd! what the hell we got to worry about?.....we got better rock chuckers than all the rest of the planet put together,....they might get on the beach but they won't get to the tree line.......mac

[fchafey]

Don't think white phosphorus is outlawed or banned, just regulated...…

"International humanitarian law does not ban the use of white phosphorus outright, but there is a strict requirement that it be used only in areas clearly separated from civilians."

[CenTexDave]

China doesn't care what is outlawed, banned, prohibited, etc. They do what they want, when they want. They do not accept any resolutions or verdicts that go against them.

[sojourner truth]

I am getting very interested in the latest generation of Rail gun technology. They have experimented with the tech for a while now, know it works, and are talking about how to mount it onto naval vessels.

Only limitations are line of sight targeting and electrical current upper limits. The same tech is replacing Carrier launch systems that currently use steam powered launchers and shuttles. The next generation Euro fighters are almost exclusively launched using electrical rail launch systems. They initially had problems and had a 10% failure rate... Supposedly that has been fixed. Pretty necessary when you consider the cost of one of the new fighters.

[txswimmer]

Put your phasers on stun........

What about all of the sonic weapons? Haven't heard too much about them lately.

[mac]

China doesn't care what is outlawed, banned, prohibited, etc. They do what they want, when they want. They do not accept any resolutions or verdicts that go against them.

but the good part of that is, they also don't expect any other country to do so either! you won't hear them complaining in the UN. They never did complain about how close we were to the yalu and them in our war with N Korea but when they thought we were getting too close and not heeding their concerns to us, they flat out cut loose on us.....they will most assuredly do the same thing when they finally get enough of what we're doing with and for Formosa......it'll be katy bar the door time......don't really want to be alive when that goes down.....mac