Handheld weapons that could set fire to targets from long distances are no longer confined to science fiction but a fact of life, according to researchers China has developed a new portable laser weapon that can zap a target from nearly a kilometre away, according to researchers involved in the project.
The ZKZM-500 laser assault rifle is classified as being “non-lethal” but produces an energy beam that cannot be seen by the naked eye but can pass through windows and cause the “instant carbonisation” of human skin and tissues.
Ten years ago its capabilities would have been the preserve of sci-fi films, but one laser weapons scientist said the new device is able to “burn through clothes in a split second … If the fabric is flammable, the whole person will be set on fire”.
Lasers are only banned if they are used to blind people. Incinerating people is fine.
Adrian Williams
I see nothing about this weapon that resembles an ak-47. I guess you need stupid click bait titles like star wars to gain more sheeple.
Blake Johnson
People have been using lazer pointers to burn shit from a distance for fucking ever
Jackson Brown
Exactly, which is why flamethrowers and napalm are considered non-lethal.
Camden Cruz
There was a project for two-man laser weapons which required a small scale nuclear battery carried by the second guy. It was banned by nuclear arms treaties
That's a horseshit response to a 100 million chinese armed with laser rifles.
Benjamin Edwards
China can't supply their whole army with Soviet surplus from 50 years ago. These will be deployed, at most, one per squad of highly trained special forces operatives.
Joshua Ortiz
reflective/ablative armor when?
Evan Nguyen
Actually part of the meta in Battletech. You have to decide if you want to wear armor better at resisting ballistic impacts or better at absorbing/deflecting directed energy weapons.
Justin Bennett
Fallout even mentions that most power armor was coated with a 10 micron thick layer of silver to act as an ablative surface for laser fire.
When its a general threat to infantry. And as said, that will be a long long time.
Carson Reyes
Considering that these new weapons are from China, they'll likely blow up from overheating easily
Adrian Brown
...
Jacob Hill
Calling it a laser assault rifle makes it easier to ban. If they call it a bbq skin crisper like what it actually is, they could probably stock it in Walmart.
Aiden Wood
Just go pull apart an old projection TV. They contain these behind the front screen.
Justin Reyes
that is not how things work
Chase Gutierrez
what was it again? A particle emission system?
Wyatt Gonzalez
OP pic = Flashlight tag undefeated champion.
Austin Sullivan
totally legit and not just more making shit up this time
Michael Foster
So flat out an Imperial Guard Lascannon Team
Ian Hill
Probably a radioisotopic thermal generator.
Luis Rivera
Im going to take a lucky guess and say that these devices cause cancer. I mean for the user, not just the target. I bet they get a lot hotter than a cell phone.
Asher Barnes
Probably closer to a multilaser, lascannons would be much more high powered than we can manage at the moment.
Star Wars blasters aren't lasers. They fire plasma bursts or ignited tibanna gas or something. I'm sure some Jedi out there will correct me to whatever it is.
