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China Claims Development of "Portable Laser Weapon"

posted by mrpg on Thursday July 05 2018, @06:21PM   Printer-friendly
from the game-on dept.

takyon writes:

China Claims to Have a Laser Assault Rifle That Can Set Clothes on Fire

China allegedly has a "laser assault rifle" that can fire a thousand shots at a time, "carbonizing" human skin and tissue.

The ZKZM-500 laser assault rifle, profiled in the South China Morning Post, is described as a laser wonder weapon. The article raises more questions than it answers, though Beijing's research into laser weapons is particularly pertinent given recent allegations that Chinese military personnel have injured U.S. military personnel with high-powered lasers.

According to the report, the ZKZM-500 is a handheld laser assault rifle. Unlike ordinary sleek assault rifles, this weapon is a clunky rectangular shape with a pistol grip, foregrip, and a telescopic sight. The weapon is powered by a lithium battery capable of supplying power for up to a thousand two-second shots.

[...] [It's] difficult to believe this weapon is as powerful as advertised. Although the article discusses the weapon's burning effects in detail, the ZKZM-500's wattage is conveniently left out. [...] Power storage is another problem. The ZKZM-500 can reportedly fire a thousand two-second shots, the equivalent of 33 minutes of laser power, from a "lithium battery." There's no way a weapon the size of a rifle can store that much energy internally given today's technology, even if it were stuffed with batteries. To store the equivalent of 33 minutes of laser power would require a considerable power supply outside the rifle itself.

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  • (Score: 1) by Sulla on Thursday July 05 2018, @06:32PM (3 children)

    by Sulla (5173) on Thursday July 05 2018, @06:32PM (#703144) Journal

    When I first read about this on drudge a few days ago the article specifically said that it could ignite hair or cloths but was unable to carbonize human skin. I am absolutely certain I saw it because I found the use of the word carbonized to be interesting.

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    Ceterum censeo Sinae esse delendam

  • (Score: 1) by Sulla on Thursday July 05 2018, @06:34PM (1 child)

    by Sulla (5173) on Thursday July 05 2018, @06:34PM (#703147) Journal

    https://www.yahoo.com/news/china-firm-develops-laser-gun-064153947--finance.html [yahoo.com]

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    Ceterum censeo Sinae esse delendam

    • (Score: 2, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday July 05 2018, @07:34PM

      by Anonymous Coward on Thursday July 05 2018, @07:34PM (#703174)

      Gotta ramp up the rhetoric and get people ready for WW3 somehow.

  • (Score: 3, Interesting) by takyon on Friday July 06 2018, @02:46AM

    by takyon (881) <takyonNO@SPAMsoylentnews.org> on Friday July 06 2018, @02:46AM (#703356) Journal

    South China Morning Post says:

    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”.

    As it's basically an organ of the state, its word on the subject ought to be official.

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