China is thought to be working to fit the ray gun on ships. Above: Chinese destroyer Wuhan leads a fleet of naval ships taking part in a joint exercise with Russia in the Sea of Japan.
China has developed a long-range pain gun that works by shooting microwaves into people’s bodies and heating up water under their skin, according to reports, and might plan to fit it onto its ships or for crowd control.
The gun is non-lethal and doesn’t seem to cause lasting harm — a point the US government tried to make repeatedly amid criticism of a similar weapon it developed, which it demonstrated by shooting a reporter with one.
The intense, non-lasting effects of the gun are part of its appeal to governments, say some commentators. “A nonlethal, non-gruesome weapon empowers militaries to enforce their will without generating the sort of shocking images that provoke condemnation and dissent,” wrote Rafi Letzter in Popular Science.
The gun has a range of 80 metres, but with increased power can work over 1 kilometer.
The gun is non-lethal and doesn’t seem to cause lasting harm — a point the US government tried to make repeatedly amid criticism of a similar weapon it developed, which it demonstrated by shooting a reporter with one.
