Troops In Iraq Get High-Tech Noisemaker To Keep Enemies Away
The U.S. Army and Marines have purchased San Diego-based American Technology’s Long Range Acoustic Device to disperse hostile crowds and ward off potential attacks using a high-pitched tone with a frequency of up to 3,100 hertz that can be used at distances of up to 300 yards.
The 45-pound, dish-shaped device measures 33 inches in diameter and can emit sound of up to 150 decibels.
It can be programmed to emit sound files containing warning messages which, if they fail to disperse a crowd, can turn into a tight beam of noise.
The tool was developed after the 2000 attack on the USS Cole off Yemen as a way to keep small boat operators away from U.S. warships.
Abstracted by the National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center(NLECTC) from SiliconValley.com (03/02/04) .