Blinding laser weapon, used by Russia, made by China

This is REALLY OLD news, but I don't know if anyone here yet mentioned it. Also it points out a specific incident where someone had serious eye damage from a laser (albeit a laser weapon), so I that's why it's here in the safety section. Anecdotal evidence is often a good way of explaining something.

Basically some US soldiers were conducting surveylence (spying) from a helicopter on a Russian ship in the Strait of Juan de Fuca and they got a high powered blinding laser beam (not dazzler, but actual permanent eye damage, costing the helecopter pilot his flying license due to the impaired vision).

Laser manufacturer = Norinco
Laser model = ZM-87
Laser device weight = 77 pounds
Laser type = pulsed Nd:YAG
Average power = 15mW (taking into account average power of pulse, pulse on time and pulse off time)
Average power of pulse = ???? (likely many watts)
Peak power of pulse = ???? (depends on pulse shape, but likely many times average power of pulse)
Pulse on time = ????
Pulse off time = ????
Pulse energy = average power of pulse * pulse on time = ????
Cycle duration = pulse on time + pulse off time = ????
Repeat rate (pulses per second) = 1 / cycle duration = ????

As you can see, there's a lot more we DON'T know about this laser than what we do know.


Here's the article.

Suspected Use of the ZM-87 Russian Portable Laser Used Against US troops

15mW caused eye damage?? Hard to believe, especially if they were on helicopter and laser source on the ground....

This is a PULSED unit. The Peak power on this thing could be... well anything. The pulse duration and rep rate would be something we need to know to figure pulse power. I do not know how they determined something like 15mws though. But guess what?

That's the reality of being on the other end of a laser - even 15mws avg. whatever the unit is.

Wasn't there some international law about the use of directed energy weapons?

Why in the world would you edit your original thread on the subject...

http://laserpointerforums.com/f44/chinese-laser-rifle-75023.html

and create a second thread?

InfinitusEquitas said:

Why in the world would you edit your original thread on the subject...

http://laserpointerforums.com/f44/chinese-laser-rifle-75023.html

and create a second thread?

Click to expand...

Actually I wasn't certain that laser safety and laws was the correct section for it to be in. So when I found a different similar laser weapon, I decided to start a new thread in the general laser section, and refer back to this old one as needed from the new thread.

Meatball said:

Wasn't there some international law about the use of directed energy weapons?

Click to expand...

Yeah, you can't use a directed energy weapon who's sole purpose is to cause permanent debilitating injury (like blindness), as that is considered torture and thus a war crime. But that this incident occurred before that law was in place I believe. Also any directed energy weapon that is meant to be used for destroying enemy missile targeting optics (and therefore is a LEGAL weapon) can be misused in an illegal manner by shooting someone in the eyes with it. Also in a police situation, dazzling lasers meant to wash out the suspect's field of view with light to disorient them (and thus keep them from being able to hurt the cops), so that the police can get the upper hand against an unruly suspect and arrest him, is a also a valid laser weapon. But NOTHING that is created for the purpose of causing permanent eye damage may be produced or used.