Internet goes crazy about China’s new laser gun, but is it real?

[tao]

Stories about a powerful new Chinese laser assault rifle are spreading like wildfire via Twitter, following a report on the weapon’s purported capabilities. The claims made by scientists to The South China Morning Post this week were so impressive, in fact, that some say they are literally unbelievable.

 

Tantalizing headlines on Monday hyped the “real-deal laser gun that inflicts ‘instant carbonization’ of human skin,” warning that the futuristic rifle “can literally set you on fire.”

 

In the original report, one “laser weapons scientist” said the ZKZM-500 laser assault rifle can “burn through clothes in a split second … If the fabric is flammable, the whole person will be set on fire.”

 

The weapon weighs about the same as an AK-47, has a range of 800 meters and is ready for mass production, according to the report.

 

Along with the hype, there was a healthy dose of skepticism that these claims weren’t much more than propaganda.

 

Even existing large-scale laser weapons systems powered by large batteries struggle to produce significant heat damage unless focused on targets for a matter of seconds, an analysis published by TechCrunch pointed out. But according to the report Sunday, the gun is powered by rechargeable lithium-ion batteries and is capable of a thousand two-second shots, or about a half an hour of lasering.

 

“There’s just no way that a laser powered by a lithium-ion battery that a person could carry would be capable of producing the kind of heat described at point-blank range, let alone at 800 meters.

 

“That’s because of attenuation. Lasers, unlike bullets, scatter as they progress, making them weaker and weaker. Attenuation is non-trivial at anything beyond, say, a few dozen meters. By the time you get out to 800, the air and water the beam has traveled through enough to reduce it a fraction of its original power.”

 

Commentary from Next Big Future was less skeptical, if vague, comparing the claims to what the US is working on.

 

In 2015, Boeing said it had developed a ten-kilowatt laser system weighing 650 pounds (295 kg), which would be operated by eight to 12 soldiers, according to the article. The system is said to be operable to damage targets at a range of as far as 22 miles (35 km).

 

“Since the Chinese weapon does not require the advanced targeting equipment and relied on line of sight aiming then the size could be reduced,” the author said. “A 10-kilowatt combat laser in the 100-kilogram range seems possible,” he added, though he didn’t refute the points made by TechCrunch, which he linked to in his article.

 

Chinese military-grade lasers were in the news recently when the US issued a formal complaint in May, accusing China of engaging in “unauthorized laser activity.” A series of alleged incidents resulted in US pilots suffering eye injuries from lasers coming from the direction of China’s military base in Djibouti.

 

A prototype of the Chinese weapon reported on this week has already been built by ZKZM Laser, a firm owned by the Xian Institute of Optics and Precision Mechanics, and they are shopping the device around for large-scale production. One of the weapons would cost the Chinese military or police around US$15,000, according to the South China Morning Post report.

 

< Here >

[luisam]

 

12 hours ago, tao said:

“There’s just no way that a laser powered by a lithium-ion battery that a person could carry would be capable of producing the kind of heat described at point-blank range, let alone at 800 meters.

 

Let's not discard the possibility of some interesting device. But anyone with a minimal knowledge on electronics can understand why you can't provide so much energy with a lithium battery. In any case, using some powerful condensers, you might produce a high blast of power but probably you'll have in your hand an extremely dangerous device... for the user! Just remember the damage that can produce an "innocent" Samsung S7 battery! Second issue is the time you should wait between blasts.

 

A second point we should take in account is the strict censorship in china about military issues. If they really produced some interesting warfare device, it never will be published in a newspaper!

 

now, this one is NOT newpaper gossip:

 

As for automatic guns, probably the most impressive is the Tracking Point Rifle. It isn’t your average ‘point and shoot’ rifle as this one lives ultimately to its name that comes at the greatest competitive or shall I say unfair advantage that the history of weapons has seen. The revolution and big game changer that this gun has is its revolutionary ability to lock a laser onto a moving target and to track the movement of it and on a computer ,only by a single press of a button it will fire at a great range yet still maintaining the ultimate in precision and we’re just getting started as to top it up you can pull the trigger but still the gun will make the final decision of when to eventually fire and this will intelligently be determined by when it feels it’s in the precise spot of where it needs to be directed at.

The other genius factor of the TPR is that by means of computer and scope development guides ,it can calculate and take into consideration several factors that the novice shooter would take for granted or be ignorant off and this consists of : calculation of wind direction & speed and the ahead distance of the target too. A mind incorporated into the gun to make sure it lives up to its code of precision all the time. Built in with a laser range finder, a ballistics computer and a WI-FI transmitter, you now have the ability to record live streams while capturing both video and audio for future reference and review of your shot at which you may later upload to social media. TPR can be considered as the world’s first ‘SmartRifle’ just as how in today’s modernized technological world we have “smartphones” etc. We can conclude to say that the Tracking Point Rifle is next generation in the instrument of modern warfare and although it’s a weapon of futuristic capabilities, the world wouldn’t fully be ready to handle it responsibly.

https://www.wonderslist.com/10-worlds-most-dangerous-guns/

[tao]

< now, this one is NOT newpaper gossip: >

 

No need for such comments, imho (it makes one appear biased.)  it takes away from what follows.

 

Thank you,  Luisam, for  your nice posts and comments, however.

 

[Note:  Why everything is crossed out, I can't figure out.  Tried two times; enough.]

[luisam]

13 hours ago, tao said:

The claims made by scientists to The South China Morning Post this week were so impressive, in fact, that some say they are literally unbelievable.

 

7 minutes ago, tao said:

No need for such comments, imho (it makes one appear biased.)  it takes away from what follows.

Thank you,  Luisam, for  your nice posts and comments, however.

 

It's not me: it's the REFERENCE. I repreat it says that the information comes from claims made by scientists to The South China Morning Post.

[tao]

3 minutes ago, luisam said:

It's not me: it's the REFERENCE

Still, it's an unwarranted (and biased comment) which takes away rather than adds to any commentary (in my unchanged humble opinion).  I am just writing my comments rather than asking for any explanation.  Thank you Luisam.

 

 

[luisam]

33 minutes ago, tao said:

Still, it's an unwarranted (and biased comment) which takes away rather than adds to any commentary (in my unchanged humble opinion).  I am just writing my comments rather than asking for any explanation. 

 

I'm not providing an INFORMATION when I downrate claims made by scientists to The South China Morning Post. Simply. It's mi OPINION and being an opinion, obviously it's a biased comment. I believe, again, it's my biased opinion, that the device is simply an experimental gagdet and I compare it with some real-life absolutely awsome devices.

[tao]

21 minutes ago, luisam said:

Simply. It's mi OPINION

I , personally, welcome all opinions; and especially yours since I have come to know you through your posts and comments.  In my opinion, all agreements, disagreements, disputes, quarrels are a-okay if they are done with respect toward not only for the debate-opponent but towards all.  Oftentimes, here as elsewhere, unfortunately the messenger, rather than the message, becomes the focal point. Also, it goes without saying [that] anything we read or hear (audio) or watch (video) on the internet, or TV, or rallies (pro or con) must be taken with a pinch or a bucket of salt.  Of course we all know this; but knowledge without practice is a burden.  Thank you.

 

Quotes: "Better than a thousand hollow words, is one word that brings peace  ~ Buddha";  and

               "Look directly! What is this? Look in this manner and you won’t be fooled! -- Zen Master Bassui"

               

[Note: Readers who don't like the above quotes or the post itself are urged to ignore it, please.  Thank you.]