Police forces across the UK may soon be equipped with laser guns for use against rioters during any future social unrest. The weapon can fire a laser at a distance of up to 500 meters, briefly blinding anyone caught in its path.
Brit-based rioters might want to think twice before they put their foot through another store window anytime soon, as police there are about to begin trialing a laser gun that leaves those in its path blind – albeit for a short time.
The SMU 100 laser weapon, which was originally designed for use against Somalian pirates, costs £25,000 ($40,000) and is capable of shooting a three-meter wide “wall of light” over a distance of up to 500 meters, causing anyone facing it to briefly lose their sight. If anyone has ever accidentally glanced directly at the sun, they can imagine what the effect might be like.