US military reveals new ‘harmless’ heat-ray beam gun

A RAY gun that shoots a beam which makes people feel as if they will catch fire has been unveiled by the US military.

The technology is supposed to be harmless — a non-lethal way to get enemies to drop their weapons.

The weapon will not go into production until 2010.

During a demonstration at Moody Air Force Base, Georgia, airmen fired beams from a dish antenna at people pretending to be rioters.

The crew fired beams from more than 500 yards away, nearly 17 times the range of existing non-lethal weapons like rubber bullets.

The 130F (54C) heat was not painful but was intense enough to make participants think their clothes were about to ignite.

“This is one of the key technologies for the future,” said Col. Kirk Hymes, director of the non-lethal weapons programme.

The system uses millimetre waves to penetrate skin enough to cause discomfort. Kitchen microwaves can penetrate several centimetres of flesh. The waves can’t go through walls, but they can penetrate most clothing. Officials refused to say if the waves go through glass.