GoKawiilPentagon Approves DHS Testing of Active Denial Heat Ray at Border
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth signed a memo last month authorizing the Department of Homeland Security to test the military's Active Denial System and develop tactics for potential use at the southern US border, CNN reported. The nonlethal weapon emits an invisible electromagnetic beam reaching over half a mile that causes a burning sensation on skin, producing a tingling effect lasting 10-15 minutes that officials say creates an urge to flee.
GoKawiil's interpretation of the reporting above, not reported fact.
The move could mark an expansion of military-grade crowd-control technology into domestic immigration enforcement, raising questions about how nonlethal weapons originally designed for battlefield use get adapted for use on civilians. Civil liberties advocates may scrutinize whether such testing sets a precedent for broader use of directed-energy weapons against migrants or protesters, though the memo reportedly authorizes testing and tactics development rather than immediate deployment.
- Hegseth's memo permits DHS to test and develop tactics for the Active Denial System at the border.
- The weapon shoots an invisible beam causing a burning sensation without lethal injury, per military officials.
- The authorization signals possible expansion of military nonlethal technology into domestic border operations.
Source: tech.slashdot.org, 2026-10-22
Published there as: “America's War Department Will Test Heat Ray Weapon For Potential Use”
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