New Weapon Designed to Zap Scuba Divers

[steveann]

So ??? ... I'll bet this is probably only for defense of combat ships , and if you swim under/near one, I would worry about getting shot as well ....

DB

Actually, having been there, the response would not be to shoot you, but to drop hand grenades on you, or worse, mattering on when they find the "intruder". Much worse than shooting. Sorta like fishing with dynamite.


As for the sound defense thing, it sounds better than what I've heard of them doing before. On a routine basis, the call of "divers in the water" would set off an entire naval base's active sonar systems, which would promptly ruin any living thing in the water in the vicinity. And I think you'd find suing an interesting feat, as there is probably some clause in that nice Patriot Act that allows the government to do whatever they want in the defense against terrorism.

But that's okay, because we're safer now.

Steve

BTW, Pug....At the Trident base it's not dolphins, it's sea lions. Just go look on the tail end of the subs, and you'll see 'em hanging out waiting for the attack signal.

 

[Green_Manelishi]

Well now... that coupled with the killer dolphins might make diving around the local Naval Station a bit more risky.

Ha ha !!!

'Parently some guys in this area decided to surface within the domain of the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard. Being they were wearing black drysuits it was not long before they were being asked "who goes there".

 

[Uncle Pug]

BTW, Pug....At the Trident base it's not dolphins, it's sea lions. Just go look on the tail end of the subs, and you'll see 'em hanging out waiting for the attack signal.

Now that you mention it Steve... I realize that they have sea lions stationed all over Puget Sound... and up the rivers too! In fact they even have them watching the parking lots of waterfront resturants.

 

[Gary D.]

It doesn't sound much different than Naval SONAR. Basically the same thing but a different frequency? Divers or marine life that gets to close get a royal cooking.

Gary D.

 

[steveann]

Now that you mention it Steve... I realize that they have sea lions stationed all over Puget Sound... and up the rivers too! In fact they even have them watching the parking lots of waterfront resturants.

I thought those seagull turds on my car roof were a bit big.....

 

[dbg40]

When the first diver is injured by this, please let me know. This is one I want to litigate. It is better than the asbestos cases and proobably as good as the exploding Ford Pinto cases, though not quite as good as the tobacco cases. I will take the case for a 15% contingency fee rather than the customary 33% or 40% fee most other lawyers charge.

I hate to sound like an ambulance chaser as I'm not. However, this is just too good. I can't believe Raytheon would be so stupid as to sell such a device unless it is only used on ships far out at sea or in otherwise secure areas.

Would you feel the same way if your wife or children were on a vessel that was launched by a terrorist attack? We live in a dangerous time, and must do what we must do. We have no business diving near any vessel that would have need for such a device.

 

[hambleto]

I just hope that only the military and other such vessels are the only ones that can get this device. Otherwise I can see something like this happening:

Capt Moron and crew on their fishing boat pull up to a site with divers down..
Moron 1: "Hey, there some divers on our fishing site!!"
Capt Moron: "Hold on wait a second." Flips switch, lots of bubbles, divers float to surface.
Moron 1: "Just like fishing with Dynamite! Get out the reels and beers boys, the puddle is open!"

 

[STOGEY]

Hey as long as the fishes aren't hurt it doesn't really matter what happens to us humans anyways. 'Right'

 

[NAVY21]

It doesn't sound much different than Naval SONAR. Basically the same thing but a different frequency? Divers or marine life that gets to close get a royal cooking.

Gary D.

Very true...in fact when a sailor falls overboard and the signal goes out over ships comms, the first thing the bridge crew does is not to turn around, but to turn off its SPY-1 radar systems otherwise it will "cook" that sailor in the water.
"cooking your sailors is bad for mission accomplishment" -my former XO

But really, Raytheon is a government contractor, I obviously don't speak for anyone but I find it highly unlikely that Raytheon and the gov't would be selling this most likely million dollar system to the local fisherman or cruiselines.
Also, I don't think you should worry about diving around the local navy shipyards-this system is probally for a ship in port not moving as defense against enemies laying explosives on the ship. If you are worried about diving under a warship while it is moving...first, your naval warship officers won't be steaming past you becasue you getting sucked under the ship and getting pulled into the massive props and intakes will be a much greater threat then this system.

 

[Sharkbaithawaii]

Rytheon is a defense contractor, what does that tell you.