StarDestroyer.Net BBS

Anti-Satellite Weapons

The high-ranking Iraqi defector Gen. Hussein Kamel al-Majeed said Iraq was working on a space weapon launched from the supergun.

"It was meant for long-range attack and also to blind spy satellites. Our scientists were seriously working on that. It was designed to explode a shell in space that would have sprayed a sticky material on the satellite and blinded it." [ Iraqi ASAT gluegun]
The UNSCOM 166 team discovered evidence of Iraq's effort related to a space launch vehicle after the adoption of resolution 687 (1991). The team obtained conclusive proof of an attempt in 1992 to simulate a space launch vehicle based on a proscribed missile system. Evidence was also obtained of a study in 1994 and 1995 of a space launch vehicle based on a non-proscribed missile system. Space launch vehicles are prohibited to Iraq. [S/1997/301]

Anti-Personnel Lasers
References
IRAQI ANTI-PERSONNEL LASERS
AFMIC SPECIAL WEEKLY WIRE 32-90(C) (U)

Blinding and vision-disruption by visible and IR lasers in third world inventories are primarily low-power systems, which limits their retina damage to a range of about 2NM. The primary threat for aircrews would be the ND:YAG laser, which is invislble and painless during exposure, and capable of retina damage to a range of about 3NM. Iraq, with its extensive mix of western and Communist-block systems, was expected to deploy the full spectrum of available tactical lasers.

During the Iran/Iraq War, Iranian soldlers suffered over 4000 documented eye casualtles from Iraqi laser systems, enough to indicate Iraq's employment of some laser systems specifically for their casualty-producing effect. The Iranian casualties showed effects caused by different types of lasers, which was indicative of the mix of western and Communist-block systems in the Iraqi inventory. The injuries, described as retinal burns and hemorrhages, reportedly were caused by a laser device associated with Iraqi tanks. The reported injuries could have been inflicted by a visible or near-infrared laser, most likely a tank-mounted ruby or neodymium/glass laser rangefinder. Laser eye injuries probably occurred as a result of the use of tank-mounted laser rangefinders or other laser systems. These systems possibly were used in an offensive, antipersonnel mode, with the explicit purpose of blinding troops. Hand-held laser rangefinders and designators associated with armor or artillery could be used in an attempt to dazzle, disorient, or blind personnel in low-flying aircraft (fixed and rotor wing). Lasers also have been purchased by Iraq presumably for military application. It was reported that Iraq fielded these lasers as antisensor or antipersonnel weapons; however, no confirmation exists to support this report.

While range and power considerations made their use more difficult against aircraft than ground personnel, a soldier possessing such a system would attempt to use it when under air attack. The Iranian fighter/bomber pilots routinely avoided low level tactics over Iraqi ground troops, thus providing no historical data for assessment.

Daytime tracking of aircraft would obviously be easier for the laser operator, accomplished by binoculars mechanically boresighted to the laser system. Daytime dazzle effects, however, are reduced due to the eye's adaption to bright, daytime light. At night, the operator has a considerably more difficult time aiming the device, but its effect is several magnitudes higher due to the increased sengitivlty of the night-adapted eye.

Darth Wong wrote:Yeah, sure. Iraqi space-based laser weapons? I'd say someone has been smoking some powerful crack.

Sea Skimmer wrote:You're mixing two different things. Please point out the passage which claims Iraq has anti satellite lasers. Hint, there isn't one.

David wrote:There was a weapons engineer a few years back that was working in the middle east to create a cannon that could reach Israel from Iran/Iraq. Not specifically for that but the cannon could do it. I think he was caught sometime ago, don't know what eventually happened to him.

Sea Skimmer wrote: Iraq was in the process of building a massive gun, which could reach into orbit in 1991, and it would have worked. As this articles says, it would have used a hail of fragments to bring down satellites. A number of parts of the barrels where however seized in the UK before being shipped. The weapons designer, who also created the G5 field gun was also killed around the same time.

Battlefield Laser systems which can blind have been around since the 1970's. Most nations however filter them so that eye's won't suffer long-term damage. Though the US has developed goggles specifically to protect troops eyes.

Sea Skimmer wrote:

David wrote:There was a weapons engineer a few years back that was working in the middle east to create a cannon that could reach Israel from Iran/Iraq. Not specifically for that but the cannon could do it. I think he was caught sometime ago, don't know what eventually happened to him.

Gerald Bull, Canadian ballistics expert who spent much of his life attempting to build a gun, which could fire into orbit. For a while he had a 100cal 16-inch gun set up. He also designed the South African G5, and pissed off a lot of counties by stealing technology to do so.

However his need for funding meant he kept doing work for less then reputable characters. In the early 80's he started working for Saddam, initially improving ballistic missiles. Then project Babylon started and there was no way he was going to pass off a chance for his dream to come true.

He was shot and killed March 22, 1990, most likely by Mossad. However a number of nations had sufficent reason to want him dead.

Sea Skimmer wrote:

David wrote:There was a weapons engineer a few years back that was working in the middle east to create a cannon that could reach Israel from Iran/Iraq. Not specifically for that but the cannon could do it. I think he was caught sometime ago, don't know what eventually happened to him.

Gerald Bull, Canadian ballistics expert who spent much of his life attempting to build a gun, which could fire into orbit. For a while he had a 100cal 16-inch gun set up. He also designed the South African G5, and pissed off a lot of counties by stealing technology to do so.

However his need for funding meant he kept doing work for less then reputable characters. In the early 80's he started working for Saddam, initially improving ballistic missiles. Then project Babylon started and there was no way he was going to pass off a chance for his dream to come true.

He was shot and killed March 22, 1990, most likely by Mossad. However a number of nations had sufficent reason to want him dead.

Darth Wong wrote:Does anyone else find it amusing that the thread asks "is this bullshit" and it turns out to be about a supergun built by a guy named Bull?

Warspite wrote:Like Sea Skimmer said, battlefield lasers have been around for a long time, but recently (post - '95) there has been an increasing concern over eye-damaging lasers. I think there's already a moratorium on the Geneva Convention about them, but I can't be too sure about it.
Anyway, there are several companies that manufacture eye-safe glass, for all aplications, air and land. Aircrews nowadays already carry eye-safe screens in their helmets, so they don't have much of a problem, the worse affected would be infantry, but they can use goggles and be protected.
But, these non-lethal weapons aren't really effective, think about this, a laser is highly directional (even with wide beam), the affected soldier would have to be looking in the right direction in the right moment, and frankly what are the chances of that happening in a fluid environment like a battlefield? The same applies to pilots, who move their heads constantly between the outside world and the cockpit.
Firing them from space? Not likely, unless someone is looking to the sky, and the beam isn't dispersed enough by the atmosphere.

In the end, eye-damaging lasers could work, but with a little dosage of prevention they are useless, more of a terror weapon, and even them, not very effective.

Darth Wong wrote:Does anyone else find it amusing that the thread asks "is this bullshit" and it turns out to be about a supergun built by a guy named Bull?