[Dhaka Tribune] Laser guns are no longer in the future. China’s new laser assault rifle ZKZM-500 is reportedly capable of hitting a target from a kilometer away, igniting flammable objects, and burning through human skin. The researchers behind the project claim it is ready for production.
The US developed laser firing cannons that can be mounted on armored vehicles and can take down drones by burning its body. But effective laser rifles has been in the world of fantasy, until now.
The South China Morning Post spoke with researchers at the Xian Institute of Optics and Precision Mechanics at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, who say they have developed a powerful laser rifle that will soon be in the hands of Chinese police who focus on anti-terrorism.
With a range of 800 meters, the ZKZM-500 laser assault rifle is a 15mm caliber weapon that weighs 3kg, which is roughly the same as an AK-47. It can be used to fire through transparent objects such as windows. And it is powerful enough to burn through a gas tank and ignite fuel storage facilities.
The weapon is absolutely silent and its beam is invisible. In the blink of an eye, the weapon can burn through the skin and tissue, causing “instant carbonization.” One researcher told the Morning Post that “the pain will be beyond endurance.”
At $15,000 a piece, the ZKZM-500 does not need any ammunition since its lithium-ion battery can handle over 1000 laser burst that lasts around two seconds each. This new tech is restricted for military and police only.
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