Marines want electroshock rounds to fire from standard weapons

By: Todd South

Marines have dazzling laser lights to wave off unwanted intruders at checkpoints and close-range police-style Tasers for crowd control.

But what about when a Marine needs to reach out and shock someone?

A new notice posted on the Department of Defense Small Business Innovation Research website shows that the Marines are looking for a Taser round that can be fired from conventional weapons such as 9 mm pistols, 12-gauge shotguns or even 40 mm grenade launchers, first reported by The National Interest.

This request for Small Arms Long-Range Human Electro-Muscular Incapacitation Munition, or HEMI, is one of a range of nonlethal weapons sought and being fielded by all the services.

The Army announced in June it would acquire a paintball-type gun that fires a round that releases a “debilitating cloud” of irritant, much like hot sauce.

Earlier this year at a Pentagon showcase, the Joint Non-Lethal Weapons Program displayed concepts and prototypes of weapons, specifically lasers, that would do everything from heat a person's skin from a distance to create a plasma ball at any location that can “talk” to a target to ward it away from a restricted area.

Full article: https://www.marinecorpstimes.com/news/your-marine-corps/2018/09/04/marines-want-electroshock-rounds-to-fire-from-standard-weapons