The objective was the “non-lethal weaponization of ultra-short pulse (pico-femtosecond) laser systems to produce extended high repetition rate laser induced plasma detonations (LIPD) in air or on material targets in close proximity to targeted humans and on targeted material with no civilian casualties and (scalable) non-lethal counter-personnel and counter-materiel effect with little to no collateral damage.”

Below are the results of a November 2020 request for, “ALL reports, status reports, updates on the Laser Induced Plasma Effect program which is part of the Joint Non-lethal Weapons Directorate program,” which included a request for, “all mission statements or stated objectives of the Laser Induced Plasma Effect program along with the Joint Non-lethal Weapons Directorate program.”

Below is what I received from the US Marine Corps, which includes the FOIA release letter, video, and documents.

FOIA Response Letter

Video Archive

Document Archive

The following is a copy of the DVD that came in with the files. They are dumped here for easy downloading, along with a .zip option.

[ .zip File – 62.7MB ]

      12OCT18_NewScientist_LIPE_USWantsLaserWpn.pdf                                618K  
      14NOV_PopMech_The Secret History of Plasma Weapons_Hambling.pdf              618K  
      20JUL19_PNTSciMakingPlasmaBalls_MilTimes_South_Law.pdf                       127K  
      AlsoRan_BullofAtomicScientists_25JUL19_the-pentagons-getting-closer-to.pdf   657K  
      AlsoRan_NavyTImes_talking-lasers-and-e.pdf                                   187K  
      AlsoRan_iHLS_PlasmaLaserBalls_JUL19.pdf                                      120K  
      DE2DC_LIPE_ADS_TheDrive_Trevithick_23Mar18_DefOneMilTimesrefs.pdf            1.8M  
      DE2DC_LIPE_DailyStar_Harper_DefOneref.pdf                                    606K  
      DE2DC_LIPE_DigitalTrends_Dormehl_DefOneref.pdf                               485K  
      DE2DC_LIPE_Discover_Sigfusson_DefOneref.pdf                                  350K  
      DE2DC_LIPE_Eng&Tech_StaffReport_DefOneref.pdf                                362K  
      DE2DC_LIPE_Futurism_Houser_DefOneref.pdf                                     541K  
      DE2DC_LIPE_GovExec_DefOne_Tucker_reprint.pdf                                 785K  
      DE2DC_LIPE_IBTimes_Sharma_DefOneref.pdf                                      1.1M  
      DE2DC_LIPE_IntEngineering_Nicholson_DefOneref.pdf                            517K  
      DE2DC_LIPE_Newsdotcom_Whigham_DefOneref.pdf                                  548K  
      DE2DC_LIPE_Newsweek_Hignett.pdf                                              627K  
      DE2DC_LIPE_OuterPlaces_Kesh_DefOne_Tucker_reprint.pdf                        616K  
      DE2DC_LIPE_PopMechanics_Mizokami_DefOne_Tucker_reprint.pdf                   429K  
      DE2DC_LIPE_ScienceAlert_Futurismreprint_23Mar18.pdf                          393K  
      DE2DC_LIPE_SpecOpsMag_Myers_DefOneref.pdf                                    469K  
      DE2DC_LIPE_ThinkBig_Ratner_DefOneref.pdf                                     1.0M  
      DE2DC_LIPE_TrueNews_StaffReport_DefOneref.pdf                                346K  
      DE2DC_LIPE_i-hls_StaffReports_NewsAU_DefOnerefs_29Mar18.pdf                  359K  
      FOXNEWS_LIPE_pentagon-talking-lasers-that-beam_1AUG19.pdf                     84K  
      JNLWD BAA 14-008.pdf                                                         2.5M  
      LIPE 2018 DE2DC Poster _dl reference 3.pptx                                  875K  
      LIPE Article_DefenseOne_Tucker_21Mar18.pdf                                   417K  
      LIPE Article_MilTimes_South_22Mar18.pdf                                      849K  
      NYPost_TalkingLasers_5AUG19.pdf                                              131K  
      SyFyWire_MessagestoPplsHeads_2AUG19.pdf                                      140K  
      Table 8 New LIPE Video 2019 DE2DC Video Final.avi                             50M  
      UKSun_PentagonBeamsMsgs.pdf                                                  217K  
      USMC SBIR Topic N113_171_Long Range Laser Induced Plasma.docx                 15K  
      USMC SCUPLS SBIR Topic.docx                                                   16K

The post Laser Induced Plasma Effect Program, Released February 2021 first appeared on The Black Vault.

The general objective of this research program is to investigate methods for achieving laser action at wavelengths less than 3000 A. Two techniques are investigated which are applicable to short wavelength laser action. The first is two-step laser action. The second is a tunable Cerenkov laser. These research projects are described.

Document Archive

Methods For Obtaining Laser Action At Wavelengths Shorter Than 3000 A, June 1972 [55 Pages, 16.5MB]

The post Methods For Obtaining Laser Action At Wavelengths Shorter Than 3000 A, June 1972 first appeared on The Black Vault.

The Naval Research Advisory Committee (NRAC) Panel was requested to undertake a rapid review of the laser threat to Navy and Marine Corps aviation to reassess the threat, the adequacy of Operational Requirements (OR) to develop means to protect against it, to review present Navy protection programs
and the Research and Development (R&D) organization, and to make recommendations for broader R&D leading to the development of protection against the emerging frequency agile threat.

There are a variety of friendly and hostile lasers currently developed by military forces in the form of laser range finders and designators. Some of the Soviet lasers may have power levels unwarranted by range finder or designator applications, but it is not known whether these are intended as anti-personnel weapons. Laser radiation has been experienced by u.s. flight crews flying reconnaissance missions. While there are several different damage mechanisms (discussed in this report), present lasers can cause eye damage at ranges up to a few miles. However, they can cause a •dazzle• effect at greater ranges (particularly at night) when illumination of a cockpit and the scattering of light results in the inability of the crew to perform its mission and can result in the loss of the aircraft. The panel concluded that the laser threat is growing and whether intentionally used as anti-personnel weapons or causing damage only accidentally, lasers must be considered a growing anti-personnel threat against which protection should be provided. The naval aviators most exposed to this threat are the air-to-surface attack aircraft and the Marine aircraft and helicopter crews supporting ground combat.

The document below was listed as classified on the Navy’s website, so in July of 2017, I filed a Mandatory Declassification Review (MDR) request to get it declassified, and in September of 2017, the record was released.

Document Archive

 Report of the Naval Research Advisory Committee Panel on Laser Eye Protection, April 1988 [84 Pages, 12.4MB]

https://documents.theblackvault.com/documents/navy/LaserEyeProtection-April1988.pdf

The post Report of the Naval Research Advisory Committee Panel on Laser Eye Protection, April 1988 first appeared on The Black Vault.