Russia's latest 'wonder weapon' is more propaganda than power
By James R. Holmes, opinion contributor — 02/17/19 09:00 AM EST
The Russian Navy reportedly has installed non-lethal weaponry aboard the frigates Admiral Gorshkov and Admiral Kasatonov. According to official news agency RIA Novosti, the device, dubbed “Filin,†radiates a beam similar to a strobe light during nighttime operations. It is designed to disrupt eyesight among hostile ship crews, impairing their battle effectiveness to Russian advantage. Bonus effects witnessed during Filin testing included hallucinations, nausea and dizziness. Pity the poor test subjects.
That Moscow would field such a weapon is plausible. Indeed, the U.S. armed forces have experimented with non-lethal arms of various genres for many years. There’s little cause to doubt the Russian military has followed suit — or that it has scored some successes.
https://thehill.com/opinion/national-security/430314-russias-latest-wonder-weapon-is-more-propaganda-than-power
