Testing of Military-Grade “Heat Ray” Weapon Approved for Southern Border

Recently, the Department of War has allowed the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to experiment with a “heat ray” weapon, which could potentially be utilized at the southern border.

A memo obtained by CNN indicates that Secretary of War Pete Hegseth has given the DHS the authority to test this military-grade heat ray and develop strategies for its implementation at the border.

The weapon, recognized as the Active Denial System, emits a beam that creates a burning sensation on the skin, along with a lingering ‘tingling’ feeling, and an overwhelming impulse to flee from the sensation.

This memo specifies that “DOW personnel” are not to operate the system—responsibility for deployment, usage, and tactical development falls to the DHS alone.

This directed-energy weapon reportedly fires an invisible electromagnetic beam that can reach over half a mile.

The memo authorizes a “temporary loan” of one Active Denial System for seven months, starting in September.

The beam’s effects, as per CNN, result in a burning sensation on human skin and an uncontrollable desire to escape the area.

According to military documentation, the Active Denial System’s radio frequency beam penetrates the skin to a depth of 1/64th of an inch, which is about the thickness of three sheets of printer paper.

Earlier tests involving over 15,000 exposures on volunteers indicated that the likelihood of causing harm is “less than… one-tenth of one percent.”

This technology has been under development for more than twenty years, with enhancements making it lighter and more mobile, as noted in the fact sheet.

Throughout the years, CNN notes that the system has seen deployments in various countries for crowd control, and its domestic use has also been considered; however, the military has consistently opted not to employ its capabilities.

For instance, the U.S. military had the system ready for use in Afghanistan two decades ago but ultimately decided against deploying it.

A Customs and Border Protection spokesperson mentioned to CNN that “CBP is continually assessing new technologies, particularly those that enhance operational effectiveness and mission capabilities.”

At the end of the seven-month loan period, the DHS may submit a request to extend the weapon’s usage.