ZM-87
| Industry | Defense, Military equipment manufacturing |
|---|---|
| Defunct | 2000 (production of ZM-87 halted) |
| Headquarters | China |
| Products | ZM-87 Portable Laser Disturber |
The ZM-87 Portable Laser Disturber is a Chinese electro-optic countermeasure device utilizing a neodymium laser, engineered mainly to incapacitate human vision and interfere with photo-electric systems found in laser rangefinders, video cameras, and missile guidance seekers. Norinco manufactured roughly 22 units before halting production in 2000, following the 1995 United Nations Protocol on Blinding Laser Weapons prohibition.
As one of the limited number of functional laser weapons, the ZM-87 has garnered scrutiny amid U.S. claims regarding its deployment by Russian, Chinese, and North Korean military forces.
Data
- Power output: 15 MW, delivering 5 pulses per second across two wavelengths
- Maximum effective blinding distance: (up to with 7× optical zoom)
- Range for temporary blindness:
- Weight excluding battery:
The system features a battery-driven electric energy converter linked by cable to a beam emitter mounted on a tripod equipped with a gunsight, resembling the form of a heavy machine gun. A portable version is designed to look like a QBZ-95 bullpup assault rifle fitted with a telescopic sight.
History
Initiated in the late 1980s, the ZM-87 was publicly revealed at defense expos held in the Philippines and Abu Dhabi during 1995. That year also saw the adoption of United Nations Protocol IV, which prohibits blinding laser weapons and consequently rendered the ZM-87 illegal. In 1997, an incident involving a U.S. naval officer resulted in retinal damage consistent with exposure to this laser during the Strait of Juan de Fuca laser event. Production was discontinued by December 2000. Additionally, reports suggest that North Korea employed the ZM-87 against U.S. Army Apache helicopters in 2003.
See also
External links
- http://writingcompany.blogs.com/photos/uncategorized/zm87_photo.jpg Image of the ZM-87 (300×232 pixels)
- [1]
