Area denial weapons

From Free net encyclopedia

Area denial weapons are used to prevent an adversary from occupying or traversing an area of land. The most common are land mines of various types.

The massive use of defoliants such as Agent Orange can be considered as an interdiction measure because, at their highest concentration use, they leave areas empty of any form of vegetation cover. In the desert-like terrain that ensues, it is impossible for an adversary to travel without being seen, and there is nothing much left for taking cover in case of an attack.

Today, area denial systems have moved beyond land mines and cover destruction. One example is a projectile system offered by Metal Storm, Ltd., that fires projectiles using projectiles pre-stacked in the barrels of the weapon, and sequentially fired at very high rates of speed by computer control, up to one million rounds per minute, covering a large area.

Other area denial methods include the fallout from nuclear weapons as well as chemical agents that are by design non-degrading, such as the nerve agent VX.

RF Weapons include radio frequency weapons which can manipulate electromagnetic fields, from Atmospheric RF environment enhancement to residential electroshock and electromagnetic pulse deterrent / sleep deprivation intimidation and disorientation systems.

In medieval warfare, sharp and sturdy stakes were buried at the bottom of long lines of ditches, pointed end up, in order to prevent cavalry charges in a given area. The correct layout of these extensive lines of ditches and the quality control of stake size, form and placement (they had to be big and sturdy enough to impale a very heavy horse) was part of the craft of war. The anti-infantry punji stick is similar.

See also

• Salting the earth
• Sea denial
• Active Denial System, non-lethal energy weapon system