The Pentagon has authorized the Department of Homeland Security to test a military-grade heat-ray system and develop tactics for possible use in operations at the U.S. southern border, according to a memo signed by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and obtained by CNN.
The weapon is referred to as the Active Denial System. It is described as a nonlethal option that projects an invisible beam of electromagnetic waves that can travel a little more than half a mile. The U.S. military says the beam creates a burning sensation upon contact with human skin, with effects described previously by Pentagon officials as similar to the feeling of opening a hot oven. Officials cited a “tingling effect” lasting about 10 to 15 minutes and also an instinctive urge to run.
Across the outlets provided, the reporting centers on the same CNN-reported details: the permission granted, the weapon’s name and basic description, and the intended border-related testing and tactics. No additional reporting differences are apparent from the titles and provided summaries.
