Joint Non-Lethal Weapons Program

Welcome to the Department of Defense's central
resource for information on non-lethal weapons.




NEW! The Active Denial System: A Revolutionary Non-Lethal Weapon for Today's Battlefield


2008 Annual Report

The Department of Defense Non-Lethal Weapons Program Annual Report 2008 features the year's highlights and milestones in non-lethal weapons from around the globe. Click here to download the full report.


Focus of the Month:

Optical Distracters Give Warfighters Escalation-of-Force Options

As U.S. troops overseas continue to face the daily challenges of irregular warfare, non-lethal optical distracters are providing critical escalation-of-force options in situations where warfighters have only seconds to distinguish between adversaries and innocent civilians and act accordingly.

An optical distracter is a long-range optical interruption device. Optical distracters, like many non-lethal weapons, provide an escalation-of-force option for warfighters, helping to minimize casualties and collateral damage.

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CapabilitiesThe Capabilities section identifies programs that are available through the acquisition process, discusses those that are in various phases of development, and provides information regarding upcoming technologies being researched by the JNLWP.

ResourcesThe Resources section provides up-to-date fact sheets, publications and additional reference materials that may be useful for research regarding non-lethal weapons. This page also provides an explanation of acronyms used throughout the site.

Human EffectsThe Human Effects section discusses the research and testing conducted to ensure that non lethal weapons meet the requirements of safety and effectiveness. The organizations and processes involved with human effects research are outlined.

General InfoThe General Information section provides the history and purpose of the JNLWP and outlines its organization. Contact information for anyone who would like specific information not discussed throughout the site is also available at this link.

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Updated Tuesday, August 11, 2009