--- title: "The US Marine Corps’ New Weapon Can Electrocute Targets from 100 Feet Away" description: "The US Marine Corps is testing a brand new less-than-lethal weapon called SPECTER that can electrocute the target from 100 feet away." date: "2020-06-26" modified: "2020-06-26" authors: - name: "Victor Tangermann" job_title: "Senior Editor" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/victor" url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/marine-corps-weapon-electrocute-targets-100-feet" categories: - "Future Society" tags: - "taser" - "the digest" --- # The US Marine Corps’ New Weapon Can Electrocute Targets from 100 Feet Away ![The US Marine Corps is testing a brand new less-than-lethal weapon called SPECTER that can electrocute the target from 100 feet away.]() *\Image: Harkind Dynamics\* ## SPECTER The U.S. Marine Corps is testing a brand new, less-than-lethal weapon called SPECTER (Small arms Pulsed Electronic Tetanization at Extended Range) that can electrocute the target from 100 feet away, [*New Scientist* reports](). For a comparison, a current-gen Taser has a range of about 26 feet. The projectile can be fired from any 12-gauge shotgun and is being developed by Colorado-based tech research company Harkind Dynamics, with funding from the US Department of Defense. ## Parachute Brakes To avoid the inevitable and dangerous impacts of a projectile being fired from a shotgun, Harkind Dynamics added a tiny parachute that deploys right before hitting the target. According to the company, the parachute halves the speed of the projectile. Within a meter of the target, SPECTER shoots out three electrode darts. The darts are sharp enough to get through clothes and can also keep shocking the target if it senses movement. ## Potentially Lethal Less-than-lethal weapon systems have been in the news recently after several American protesters [suffered serious eye injuries](), in some instances permanent, caused by rubber bullets shot by police during the ongoing Black Lives Matter protests. It's still unclear if the new weapon can ensure the safety of its target. Experts already have doubts. "If the parachute did not deploy, then you have the danger of direct impact with blunt trauma and possible penetration," a spokesperson for the Omega Research Foundation, a UK-based security tech monitor, told *New Scientist*. "If it hits the head there is a risk of serious injury or death," they added. **READ MORE:** [US military electroshock weapon can hit a person 100 metres away]() \[*New Scientist*\] **More on tasers:** *[This Futuristic Non-Lethal Weapon Will Electrocute Your Enemies]()* ## Author I've been at Futurism since 2017, where my role has evolved to encompass design, writing, and increasingly editing. I've always been fascinated by space exploration and advanced transportation, which I've leaned into by interviewing luminaries in those fields while closely following the dimensions of policy and regulation that allow next-generation projects to succeed -- or, sometimes, to fail. I'm also keenly interested in the effects of generative AI on society, policies, and democratic institutions, as well as clean energy, physics and biology, and the vagaries of tech leadership. My work for Futurism has been cited by publications including Ars Technica, Gizmodo, PC Magazine, Jalopnik, Fox News, and the New York Post. I spent my childhood living in locations including Manila, the Philippines, and Geneva, Switzerland, attended McGill University, and now live in Toronto, Canada. Before Futurism I worked at AskMen and a small photography studio. In my free time, I'm an avid gardener, foodie, and craft beer lover, as well as a maker of artisanal hot pepper sauces. I have a magnificent dog named Freida. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()