DETERMINING INTENT AND CHANGING BEHAVIOR
By Henry Adams

** A weapon that Edvard Munch would have appreciated **

United for Peace of Pierce County
March 11, 2004

Plutarch says somewhere that the Spartans used to play the flute to alarm the enemy. Now the Pentagon has found something more effective: the LRAD.

William Arkin commented on Mar. 7 in an L.A. Times editorial that a sonic weapon called the LRAD (Long Range Acoustic Device), now being deployed for the first time with the new troops being rotated into Iraq, causes severe pain and can cause deafness. It will be used for crowd control, apparently.

The device is not being referred to as a weapon by the company that makes it, American Technology Corporation, though. The Pentagon doesn't call it a weapon either. No big surprise there. This is the crew that invented "high value target," "improvised explosive device," "collateral damage," and "soft target."

So it's not a "sonic weapon." It's a "long-range hailing and warning, directed acoustic device."

Just America's friendly way of saying: "What we have here is a failure to communicate."

The Marines are jealous that the Army has the jump on them in the LRAD department, apparenlty. They've just signed a $1 million contract for LRADs and that deliveries have already begun[2].

This probably came as no surprise to American Technology. Nine months ago, the company reported that in 2003 60% of the company's growing military revenues came from LRADs[3].

1.

Weapons

THE PENTAGON'S SECRET SCREAM
By William M. Arkin

** Sonic devices that can inflict pain -- or even permanent deafness -- are being deployed **

Los Angeles Times
March 7, 2004

http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/commentary/la-op-arkin7mar07,1,46394.story?coll=la-news-comment-opinions

SOUTH POMFRET, Vt. -- Marines arriving in Iraq this month as part of a massive troop rotation will bring with them a high-tech weapon never before used in combat -- or in peacekeeping. The device is a powerful megaphone the size of a satellite dish that can deliver recorded warnings in Arabic and, on command, emit a piercing tone so excruciating to humans, its boosters say, that it causes crowds to disperse, clears buildings and repels intruders.

"[For] most people, even if they plug their ears, [the device] will produce the equivalent of an instant migraine," says Woody Norris, chairman of American Technology Corp., the San Diego firm that produces the weapon. "It will knock [some people] on their knees."

American Technology says its new product "is designed to determine intent, change behavior and support various rules of engagement." The company is careful in its public relations not to refer to the megaphone as a weapon, or to dwell on the debilitating pain American forces will be able to deliver with it. The military has been equally reticent on the subject.

And that's a problem. The new sound weapon might, in some scenarios, save lives. It might provide a good alternative to lethal force in riot situations, as its proponents assert. But the U.S. is making a huge mistake by trying to quietly deploy a new pain-inducing weapon without first airing all of the legal, policy and human rights issues associated with it.

This is a weapon unlike any other used by the military, and it is certain to provoke public outcry and the conspiracy theories that often greet new U.S. military technology. If the military feels that its new-style weaponry brings something important to the battlefield, and if testing has shown it to be safe, then why not make our reasoning -- and research -- transparent to the world?

Nonlethal weapons have been promoted by a small circle of boosters for nearly 15 years as something increasingly necessary for the U.S. military in its growing peacekeeping, urban-combat and force-protection missions. Some of the weaponry championed by the group, like rubber bullets, flash-bang grenades and, more recently, electromuscular disruptive devices, or Tasers, has already been deployed.

But the more exotic weapons -- including acoustic, laser, and high-powered microwave devices -- have not until now been fielded, held up by legal and ethical questions. Despite intense lobbying, over the years the Pentagon leadership has been skeptical of such "wonder weapons." In 1995, then-Secretary of Defense William Perry decided to ban Pentagon development of nonlethal laser weapons intended to permanently blind. His decision led to a subsequent international ban.

So shouldn't we have a similar discussion about high-intensity sound, which can cause permanent hearing loss or even cellular damage? The new megaphone being deployed to Iraq can operate at 145 decibels at 300 yards, according to American Technology, well above the normal threshold for pain. The company posits a scenario in which Al Qaeda terrorists would run screaming from caves after being subjected to a blast of high-decibel sound from the devices, their hands covering their ears. But in Baghdad or other Iraqi towns, where there are crowds and buildings, the sick and elderly, as well as children, are likely to be in the weapon's range.

Proponents of nonlethal weapons argue that pain and hearing loss, if they were to occur, are certainly preferable to death, which is always possible when lethal force is applied. But this argument ignores realities on the ground. Last week, as I watched televised images of angry Iraqis pelting U.S. soldiers with rocks when they arrived to assist those injured in suicide bombings at mosques, I couldn't help but wonder whether the presence of a sound weapon to disperse those crowds would just escalate hostilities.

Last month, the Council on Foreign Relations issued a task force report on nonlethal weapons, arguing that their widespread availability might have helped in the immediate post-combat period in Iraq to reduce looting and sabotage. The council threw its weight behind greater investment in these technologies partly based on a Joint Chiefs of Staff "mission needs statement" signed last December. "U.S. military forces lack the ability to engage targets located where the application of lethal [weapon fire] would be counterproductive to overall campaign objectives," the Joint Chiefs concluded.

The Council on Foreign Relations recognized that the effect of nonlethal weapons is mostly "psychological -- persuading people that they would much rather be someplace else, or on our side rather than opposing U.S. military forces." It warned that "television coverage of encounters involving [nonlethal weapons] can still be repugnant, and it would be desirable to provide reliable information to minimize unwarranted criticism."

Yet after paying lip service to the very psychological and political fallout that could result from the employment of novel technologies like acoustic weapons or high-powered microwaves, the council task force urged that prototype nonlethal weapons -- that is, weapons just like American Technology's new sound weapon -- "be placed with our operating forces" to test their efficacy and create greater demand among combat commanders.

Is actual combat in a foreign country the appropriate place to test a new weapon? Apparently, we are about to find out.

--William M. Arkin is a military affairs analyst who writes regularly for Opinion. E-mail: warkin@igc.org.

2.

AMEICAN TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION AWARDED $1.088 MILLION CONTRACT TO DELIVER LONG RANGE ACOUSTIC DEVICES (LRADtm) TO U.S. MARINE CORPS UNITS

** LRADs Deployed in Iraq for Force Protection **

American Technology Corporation
February 26, 2004

http://www.atcsd.com/PressReleases/02_26_04.html

SAN DIEGO -- American Technology Corporation (NASDAQ: ATCO) announced today that it has been awarded a $1.088 million contract by the U.S. Marine Corps (USMC). The contract calls for ATC to deliver LRADs to augment the Force Protection Kits of the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force (Camp Pendleton, CA) and 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing (Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, CA) deploying to Iraq. Deliveries under the contract have begun with completion expected by early April.

LRAD is a breakthrough long-range hailing and warning, directed acoustic device that is designed to determine intent, change behavior, and support various rules of engagement. With LRAD, a sentry can issue a focused verbal challenge with instructions in excess of 300 hundred yards, and follow up with a warning tone to cause behavior change. Recorded messages can be selected and delivered over LRAD in multiple languages.

Senator Olympia J. Snowe (R-Maine) approached the Department of the Navy supporting the immediate procurement of LRAD for the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force as part of a $335 million allocation of the $87 billion Congressionally-approved wartime supplement earmarked for immediate force protection technology insertion. Senator Snowe added, "I believe that our nation has an obligation to provide our men and women in uniform with the best resources possible. LRAD is a new and dynamic non-lethal capability that directly supports our military as they tackle the difficult challenges in Iraq and elsewhere."

Lt. Col. Susan Noel, force protection officer for the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force said, "LRAD is a significant addition to the Force Protection Kits being deployed into the Iraqi theater. These devices provide a critical new tool to place distance between the Marine and the threat, giving him/her more time to sort out a measured and appropriate response."

Peter Dotto, Colonel, USMC (retired) and Program Director at M2 Technologies, Inc. commented, "LRAD addresses the capability gap that exists for key mission tasks including crowd control, area denial of personnel including check point operations, and clearing buildings." M2 Technologies, Inc. is the systems integrator for the USMC Systems Command that is evaluating non-lethal weapons.

ATC also announced an additional contract for LRADs totaling $99,750 from the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit (Camp Lejeune, North Carolina).

ATC further announced that the Rapid Equipping Force (REF) of the U.S. Army previously purchased and deployed LRADs in Iraq to develop a concept of operations for vehicle mounted use. The REF is a major conduit for new technology into the war fighting forces.

Carl Gruenler, ATC vice president for military and government operations remarked, "These contracts validate the application of LRAD to address a variety of force protection challenges, whether maritime or land based. Determining intent at distances which extend the decision time to classify and deal with potential threats is increasingly critical in government, military, and industry efforts to protect lives and assets. Providing an effective less-than-lethal tool to communicate, affect behavior, and support lethal rules of engagement better equips our service men and women for new and dangerous missions. We believe LRAD can save lives on both sides of the device, and provide a much needed defense-in-depth capability to protect critical assets and infrastructure."

ABOUT AMERICAN TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION

American Technology Corporation is Shaping the Future of SoundÆ by developing and licensing its technology and intellectual property portfolio which includes: the award-winning HSSÆ (HyperSonicÆ Sound Technology); NeoPlanarÆ Technology; PureBassÆ Sub-Woofer Technology; HIDA™ (High Intensity Directed Acoustics), LRAD™ (Long Range Acoustic Device) and SFTÆ (Stratified FieldÆ Technology. The Company is establishing a strong portfolio of patents, trademarks, and know-how including over 140 U.S. and Foreign patents and patent filings to date. For more information on the Company and its technologies and products please visit the Company's web site at www.atcsd.com.

3.

AMERICAN TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION ANNOUNCES EXPANSION OF MILITARY BUSINESS

** Carl Gruenler Appointed Vice President of Military Operations **

American Technology Corporation
June 30, 2003

http://www.atcsd.com/PressReleases/06_30_03.html

SAN DIEGO -- American Technology Corporation (NASDAQ: ATCO) today announced the appointment of Carl Gruenler as vice president of Military Operations to oversee ATC's rapidly expanding military business. The company expects to realize more than $1 million in military sales in calendar year 2003, a 400 percent gain over calendar year 2002.

Gruenler is a member of the United States Naval Reserve, has a strong business background, and has earned both undergraduate and masters degrees in Business Administration. In his seventeen years of business experience, Gruenler has served as president of Thomas D. Mangelsen, Inc., a national retail, manufacturing and distribution company; chief financial officer of Automated Monitoring and Control International, Inc., a railroad systems technology company; and a project manager/financial analyst at Union Pacific Railroad. He returned to active duty in 1999 for special work as the Smart Wing program manager tasked with identifying and developing new "tip of the spear" integrated systems for physical security/access control, waterside force protection and mobile computing. He is stepping out of active duty to accept this position with ATC.

"After working on the military side with these unique and revolutionary sound technologies, I am very excited to be heading ATC's rapidly expanding military business," said Gruenler. "With the invaluable assistance of General Dynamics, approximately 60% of ATC's military business this year is proprietary LRAD™ high intensity hailing and warning systems. LRAD makes possible intelligible long-distance audio communication with minimal distraction to persons near the system in a lightweight, hardened, all-inclusive design."

Gruenler continued, "LRAD changes the dynamics of force protection against threats posed by small boats, vehicles and crowds by positively determining intent. When intent is known, our armed services can confidently act to protect U.S. assets and lives. LRAD is an exciting new tool for both the warrior and the peacekeeper, for all services, and many government agencies. Other ATC sound technologies also show significant promise for resolving force protection and emergency response communication challenges."

"Three naval vessels and two fleet concentration areas are now outfitted with at least one LRAD system each. Applications are expected to expand to wheeled and tracked vehicles throughout the military. Eventually, I expect all the military branches as well as many government agencies and allied forces to employ LRAD systems for long range hailing and warning. Our aim is nothing less than having LRAD identified as The Sound of Force Protection™ worldwide," concluded Gruenler.

Along with the appointment of Gruenler, Terry Conrad has accepted the newly created position of director of Military Sales -- Western Region with shared account responsibility with national accounts reporting to Gruenler.

"This month, we received our first NeoPlanarÆ order for large land-based hangar use," announced Conrad. "NeoPlanar provides high intelligibility in poor acoustic environments and should become the standard for large-venue military sound installations. In addition to our rapidly growing sales to Department of Defense agencies, interest is growing in our LRAD systems among law enforcement agencies as a tool in situations involving barricaded suspects, hostages, mob control, and emergency announcements to distant crowds."

James Irish, CEO of ATC, commented, "Mr. Gruenler will continue to lead the significant revenue growth we are experiencing in our Military Operations division. His rich military background and support of our patented sound technologies for multiple Navy applications will provide substantial insight and direction to our forward-looking strategies across all market channels. Mr. Conrad will expand our drive for revenue and open new markets for our military operations. Mr. Croft's oversight of R&D and Engineering will streamline operations and speed new products to multiple markets."

James Croft is taking on an expanded role heading both Research and Development (R&D) and Engineering. Under this new structure, R&D and Engineering will work more closely in the product flow and project process of bringing to market products based on HSSÆ Generation II, NeoPlanar, PureBassÆ, LRAD, HIDA™ and other proprietary sound technologies and products currently under development.

Speaking on the company's HSS technology progress, Croft said, "Our HSSÆ Generation II offers significant improvements in performance and packaging by combining the sonic performance advancements of our next generation Modulation Amplifier, monolithic film emitter, and improved signal processing into a highly flexible, miniaturized package for a wide variety of applications. Sound quality is dramatically improved as a result of more than a 60 percent reduction in distortion, and the electronics package is 1/4 the size of our first generation devices."

James Irish added, "HSS Generation II products are expected to debut later this summer with in-wall and in-ceiling mounting for commercial, industrial and retail applications. HSS Generation II provides improved sound quality and cost efficiencies broadening the portfolio of HSS-enabled products. Later this year, we will begin a major campaign to introduce HSS to all branches of the military and key government agencies."

ABOUT AMERICAN TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION

American Technology Corporation is Shaping the Future of SoundÆ by developing and licensing its technology and intellectual property portfolio which includes: the award-winning HSSÆ (HyperSonicÆ Sound Technology); NeoPlanarÆ Technology; PureBassÆ Sub-Woofer Technology; HIDA™ (High Intensity Directed Acoustics), LRAD™ (Long Range Acoustic Device) and Stratified FieldÆ Technology. The Company is establishing a strong portfolio of patents, trademarks, and know-how including over 138 U.S. and Foreign patents and patent filings to date. For more information on the company and its technologies and products please visit our web site at www.atcsd.com.