Since their first appearance in the debate on doctrine in France, non-lethal weapons have raised much controversy, often far-fetched, with some rejecting the concept as a science fiction fantasy and others seeing it as a revolutionary parallel path to the use of classical forces. Pointing out the absence of strategic thought on non-lethal weapons, the author examines the modifications in doctrine that such weapons imply, emphasising the tactical potential offered by these new-generation weapons systems.
Non-Lethal Weapons in Land Forces' Doctrine and Operations
‘Non-lethal weapons are those weapons specifically designed and developed to repulse enemy personnel, or make them hors de combat, with a low probability of fatalities or permanent injuries, or make materiel unusable, with a minimum of unintentional damage or impact on the environment'(1)
In the study of concepts undertaken by the US Marine Corps following the trauma of Operation Restore Hope, non-lethality constituted a direct, doctrinal response to the multiplication of low-intensity conflicts, and the emergence of an asymmetry like the breakdown of established structures in the context of the post-Cold War debate. A series of political-military factors that led to the reorientation of armies towards peacekeeping has played a part in this: the increased legal constraints and the strengthening of the rules of engagement; the constraints imposed on overseas operations by international law; the urbanisation of conflicts with civilian elements mingled with combatants; and the media, have become deciding factors. The confluence of these parameters has naturally furthered the question that first appeared at the beginning of the 1990s, as a simple leftover from science fiction: non-lethality. Actually the concept of non-lethal weapons, which can overcome the negative effects of asymmetry, is very seductive: giving politicians an argument for legitimising operations that they could not do with conventional weapons; offering decision-makers on the ground a range of additional operational options; and opening the perspective of an autonomous market to the armaments industries. However, even if we speak about a third way between nuclear deterrence and the use of conventional forces and weapons, there is as we shall see still a gulf.
Concept of Employment
If the concept of non-lethality has seen a very rapid doctrinal development in the United States thanks to the technological potential opened up by the ‘revolution in military affairs’ does it in fact constitute a new strategic paradigm? In order to grasp the controversy inherent in the term non-lethality, it is interesting to examine the American concept for employment, and that of the French, which have clear differences.
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