Non-penetrating projectile weapons, an overview

This report concerns the type of non-lethal weapons normally referred to as blunt impact weapons, and makes an attempt at providing an overview of the various technical and tactical aspects of these weapons. Covered topics include target effects, general technical limitations, ammunition design, human vulnerability and system trade-offs. A number of examples are given of available types of weapons and ammunition, and their respective merits and drawbacks are discussed. Furthermore, the potential for future development of these weapons is covered superficially. Finally, the need for additional research is addressed, along with a discussion on how the effects and risks of these weapons should be assessed, and how injury criterias could be developed.