STUNNING PERFORMANCE

It might be non-lethal, but it certainly has a "shocking" effect on potential threats. Check out the Taser X26 electronic gun used by soldiers of the 9th Battalion, Singapore Infantry Regiment (9 SIR).

While conventional firearms put good distances between soldiers and attackers, the decision to use lethal force is never an easy one. Traditional non-lethal weapons such as batons require security personnel to be in close proximity to the attacker, putting them at risk of injury.

With the Taser X26 electronic gun, soldiers can keep their distance yet have the effectiveness of a firearm at the ready. "It gives us a choice between shooting the assailant...and a physical takedown that puts us at risk," said 3rd Sergeant (3SG) Andy Wong, a Military Policeman of 9 SIR.

Termed as an "electronic control device" by manufacturer Taser Ltd, the gun-shaped device fires two darts which attach to the target and deliver a controlled electric shock.

Ever-effective

Unlike simpler stun guns which work on pain reflexes, the Taser X26 targets the human nervous system. In comparison, the effect of stun guns - which cause immense pain - can potentially be overcome by a person with a very high threshold for pain.

When correctly deployed, an attacker is almost immediately incapacitated. Taser technology is highly effective because it uses electrical impulses to stimulate both the sensory and motor nerves. The end result is an involuntary seizing of muscles, leaving the target temporarily unable to control his or her body.

Battery-powered

To deliver that debilitating shot, the Taser X26 gun works in tandem with Taser cartridges. Each cartridge contains two metallic darts powered by nitrogen gas. When deployed, the darts fly towards their target and attach themselves to either flesh or clothing via barbed hooks. Trailing behind each probe is a thin, insulated wire which delivers the electrical impulses. The entire system draws power from the Digital Power Magazine (DPM), a large capacity battery.

While the effects are non-lethal, it can cause secondary injuries such as cuts, bruises and impact injuries caused by falling and strain-related injuries from muscle contractions, such as muscle or tendon tears.

For this reason, 9 SIR soldiers are instructed never to deliver a shock lasting more than five seconds. They are also trained in the safe removal of the barbs although that is a job normally left to medical professionals.

While traditional bullets can be traced to the firearm from which it originated by ballistics testing, the Taser X26's darts cannot be traced by such means. To work around this, each Taser X26 cartridge discharges about 20 tiny serialised discs each time the weapon is fired.

These Anti-Felon Identification Discs - as Taser Ltd calls them - are automatically sprayed in the gun's vicinity whenever a cartridge is deployed. There is no way to disable this feature, and it allows law enforcement watchdog agencies to determine the registered owner of the cartridge, if it is ever used without proper authority.

Ever-reliable

Each single-use Taser cartridge is designed to be easy to load. With no up or down direction, loading is simply a click away. While it may not seem like much, such a feature proves its worth in high-stress situations such as a missed shot or when facing multiple assailants.

The entire system is constructed of a lightweight, impact-resistant polymer, making it reliable in all conditions. This able ally also has a large safety switch that caters to both right-handed and left-handed users.

At the back of the weapon is a small, brightly-lit display which cycles through critical information such as the DPM's charge level, and counts down the time remaining for electrical discharge every time the weapon is fired.

And if all else fails, the X26 can also be driven into an assailant's body to deliver an electrical shock via the two electrodes at the front of the weapon.

Future-proof

Unlike traditional mechanical firearms which have little or no electrical components, the high-tech X26 is a weapon controlled by an operating software code residing in the X26's main body.

To ensure that users receive critical updates to the operating system, the DPM has a Universal Serial Bus connector to download and update newer code from Taser Ltd.

In addition, the X26 uses a memory chip housed in the DPM to keep track of how various features of the weapon are affecting energy-cell life. As the core of the X26's intelligent features, a fully-charged DPM holds energy for approximately 150 10-second firings.

With all that technology fitting snugly in a soldier's palm, it would be wise to step away if you ever hear the warning; "Stop, Taser!". You wouldn't like the next few seconds that follow. As 3SG Wong succinctly puts it: "It s not a pleasant experience."