Overview
DOD Directive 3000.3, issued July 9, 1996, serves as the foundational policy document for nonlethal weapons within the Department of Defense. It establishes the definition, employment principles, and organizational structure that guide all nonlethal weapons development and acquisition.
Key Provisions
Definition
"Non-lethal weapons are weapons that are explicitly designed and primarily employed so as to incapacitate personnel or material, while minimizing fatalities, permanent injury to personnel, and undesirable damage to property and the environment."This definition is critical because it:
- Explicitly allows for some casualties ("minimizing fatalities")
- Requires intentional design toward nonlethal effects
- Establishes environmental protection as a core principle
Organizational Structure
The directive established two program branches:
1. Policy branch — Under OASD-SO/LIC, responsible for writing the DOD Nonlethal Weapon Policy
2. Acquisition & Technology branch — Led by the Commandant of the U.S. Marine Corps as Executive Agent, responsible for developing doctrine and Multiservice Procedures for Tactical Employment
Employment Principles
Unlike lethal weapons that destroy targets through blast, penetration, and fragmentation, nonlethal weapons employ means other than gross physical destruction.The directive encourages availability of nonlethal force to "expand the range of options available to the commander" but does not mandate integration with lethal systems.
Related Pages
nonlethal-weapons-program-history — The program's evolution under this policy framework
dod-directive-3000.3-comparison — Comparison with international frameworks and alternative definitions