Overview
Project Sheriff is a Pentagon Office of Force Transformation initiative to retrofit existing Army and Marine Corps ground vehicles with combined lethal and nonlethal weapons systems for urban combat operations. The program aims to provide troops in Iraq with expanded options when dealing with potential noncombatants or civilians used as human shields.
Key Facts
- Program Director: Col. Wade Hall, 23-year Marine Corps veteran
- Target Deployment: Summer 2005 (originally announced September 2004)
- Platform Vehicles: Stryker armored personnel carrier, Armored Security Vehicle (ASV), Light Armored Vehicle (LAV)
- Operational Theaters: Iraq urban terrain operations
- Participating Agencies: Army, Marine Corps, FBI, Justice Department, Energy Department, State Department
Nonlethal Weapon Systems Under Consideration
Active Denial System (ADS)
Millimeter-wave directed energy weapon developed by Raytheon Company and Air Force Research Laboratory. Projects an invisible beam that penetrates skin less than 1/64 inch, creating intolerable burning sensation within seconds. Target moves out of beam when pain becomes unbearable. No residual effects or injury reported in testing.Long Range Acoustic Device (LRAD)
High-powered bullhorn emitting ear-piercing noise for crowd dispersal and communication. Already deployed by Marines in Iraq. Subject to ongoing studies regarding potential permanent hearing damage concerns raised by critics.Lethal Weapon Systems Under Consideration
Gunslinger System
Mounted rapid-fire gun under development at Naval Surface Warfare Center Dahlgren, Virginia. Capable of carrying diverse medium and small-caliber machine guns with automatic detection and engagement of enemy snipers.Active Protection System
Sensor array capable of deploying decoys and detecting chemical or biological agents.Strategic Rationale
The program represents a shift toward rapid integration of existing inventory systems rather than developing entirely new platforms. As noted by the author: "The equipment already in the inventory is the best in the world, it's just insufficiently versatile for the incredibly wide-ranging missions our armed forces must accomplish. Retrofitting existing systems is not only cheaper but it should get the troops the tools they need much more quickly than starting from scratch."
Operational Applications
- Armed reconnaissance
- Raids and security patrols
- Vehicle checkpoints
- Crowd control in urban environments
- Port and airbase security
- Border patrol operations