There's some precedent for this within the U.S. military already, too. during the Vietnam War, the U.S. Air Force actually experimented with air-dropped “psychoacoustic weapons,” which were speaker boxes with recordings to either spew propaganda messages or terrifying or distracting noises. These “ Screeming Meemies ” never progressed beyond the prototype stage.

A practical plasma system would also have definite potential as psychological warfare tool, especially if fitted to an unmanned aircraft that could potentially provide this capability discreetly or even in denied areas . Both the U.S. military and the U.S. Intelligence Community would undoubtedly love to have the ability to direct disconcerting or false messages out of thin air at the enemy or even a particular individual, such as a terrorist leader. They might mistake the experience for some sort of divine intervention or a deteriorating mental condition.

Depending on how wide a range of effects scientists can create with the plasma, a similar system might be able to produce a potentially lethal or otherwise damaging effect at extended ranges, too. There are already laser-based defense systems for ground vehicles and aircraft that either destroy optics on sensor systems or blind the seekers on incoming missiles.

The concept is still very much in the experimental phase, though, and there are significant issues that could make it difficult to employ it in real-world situations. Most importantly, the footage of the experiments shows that the device will still likely need a straight line between it and the target.

When the scientists place an object in the lasers’ path it results in the light and sound pinging off its surface. The physical makeup of the target, including just its color, can also produce different results, which might lead to problems in devising a practical non-lethal weapon, as well.

These kinds of variables are among the factors that have effectively prevented the U.S. military from employing its pain rays, even though American officials insist they’re perfectly safe. Though it’s not clear how realistic a risk it actually is, there is definitely a concern that if someone were to turn the power too far on an active denial system, it might result in permanent injuries. Critics have similarly questioned whether or not long-range acoustic devices and dazzling lasers might actually have long term effects.