Four companies receive contracts for non-lethal weapons development

June 27 (UPI) -- Four contractors have received contracts for research and development and delivery of non-lethal weapons systems for the U.S. Department of Defense.

American Systems, Applied Research Associates, Applied Technologies and Booz Allen Hamilton all received contracts for work on the systems with options that range up to over $50 million, the Department of Defense announced Monday.

The contracts go toward requirements of the Joint Non-Lethal Weapons Program and other Department of Defense initiatives on non-lethal systems.

Work by the four companies will take place at separate locations across Virginia and is expected to be completed by February 2022. Fiscal 2017 Navy research, test and development funds in the amount of $40,000 will be obligated upon award, with $10,000 going to each contractor.

The Joint Non-Lethal Weapons Program is meant to coordinate non-lethal weapons development, procurement, and deployment across the armed services. It is overseen by the Commandant of the Marine Corps, currently Gen. Robert Neller.

These systems can range from standard riot control gear like tasers, rubber bullets, and teargas to the vehicle-mounted Distributed Sound and Light Array system currently under development that can stun and repulse crowds using lasers and acoustics.

Other systems include heavy mortar-launched flashbangs for suppressing enemy forces in civilian areas and air burst non-lethal grenades for infantry grenade launchers.