ZM-87

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The ZM-87 Portable Laser Disturber is a Chinese electro-optic countermeasure laser device. It was banned by the 1995 United Nations Protocol on Blinding Laser Weapons and is thought to no longer be in production. Roughly 22 were made up to year 2000.

It was made by Norinco.

It is primarily intended to blind humans; it is also reported to damage the photo-electric elements in laser rangefinders and videocameras and missiles' seekers.

Power output: 15 mW, 5 pulses per second, at two wavelengths.
Maximum range (blinding): 2 to 3 km = 1.2 to 1.9 miles (5 km if a x7 magnifying optic is used)
Maximum range (temporary blinding): 10 km = 6.2 miles
Weight (without battery): 35 kg = 77 pounds

A battery supplies a portable electric energy converter which through a cable feeds a beam emitter 84-centimeter (= 33 inches) long mounted on a tripod. It has a gunsight. It resembles a heavy machine gun.

Timetable

late 1980's: development began
May 1995: ZM-87 publicly revealed a defense exhibition in the Philippines
Soon after: displayed at an exhibition in Abu Dhabi and thus got big publicity
Oct 1995: Blinding laser weapons banned in CCWC Protocol IV
Apr 1997: Strait of Juan de Fuca laser incident: A US Navy officer sustained a retinal injury consistent with exposure to this sort of laser fired from the Russian freighter Kapitan Man
Dec 2000: Known production apparently ended