Coast Guard May Train With Lasers

The U.S. Coast Guard plans to use lasers as a substitute for live fire in training exercises on the Great Lakes.

The Multiple Integrated Laser Engagement System — or MILES — is already used by other branches of the U.S. military. The system allows participants to fire eye-safe laser beams to simulate bullets, The Bay City (Mich.) Times reported.

The Coast Guard had been contemplating creating 34 areas on the lakes for training exercises using live fire from machine guns. The proposal was dropped in December because of safety issues and concerns about contaminating the Great Lakes with lead bullets.

The MILES system, when used for training, is attached to genuine machine guns. The guns are loaded with blanks so they will recoil as they would in live fire.

”There’s nothing that goes into the water,” said Chief Petty Officer Robert Lanier. ”There’s no environmental impact. There’s no projectiles, no nothing.”