Replacement of the stinger?

[Jacks Complete]

A new British invention could replace the 'stinger' device currently being used by UK police forces.

The X-Net punctures tyres, then snarls up a car's wheels with a mesh of super-strong fibres.

The Government's military research company, Qinetiq, has been working on the device for years.

The mesh measures 26ft x 8ft and is made from Dyneema - the world's toughest fibre. It's 15 times stronger than steel and is used to make bullet-proof vests and mooring ropes for super-tankers.

The X-Net causes only minor damage to the car and can be cut away with a knife.

Project manager Philip Dandy said there has been interest from police, security agencies and military from around the world.

The X-Net has been tested on cars travelling up to 70mph and has stopped a five-tonne truck, says the Daily Mail.

Story filed: 09:50 Wednesday 26th November 2003
http://www.ananova.com/news/story/sm_841654.html?menu=
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This was a pain to find. It seems to have vanished, I only found it because it caught my eye, and I saved it out.

[keith]

Rather than shooting out the tires, cops now want to surround the car on all sides or pinpoint exactly where he will be at a certain time and deploy the net at that given point. Is that right?
And when an angry mob of tree-hugers, drunk collage students or gang of spics is terrorizing a city they want to net them carefully instead of maceing them or shooting them with painfull rubber bullets?
They should use it on aircraft carriers to catch jets or on downhill freeways to stop runnaway trucks, not criminals.

[Jacks Complete]

I think the idea is that the wires in the net are far stronger than the steel and rubber in the tyre, so it acts like cheese wire, and rips the tyre to bits.

Should be fairly easy to make ne out of Kevlar or such...

[streety]

ripping the tyres to bits doesn't sound like minor damage to me and if it did rip the tyres to bits what advantage would being able to cut it away with a knife be?

Might it not be that the wheels just get snarled up in this stuff, preventing them from turning properly and so slowing the car down.

If a car was approaching one of these things at 70mph, almost managed to avoid it, and suddenly found two of their tyres shredded on one side I don't think it would make for a very safe stop.

[Jacks Complete]

I think the idea is it cuts the tyres to bits, and then jams the wheels, and since the net is so wide, it gets all four at the same time, so effectively doing an emergency stop for you.

I thought the same, and the first mechanic I asked said "you would need to replace the wheel hubs, as they would abrade without the rubber there, you would need at least new front wings either side, and you might well have trashed the drive system as well."

You would be almost instantly stalling a car doing 70+ miles an hour in top gear, which is doing 3000+ rpm, and so you may well find the clutch starts slipping instead, and the engine keeps going hard as you try to keep your speed. Personally, I wouldn't like to be the one in the target car.

However, to stop your pursuers...

[DimmuJesus]

Check out this thread:
http://www.roguesci.org/theforum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1775
This concept could be integrated here.

[ibuprofen]

http://www.qinetiq.com/markets/automotive/markets1.SupportingInformation.0001.document.pdf

X-NetTM System Operation
The X-NetTM system can be rapidly
deployed across a roadway in
seconds to arrest a vehicle. Unique
barbed spikes on the leading edge of
the net pierce the front tyres, the net
then envelops the front tyres and is
pulled tight under the vehicle to stop
the wheels and bring the vehicle to a
stop.

This is achieved at a similar rate of
retardation as in an emergency stop.
Follow up action can then be made in
an appropriate manner as the vehicle
is immobilised.

X-NetTM System Specification
• 10kg to 15kg (subject to spec)
• Packed size - 0.6m x 0.4m x 0.2m
(subject to spec)
• Deployed size - typically 6m or
8m x 2.5m
• Available in a variety of colours to
suit military or police applications.
The QinetiQ X-NetTM is unique as it
does not rely on a single technology
for its effectiveness.
In the unlikely event of the net failing
to engage and arrest the vehicle, the
secondary tyre puncturing system
acts as a backup.

X-NetTM System Features
• Non-lethal technology
• Lightweight and man portable
• Full arrest of vehicle
• Minimal damage to target vehicle
• Arrest of a range of vehicles
including 4 tonne truck
• High speed arrest-
100km/h(60+mph) within 75
metres
• Quick to deploy
• Works irrespective of 4wd, fwd,
rwd or even if fitted with run-flats
• Cost effective.