Laser technology could help UK pentathletes to evaluate pistols

According to the defence company, laser pistols were introduced at the beginning of the 2011 season, replacing traditional air pistols.

Subsequent changes in training programmes and the specifications of the laser pistols are said to have presented athletes and coaches throughout the sport with technical challenges.

A key difference compared with air pistols is that lasers leave no physical mark on the target; scoring is entirely electronic. In addition, with complex electronic components, any malfunctioning — actual or potential — is more difficult to spot.

As part of its technology partnership with UK Sport, scientists from BAE Systems adapted laser systems in a series of laboratory tests and examined how the laser pistols performed, including tests on power output, beam profile and laser pulse duration.

The BAE Systems team created a mobile laser pistol evaluation device called ‘ULTeMo’, which athletes can take to competitions to help with last-minute checks and to give athletes confidence in the new technology.