QinetiQ‘s Foster-Miller business unit and Moscow Mills Manufacturing have developed ballistic net system that can be deployed from helicopters to stop small boats such as those used by pirates and drug traffickers. The non-lethal Boat Trap is being developed in conjunction with the Pentagon’s Joint Non-Lethal Weapons Directorate (JNLWD) and the Coast Guard. The companies say the Boat Trap is deployed on a limited basis by U.S. government agencies. The Boat Trap is deployed into the path of a boat, ensnaring the propellers to disable the craft. The nets are opened by weights propelled from central charge blocks. QinetiQ is the prime contractor to the JNLWD and does the engineering design and development. The system was developed in response to the attack on the USS Cole and is being manufactured by Vermont-based Moscow Mills. Future versions of the system will be launched from ships and harbor installations.