Tactical Employment of Nonlethal Weapons — FM 3-22.40 (FM 90-40), MCWP 3-15.8, NTTP 3-07.3.2, AFTTP(I) 3-2.45, USCG Pub 3-07.31

The purpose of NLW is to enhance the ability of military commanders to conduct operations across the spectrum of conflict. Over the past several years, military operations have gravitated towards the lower end of this spectrum and have involved U.S. forces in various
missions. These missions include SSC, SASO, MOOTW, and civil disturbances where the ROE are inherently restrictive. NLW are designed to address the special requirements of low-intensity environments. They provide tools that enable the individual, team, or unit, to
anticipate and/or respond to provocation with more appropriate means than through the use of deadly force. Essentially, NLW provide U.S. forces with a near-term capability for effectively controlling the nontraditional battlefield, within the constraints levied by ROE,
by reducing the risk to friendly forces, mitigating casualties, and minimizing collateral damage.