A new weapon has been documented in use with Hong Kong Police Force (HKPF) in recent weeks: the Piexon JPX6 Jet Protector.
Piexon is a Swiss manufacturer of less-lethal munitions that specialises in liquid irritant launchers. Their JPX line of products are multi-barrel derringer-type pistols, of which the JPX6 is the most advanced and expensive.
The JPX6 fires Pixeon’s patented Piexol 400kS irritant. According to Piexon:
“Piexol is a cayenne pepper extract and the most potent pepper-based irritant on the market. The irritant effect generated by the extract is caused by the capsinoids contained in cayenne. The liquid extract acts as an irritant to eyes, mucus membranes (nose and mouth) and the respiratory system. The effect: temporary blindness, coughing and nausea. These symptoms start resolving within approx. 45 minutes, and generally without any lasting effects.”
The JPX6 is unique among the HKPF’s oleoresin capsicum (pepper spray) launchers in that it fires from a cartridge (dubbed the 14x109mm Cartridge by Piexon), rather than the aerosol-based Curd’s Pepper Spray or the compressed air Pepperball Guns that trace their lineage back to paintball guns.
The cartridges place a propellant charge behind the liquid irritant. This allows the JPX6 to launch its irritant with a very high velocity of 262 fps. This high velocity means that the irritant is much less likely to be blown off course by heavy wind and other adverse weather conditions.
Each cartridge carries 10ml of Piexol, meaning that a fully loaded JPX6 carries 40ml of irritant.
The JPX6 weighs 540 grams, is 193mm long, 127mm tall, and 37mm wide. It has a laser sight built into the main frame, with supplementary iron sights on top of the magazine. The frame also has a short Picatinny Rail beneath the laser sight for mounting additional accessories.
It has a minimum safety distance of 1.5 metres, and a maximum effective range of 7 metres.
Currently very little is known about the HKPF’s use of the JPX6, with only one photo of it in use having emerged at the time of writing. As can be seen however, this photo places the weapon in the hands of a specialist officer.
This most likely means that either the weapon is being trialled by better trained officers with a view to making a larger purchase and rolling it out as standard equipment, or it was a small scale acquisition just for the Special Duties Unit and other equivalent units, who currently find themselves policing protests.
Both Piexon and HKPF have been approached for comment.
