Shark repellent: not yet, maybe never

An effective life jacket shark repellent packet remains an officially stated, unsatisfied requirement of the sea and air military services. Shark Chaser of World War II, a useful psychological crutch for the times, has been deemed inefficacious, and its procurement has been cancelled. Systems analyses clearly indicate inherent, irreconcilable incompatability between stringent military packet specifications and limited capabilities of known candidate chemicals to evoke rapid diminution of aggressive shark behavior. Guidelines for realistic estimates of minimum acceptable potencies are prescribed for future research on shark repellents. Prospective use of semiochemicals is considered, and corresponding changes in current research directions are suggested.