Tag Archives: Popular Mechanics

Posted in • • •

Weapon Wednesday – U.S. Navy Wants Norwegian Underground Lair

By comment

olavsvern

Erlend Hammer
Posted in • • • • •

Weapon Wednesday – The i9 Armed CQB Drone

By comment

palestinian israel conflict gaza

MAHMUD HAMSGetty Images
  • The United Kingdom has developed a new drone devoted strictly to battlefield combat.
  • The drone uses sensors and machine vision technology to detect targets.
  • Once located, the drone can blast away at the target with twin shotguns. read more
Posted in • •

Weapon Wednesday – Navy Destroyer Flies the Jolly Roger

By comment
200921 n vq841 1014 everett, wash sep 21, 2020 guided missile destroyer uss kidd ddg 100 pulls into its homeport of naval station everett nse uss kidd is returning following the ship’s deployment to the us 4th fleet area of operations us navy photo by mass communication specialist 3rd class ethan sotoreleased

U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Ethan Soto
  • The guided missile destroyer USS Kidd was recently spotted flying a Jolly Roger flag.
  • The flag is a nod to Rear Admiral Kidd’s nickname, “Cap,” itself a reference to the notorious Captain Kidd the pirate.
  • The Navy destroyer is adorned with the skull and crossbones of the Jolly Roger, from the flag to steel doors.

read more

Posted in • • •

Weapon Wednesday – Air Force’s New Secret Jet

By comment
ngad

U.S. Air Force
  • The U.S. Air Force announced it has already flown a new prototype fighter.
  • We know virtually nothing about the new plane … other than it exists.
  • Most observers did not expect a new fighter for another decade.

read more

Posted in • •

Weapon Wednesday – What is Spacepower?

By comment

us space force

U.S. SPACE FORCE
  • The U.S. Space Force has articulated the meaning of “spacepower,” likely the most important definition in the new service’s mission.
  • Spacepower is everything from sensors on the ground that peek at satellites to reconnaissance, communications, and navigation satellites in space.
  • “Spacepower” doesn’t include armed spaceships … yet.

The U.S. Space Force has finally articulated its vision of “spacepower.” The service’s new Space Capstone doctrine describes spacepower as what military systems will be used to further American power on Earth. While spacepower doesn’t currently include actual spaceships and laser guns, that’s probably just a matter of time. read more

Posted in • • •

Weapon Wednesday – Air Force Hypersonic Engine

By comment

hermeus, air force one

HERMEUS
  • The U.S. Air Force is funding an aviation startup working on a combined cycle engine.
  • Hermeus’s combined cycle engine can work like a regular turbofan or ramjet engine, reaching a speed of Mach 5.
  • The Air Force thinks the best application for the engine, oddly enough, is a future Air Force One.

Hermeus, a Georgia-based aviation startup, has announced a contract with the U.S. Air Force to develop its idea for a hypersonic aircraft engine. The Air Force department funding the project is the Presidential and Executive Airlift Directorate, the team that manages Air Force One. A Mach 5 aircraft could allow the president to fly from New York to London in 90 minutes, instead of the 7 hours it takes today. read more

Posted in • • •

Weapon Wednesday – The Chevy Infantry Squad Vehicle

By comment

isv

GM DEFENSE
  • The U.S. Army is buying the first of what will eventually be a fleet of more than 2,000 Infantry Squad Vehicles (ISVs).
  • The ISV is based on the Chevy Colorado pickup truck.
  • Fast and light, the ISV can quickly transport an infantry squad across the battlefield. read more
Posted in • • • •

Weapon Wednesday – WWII Coal Bombs

By comment

world war ii derailment caused by the french resi

LAPIGETTY IMAGES
  • During World War II, spies needed a compact, disguised explosive to issue to resistance forces in occupied Europe.
  • One solution was “explosive coal,” which could be infiltrated into enemy coal supplies.
  • A similar program in Vietnam introduced defective, exploding bullets into enemy ammunition. read more
Posted in • • •

Weapon Wednesday – Type X Drone “Robot” Tank

By comment

milrem, rcv, drone

MILREM
  • The Type X drone is a new robotic combat vehicle (RCV) equipped with either an 25 or 30-millimeter auto cannon or anti-tank missiles.
  • Inexpensive and semi-expendable, RCVs hold the key to the future of land warfare.
  • In the future, Army ground forces will consist of human/RCV vehicles and even some unmanned RCV formations. read more
Posted in • • • •

Weapon Wednesday – Ratheon’s Stormbreaker Guided Bomb

By comment

stormbreaker

Raytheon
  • A U.S. Navy Super Hornet successfully launched a Stormbreaker guided bomb, paving the way for service adoption.
  • Stormbreaker is capable of homing in on both stationary and moving targets, even in bad weather.
  • The Super Hornet is the second U.S. military warplane to carry Stormbreaker, after the F-15E Strike Eagle. read more