My favorite aircraft of all time gets some needed upgrades.
The U.S. Army is working on a new artillery shell capable of locating enemy targets, including moving tanks and armored vehicles.< read more
The U.S. Marine Corps used a new portable jammer system last week to jam an Iranian unmanned aerial vehicle, forcing it to pitch into the sea. The new Light Marine Air Defense Integrated System (LMADIS) jams the signal between drones and their operators, leaving them at the mercy of physics, and inevitably, gravity. read more
The Air Force’s famous AC-130U “Spooky” gunship is on the verge of retirement with the heavily armed cargo plane returning on Monday from its last scheduled overseas mission.< read more
Chuck Norris is a man of many skills, both real and mythical. We’re definitely sure he’s a decorated Air Force veteran, a martial arts master, an accomplished actor, and a sage philosopher. And we’re pretty sure he once beat the sun in a staring contest, punched a cyclops between the eye, uppercutted a horse and created giraffes, and counted to infinity—twice. Now we can add HISTORY host to his ever-expanding résumé. read more
The entrance to the U.S. Army Natick Soldier Systems Center is busy and confusing. Based on how much the soldier at the gate my Uber driver and I pulled up to was shouting at us, we were not doing a great job of navigating that entrance. But after a few phone calls and with the help of our escort for the day, I was finally on my way down the long path to the correct building.
Natick is an Army base where the military scientists at the forefront of the development of food systems for all of the armed forces (as well as NASA!) are developing new technologies like sonic agglomeration, vacuum microwave drying, and sonic swab technology. The part of Natick I wanted to visit is a warehouse full of super-cool machines that will potentially help our soldiers be able to do their jobs better, by feeding them foods that are packed with calories, nutrients, and flavor, but without weighing a ton or taking up much space. read more
The U.S. Navy’s Blue Angels flying team is getting a new sidekick—one procured from “across the pond”. Fat Albert, the C-130T that flies to air show locations with the rest of the team, is being replaced with a newer C-130J recently retired from the Royal Air Force. The new Fat Albert will have a longer range and greater carrying capacity, allowing it to carry more of the team’s equipment. read more
