In terms of sheer statistical figures, the US military spends an astronomical $554 billion annually to just fund its forces, while allocating an additional $85 billion for overseas operations. When calculated from a global perspective, this accounts for a whopping 39 percent of world’s total military expenditures. Of course, this vast ambit of money should also translate into advancement of weaponry – which especially rings true in a modern scenario where emerging superpowers from around the world are on a passive arms-race for future military technology. So, without further ado, let us take a gander at six of the most advanced weapon systems that are already being tested by the US military.
1) HEL MD photon cannon –
A collaborative effort from the United States Army and Boeing’s defense and security division entails a brand new Directed Energy Weapon (DEW) that is capable of emitting a highly focused beam of energy. In other words, it is a big laser cannon with a bad-ass name of High Energy Laser Mobile Demonstrator (HEL MD). So what exactly are the merits of an advanced photon cannon? Well, according to the engineers, the HEL MD has the capacity to emanate a 10-kilowatt energy laser from the mobile vehicle – which is enough to take out incoming missiles and mortar shells (see video below). Furthermore, the Boeing scientists are in talks to develop an even more potent version that could fire up 50 to 60-kilowatt laser shots that can easily dismantle (or at least disperse) high-range missiles and UAVs.
And quite interestingly, the HEL MD cannon can be operated with the help of the familiar Xbox controller. This is how it works – while one of the men drives the truck (along which the HEL MD is mounted), the other person sits snugly with his laptop and an Xbox controller. This simple connected system is used to lock on to targets, and presumably take it out.
2) Laser Weapon System or LaWS –
Christened simply as the Laser Weapon System (LaWS), this $40 million prototype system is claimed to have the robust capacity to punch holes through enemy UAVs, by virtue of its boisterous 30kW photon beam. This energetic beam is generated with the aid of a collective powertrain of six solid-state welding laser. Their apertures are combined and focused onto a single point – which results in a dazzling photon burst that can cripple enemy UAVs and even confound the navigational systems of oncoming ships.
The LaWS prototype is already installed abroad the amphibious transport ship of USS Ponce, which does its patrolling duties in the disputed region of the Persian Gulf. According to the military, the advanced weapon system is proving to be pretty cost effective, with one laser shot just costing around a dollar.
3) Experimental EM Rail Gun from BAE –
In technical terms, a rail gun is for intents-and-purposes an electromagnetic projectile launcher which is powered by electricity. The weapon in question generally has of a pair of parallel conductive rails and a sliding armature. Now, when current is passed through the system, the armature is accelerated by the resultant electromagnetic effect, which finally aids in discharging the projectile. So, in other words, the EM rail gun avoids the need for a explosion-oriented setup. Anyhow, for long, the conceptual and practical mechanisms of a rail gun have met with many limitations. But in the contemporary state of affairs, BAE has successfully designed their own version of working prototype that has an impressive muzzle velocity of Mach 7.5 (5,700 mph or 9,200 km/h), and a range of over 200 km (124 miles).
Consequently, being directly funded by Office of Naval Research (ONR), this future military technology can make its debut on boards of the future Zumwalt class of destroyers. BAE engineers are also planning to craft more effective yet smaller versions of the rail guns that can be installed on large tanks. Strictly speaking, this scaled down versions are envisaged to be used atop US Army’s next generation Future Fighting Vehicles (FFV).
Just like the EMP weapons mounted on a cruse missile platform, they are only going to be used for the most dire of situations. One, they are shot down and defenses can be made to make the systems less effective and two they can be reversed engineered to use against us. I’m 62 years old and the sr71’s were flying when I was 10. I’m sure the public has no idea what black projects have been put into production. DARPA is only showing a tiny fraction of what they are doing.
Thank you.
you cannot be this stupid man, do you really think its as easy as that? do you think the enemy is just running around with a target on their heads clearly stating they are the enemy?
I suppose it is ridiculous of me to offer a view at this late date, a year behind the statement to which I reply. Can’t help doing so though.
As of this date, over 50,000 US supported troops of the Syrian Defense Forces. a very professional Army led by Kurdish officers and composed of Kurdish regulars, Assyrian Christians, Syrian Arabs and augmented by peoples from the 5,000 square miles of Northern Syria which have liberated since launching the launching of Operation Wrath of Euphrates in early November. They have recently run ISIS out of their stronghold of Tabqah a short distance from Raggah, a city of 250,000, and prevented damage to the Tabqah dam.
Take a look at a map of Northern Syria and note the massive body of fresh water held there by the Tabqah dam. Imagine the vast number of people dependent on that body of water for their livelihood and, indeed for their very life. The SDF prevented ISIS from destroying that dam which we all know those honorless killers would have no reservations doing. This was a tremendous victory over ISIS, but it only set up the final battle for the city of Raqqa, the Capitol city of the so called Islamic Caliphate in Syria. Raqqa is now surrounded and the days of ISIS are numbered just as they are in the Capitol of the dreamt of Capitol of the islamic Caliphate in Iraq, Mosul .
Apparently the Western press does not wish people to know anything about these developments as, I dare say, few reading this words know much about what I say here. I won’t get political on you other than to say that anyone not trapped in the fantasy land of political correctness will most likely be able to understand these things and even have the courage to search out the situation as it stands once they do. As Mulder was always fond of saying, “The truth is out there.”
The reason for my preamble to the Mother of All Battles forming up around Ragga as the SDF surrounding forces tighten the noose is to suggest that yes, the enemy does have a target on his back, at least in this great battle and though I came to this sight to learn about the current state of beam weapons, it is certainly my hope that we will give the jihadi forces a preview of what they can expect from the Western world should they wish to continue on with their folly of ever having started their insane push to colonize us and overwhelm us with their out of control birthrate. It’s called hijra and it means jihad by colonization.
So I say, let us demonstrate a new age of battle in Northern Syria as we support the Syrian Democratic Forces. The US Marine artilleryman on the ground and the US Air Power at work are doing a job on ISIS both in Raqqa and Mosul. I’d like to see a new order of battle that ought to terrify those worthless slaughterers of women, children, and unarmed innocents. Let that story spread across the countries involved and see if that doesn’t give them something new to think about.
Clearly you are just another unthinking antiAmerican troll.
The following comments are from keyboard warriors, pounding their chests.
The reason for not showcasing the ability of the military to not only destroy ISUS but to annihilate them is that to do so puts us in the position of rulers of the world. What you see is not all of what there is. Technology, especially military technology, is at such an advanced state that NOBODY stands a chance against us. It was reported today that advanced lasers will be ready for mounting on fighter jets by 2020. Hogwash! I personally saw an operational tactical laser demonstrated in the Fall of 1966. That was nearly 50 years ago, and as we all know technology has a life of its own. These advanced weapons systems are available TODAY!
Who is isis? the guy on the left? The right? Behind them? You can’t run a background check with a laser canon.
Very Interesting
because isis is made and funded by America
Ya, Ya, right, right. America is always behind the bad guys. Got news for you. If America was so strong we wouldn’t need to be behind anyone. America would rule the world.
Also, these systems are still being tested and are not fully ready for operational deployment.
Politics really, Obama wants the Arab nations to deal with the problem to identify Activist in their own country and act. He also does not want to leave office in the middle of a war. He will leave it to the next guy or girl.