Future Weapon Technology

Manufacturer: More Industries

Most likely the hottest weapon to hit the streets is the new AA-12 (AA for auto-assault) automatic shotgun, recently displayed on the Military Channel’s Future Weapons tv show. The AA12 is really more like a machine gun that fires shotgun shells, as the weapon hardly resembles an actual shotgun. It is constructed of 100% stainless steel, and boasts a low recoil and low maintenance design. Likely the most impressive new feature revealed with the AA12 are the new fragmentation projectiles. This projectile (pictured) fits inside a traditional 12-gauge shotgun shell. When fired…

Manufacturer: Boeing [NYSE: BA]

The conventional air-launched cruise missile (CALCM) is an affordable, long-range (standoff) missile that has been proven in combat by the U.S. Air Force. It is recognized for its rapid-response capability, and it is produced by converting surplus nuclear-armed AGM-86B missiles into the AGM-86C/D missile, which is the basis for CALCMs.

This particular Cruise Missile is launched by a B52 Bomber and propelled by a turbofan jet engine at approximately 500 MPH. The AGM-86C is very hard to detect with radar due to its small profile. The missile is Guided using a Global Positioning System…

This is the unmanned aerial vehicle that a soldier can “slingshot” into operation from a position on the ground. The desert Hawk can be used to gather intel on enemy positions with an effective range of approximately 10 Kilometers. The Small Unmanned Aerial Vehicle or SUAV flies at about 500 meters high and can be operated by a 2 man crew at a top speed of just over 60 MPH.

Manufacturer: Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT]

The Desert Hawk is well suited for day and night surveillance, thanks to its detachable “video payload.” The day version features three simple digital cameras

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Manufacturer: Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT]
The following video of the F-22 shows some of the maneuvers that this Jet is capable of.

The F22 is capable of vertical flight and very high angle of attack maneuvers. Although the F22 boasts some incredible maneuvers:

The F-22 can’t maneuver as well as the Su-37, but it is stealthier, since you can’t have both stealth and maneuverability. Our commanders and generals think that stealth is infinitely more important than maneuverability.

AREA 51 Zone

The People’s Republic of China has been drastically increasing its defense budget in the recent years. It has expanded its air, navy, and army forces significantly and also has been acquiring much more sophisticated technology. As seen in the video, the Chinese Military is highly disciplined and polished. Unlike the rugged American military, the Chinese take a more Soviet-styled massive approach to military posturing. Millions of soldiers, thousands of tanks and aircraft, and hundreds of ships form a formidable force of armored military might.

One important fact to note though, is China’s lack of night-fighting and stealth technology. They have

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Manufacturer: General Dynamics [NYSE: GD]

Some countries excel in the creation of different things. It just so happens that the US excels in the creation of the machines of war. Aside from being the richest country in the world and having the Cold War spurring the development of said military technology, the Abrams tank was truly a revolutionary design when unveiled in the 80s. Despite whatever claims that certain tank exporting countries have about their newly designed next-generation tanks, none of them, aside from a distant second with the British Challenger 2 main…

Manufacturer: Northrop Grumman Newport News [NYSE: NOC]

The United States Navy is undoubtedly the largest and most powerful navy to ever exist. Likewise, the navy currently employs the largest warships ever built, the NIMITZ class aircraft carriers. In fact, the Nimitz class carriers dwarf other nations attempts at aircraft carriers by such a degree that they have been dubbed “super carriers“. With the oldest carrier in the US fleet reaching it’s final years, the USS Enterprise will be replaced by, once again, the largest warship to have ever been built. Construction began this year on…

Lockheed Martin Hellfire II fire and forget missile

“Can be launched from multiple air, sea, and ground platforms, autonomously or with remote designation. HELLFIRE II is a highly successful, combat-proven weapon system for precision kill of high-value armor, air defense, ships, waterborne, and fixed targets. The missile may be employed by lock-on before or lock-on after launch for increased platform survivability.”

Manufacturer: Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT]

The new Hellfire II is the improved Hellfire missile that comes in three variants depending on the target. The Hellfire II can be launched from sea, air, and land…

The A-10 Thunderbolt “Warthog” was initially designed in the 1970’s. Despite its relatively early development, it more recently proved itself on the battlefields of the Middle East and Bosnia. Boasting the largest flying machine gun ever built, the GAU-8 Avenger, it represents a veritable nightmare for enemy armor and targets on the ground. The aircraft itself was actually designed completely around the machine gun. Firing 30 mm depleted uranium rounds, it takes only 6 direct hits from the Avenger that fires 3,900 rounds per minute. Unfortunately for longer range enemy targets, the A-10…

Manufacturer: BAE Systems [LSE: BA.L]

As we all know, the US military is constantly upgrading and improving. One of the newest programs, the Future Combat Systems (FCS) aims to automate and computerize many different processes that are currently done manually, along with dramatically increasing deployment readiness. Emerging from the FCS doctrine are many new vehicles and systems and seem near science fiction by design, and the NLOS cannon (Non-Line-of-Sight) represents one of the more tangible examples of the new machines envisioned by FCS. The NLOS cannon was designed to be ultra light weight, having rubber tracks…