SWORDS

Manufacturer: Foster-Miller

The SWORDS military robot is basically the first evolution of robotic weapons. What used to be mere science fiction in the 80’s has now become a reality, and 10 years from now, the SWORDS robot will be in the scrap pile. That’s because this tiny guy represents a proof-of-concept project to show the world, and the US leaders, that robotic tanks and such can and should be built. It goes to show that we can create offroad robots that can tote many different types of guns (the SWORDS can be outfitted with a rocket launcher,…

Today’s battlefield little resembles those that your grandpa could tell you about from either WWII or Vietnam.  Lasers, satellites, encrypted channels, infrared radar, and myriad other advanced technology permeates the battlespace.  Bascically, we have finished weaponizing the electromagnetic spectrum.  Next must come the weaponization of the combination of this electro-optic technology with both computers and the current hardware in service, i.e. tanks, aircraft, and sea vessels.  Basically, we have begun to build an army, navy and airforce of robots.  Check out the lists and diagrams below to see what is in the works, and also check back for more in…

The MQ9 Reaper
Manufacturer: General Atomics Aeronautical Systems

–An altitude, endurance, and long-range upgrade to the original Predator UAV

Imagine coming home from a hard day’s work, relaxing on the couch, and busting out your XBOX 360. Instead of playing a video game, you decide it would be nice to unwind while thinking to yourself…”ten seconds to impact”, then witnessing the full-color obliteration of an opportunistic target in Iraq. While this situation is not entirely accurate, it is very close to what US Air Force pilots of tomorrow will be doing on a daily basis as they command the new squadron of…

Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC)

The Viper is a standoff munition guided by GPS and laser-guidance. The Viper is primarily used in missions that require a flexible angle of attack, either steep or shallow. The weapon is produced by Northrop Grumann’s Land Combat Systems Facility in Alabama. This particular Viper Standoff munition requires a man to lase the target either from the UAV itself where the missile is fired from, or from the ground. The Viper is similar to the Hellfire missile used in the Predator UAV by the US air-force. The Vipers warhead is smaller than the…

The Phalanx MK 15 Close-in-Weapon-System
Manufacturer: Raytheon [NYSE: RTN]

Designed to defeat terminal threats to naval assets such as missiles and close in enemy aircraft, the Phalanx MK 15 is the US Navy’s own innovative CIWS (pronounced “sea wizz”) close-in-weapon-system design. A CIWS is an autonomous electronically guided robot 20 mm gatling gun, which can effectively down incoming missiles or aircraft with a hail of highly destructive gunfire. The machine gun locks onto the incoming target using its own sophisticated radar systems, but the Phalanx recieves instructions as to what incoming targets to engage as designated by the Aegis battle…

Manufacturer: General Atomics - a subsidiary of General Dynamics [NYSE: GD]

The photo shows the Hunter-Killer UAVReaper which is basically a predator on steroids. Fully loaded, this unmanned air vehicle can take out a small country’s defenses before the rest of the crew move in. The Reaper UAV used to be known as the Predator 2 or Predator B. The armament of the UAV which has a maximum ceiling of 50,000 ft include Hellfire missiles and laser guided bombs. In fact, this beast can carry over 14 Hellfire Missiles compared to 2 on the original

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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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This video depicts the teamwork capability of the US military, coupled with today’s advanced weapon technology. The video is filmed by a Predator UAV on surveillance patrol in Iraq. The Predator observes insurgents firing a AA gun (anti-aircraft artillery) mounted on the rear of a pick-up truck. The insurgents attempt to hide the vehicle and then they flee and hide themselves. The Predator catches everything. The man operating the Predator calls in an A-10 Warthog airstrike, which strafes the tree-line where the insurgents were hiding. Then, the Predator itself takes out…

Generally speaking, every post on this site is dedicated to the newest technology on the battlefield. With a name like futurefirepower.com, what more could you expect than a highlight on the pinnacle of the cutting edge of military technology, the Future Combat Systems program by the United States of America. With each conflict that America has engaged in, endless amounts of studying and testing goes into determining ways to improve the Armed forces. With the Cold War leading to developments that provide massive strategic firepower, smaller conflicts…

The MULE, or Multifunction Utility Logistics Equipment is another example of the US military switching to robotic systems in an effort to keep our troops out of harms way. This particular high tech unmanned ground vehicle is produced by Lockheed Martin and can be used in a variety of functions such as sweeping for mines, reconnaissance, or engaging enemies. The attack variant of the mule - the armed robot vehicle ARV -A (L) - is equipped with a line of site gun and even anti-tank capability. The mule can climb steps and engage enemies in situations where…