Saturday 1 June 2013

Three sci-fi military technologies that have snuck into reality....

I wouldn't have expected that the US military, the worlds foremost professional tough guys, would have much time for nerdy comic books.

But, based on slew of recent announcements, they seem to have gone through the pages of comic books like they're a Wal-Mart for scary ideas. Then ol' Uncle Sam has paid top flight nerds whatever it took to make them happen.

3: Space drones.

Ever heard of the X-37B? Sounds like a name for some secretive next generation space vehicle, right?

Well, that's very appropriate. It is a secretive next generation space vehicle. The US air force has two of these robotic space shuttles. Smaller (and therefore easier to launch) than the manned civilian shuttles, they've been flying into space since  2010.

 
Image above: An X 37 B on the launch pad, being prepared to... well, to bring the International Space Station crew top secret alcoholic waffles for all I know...


Don't ask what they do up there.

Well, you can ask, but I don't know and the US air force probably aint telling...

2: Programmable ammunition.

Remember how, in the 2000 AD comic, Judge Dredd could tell his gun what kind of bullets (let's say explosive bullets) he wanted it to fire?

OK, the XM 25 rifle isn't quite that freaking scary, but it's still bloody freaking scary: Its rounds are miniature grenades that detonate where the user programs them to. It can literally get around a wall to hit you.

Types of ammo include:
  • Thermobaric
  • Flechette
  • Training
  • High-explosive air-bursting round
  • Non-lethal
  • Armour Piercing (50 mm armor penetration)[6]
  • Door breaching

  • No, I have no idea what half of those  mean either, but they all sound like an euphemism for 'high speed death'...
     



    1: Laser cannons.

    I'm not joking. I'm totally, 110% muther-luving serious. As of next year the US Navy is arming its warships with laser cannons:



    So, are comic book weapons worth taking seriously? Is the pen mightier than the sword? To quote Wednesday Addams:
     
    "Be Afraid. Be very afraid."
     
     
    

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