6 Of The Most Advanced Weapon Systems Being Tested By US Military
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).
4) BAE’s Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System or APKWS –
Till now, we had been harping about laser shots and rail guns. Well, BAE has also successfully showcased their Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System, which basically entails a high-precision rocket system with a semi-active laser-guided mechanism. The entire setup features what is known as a point-and-shoot mode with no requirement of external maintenance. As for its design, the APKWS comprises of wing assemblies and folding fins. These individual wings are in turn mounted with laser seeker optics, while the advanced weapon system is equipped with MEMS inertial measurement unit, along with state-of-the-art digital signal processing components.
Another unique feature of the APKWS is its capacity to be controlled by distributed aperture semi-active laser seeker (or DASALS). This plug and play compatible device is tailored to be fitted on to the weapon system, and can morph unguided munitions into precision rockets! When all of these features are translated into practicality, the APKWS can used from both manned aircraft and unmanned platforms – for a range of scenarios that includes land-, sea- or air-based targets, with a touted accuracy of 93 percent. And finally, it should be noted that the weapon system has been successfully test fired (by US military) from a number of variant platforms, including Hawker Beechcraft AT-6C aircraft, MH-60S helicopter and A-10 Warthog jet.
5) TrackingPoint’s Precision-Guided Firearm series –
Back in CES 2013, the Precision-Guided Firearm series (dubbed as the Linux Gun) created by TrackingPoint, had many eyes rolled and brows raised, with its ‘powertrain’ of a laser rangefinder and on-board computer. When translated to a real-time scenario, the ‘smart’ sniper rifle was touted to have the capacity to gauge variables, like the wind condition and even the motional attribute of the target. In essence, the gun could communicate to the user where his bullet would ultimately land, as opposed to where it is aimed at. And, all of this ‘fine-tuning’ could be done for a more-than substantial range of 1,200 yards (0.68 mile or 1.1 km).
And now, the stakes are raised higher with the 2015 version of the Linux Gun (christened as Mile Maker) claimed to have an increased range of 1,800 yards (1.02 miles or 1.64 km), while it can hit a target moving at a speed of 30 mph. This increased range comes courtesy of more improved hardware components, along with a streamlined software that accounts for better preciseness in trajectory measurements (and estimations). Added to that, the newer version will also boast of a live feed feature – which entails the sniping action being captured by a connected mobile device. Considering all these attributes, according to Oren Schauble (a TrackingPoint marketing official), the Mile Maker can hit around 70 percent of its targets in an impeccably accurate manner from around 1,000 yards – when even fired by ‘inexperienced’ users. So, it really doesn’t come as a surprise that the US military has alreadyacquired a few of such smart rifles for their own initiated testing phase.
6) MQ-8C Fire Scout UAV –
Our general notion about UAVs takes a back seat when it comes to Northrop Grumman MQ-8C Fire Scout – one of US Navy’s advanced unmanned helicopters. A successor to its smaller brethren – the MQ-8B, which has already seen action in Afghanistan; the MQ-8C is based upon the robust air-frame of a Bell 407 helicopter. In addition, it is upgraded with a whole new Rolls-Royce 250-C47E engine system and fuel tanks that allow the craft to fly for 12 continuous hours, with a range of 170 miles (or 280 km) and substantial payload of 318 kg (701 lbs). And, now the design adds another feather in its cap by being the navy’s very first unmanned helicopter that has successfully made its take-off and landing actions from a marine-based destroyer (USS Jason Dunham), off the coast of Virginia.
Of course, the question one might be asking is – how does this pertain to a weapons system? Well, according to sources, the military is already looking forth to marine-based objectives that can be fulfilled by the Fire Scout, by virtue of its autonomous flight controls, sensor suite, advanced data-link scope, and progressive take-off/landing techniques. And, here’s the interesting part – the US navy is also thinking about the ‘precision targeting support‘ of the helicopter, which would seriously change the game for short-term missions and raids, thus transforming it into a passive weapon system.
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