military

The Navy’s Largest Chopper Is an Aerial Mine Hunter

Submerged mines were once the scourge of sea warfare, silently lurking in bays and channels to blow a hole in your hull. That’s why the US military has developed a trident countermeasure, hunting for the underwater bombs from below the waves, along the surface, and from the air using the biggest bird in the Navy’s…

Report: Chinese Hackers Have Stolen Sensitive US Weapon Design Files

According to a confidential report that’s been prepared for the Pentagon, Chinese hackers have stolen blueprints for some of the country’s most sensitive advanced weapons systems. Citing the report and sources within the defense industry, the Washington Post explains that hackers have stolen designs for “more than two dozen major weapons systems”. The files were…

How the Army Fit a Suitcase-Sized Battery Charger into a Shoebox

Nothing’s worse than a dead battery—except maybe if you run out of juice while on patrol in the backwoods of Afghanistan. But until now, US forces have had to lug around a huge and heavy charger. Not anymore. Army research has just shrunk a mobile charging station small enough for any soldier to carry on…

When Is Call of Duty Going to Look This Good?

If you told me this image was a frame capture from the next Call of Duty game for Xbox One, I could almost believe you. Ish. Thanks to the digital camera and postprocessing work, its unrealistic perfection, dramatic illumination and striking mix of colors make this photo look like a 3D computer render. However, real-time…

DARPA’s Web Warrior Support System Helps Soldiers Hoist Heavy Loads

It’s not as exciting as seeing Big Dog or Petman in action, but infantry in the US Army should be happy now that DARPA’s begun testing its Warrior Web support system. One day robotic exoskeletons will allow humans to easily lift and carry hundreds of pounds, but for the immediate future DARPA has set its…

This Russian Mobile SAM Site Could Be a Serious Ace Up Syria’s Sleeve

Coalition airstrikes helped turn the tides of the Libyan revolution in favor of the rebels; why not do the same in Syria? Because the Syrian government may or may not have just taken possession of one of the most frightening anti-aircraft batteries ever devised, that’s why. The Russian-made S-300 long-range SAM (surface-to-air) system, known as…

China Has Their Own Stealth Drone

This is China’s stealth combat drone, an airplane that seems very similar to the American Northrop Grumman X-47B. The unmanned combat air vehicle was photographed while performing taxiing tests. Given the development speed of China’s other military airplanes, it wouldn’t be surprising to see this in flight in the next few weeks. According to China…

When Pets Get Drafted: The Bizarre History of Animal Soldiers

Animals are smarter than many people realize, and they can learn to do all sorts of stuff. That’s why so many creatures have been domesticated — but it’s also why people have tried, over and over, to send animals to war. Here’s a history of animal soldiers, in pictures. Pigeons As Photographers This aerial photography…

US military has shut down Wi-Fi access at the Guantanamo Bay following threats from Anonymous that it would “disrupt activities” as part of its #OpGITMO campaign.

iPhones are now military equipment, kind of. The Pentagon just cleared Apple devices running iOS 6 for use on all its networks, so iPhones are officially joining the ranks of BlackBerrys and Samsung Android devices. Windows Phone 8 fans are still out of luck.

Watch the first ever carrier drone jet launch

You are about to witness a historical event: the first drone jet ever launched from an aircraft carrier. In a few decades, when autonomous drone planes battle each other in the skies, fire missiles at drone troops and battleships, humanity will look back at this day as the true beginning of total drone warfare. https://gizmodo.com/the-navys-x-47b-drone-proves-can-take-off-from-carrier-505732511…

The US Military’s Disastrous Plan to Use Napalm-Strapped Bats in WWII

In 1942, after having finally entered WWII, the United States Marine Corps spent two million dollars on an insane new initiative. The mission? Strap napalm bombs to bats, and send them flying on deadly kamikaze runs. Seriously. Vacation Inspiration While most Americans spent the days following December 7, 1941—the day of Japan’s infamous attack on…

The Navy’s X-47B Drone Has Taken Off From a Carrier For the First Time

The X-47B prototype fighter UAV has already shown that it can stick a landing on the rolling deck of an aircraft carrier but can it launch from one as well? Turns out, the answer is a historic yes. https://gizmodo.com/the-x-47b-doesnt-need-a-pilot-to-land-on-an-aircraft-ca-5932530 Today at 11:18 EST, one of Northrop Grumman’s star Unmanned Combat Air System demonstrator successfully catapult…

Pulling Your Parachute While You’re Still on the Plane Is Not Fun

Wait for it. Wait for ittttt. Waaaitttt forrr itttt. Waai… and then boom, there it is. This poor guy accidentally deployed his parachute too early. So early that he was still on the plane. As you can imagine, he immediately got sucked out of the plane. It’s like a scene from the movies, the parachute…

Air Force Fires 17 Incompetent Nuclear Missile Launch Officers

The AP is reporting that the US Air Force has decided to strip “an unprecedented 17 officers of their authority to control nuclear missiles after a string of unpublicized failings.” The Minot Air Force Base officers failed their tests to launch Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missiles, the backbone of the US atomic arsenal. [Gawker] http://gawker.com/no-biggie-but-our-nuclear-missile-launch-teams-are-inc-496036588

US Finally Blames China’s Government and Military of Cyberespionage

While fingers have long been pointed from US shores towards China when it comes to online attacks, the Pentagon has now directly accused the country’s government and military of cyberespionage. The Wall Street Journal reports that the Pentagon issued a report just yesterday outlining for the first time how it believes digital attacks have been…

The Department of Defense is planning to approve Samsung’s Galaxy smartphones and Apple’s iPhone and iPad for government agency use. Maybe they’ll replace some of the 470,000 BlackBerrys they currently use…

A Soldier Launching a Stinger Missile That Looks Like Lasers

Is this a picture of a soldier shooting lasers against the night sky? How did they make the beams bend? They twist and turn like bolts from a Tesla coil! Sadly, no. It’s just a fantastic picture of a Marine launching a PL-87 Stinger Missile at a flying drone in a training exercise. It’s so…

Russia’s Reinventing Its Most Iconic Weapon for the 21st Century

The Kalashnikov is one of the most well-known and widely-used weapons in history. More than 75 million of the Russian assault rifles have been produced since it entered service in 1949. And while AK’s are renowned for their simplicity and durability, the 64 year old line is long overdue for a design update. But can…

The Military’s New Flying Gas Station Will Be Open 24/7 Worldwide

KC-135 Stratotanker planes have been refueling fighter craft in-flight for more than 60 years. While such longevity is commendable, the US military’s fleet of mid-air refuellers is in desperate need of an update. And that’s where this new flying gas station comes in. The Boeing KC-46A is a derivative of the Boeing 767-200 built at…