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The Military Will Try to Make a Missile-Destroying Laser Drone

The Pentagon wants another crack at shooting down ballistic missiles with laser beams. According to The War Zone, the U.S. Missile Defense Agency is looking to put lasers on high-flying drones. Their mission: to intercept enemy missiles during the so-called “boost phase.” This is the second attempt to build such a thing, following an aborted

The Military Will Try to Make a Missile-Destroying Laser Drone

The Pentagon wants another crack at shooting down ballistic missiles with laser beams. According to The War Zone, the U.S. Missile Defense Agency is looking to put lasers on high-flying drones. Their mission: to intercept enemy missiles during the so-called “boost phase.” This is the second attempt to build such a thing, following an aborted

Printed Sensors Monitor Tire Wear in Real Time

Electrical engineers at Duke University have invented an inexpensive printed sensor that can monitor the tread of car tires in real time, warning drivers when the rubber meeting the road has grown dangerously thin. If adopted, the device will increase safety, improve vehicle performance and reduce fuel consumption. The group hopes that the tire wear

Who Will Control the Swarm?

The world is already well on its way to a day when innumerable autonomous cars and drones buzz about, shuffling commuters to work and packages to doorsteps. In fact, there is new term for it floating around the circles of engineers and venture capitalists who hope to see the day arrive sooner rather than later:

DLR to Fly Experiments on Blue Origin’s New Shepard

The German Aerospace Center, Germany’s space agency, will fly two experiments on a suborbital flight by Blue Origin’s New Shepard vehicle later this year as part of an effort to diversify its microgravity research efforts. Thomas Driebe, head of the physical and material sciences program at the center, known by the German acronym DLR, said

Virtual Reality: a Friend and Foe in War on Terrorism

As virtual reality technology becomes less expensive and delivers a more realistic, immersive experience, some national security experts warn that it is only a matter of time before terrorists use it for recruiting, training and plotting attacks. The virtual reality (VR) marketplace is exploding. Oculus Rift, HTC Vive, Sony PlayStation VR, Google Cardboard, Microsoft HoloLens,

New Sound Diffuser Is 10 Times Thinner Than Existing Designs

Researchers from North Carolina State University and Nanjing University have developed an “ultra-thin” sound diffuser that is 10 times thinner than the widely used diffusers found in recording studios, concert venues and movie theaters to reduce echoes and improve the quality of sound. The new design uses less material, which would reduce cost, as well

MDA High Altitude Long Endurance UAS Could Stop Enemy Ballistic Missiles in Boost Phase

The Missile Defense Agency (MDA) is seeking a new high altitude long endurance (HALE) unmanned aerial vehicle with the unique capacity to carry a high energy laser system that can stop enemy missiles when they have barely left the launch pad, according to a new MDA request for information. “Our vision is to shift the

Lasers in combat: New Space and Missile Defense Commander on What”s to Come

The Army’s future air-and-missile defense capabilities are taking shape under the newest Space and Missile Defense commander, Lt. Gen. James Dickinson, particularly in laser-armed combat vehicles and the Integrated Air-and-Missile Defense system (IAMD), both considered to be crucial enablers for the maneuver force. How the Army will employ laser weapons in combat and what the

NASA Study Confirms Biofuels Reduce Jet Engine Pollution

Using biofuels to help power jet engines reduces particle emissions in their exhaust by as much as 50 to 70 percent, in a new study conclusion that bodes well for airline economics and Earth’s environment. The findings are the result of a cooperative international research program led by NASA and involving agencies from Germany and

Ramjet: New Threats Call For Old Tech

The U.S. Navy took the first step to reintroducing to the fleet an old-but-much-needed technology when it successfully tested a solid-fuel ramjet engine at Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division (NAWCWD) in China Lake, California. As threats emerge that require an ability to strike targets from farther out to sea than ever before, the Navy

Army Releases New Cyber, EW Field Manual

The Army is getting up-to-date on cyber and electromagnetic activity policies, finally releasing the long-anticipated updated field manual for cyber and EW functions. The document, titled FM 3-12 “Cyberspace and Electronic Warfare Operations,” and dated for mid-April, though publicly released within the last week, replaces FM 3-38, which provided the initial guidance back in 2014.