The Top 7 Secret Military Weapons
In the past, we've covered some rather interesting uses of power the governments of the world
seem to like to take advantage of.
From crazy and controversial initiatives to hushed programs - security and intelligence
has always been at the forefront of a governing body's mind.
When it comes to weapons and machinery, the military tends to not cut any corners - and
often will get a little TOO unique for their own good.
From some of the most terrifying devices to other defensive strategies that just didn't
quite make it past the research and development phase - let's take a look at seven of the
craziest, scariest and just plain whacked out secret military weapons.
Number seven - Hypersonic weapons and their associated programmes.
The secret governmental programme known as PGS, or Prompt Global Strike, saw the development
of the advanced hypersonic weapon come about.
Dedicated to the precision delivery of a airstrike payload anywhere in the world (and to be even
scarier, within the hour of attack), this weapon is capable of reaching speeds up to
Mach 24 while it travels in a flat and low trajectory.
Successfully tested in November 2011, the test missile traveled from its launchpad in
Hawaii to a site over 2,300 miles away in the timespan of less than thirty minutes.
Considered to be twice as fast as a supersonic weapon, these lightning-fast projectiles are
NOTHING to take lightly.
Number six - The World War II era "Luftfaust".
Although these weapons never quite reached the level of destruction their design aimed
for, Fliegerfaust B or Lufthause (literally translated to "Air Fist") was a Third Reich
engineered ground to air rocket launcher that was trialled and tested by the Nazis after
1944 as a means to take out enemy planes from the ground.
Coming in at a meter and a half long with a 6.5 kilogram weight and sporting nine intimidating
barrels (instead of the standard singular barrel) - this sort of gun was reported to
fire missile blasts in two-second intervals - attacking enemy targets in a staggered,
staccato-like effect.
Never reaching an acceptable target range, only eighty Luftfaust were ever tested in
proper trials despite a massive order from the Nazis toward the end of the war.
Number five - The Pulsed Energy Projectile Gun.
Guns are scary enough as is, but once you add in lasers, things start to get extra terrifying.
Using a pulsed infrared laser that reacts with a target's surface in such a way that
a tiny amount of explosive plasma and a pressure wave would be the direct result, the Pulsed
Energy Projectile Gun - or PEP for short - uses electromagnetic radiation to interfere with
nerve cells (and not to mention physics) - effectively knocking out the target in seconds.
Although not much is known about the weapon thus far, due to limitations of laser technology
this weapon would be mounted to a military vehicle for close range use - probably within
the 2 kilometer range.
Although a non-lethal version of the weapon has long been reported to be in development
- the PEP continues to be elusively scary.
Number four - The LIPC.
The LIPC, or Laser Induced Plasma Channel, is just as pants-ruiningly serious as the
name implies.
Working by creating a plasma pathway in midair - literally beckoning lightning bolts to strike
the target - this electrically conducting weapon harnesses the power of nature into
a truck-sized piece of weaponry.
Although the science behind the lightning-striking device is THERE, scientists are struggling
to manufacture a working prototype that proves safe for the side actually firing the thing.
Power requirements continue to put a wrench into development, as fueling the device efficiently
seems to be an impossible task.
Although the restrictions and hazards still exist in development - engineers are literally
one energy-solving problem away from becoming Thor himself.
Number three - The Heat Ray.
Keeping with the theme of "devastatingly powerful weapons that mount to vehicles", the Active
Denial System (or ADS) is a US Military designed directed-energy weapon currently in development.
Using the same principles as a kitchen microwave, the weapon heats the surface of a target - effectively
transforming about 0.4 millimeters of water and fat molecules.
Although the device is considered to be non lethal (and reports indicate that subjects
immediately cease to feel sensations of pain after the ray is moved from contact), this
crowd-controlling device poses some serious questions about ethics and the possibility
of health repercussions down the line.
Military engineers are currently studying how to modify the ray to combat protective
clothing and shielding.
Number two - The Superhero Exoskeleton.
Taking a literal cue from comic book lore, the militaries of the world have long been
interested in developing a sort of "super suit" to provide soldiers and special ops
a means of attaining a superhero level type defense.
Although many of these types of exoskeletons have been in development for the better part
of two decades, none have officially passed the full test.
Systems such as Lockheed Martin's Human Universal Load Carrier (H.U.L.C.) and the US Special
Operations Command's Tactical Assault Light Operator Suit (T.A.L.O.S.)
have both gotten close - but struggle to weigh less than 400 pounds or exceed possible speeds
of 10mph.
Although power, design and other issues are yet to be ironed out, we're closer than ever
to real, actual super-soldiers.
Number one - Project Habakkuk.
Named after the book of the Bible referencing a "magnificent work of the Lord", Project
Habakkuk was a £2.5 million scrapped idea and otherwise ludicrously extravagant plan
concocted by Geoffrey Pyke and partially funded by the British Military during WWII.
Aiming to construct the largest aircraft carrier the world had ever seen - the floating island
was to be constructed entirely of ice and to serve as a protective cover from any land-based
aircraft squadron and German u-boats.
Given the fragile and unpredictable nature of ice, this water and wood pulp based construction
was never a success - requiring a giant refrigeration plant and constantly shifting insulation to
prevent sags.
Although it was grand in scale, this massive failure never quite saw the true light of
day.
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