Posted on 12/02/2011 10:47:05 AM PST by Nachum
Here are the top five aerial weapons that one day could change the face of modern warfare. Relying on the most advanced technology in the world, these hyper-advanced projectiles may outmaneuver, outrun, and outmatch America’s foes around the globe, whenever the need arises.
1) The Mach-5 Cruise Missile
If a cruise-missile at supersonic speed is a full-throttle Ford Mustang, then a missile that hits Mach 5 is a Formula 1 racer going all out.
The problem is, that hypersonic Mach 5 pace — clocking in at five times the speed of sound– has yet to be reached by munitions. Until now.
The X-51 missile can hit hypersonic speed, and moves so fast that it doesn’t even need an explosive warhead. It’s kinetic energy will shred through targets.
(Excerpt) Read more at theblaze.com ...
Seems if it goes that fast, then all the target has to do is cut power as soon as it senses the approach, and the missile will probably overshoot. Power cut would be near instantaneous. I doubt anything that fast can make a very tight turn.
Filed under "famous last words."
Ah, another WWII idea. There was the "Disney bomb", a rocket assisted munition designed, iirc, for the U-boat pens.
Accuracy being what it was in those days...it wasn't all that big of a success.
Seems like, at that speed, wouldn’t matter if the target ‘cuts power’. As you mentioned, the weapon is moving so fast that it is doubtful it would even have time to ‘change course’ enough to miss the target.
Aw, they forgot the Firefox. Then again....not everyone can think in Russian. I always wondered how a Mach 5 fighter was able to fire cannons in a dogfight. Silly Hollywood.
I’m sure that variable is included in the testing.
Rods from God. Imagine if a country had a robotic space plane that could maneuver in orbit for months at a time, and enough payload capacity to hold several dozen (guess) Tungsten rods.
A magpie with a machine gun.
That is assuming the target is moving in the first place.
At 5x (3500mph) the closing speed would be so fast if it was a vehicle it would need some good brakes, a ship couldn’t alter course fast enough.
True, I was thinking about another missile or aircraft.
google losat videos and watch what happens as losats close in on moving targets.
A grouse with a grenade.
“Look at the grouse! Look at the grouse!”
Barnes Wallis
Genius!
“Grand Slam bomb”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R-Mm-zFW_nA
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earthquake_bomb
Do you suppose the Senate wants us to have preemptive stuff that really works?
No!
They’re afraid we’d use it....and then we’d be “arrogant”......
Definitely good at ground or ocean targets. Is this aerial weapon a losat?
Spending another cent on any defense R&D before hardening our electronic systems is preparing to fight the last (conventional) war instead of facing the real (terrorist/rogue state) enemy.
The X-37 is being kept in orbit longer than expected, and Iran keeps having mishaps at its weapons facilities.
At Mach 5, 1 mile a second, I think you’re right.
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