US Army turns to James Bond

[The_Sonarman]

US Army turns to James Bond

FROM LAURA PEEK IN WASHINGTON

INSPIRED by James Bond films, the US Army has come up with a $1 million armoured car equipped with gadgets such as a spinning laser gun and electric door handles.
http://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/0,,3-2001182103,00.html

[Radical-Conservative]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by The Sonarman:
US Army turns to James Bond

FROM LAURA PEEK IN WASHINGTON

INSPIRED by James Bond films, the US Army has come up with a $1 million armoured car equipped with gadgets such as a spinning laser gun and electric door handles.
http://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/0,,3-2001182103,00.html<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

a spinning laser gun c'mon gimme a break!
sounds like something out of a sci-fi movie

[The_Sonarman]

Funny thing..... Science Fiction "today" tends to become Science Fact "tomorrow". Case in point... the "roving map" in one of the early James Bond movies. Today, I have a handheld GPS unit that shows my location, on a map.... with one distinction. The James Bond movie was Fiction. My handheld GPS is Fact.

When my Dad was a boy, he read Science Fiction magazines and books. The Luddites of that time (his fellow children, parents, etc.) all laughed at him.... reading that "fantasy" stuff. I've read some of his vintage stuff (now quite pricey to acquire.... collector stuff) Some of the more "outrageous" Science Fiction stories were about mankind travelling to the Moon, or Mars, or Spacecraft, or orbiting Space Stations. Well, three of the four are Science Fact now.... and we're less than 25 years from a Mars trip, as well.

"We" regularly travel into Earth Orbit with the Space Shuttle. "We" are on our third orbiting Space Station (#1 USA, #2 USSR, #3 USA). "We" have been to the Moon multiple times....decades ago.

Some 20+ years ago, I read a Scientific American paper detailing using Particle Beam weapons on Naval Ships, coupled with the closed circuit radar (Vulcan Phalanx Gun), rather than using the 20mm gun. That was 20+ years ago. I've read serious papers, once again, decades ago, of equipping then-future soldiers with portable laser rifles.

Technology is a funny thing (just like Science Fiction). It tends to become "Fact" in the near "Future". Things considered "impossible" or "laughable" today... especially military applicable hardware... becomes Fact "tomorrow". Military development dollars have a tendency to make things happen like that.

Laser technology is a decades old mature field. Who knows how advanced the "cutting edge" is, from some military applications lab? I don't. Lots of that stuff is still hiding behind security classifications of one level or another. Some is public knowledge. Besides.... they didn't say this was laser "blaster" weapons. I'd quess it's a lot more mundane.... such as a device designed to temporarily (or permanently) blind attackers so the vehicle can get away (ie. Bodyguard Vehicle).

Another example of Fact and Fiction. The "radar invisible" plane in the movie "Firefox" was "Science Fiction". It is, and has been for over a decade, Science Fact. The F-117 Nighthawk, the B-2 Bomber, and now... we're even developing the "second generation Stealth" fighter... F-22 if memory serves. In fact, I'll bet the military "in the know" was a bit uptight, when that movie came out.... early days of stealth.

The only thing lacking might (and I say MIGHT) be the "will" to finish development and deployment of these "laughable" weapons.

[Radical-Conservative]

Points taken sonar I'll answer this farther after i study the insides of my eyelinds for a while

[Radical-Conservative]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><HR>
Laser technology is a decades old mature field. Who knows how advanced the "cutting edge" is, from some military applications
lab? I don't. Lots of that stuff is still hiding behind security classifications of one level or another. Some is public knowledge. Besides.... they didn't say this was laser "blaster" weapons. I'd quess it's a lot more mundane.... such as a device designed to
temporarily (or permanently) blind attackers so the vehicle can get away (ie. Bodyguard Vehicle). <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Yea you may be right Sonar I've heard they are working on some bizzare stuff these days

[**DONOTDELETE**]

James Bond? I rather like that. Now if the army would make some adverts using the sex and violence AND THE BIG GUNS that the media has inflicted on kids today ala'Bond, dontcha think they would join?

[The_Sonarman]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><HR>Now if the army would make some adverts using the sex and violence AND THE BIG GUNS that the media has inflicted on kids today ala'Bond, dontcha think they would join?<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

I'd reenlist for the Bond Babes.... in a heartbeat. 007.... Commander Sonarman....

[**DONOTDELETE**]

Oh soldiers please talk to me about harnassing the violent youth and building up the military. These kids are playing with guns, only they are killing each other, got all that MILITIA CHIC' going on. Good Lord, I heard one punk tell me where to get napalm. DRAFT ALL PUNKS.They are playing The Matrix. That this gr8 nation can somehow be turned around. I am so afraid of those CHINX.

[**DONOTDELETE**]

US army's hi-tech pick-up

http://news.bbc.co.uk/olmedia/1360000/images/_1362402_us_supertruck_300inf.gif

US Army truck designers have gone gadget-crazy to produce a pick-up that would leave James Bond's cars standing.

Bulletproof glass, grenade launcher, laser gun and the ability to foil pursuers with oil slicks and smoke screens, are all part of the fully-loaded SmarTruck.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/world/americas/newsid_1362000/1362402.stm

[**DONOTDELETE**]

I would love to own that vehicle.

[**DONOTDELETE**]

" for those troublesome offroad encounters "