Collaborate Disseminate
BAE Systems has revealed the latest iteration of its Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System (APKWS) laser guidance kit that converts dumb rockets into precision munitions. The modifications increase the effective range of APKWS-guided rockets by 30 perc… Continue reading BAE Systems’ next-gen kit improves range of laser-guided rockets
Over the last century, very little of the basic design of firearm cartridges has changed, but the mechanics of firearms themselves have undergone many upgrades. The evolution of triggers, safeties, magazines, and operating mechanisms is a fascinating field of study. Hands-on experience with these devices is rare for most people, …read more
Continue reading Learn About Historic Firearm Design With A 3D Printer
Lockheed Martin’s Precision Strike Missile (PrSM) hit its target with “pinpoint accuracy” during its second test at the White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico. The next-generation long-range missile being developed for the US Army was fired from Lockh… Continue reading Lockheed’s new long-range missile nails target on second test flight
Youtuber and rubber band enthusiast [JoergSprave] is a big fan of Star Wars, and he loved the look of the blaster that Han Solo gave to Rey. He’d seen a few replicas of Rey NN-14 gun, but hadn’t seen any that actually fired anything, so he set out to make one that did.
The build itself is from plywood, with a paint job to make it look like an old blaster. What makes the build really cool is the bullets used: glow sticks! [Joerg] created space in the magazine for three glow sticks, so you’ve got a couple of shots …read more
Continue reading Rey’s Blaster Shoots Glow-in-the-Dark Bullets
New, drone-frying weapon could go to sea in 2020. Continue reading The US Navy Bought Its First Big Laser Cannon
It’s huge, it’s unwieldy, and it takes 45 seconds to shoot all three rounds in its magazine. But it’s a legitimate semi-automatic railgun, and it’s pretty awesome.
Yes, it has its limits, but every new technology does, especially totally home-brew builds like this. The aptly named [NSA_listbot] has been putting a lot of work into his railgun, and this is but the most recent product of an iterative design cycle.
The principle is similar to other railguns we’ve featured before, which accelerate projectiles using rapidly pulsed electromagnets. The features list in the video below reads like a spec for a …read more
If you’ve been paying attention to the news, you may have seen a series of articles coming out about US staffers in Cuba. It seems that 21 staffers have suffered a bizarre array of injuries ranging from hearing loss to dizziness to concussion-like traumatic brain injuries. Some staffers have reported hearing incapacitating sounds in the embassy and in their hotel rooms. The reports range from clicking to grinding, humming, or even blaring sounds. One staffer described being awoken to a horrifically loud sound, only to have it disappear as soon as he moved away from his bed. When he got …read more
Continue reading Cuban Embassy Attacks and The Microwave Auditory Effect
Some of the most enjoyable projects tend to have the terrible drawback of also having the most potential to cause bodily harm, like getting zapped by the capacitor when digging into a disposable camera. But often — if you’re careful — this curiosity pays off and you wind up learning how to make something cool like this coil gun from a camera flash’s capacitor. This handheld launches a small nail, and is packed in a handheld form factor with a light switch trigger.
[LabRatMatt] dispels any illusions of potential harm upfront and then repeatedly urges caution throughout his detailed guide. …read more
