Interesting and Incredibly Futuristic Modern Military Tech Currently in Development

Developed by: Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA)
Purpose: Aerial Agility

DARPA has been working on an experimental vertical takeoff and landing plane for quite some time now. The aim of the project is to have a plane that can hover like a helicopter, but maneuver like a plane. It would be able to extract soldiers quickly from dangerous situations without the need for a runway. 

The X-Plane @MyatMinThur / Facebook.com

With its advanced hovering, the ability to carry 40% of its own weight, and the means to take off from or land on any surface, the X-Plane has the potential to be a game-changer in the aerial world.

Developed by: Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA)
Purpose: Marine Warfare and Surveillance 

For decades, artificial intelligence has been a key element of many futuristic films. Gradually, these film creations have come to fruition in the real world. Unmanned aircrafts patrolling the skies are no longer a stretch of the imagination. Nor are self-driving cars roaming the streets. 

AI Submarine (ACTUV) ©thvideostudio / Shutterstock.com

Soon to be exploring the oceans deep, is DARPA’s unmanned 120-foot A.I. submarine. The Sea Hunter has the capability to cover thousands of miles of ocean, alone, for long periods of time, and is currently being trialed by the U.S. Navy for possible future use.

Developed by: Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA)
Purpose: Medical Treatment

DARPA’s ElectRx program plans to treat ailments such as PTSD and chronic pain by stimulating the peripheral nerves through the use of electrical stimulation. The idea behind ElectRx’s program moves well beyond simply treating people with disorders, it aims at tackling the problems before they start.

Electrical Prescriptions (ElectRx) @newatlas / Pinterest.com

In a press statement Doug Weber, the ElectRx’s program manager has said that they “envision technology that can detect the onset of disease and react automatically to restore health”. This is either the start of a miracle technology that will eliminate neuropathic diseases, or it’s the start of a sci-fi thriller that ends with everyone being controlled by electronic medication. Only time will tell…

Developed by: Microsoft
Purpose: Training

Dating back to 2018, Microsoft has been working with the U.S. Army on developing a virtual reality training device that incorporates real situations and augmented reality with machine learning technology.  The training exercises are based on data that’s been gathered from thousands of hours’ worth of real combat experiences.

Hololens for Soliders @itechbrands / Pinterest.com

The HoloLens-based headsets for soldiers have been field-tested by the Army for the past 2 years, and have proven to be quite helpful or, at least, the Army thought so. Microsoft has been tasked with supplying the U.S. Army with 120,000 units in a deal that could see the company earn $21.88 billion over the next decade.

Developed by: BAE Systems AB
Purpose: Stealth

Remaining unseen by enemy forces while approaching for an attack is of the utmost importance when hoping to utilize the element of surprise. When planning anything other than a ground attack it’s pretty much impossible to conduct an operation without the other side knowing…or is it? About 10 years ago, a system was created that allows for vehicles to get within 500 meters, all but undetected. 

ADAPTIV Camouflage Helicopter @Decimalegio57 / Pinterest.com

In 2011, BAE Systems AB introduced ADAPTIV, an infrared system that can be fitted onto jeeps, tanks, or even helicopters. The system acts as something similar to “a thermal TV screen” and adapts to outside temperatures while the vehicle is in motion. In other words, one’s foe will only see what their thermal system is told to see.

Developed by: Qinetiq
Purpose: Reconnaissance and Target Acquisition 

Militaries around the world have, for years, been trying to come up with a way to keep front-line troops from entering blindly into dangerous situations. What if there was a way to gain accurate intel and pull an injured soldier to safety without putting anyone else in danger?

Modular Advanced Armed Robotic System / ©Wikimedia.org

The MAARS robot is exactly what militaries have been looking for. It can be operated from more than 3000 feet away and, if needed, can drag someone weighing over 300 pounds to safety. Don’t worry, although our little robot friend here isn’t fitted with an A.I., it does have a trained soldier operating its 4 loaded grenade launchers and M240B machine gun, remotely, just in case.

Developed by: PDT Agro & IDF
Purpose: Incapacitate The Enemy

Harnessing the power of the elements is something that scientists have been trying to do for centuries. Although, to our knowledge, no one has been successful yet, a few have come close. PDT Agro, in collaboration with the Israeli Defense Force (IDF), developed a machine that would use high-speed shockwaves generated by the detonation of an explosion in the machine’s own barrel.

Thunder Generator @pacificmarines / Facebook.com

The force of the blasts that are derived from the Thunder Generator can be felt by people standing almost 100 feet away and, if that’s not enough, the high-speed shockwaves have the ability to leave the generator’s targets temporarily without their hearing.

Developed by: Dean Kamen
Purpose: Improve Quality Of Life For Wounded Veterans

Of the many cool things that Star Wars introduced to the world over the years, Luke’s prosthetic hand was one of the more practical items. But like most, if not all, of the Star Wars inventions, a prosthetic limb that operates as a real limb should, was light years away from coming into fruition.

DEKA Arm System @deptvetaffairs/Pinterest

In 2006, everything changed when the man who created the Segway, Dean Kamen, was approved to begin the development of such a product. Controlled by myoelectricity, the DEKA Arm System allows veterans, with prosthetics, to move around more naturally by transforming the muscle movements that the device senses into motor functions. 

Developed by: Kratos Defense & Security Solutions
Purpose: Pinpoint Targeting

Accuracy and minimal collateral damage are two of the key factors that play into which military technologies will get the go-ahead to be developed next. If developed properly, as the Laser Weapon System has been, a laser could have the ability to strike enemy targets from distances of up to 1 mile away while leaving minimal, if any, projectile damages.

Laser Weapon System (LaWS) @War History Online / Youtube.com

The Laser Weapon System (LaWS) is mounted on warships and has the ability to destroy enemy targets of almost any size. Unlike other devices, the (LaWS) needs very little maintenance and needs nothing more than a power source in order to prepare the laser for action.

Developed by: Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA)
Purpose: Armor Penetration

Armored vehicles have become more maneuverable and more lethal over the years. As a result, defense agencies have been working on ways to even the battlefield. Since it would appear as though laser warfare is still, at least, a few years away, DARPA has been developing a short-term answer that should bridge the gap.

Magneto Hydrodynamic Explosive Munition (MAHEM) @spacedotcom / Pinterest.com

Like something right out of a Hollywood action film, the Magneto Hydrodynamic Explosive Munition (MAYHEM) penetrates armored enemy vehicles using molten metal, instead of chemical explosives, to get inside. Once the explosive munition has entered the target, it detonates and destroys everything inside.

Developed by: Ekso Bionics
Purpose: Help Soldiers Field Stamina

The Human Universal Load Carrier (HULC) was developed in order to help soldiers travel at high speed for long periods of time while carrying a few hundred pounds. The HULC is one of the closest things this world has to a real-life Iron Man suit. Okay, it can’t fly or shoot laser blasts but it does give soldiers superpowers…sort of.

Human Universal Load Carrier (HULC) @hiroyukiarai963 / Pinterest.com

This hydraulic-powered exoskeleton suit has built-in sensors that, with the help of an onboard microcomputer, detect its user’s movements, and react accordingly. Although the HULC has gone through a series of successful tests by the U.S. Army over the years, this tech is yet to see any real action.

Developed by: Air Force Research Laboratory
Purpose: Deter Enemies

Believe it or not, not all massive rifles are capable of destruction. Much like the phasers used by Captain Picard and his crew on “Star Trek”, the Personnel Halting and Stimulation Response (PHASR) rifles are used for stunning their target. 

Personnel Halting And Stimulation Response (PHASR) Rifle @tsazyalboor / Pinterest.com

Unlike the fabled Star Trek phasers, the PHASR rifle is a non-lethal weapon that utilizes a low-intensity laser in order to temporarily blinds and disorients its target. In a world where lethal force and collateral damages have, sadly, become the ‘norm’, the PHASR rifle is one step towards a future with fewer unnecessary casualties.

Developed by: Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA)
Purpose: Communications

Without the barriers created by the different languages that the people of the world speak, there would be much less confusion and far fewer misunderstandings. If only there were an app or program that could be downloaded to a mobile phone that could translate what someone else is saying…

Broad Operational Language Translation (BOLT) ©Frame Stock Footage / Shutterstock.com

Clearly, DARPA thought the same thing. BOLT technology doesn’t just help to provide bilingual communication, it does it in real-time. Although DARPA claims the tech could be modified to translate any language, as of 2019, BOLT had only been deployed in Iraqi Arabic and had been used by U.S. troops overseas.

Developed by: Taser
Purpose: Riot Control

It was in 2008 that Taser began to promote the Taser Shockwave, its first mass-tasing system. The system has 36 tasers across two rows and can be dispersed one row at a time, or all at once. Used by SWAT as one of their special weapons, this electrifying piece of tech has proven to be quite effective.

Taser Shockwave @VladimirRiga / Pinterest.com

The Taser Shockwave has the ability to reach targets up to 35-feet away by firing off at an arc of 20-degrees and leaves them incapacitated through the use of non-lethal force, of course. To keep larger riots from getting out of control multiple units of the Taser Shockwave can be connected, creating an ‘electric avenue’ of sorts.