Popular Military is seeking publishing, advertising
and content partners to create a mainstream Popular
Military print magazine with military news, tech, gear
reviews and more! Contact us
for more info.
The
US Army has begun shipping the XM2010 Enhanced Sniper
Rifle (ESR) to its snipers in Afghanistan. The new
weapon system, chambered for .300 Winchester Magnum (Win
Mag) ammunition, extends the weapon's maximum effective
range to almost 4,000 feet, giving Soldiers an important
range advantage against insurgents who are targeting US
troops from all quarters. The ESR is equipped with a
Leupold Mark 4 6.5-20x50mm variable power scope that
includes a first focal plane reticle so that when the
user dials in, the reticle pattern scales with the zoom.
XM2010 Fact Sheet (PDF)
Army Fielding 'Game-Changing' Super Gun in Afghanistan
The Army plans on purchasing more than 12,500 XM-25
systems starting in 2012, which will be enough to put
one in each Infantry squad and Special Forces team,
according to officials at Program Executive
Office-Soldier. More...
Bat Hook Harvests Electricity for Special Forces
An engineer at an Air Force research facility has developed a
device that can steal electricity from power lines via a
system called RAPS. When the device is thrown over a power
line by a Special Forces Soldier, a blade at the end pierces
the power line, bringing electricity down to the Soldier's
equipment.
Multicam uniforms and other "digicam" type uniforms are
gaining popularity in armed forces around the world, and now
vehicles, aircraft, ships and even buildings are getting their own
digital camouflage consideration. HyperStealth
Biotechnology Corp. is a leader in this field, having
developed digicam for Jordanian military vehicles and
Slovakian MiGs,
to name a few of their projects. China is going digicam too,
as seen in this Flickr
photostream and
this Foreign Policy
article.
China Targeting US Aircraft Carriers
US Military officials are becoming increasingly concerned
about Chinese weapons that are specifically being designed to
take out US aircraft carriers. The latest concern is an
anti-ballistic missile (the Dong Feng 21D) in development (the
first of its kind), to be launched from land, that can track a
moving aircraft carrier and strike from above from up to 1,900
miles away (see diagram below). Such a missile could be a
game-changer in the region, giving China the upper hand in any
conflicts over Taiwan or other regional disputes. In addition,
The Chinese Navy has or is
acquiring nearly a dozen anti-ship cruise missile (ASCM)
variants, including older 1950s-era CSS-N-2 missiles and more
modern Russian-made SS-N-22 and SS-N-27B missiles, according
to a US Department of Defense report.
P-791 Hybrid Air Vehicle
Watch the video below and you'll probably see the explanation
for more than a few UFO sightings. This hybrid, multi-mission
airship can stay aloft for up to three weeks without refueling
at an altitude of 20,000 feet, giving military commanders a
clear view of the battlespace below. As a transport, the
vehicle can be used to move equipment and personnel to
unimproved areas. As it scales up from its current size to
three, five or even seven times, the carrying
capacity expands up to 200-300 freight containers.
Sniper Teams to Increase Accuracy With Guided Rounds
Darpa (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency) is
developing a .50 caliber guided sniper round that will greatly
increase the accuracy and effectiveness of US Military
snipers. The DARPA EXACTO (EXtreme ACcuracy Tasked Ordnance)
program aims to develop a sniper weapon and guided round that
will allow sniper teams to have a wider range of hide
locations and compensate for factors such as wind and target
movement. (Source: Darpa)
From Our Readers
Nutritary.com
Nutritary is the Armed Forces #1 online nutrition store
committed to promoting healthier lifestyles for our men
and women serving in uniform. Our products promote
muscle gain, weight loss, energy, endurance and overall
health.
United Spirit of America (USA-Spirit), a personal care
product company, has launched a new line of unique
hygiene and toiletry care products specifically designed
to meet the needs and requirements of our warfighters.
Nutritary.com
United
Spirit of America
Military
Watch Gift Guide
