--- title: Futuristic Military Tech That ACTUALLY EXISTS description: "For as long as industrial-scale war has existed, people have been sitting in warehouses developing new and exciting ways for us to kill each other with incredible efficiency. And now, a quarter of the way into the 21st century, innovative technology has propelled this concept to the next level. In the modern day we have weapons systems and technologies that even fiction writers couldn't imagine decades ago they are so advanced, and we're going to tell you about a few of them today. From remote controlled insects to bullets that can't miss, this is a list of modern military tech that actually exists. Welcome to the war of tomorrow, coming to a battlefield near you.\n\n## 11. ADAPTIV Camouflage\n\nImagine a tank or a helicopter that could perfectly blend into its surroundings, making it invisible to infrared equipment. Not only that, imagine one that could change its appearance at will to fool the enemy. It sounds like something out of a science fiction war movie, but it's very real.\n\nEnter ADAPTIV camouflage, developed by BAE Systems after they were tasked with creating a technology to avoid detection from thermal imaging systems.\n\nLooking at it on the outside, it doesn't look like camouflage at all, just a bunch of grey hexagons, how is that supposed to hide anything in a jungle, forest, or desert? Well whilst visually it sticks out like a sore thumb, when viewed through thermal cameras, that's when the magic happens. The grey hexagonal panels can be individually heated or cooled very quickly, allowing the vehicle to blend into its surroundings and becoming effectively invisible to hostile thermal sensors.\n\nThe panels can be used together to mimic the temperature of their surroundings, or certain panels could be used to make something like a tank look like a car, a cow, or even an assortment of bushes and rocks.\n\nThe best defence on the battlefield is one where the enemy doesn't know where you are, and this technology will be highly useful in depriving them of the information they need to make decisions effectively, especially in modern conflicts where thermal imaging drones are heavily utilised.\n\n## 10. The Ninja Bomb\n\nTrust the US military to build a missile, take out the explosives and replace them with swords. No, we're not kidding. The Hellfire R9X is next level when it comes to taking out targets accurately and with minimum collateral damage.\n\nThe missile is relatively new, but it's believed to have six blades that deploy just before striking a target, ensuring lethality and turning any enemy of the US military into sushi, which is where it gets its nickname. The idea behind the missile is to eliminate targets with as little collateral damage possible, especially in urban environments. When a conventional missile might level a building with an explosion, this one won't.\n\nThe sword missile has been utilised a handful of times. Back in 2022, it was used to kill Ayman al-Zawahiri, the former leader of Al-Qaeda on a balcony of a Kabul safehouse. His family was inside at the time and none of them were injured. Clues it was used came from President Biden's comments on the killing, images showed there was no explosion, but the weapon was referred to as a \"rocket\".\n\nIt was first used in 2017, when senior Al-Qaeda leader Abu Kheir Al-Masri was killed by one while traveling by car in Syria. The photos displaying the aftermath of the strike showed two large holes in the roof of the car. The interior of the vehicle (and likely its occupants) had been completely shredded, but the front and back of the vehicle appeared completely intact.\n\nAs new age weapons go, the ninja bomb is absolutely terrifying.\n\n## 9. The Smart Pistol\n\nThis one is literally straight out of a spy movie. A gun that can only be fired by one person. It's a cool idea, if disarmed, a bad guy can't use it against you.\n\nIt's called the Armatix iP1 .22 calibre smart pistol. First developed in around 2014, it uses an RFID chip inside of a specialised watch that allows it to fire. Meaning only the person wearing the watch and holding the gun at the same time can actually use it.\n\nOr… at least that's what it's supposed to do. The testing phase for the iP1 revealed quite a large number of problems that might bench this technology for the time being. Firstly, it didn't fire very well under range conditions, and that's when it did fire, as multiple misfires per magazine were highly common. It doesn't hold that many rounds either, just 11, when most handguns commercially sold today house 15-30.\n\nIt has a whole startup and pairing process which can take time, making it useless in an emergency situation or for militaries. It also must only be less than 10 inches away from the watch to be able to fire, which renders one-handed shooting impossible, and on top of all that it's also quite expensive. And if you don't bother with turning it on or pairing it, it fires like a regular handgun, meaning if disarmed, you're doomed. So, for what you get, it has a lot of downsides.\n\nThe concept is used well in fiction, like in James Bond's Skyfall where a Walther PPK 9mm that could only be fired by Bond was linked to his palm print. Granted it was far more reliable than the iP1 may ever be, but there is scope for this technology to improve with time.\n\n## 8. Jetpacks\n\nFor a long time, armies all over the world have been trying to develop systems that will allow their soldiers to fly without aircraft. To be able to instantly gain the high ground in any situation, or find new ways to enter buildings without anyone noticing would provide a lot of tactical utility on the battlefield.\n\nAnd with every passing year, that technology gets closer and closer. Whilst some contractors have started to develop rigid wingsuits for powered flight, we're more interested in PPAMS, aka Portable Personal Air Mobility Systems. In short, jetpacks!\n\nThe US Department of Defence is actively testing brand-new, all-electric personal flight systems from a number of private military contractors. They operate at medium to low altitudes and have a range up to five kilometres. The most common design involves a thruster held in each hand and a backpack to power it. The Royal Navy has also tested these platforms, showing videos of their soldiers in flight.\n\nThese are no doubt highly useful but do create some questions when it comes to how they'd be used. It may not be deemed realistic to use them to fly into combat zones when a soldier needs both hands to control it. Without a free hand to hold a weapon, they are left vulnerable. There's also some scepticism around its potential stealth use, as you'd need a lot of noise to mask the sound of jet engines strapped to your wrists. But hey, if it gets us one step closer to a real-life ironman suit, I'm all for it.\n\n## 7. Insect Drones\n\nNow when you think of the word \"drone\" in a military context, you think of little quadcopters used for reconnaissance, or perhaps large unmanned planes firing missiles from miles in the sky. But another definition of a drone is a male bee, an insect.\n\nAnd in an astonishing series of events, the two might soon be combined on the battlefield. Now we're not talking about tiny drones that mimic the flight of insects for surveillance purposes, although those do exist, we're talking tiny cyborg insects controlled by the US military.\n\nIt sounds like a conspiracy theory, but the technology is very real. Developed by DARPA, it's known as the Hybrid Insect Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (or HI-MEMS) program, it involves raising real living insects filled with electronic circuitry that can be controlled remotely by sending electrical impulses to their muscles.\n\nThey're created by inserting mechanical components into insects during the larvae and pupae stages of development, once this heals, and the insect grows up, it can be controlled by sending signals or even GPS. The tech is still in its infancy, but these cyber bugs could serve many purposes, carrying a multitude of sensors, microphones, or tiny cameras to gather intelligence and watch targets. To anyone else, they would literally appear to be a fly on the wall, the perfect camouflage.\n\nThis one really shows the insanity of modern military technology. When an enemy can't even trust the insects buzzing around them, they might as well give up.\n\n## 6. The Cornershot Rifle\n\nEver since firearms were first invented, they have had one large drawback. You have to point them at the thing you want to kill, which means if the thing you're shooting at has a gun as well, you have to put yourself in harm's way to kill it.\n\nUntil now.\n\nSay hello to the Cornershot rifle. Developed by Israel in the early 2000s, it isn't actually a rifle at all, it's a weapons platform with a hinge and optic designed to hold existing firearms like pistols. The idea behind it is ironically pretty straightforward. A gun attaches to the end of the device which can turn left and right at a 60-degree angle, whilst an advanced optic allows the shooter to see what the gun is pointed at as if they were looking straight. With a trigger mechanism wired up to the firearm, it allows soldiers to shoot around corners and gain tactical superiority in firefights.\n\nIt's only accurate up to around 100 metres, but given that it's most useful in close quarters combat and house clearing operations, that's not much of a downside. The hinge also allows the operator to shoot over and underneath cover as well, so it's quite literally situationally flexible. It has proven successful in real world operations run by US special forces, Russian Spetsnaz and the IDF. It does have some vulnerabilities, namely that if you're poking it around corners, it could get shot which could break it, but you'd still rather it take the bullet than a soldier. The other factor is it needs specialised training to learn how to use it. But overall, it's a very solid piece of tactical equipment that has redefined close quarters gunfighting.\n\n## 5. Railguns\n\nIt's everyone's favourite sci-fi weapon, the railgun. And yes, militaries around the world really have built them. Using electromagnetic force, they launch a solid projectile down a barrel at incredibly high speeds. This allows for the accurate and total destruction of specific targets without the use of chemical explosives that you get with artillery or missiles. In theory it makes railguns better for things like collateral damage.\n\nFor them to be effective though, they have to be pretty big, which is why they're often mounted to navy ships, but this comes with a set of specific problems summed up by two words, power and durability. For starters, to launch a projectile at fighter jet speeds, you need an immense amount of power. But naval ships can only have so much power dedicated to weapons systems, if you can't get enough power, you won't launch as far, which means lower accuracy. Secondly, railguns are highly complex machines with computers and fragile components incorporated throughout to make them work. The amount of force they fire with can easily disrupt things and causing any number of issues. So, in a combat scenario, they could face reliability issues, which is the last thing you want when being shot at.\n\nAs a result, the US have slowed down it's development of the railgun. Some stories circulated in 2022 that after investing $500 million into the technology, the US military pulled its funding. Although a 2023 article mentioned collaboration with the Japanese government to push the tech forward, so the DoD clearly hasn't fully given up on the railgun just yet.\n\nThe Chinese have continued to develop the technology, even using AI to enhance performance. In May of 2024, they fired a smart bomb 15 kilometres at Mach 5.0, yet the test was still deemed unsuccessful as the projectile went off course. Clearly, the technology still has a few kinks to work out, but as far as weapons go, they will be some of the most destructive ever if they can be made reliable.\n\n## 4. Active Denial System\n\nWith a name as bland as the \"Active Denial System\" you'd be forgiven for having absolutely no idea what this thing does, so let me help. Do you remember the \"Guardian\" killstreak from Call of Duty: Black Ops 2? That microwave looking thing you would place down and it cooks your enemies? Yeah, it's essentially that. The US military made a radiation ray.\n\nNow unlike in the video game, it's much larger and isn't designed to kill you. Active Denial Systems are non-lethal, counter personnel devices that creates a heating and burning sensation without extensive injury. It shoots out a beam of high frequency radiation that can travel up to a kilometre away at the speed of light. The idea is simple, you are going to give up the fight pretty quickly if you suddenly feel like your skin is on fire. For capturing targets without killing them, or providing crowd control it could be highly effective. It was first developed in the early 2000s, but didn't see a rollout until the mid-2010s.\n\nSome organisations have taken issue with the ADS, with some calling it a form of torture. Those subjected to it suffer blisters, skin burns and prolonged pain. It's strong enough to penetrate 0.5mm into the skin concerns around how it effects thinner and more sensitive areas like eyelids at only 0.2mm are valid. Personally, if it was a choice to be targeted by this or the ninja missile, I'm choosing this, but the idea that the US military could give you sunburn inside a building from a kilometre away is horrifying.\n\n## 3. The Thunder Generator\n\nAnother Call of Duty Weapon now, ever heard of the thunder gun? The one in the zombie game mode where you blast the undead away with a powerful jet of air? Well, this too is now a reality.\n\nDeveloped in Israel, what's known as a sonic blaster uses \"pulse detonation technology\" to fire shock waves from a cannon by detonating fuel mixed with air.\n\nThe system can generate 60–100 bursts per minute, with each burst travelling at about 2,000 meters per second. Although the shock waves are theoretically harmless, they are very loud and can even knock people down. For this reason, it's known as the \"Thunder Generator\".\n\nOriginally, it was developed for farmers in Israel to scare away birds that might eat their crops. Recently however, Israel's Ministry of Defence has approved a license for company ArmyTec to market military and paramilitary versions. You can see how this could be used for non-lethal crowd or riot control purposes, being able to knock people with an effective range up to 50 metres away whilst also deafening them could be highly useful in the right scenario. Although it does beg the question, just how big were the birds they were trying to scare away?\n\n## 2. The Mile Maker – Precision Guided Firearms\n\nPrecision guided firearms, or PGFs, are exactly what the name sounds like, guns that help you shoot them more accurately. You know how fighter jets have missile locking systems that track their target? Well, this is similar technology, but for sniper rifles.\n\nFirst developed in the mid-2010s, it was created by the company TrackingPoint using a technology known as the XactSystem. A soldier paints their target with a tag, after continuing to track them, the system will lock on and using data from the environment like temperature, distance, wind speed, and more, will feed back to a computerised scope that accounts for them. Some systems even have \"fire by wire\" systems, meaning they won't fire until the computer determines that the aim is accurate.\n\nIt effectively eliminates shooter error when it comes to pulling the trigger, timing, environmental inputs and range miscalculation. It has been recorded to deliver five times the first shot success rate of traditional rifle systems at targets up to 1,200 yards regardless of the shooter's skill level, which has given it the nickname, the \"mile maker\". However, it does need a power supply to function, unlike regular rifles, so it's not built for every situation.\n\nCreating a sniper that's five times as accurate as a traditional, mechanical one, is pretty nuts. But pairing it with the next technology, might create a sniper that never misses again.\n\n## 1. Smart Bullets\n\nSmart bullets are simply regular bullets that have a guidance system incorporated into them. They've slowly been developed by DARPA and are known as Extreme Accuracy Tasked Ordinance, or EXACTO for short.\n\nThe specific details behind this tech are a bit hazy which shows that the US military is keeping its cards close to its chest with this one, but in its description, the EXACTO bullets have been developed with \"optical sighting technology\", leading to speculation that light sensors may be incorporated into the crest of the bullets.\n\nThe bullets themselves are said to have small fins on them to allow an alteration on the trajectory towards a target, maximising accuracy. Yes, you can now curve a bullet just like in the movies. Of course, there are a few downsides. For one, smart bullets will be extremely expensive to make compared to a standard one that costs pennies and we're yet to know just how reliable their targeting and flight truly is. It's also unknown whether finned bullets will require specialised firearms to fire and the computer that communicates with it all will need a power supply too.\n\nBut if this were to be used alongside a precision-guided firearm, you could theoretically create a sniper with 100% accuracy. Modern technology is terrifying, even the bullets have wi-fi now!\n\nMore than most, this technology shows just how advanced weapons systems have become in the modern era, and speaks to the incredible ingenuity humanity can muster when it comes of dreaming up ways to hurt one another.\n\nWe are truly living in the future. What will they come up with next?\n\n## Key Takeaways\n\n- ADAPTIV camouflage uses thermal panels to make vehicles invisible to infrared sensors.\n- The Hellfire R9X missile, known as the Ninja Bomb, uses blades for precise, low-collateral damage strikes.\n- Precision guided firearms and smart bullets aim to eliminate shooter error and increase accuracy.\n- Insect drones, developed by DARPA, can carry sensors and cameras for covert surveillance.\n- The Cornershot rifle allows soldiers to shoot around corners, enhancing tactical superiority in close combat.\n\n## Frequently Asked Questions\n\n### What is ADAPTIV camouflage?\n\nADAPTIV camouflage is a technology developed by BAE Systems that allows vehicles to blend into their surroundings by using grey hexagonal panels that can be individually heated or cooled. This makes the vehicle invisible to hostile thermal sensors.\n\n### How does the Hellfire R9X missile work?\n\nThe Hellfire R9X missile, also known as the 'ninja bomb,' deploys six blades just before striking a target, ensuring lethality with minimal collateral damage. It has been used to eliminate high-value targets in urban environments without causing significant destruction.\n\n### What is the Armatix iP1 smart pistol?\n\nThe Armatix iP1 is a .22 calibre smart pistol that can only be fired by someone wearing a specialized RFID watch. It has faced issues with reliability and practicality, including misfires and a complex startup process.\n\n### What are Portable Personal Air Mobility Systems (PPAMS)?\n\nPPAMS, or jetpacks, are personal flight systems being tested by the US Department of Defence. They involve thrusters held in each hand and a backpack for power, allowing soldiers to gain the high ground or enter buildings stealthily.\n\n### What is the HI-MEMS program?\n\nThe HI-MEMS program, developed by DARPA, involves creating cyborg insects by inserting mechanical components into insects during their development stages. These insects can be controlled remotely and used for surveillance and intelligence gathering.\n\n### What is the Cornershot rifle?\n\nThe Cornershot rifle is a weapons platform that allows soldiers to shoot around corners using a hinge and optic system. It holds existing firearms and has been successfully used in real-world operations by various military forces.\n\n### What are railguns and their current status?\n\nRailguns use electromagnetic force to launch solid projectiles at high speeds. They have faced issues with power requirements and durability. The US has slowed down its development, but China continues to work on the technology, with mixed results.\n\n### What is the Active Denial System?\n\nThe Active Denial System is a non-lethal weapon that shoots a beam of high-frequency radiation, causing a heating and burning sensation without extensive injury. It has been used for crowd control and capturing targets without killing them.\n\n### What is the Thunder Generator?\n\nThe Thunder Generator, developed in Israel, uses pulse detonation technology to fire shock waves from a cannon. It can generate loud bursts that knock people down and has been approved for military and paramilitary use.\n\n### What are Precision Guided Firearms (PGFs)?\n\nPrecision Guided Firearms use technology similar to missile locking systems in fighter jets to help snipers shoot more accurately. They account for environmental factors and eliminate shooter error, increasing the first shot success rate.\n\n## Sources\n\n- [Original Side Projects video: Futuristic Military Tech That ACTUALLY EXISTS](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AAWbCsXcEgQ)\n\n## Related Coverage" url: https://sideprojects.pub/article/futuristic-military-tech-that-actually-exists.md canonical: https://sideprojects.pub/article/futuristic-military-tech-that-actually-exists datePublished: 2025-03-02 dateModified: 2026-07-28 author: - name: Simon Whistler url: https://sideprojects.pub/author/simon-whistler publisher: Side Projects image: "https://media.sideprojects.pub/cdn-cgi/image/width=1600,height=900,fit=cover,quality=80,format=auto/articles/AAWbCsXcEgQ/hero.jpg" type: NewsArticle contentHash: 498caca25f5a6ff8065ccd2520b4f7b4f7295a99c86697eefec6f432a429d23d tokens: 5339 summaryUrl: https://sideprojects.pub/article/futuristic-military-tech-that-actually-exists.md.summary.md --- For as long as industrial-scale war has existed, people have been sitting in warehouses developing new and exciting ways for us to kill each other with incredible efficiency. And now, a quarter of the way into the 21st century, innovative technology has propelled this concept to the next level. In the modern day we have weapons systems and technologies that even fiction writers couldn't imagine decades ago they are so advanced, and we're going to tell you about a few of them today. From remote controlled insects to bullets that can't miss, this is a list of modern military tech that actually exists. Welcome to the war of tomorrow, coming to a battlefield near you. ## 11. ADAPTIV Camouflage Imagine a tank or a helicopter that could perfectly blend into its surroundings, making it invisible to infrared equipment. Not only that, imagine one that could change its appearance at will to fool the enemy. It sounds like something out of a science fiction war movie, but it's very real. Enter ADAPTIV camouflage, developed by BAE Systems after they were tasked with creating a technology to avoid detection from thermal imaging systems. Looking at it on the outside, it doesn't look like camouflage at all, just a bunch of grey hexagons, how is that supposed to hide anything in a jungle, forest, or desert? Well whilst visually it sticks out like a sore thumb, when viewed through thermal cameras, that's when the magic happens. The grey hexagonal panels can be individually heated or cooled very quickly, allowing the vehicle to blend into its surroundings and becoming effectively invisible to hostile thermal sensors. The panels can be used together to mimic the temperature of their surroundings, or certain panels could be used to make something like a tank look like a car, a cow, or even an assortment of bushes and rocks. The best defence on the battlefield is one where the enemy doesn't know where you are, and this technology will be highly useful in depriving them of the information they need to make decisions effectively, especially in modern conflicts where thermal imaging drones are heavily utilised. ## 10. The Ninja Bomb Trust the US military to build a missile, take out the explosives and replace them with swords. No, we're not kidding. The Hellfire R9X is next level when it comes to taking out targets accurately and with minimum collateral damage. The missile is relatively new, but it's believed to have six blades that deploy just before striking a target, ensuring lethality and turning any enemy of the US military into sushi, which is where it gets its nickname. The idea behind the missile is to eliminate targets with as little collateral damage possible, especially in urban environments. When a conventional missile might level a building with an explosion, this one won't. The sword missile has been utilised a handful of times. Back in 2022, it was used to kill Ayman al-Zawahiri, the former leader of Al-Qaeda on a balcony of a Kabul safehouse. His family was inside at the time and none of them were injured. Clues it was used came from President Biden's comments on the killing, images showed there was no explosion, but the weapon was referred to as a "rocket". It was first used in 2017, when senior Al-Qaeda leader Abu Kheir Al-Masri was killed by one while traveling by car in Syria. The photos displaying the aftermath of the strike showed two large holes in the roof of the car. The interior of the vehicle (and likely its occupants) had been completely shredded, but the front and back of the vehicle appeared completely intact. As new age weapons go, the ninja bomb is absolutely terrifying. ## 9. The Smart Pistol This one is literally straight out of a spy movie. A gun that can only be fired by one person. It's a cool idea, if disarmed, a bad guy can't use it against you. It's called the Armatix iP1 .22 calibre smart pistol. First developed in around 2014, it uses an RFID chip inside of a specialised watch that allows it to fire. Meaning only the person wearing the watch and holding the gun at the same time can actually use it. Or… at least that's what it's supposed to do. The testing phase for the iP1 revealed quite a large number of problems that might bench this technology for the time being. Firstly, it didn't fire very well under range conditions, and that's when it did fire, as multiple misfires per magazine were highly common. It doesn't hold that many rounds either, just 11, when most handguns commercially sold today house 15-30. It has a whole startup and pairing process which can take time, making it useless in an emergency situation or for militaries. It also must only be less than 10 inches away from the watch to be able to fire, which renders one-handed shooting impossible, and on top of all that it's also quite expensive. And if you don't bother with turning it on or pairing it, it fires like a regular handgun, meaning if disarmed, you're doomed. So, for what you get, it has a lot of downsides. The concept is used well in fiction, like in James Bond's Skyfall where a Walther PPK 9mm that could only be fired by Bond was linked to his palm print. Granted it was far more reliable than the iP1 may ever be, but there is scope for this technology to improve with time. ## 8. Jetpacks For a long time, armies all over the world have been trying to develop systems that will allow their soldiers to fly without aircraft. To be able to instantly gain the high ground in any situation, or find new ways to enter buildings without anyone noticing would provide a lot of tactical utility on the battlefield. And with every passing year, that technology gets closer and closer. Whilst some contractors have started to develop rigid wingsuits for powered flight, we're more interested in PPAMS, aka Portable Personal Air Mobility Systems. In short, jetpacks! The US Department of Defence is actively testing brand-new, all-electric personal flight systems from a number of private military contractors. They operate at medium to low altitudes and have a range up to five kilometres. The most common design involves a thruster held in each hand and a backpack to power it. The Royal Navy has also tested these platforms, showing videos of their soldiers in flight. These are no doubt highly useful but do create some questions when it comes to how they'd be used. It may not be deemed realistic to use them to fly into combat zones when a soldier needs both hands to control it. Without a free hand to hold a weapon, they are left vulnerable. There's also some scepticism around its potential stealth use, as you'd need a lot of noise to mask the sound of jet engines strapped to your wrists. But hey, if it gets us one step closer to a real-life ironman suit, I'm all for it. ## 7. Insect Drones Now when you think of the word "drone" in a military context, you think of little quadcopters used for reconnaissance, or perhaps large unmanned planes firing missiles from miles in the sky. But another definition of a drone is a male bee, an insect. And in an astonishing series of events, the two might soon be combined on the battlefield. Now we're not talking about tiny drones that mimic the flight of insects for surveillance purposes, although those do exist, we're talking tiny cyborg insects controlled by the US military. It sounds like a conspiracy theory, but the technology is very real. Developed by DARPA, it's known as the Hybrid Insect Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (or HI-MEMS) program, it involves raising real living insects filled with electronic circuitry that can be controlled remotely by sending electrical impulses to their muscles. They're created by inserting mechanical components into insects during the larvae and pupae stages of development, once this heals, and the insect grows up, it can be controlled by sending signals or even GPS. The tech is still in its infancy, but these cyber bugs could serve many purposes, carrying a multitude of sensors, microphones, or tiny cameras to gather intelligence and watch targets. To anyone else, they would literally appear to be a fly on the wall, the perfect camouflage. This one really shows the insanity of modern military technology. When an enemy can't even trust the insects buzzing around them, they might as well give up. ## 6. The Cornershot Rifle Ever since firearms were first invented, they have had one large drawback. You have to point them at the thing you want to kill, which means if the thing you're shooting at has a gun as well, you have to put yourself in harm's way to kill it. Until now. Say hello to the Cornershot rifle. Developed by Israel in the early 2000s, it isn't actually a rifle at all, it's a weapons platform with a hinge and optic designed to hold existing firearms like pistols. The idea behind it is ironically pretty straightforward. A gun attaches to the end of the device which can turn left and right at a 60-degree angle, whilst an advanced optic allows the shooter to see what the gun is pointed at as if they were looking straight. With a trigger mechanism wired up to the firearm, it allows soldiers to shoot around corners and gain tactical superiority in firefights. It's only accurate up to around 100 metres, but given that it's most useful in close quarters combat and house clearing operations, that's not much of a downside. The hinge also allows the operator to shoot over and underneath cover as well, so it's quite literally situationally flexible. It has proven successful in real world operations run by US special forces, Russian Spetsnaz and the IDF. It does have some vulnerabilities, namely that if you're poking it around corners, it could get shot which could break it, but you'd still rather it take the bullet than a soldier. The other factor is it needs specialised training to learn how to use it. But overall, it's a very solid piece of tactical equipment that has redefined close quarters gunfighting. ## 5. Railguns It's everyone's favourite sci-fi weapon, the railgun. And yes, militaries around the world really have built them. Using electromagnetic force, they launch a solid projectile down a barrel at incredibly high speeds. This allows for the accurate and total destruction of specific targets without the use of chemical explosives that you get with artillery or missiles. In theory it makes railguns better for things like collateral damage. For them to be effective though, they have to be pretty big, which is why they're often mounted to navy ships, but this comes with a set of specific problems summed up by two words, power and durability. For starters, to launch a projectile at fighter jet speeds, you need an immense amount of power. But naval ships can only have so much power dedicated to weapons systems, if you can't get enough power, you won't launch as far, which means lower accuracy. Secondly, railguns are highly complex machines with computers and fragile components incorporated throughout to make them work. The amount of force they fire with can easily disrupt things and causing any number of issues. So, in a combat scenario, they could face reliability issues, which is the last thing you want when being shot at. As a result, the US have slowed down it's development of the railgun. Some stories circulated in 2022 that after investing $500 million into the technology, the US military pulled its funding. Although a 2023 article mentioned collaboration with the Japanese government to push the tech forward, so the DoD clearly hasn't fully given up on the railgun just yet. The Chinese have continued to develop the technology, even using AI to enhance performance. In May of 2024, they fired a smart bomb 15 kilometres at Mach 5.0, yet the test was still deemed unsuccessful as the projectile went off course. Clearly, the technology still has a few kinks to work out, but as far as weapons go, they will be some of the most destructive ever if they can be made reliable. ## 4. Active Denial System With a name as bland as the "Active Denial System" you'd be forgiven for having absolutely no idea what this thing does, so let me help. Do you remember the "Guardian" killstreak from Call of Duty: Black Ops 2? That microwave looking thing you would place down and it cooks your enemies? Yeah, it's essentially that. The US military made a radiation ray. Now unlike in the video game, it's much larger and isn't designed to kill you. Active Denial Systems are non-lethal, counter personnel devices that creates a heating and burning sensation without extensive injury. It shoots out a beam of high frequency radiation that can travel up to a kilometre away at the speed of light. The idea is simple, you are going to give up the fight pretty quickly if you suddenly feel like your skin is on fire. For capturing targets without killing them, or providing crowd control it could be highly effective. It was first developed in the early 2000s, but didn't see a rollout until the mid-2010s. Some organisations have taken issue with the ADS, with some calling it a form of torture. Those subjected to it suffer blisters, skin burns and prolonged pain. It's strong enough to penetrate 0.5mm into the skin concerns around how it effects thinner and more sensitive areas like eyelids at only 0.2mm are valid. Personally, if it was a choice to be targeted by this or the ninja missile, I'm choosing this, but the idea that the US military could give you sunburn inside a building from a kilometre away is horrifying. ## 3. The Thunder Generator Another Call of Duty Weapon now, ever heard of the thunder gun? The one in the zombie game mode where you blast the undead away with a powerful jet of air? Well, this too is now a reality. Developed in Israel, what's known as a sonic blaster uses "pulse detonation technology" to fire shock waves from a cannon by detonating fuel mixed with air. The system can generate 60–100 bursts per minute, with each burst travelling at about 2,000 meters per second. Although the shock waves are theoretically harmless, they are very loud and can even knock people down. For this reason, it's known as the "Thunder Generator". Originally, it was developed for farmers in Israel to scare away birds that might eat their crops. Recently however, Israel's Ministry of Defence has approved a license for company ArmyTec to market military and paramilitary versions. You can see how this could be used for non-lethal crowd or riot control purposes, being able to knock people with an effective range up to 50 metres away whilst also deafening them could be highly useful in the right scenario. Although it does beg the question, just how big were the birds they were trying to scare away? ## 2. The Mile Maker – Precision Guided Firearms Precision guided firearms, or PGFs, are exactly what the name sounds like, guns that help you shoot them more accurately. You know how fighter jets have missile locking systems that track their target? Well, this is similar technology, but for sniper rifles. First developed in the mid-2010s, it was created by the company TrackingPoint using a technology known as the XactSystem. A soldier paints their target with a tag, after continuing to track them, the system will lock on and using data from the environment like temperature, distance, wind speed, and more, will feed back to a computerised scope that accounts for them. Some systems even have "fire by wire" systems, meaning they won't fire until the computer determines that the aim is accurate. It effectively eliminates shooter error when it comes to pulling the trigger, timing, environmental inputs and range miscalculation. It has been recorded to deliver five times the first shot success rate of traditional rifle systems at targets up to 1,200 yards regardless of the shooter's skill level, which has given it the nickname, the "mile maker". However, it does need a power supply to function, unlike regular rifles, so it's not built for every situation. Creating a sniper that's five times as accurate as a traditional, mechanical one, is pretty nuts. But pairing it with the next technology, might create a sniper that never misses again. ## 1. Smart Bullets Smart bullets are simply regular bullets that have a guidance system incorporated into them. They've slowly been developed by DARPA and are known as Extreme Accuracy Tasked Ordinance, or EXACTO for short. The specific details behind this tech are a bit hazy which shows that the US military is keeping its cards close to its chest with this one, but in its description, the EXACTO bullets have been developed with "optical sighting technology", leading to speculation that light sensors may be incorporated into the crest of the bullets. The bullets themselves are said to have small fins on them to allow an alteration on the trajectory towards a target, maximising accuracy. Yes, you can now curve a bullet just like in the movies. Of course, there are a few downsides. For one, smart bullets will be extremely expensive to make compared to a standard one that costs pennies and we're yet to know just how reliable their targeting and flight truly is. It's also unknown whether finned bullets will require specialised firearms to fire and the computer that communicates with it all will need a power supply too. But if this were to be used alongside a precision-guided firearm, you could theoretically create a sniper with 100% accuracy. Modern technology is terrifying, even the bullets have wi-fi now! More than most, this technology shows just how advanced weapons systems have become in the modern era, and speaks to the incredible ingenuity humanity can muster when it comes of dreaming up ways to hurt one another. We are truly living in the future. What will they come up with next? ## Key Takeaways - ADAPTIV camouflage uses thermal panels to make vehicles invisible to infrared sensors. - The Hellfire R9X missile, known as the Ninja Bomb, uses blades for precise, low-collateral damage strikes. - Precision guided firearms and smart bullets aim to eliminate shooter error and increase accuracy. - Insect drones, developed by DARPA, can carry sensors and cameras for covert surveillance. - The Cornershot rifle allows soldiers to shoot around corners, enhancing tactical superiority in close combat. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### What is ADAPTIV camouflage? ADAPTIV camouflage is a technology developed by BAE Systems that allows vehicles to blend into their surroundings by using grey hexagonal panels that can be individually heated or cooled. This makes the vehicle invisible to hostile thermal sensors. ### How does the Hellfire R9X missile work? The Hellfire R9X missile, also known as the 'ninja bomb,' deploys six blades just before striking a target, ensuring lethality with minimal collateral damage. It has been used to eliminate high-value targets in urban environments without causing significant destruction. ### What is the Armatix iP1 smart pistol? The Armatix iP1 is a .22 calibre smart pistol that can only be fired by someone wearing a specialized RFID watch. It has faced issues with reliability and practicality, including misfires and a complex startup process. ### What are Portable Personal Air Mobility Systems (PPAMS)? PPAMS, or jetpacks, are personal flight systems being tested by the US Department of Defence. They involve thrusters held in each hand and a backpack for power, allowing soldiers to gain the high ground or enter buildings stealthily. ### What is the HI-MEMS program? The HI-MEMS program, developed by DARPA, involves creating cyborg insects by inserting mechanical components into insects during their development stages. These insects can be controlled remotely and used for surveillance and intelligence gathering. ### What is the Cornershot rifle? The Cornershot rifle is a weapons platform that allows soldiers to shoot around corners using a hinge and optic system. It holds existing firearms and has been successfully used in real-world operations by various military forces. ### What are railguns and their current status? Railguns use electromagnetic force to launch solid projectiles at high speeds. They have faced issues with power requirements and durability. The US has slowed down its development, but China continues to work on the technology, with mixed results. ### What is the Active Denial System? The Active Denial System is a non-lethal weapon that shoots a beam of high-frequency radiation, causing a heating and burning sensation without extensive injury. It has been used for crowd control and capturing targets without killing them. ### What is the Thunder Generator? The Thunder Generator, developed in Israel, uses pulse detonation technology to fire shock waves from a cannon. It can generate loud bursts that knock people down and has been approved for military and paramilitary use. ### What are Precision Guided Firearms (PGFs)? Precision Guided Firearms use technology similar to missile locking systems in fighter jets to help snipers shoot more accurately. They account for environmental factors and eliminate shooter error, increasing the first shot success rate. ## Sources - [Original Side Projects video: Futuristic Military Tech That ACTUALLY EXISTS](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AAWbCsXcEgQ) ## Related Coverage