By: Patrick Murphy, Reporter
Technology is advancing further and further each day, helping people make their lives easier. In the United States, the most advanced technology usually comes from the military. Recently the military unveiled the HEL MD, a truck mounted laser counter measure system. HEL MD stands for High Energy Laser Mobile Distributor, and is designed to shoot a laser about the size of a quarter at a target and destroy it. The military has been testing the new laser on 60mm mortar rounds and on unmanned drones.
In the past, taking out a drone or a plane required a soldier to fire machine guns or a propelled explosive such as a RPG. With this new weapon system, the human element is taken out and accuracy is greatly improved
ROTC teacher Colonel Charles Gibson says, “I’ve came a long way from dumb bombs to now smart bombs. In Vietnam we had dumb bombs we had to fly over the target and drop.”
Technology used for war has become much more precise and automated, allowing machines to control most of the weaponry and bombs used on the battlefield today.
This new technology not only can help us in wars but future applications can help humans as a whole.
Master Sargent Joel Jimenez says, “If it can be used against ICBM’s (intercontinental ballistic missiles), I think it will be useful to defend us, and who knows, what if they can use it on asteroids coming to earth?”
Not only are weapons such as the HEL MD being produced but there are also inventions like the meshworm. The meshworm is a small worm like piece of mesh that inches along with the assistance of artificial muscles, which mimic the movement of real worms. It can be used to go in very small spaces and record sound and possibly video in the future. This technology can be used to find people trapped in rubble, or other areas which rescuers cannot reach.
Junior Sidney Brookman says, “Every year [technology] gets more and more advanced and we’ll just have to be careful.”
With technology becoming more intertwined in everyday life seeing things that originated as military technology is more normal than ever. These advances show just how advanced of a society the world is becoming.