Futuristic Military Vehicles And Their State-Of-The-Art Gadgets And Gizmos

Advancing technology has really upped the ante when it comes to military equipment. Yep, the geniuses who think up amazing new machines must be having a field day — they can achieve basically anything they put their minds to. Some of their creations, however, are actually more frightening than cool. You need only look at the U.S. government’s Gray Eagle jet, which is going where no military vehicle has gone before.

1. Boeing X-51 Waverider unmanned scramjet aircraft

Here we have something that looks like it’s come straight from a sci-fi movie. Designed by Boeing with input from NASA, this unmanned, remotely controlled aircraft was made to demonstrate how very high speeds could be used in a military context. In tests, it has apparently reached speeds of up to around 3,800mph. Good job it doesn’t need a pilot!

Even faster

And the developers reportedly hope to increase the aircraft’s speed to something like 5,400mph as the project matures. So far, there have been various test flights with an especially successful one in 2016. After that, Charlie Brink of the Air Force Research Laboratory told website FlightGlobal, “I believe all we have learned from the X-51A Waverider will serve as the bedrock for future hypersonics research and ultimately the practical application of hypersonic flight.”

2. PL-01 stealth tank

With its sleekly armored hull, the PL-01 stealth tank has the look of a thoroughly modern — and daunting — battle machine. But the vehicle is much more than just a looker. It’s encased in a hi-tech shell made from a composite material: ceramic-aramid. That’s tough enough to withstand the force of a 40mm armor-piercing round or even the impact of a 20-pound charge of TNT. And the stealth features such as thermal camouflage give it extra protection.

What it’s like inside

The three-strong crew sits in the safety of the main hull with the turret remotely controlled. And there’s space for four more people by the tank’s rear entrance. The vehicle packs an impressive punch with its 120-millimeter cannon, and it can apparently also carry a grenade launcher or heavy machine gun.