Science – Basic Research Articles

THAAD: Reach Out and Touch Ballistic Missiles

THAAD: Reach Out and Touch Ballistic Missiles

THAAD: In flight (click to view full) The Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system is a long-range, land-based theater defense weapon that acts as the upper tier of a basic 2-tiered defense against ballistic missiles. It's designed to intercept missiles...

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Snakes and Rotors: The H-1 Helicopter Program

Snakes and Rotors: The H-1 Helicopter Program

UH-1Y and AH-1Z by Neville Dawson The US Marines' helicopter force is aging at all levels, from banana-shaped CH-46 Sea Knight transports that are far older than their pilots, to the 1980s-era UH-1N Hueys and AH-1W Cobra attack helicopters that make up the Corps'...

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Moving Target: Raytheon’s GBU-53 Small Diameter Bomb II

Moving Target: Raytheon’s GBU-53 Small Diameter Bomb II

GBU-53/B, aka. SDB-II (click to view full) The 250 pound GBU-39 Small Diameter Bomb gives American fighters the ability to carry more high-precision GPS-guided glide bombs, without sacrificing punching power against fortified targets. The initial award to Boeing was...

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