TECHNOLOGY WILL DESTROY OUR PLANET !AARON LOTTSTUDENT #: 200167286SOCIAL IMPACT OF TECHNOLOGY

Introduction

The funding of military technologies is a high part of most every governments budget. Governments want to have the piece of mind that they will be able to protect their citizens, assets, and resources in the worst case situation of wars. The government is always spending money to have the most advanced military in the world . A lot of the funding goes into research and development of military technologies. The advanced weapons that I will talk about are future weapons that will have the capability if used together to destroy our planet.

To Be Discussed

Weapons of Tomorrow1. XM29 Airburst Rifle2. Electromagnetic Rail gun Drone Technology 1. The Predator Drone2. The X47B Bomber Drone3. The Quadrotor Drone Nuclear Weapons

Weapons of Tomorrow The XM 29 Airburst Rifle

This Modern Weapon Created by OIWC [Object Individual Combat Weapon] Began in Late 1986 (World Guns)

The weapon is used in combination with a tactical computer (fire control system) and helmet mounted display system.

The fire control system automatically judges distances of targets and will allow for greater aiming errors (World Guns)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XNdLFRhDhtk

Pros of the XM29 Cons of the XM29Provides greater accuracy because it corrects aiming errors

This makes warfare simple. Research shows it “can be 500% more effective than the present small arms” (World Guns)

Easier form of Use: Less Training needed

Not Much skill is needed to use it. Soldiers will not be as skilled as in the past. Chance that anybody could pick this advanced weapon up and use it.

Capable of defeating hidden targets The weapon will cause complete mayhem and bring many casualties on the Battlefield like never seen before.

Smarter Weapon. Used in combination with a computer

The weapon has a high complexity of electronics in it. Easier chance of the weapon malfunctioning

Will be the Most advanced small arms to ever see a battlefield

The cost of the Weapon, Tactical computer, ammunition, Helmet mounted display is very expensive

Weapons of TomorrowThe XM29 Airburst Rifle

The weapon shoots projectiles instead of million dollar warheads.

The 3ft long projectile has a range of 290 miles and travels at a speed of over Mach 7

How the system works is the projectile is placed between two parallel 20ft long conducting rails that has electricity fed through them to make a magnetic field. The magnetic field then forces the projectile out of between the rails at the high speed.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4OqlTXwLG40

INFO FROM POPSCI

Weapons of TomorrowElectromagnetic Rail Gun

Weapons of TomorrowElectromagnetic Rail Gun

Pros of the Electromagnetic Rail Gun

Cons of the Electromagnetic Rail Gun

The Rail Gun will be the strongest weapon to ever be produced without the use of warheads

Whatever the Rail Gun fires at will either be destroyed or have mass damage. The weapon would be able to destroy any fleet of Ships that any other country has.

Battleships carrying the technology will no longer need to carry warheads on board as it will use projectiles. Meaning it will be safer for the ships crew

The Electromagnetic rail gun requires mass amounts of power to fire. “One would have to build a new generation of vessels with the energy system that would supply enough energy to both their engines and weapon systems” (Pravda, 2012)

The weapon will be so advanced that militaries will be deterred to start war at sea with the USA

The system is expensive to produce as would a new fleet of brand new battleships to fit the Rail Gun

Drone TechnologyThe Predator Drone

The MQ-1B Predator is the current drone that is being used by the USA government

The unmanned aircraft is used in “killer/scout role as an intelligence collection asset and secondarily against dynamic execution targets” (U.S. Air Force)

The Predator is currently operated by humans but soon will be run by computers

Drone TechnologyThe X47B Bomber Drone

The X47B is the U.S. Navy’s next generation Stealth Drone that is a fighter jets size and is stronger than the predator drone

“The X-47B is a computer-controlled UAS that takes off, flies a preprogrammed mission, then returns to base in response to mouse clicks from its mission operator. The operator actively monitors the aircraft and responds to air traffic control instructions, but does not 'fly' it via a remote stick-and-throttle control the way some unmanned systems are currently operated” (Dailymail.co.uk)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=0Oq4qah5LQ0

Drone TechnologyThe Quadrotor Drone

The Quadrotor Drone is the next generation of drone technology. It is lifted by four propellers and has maneuverability like no other aircraft created by Mankind

This Technology is still being developed for military purposes and has high capabilities. “A quadrotor is much more accurate in firing because it can hover in place, and it can be launched by an operator staying down behind cover” (Popular mechanics)

Here is a video of a Quadrotor drone’s maneuverability

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MvRTALJp8DM&feature=player_embedded

Drone Technology

Pros of Drone Technology Cons of Drone Technology

Drone technology is a safer form of air combat that takes away human casualties

Drone technology takes away human adaptability and intuition from air combat

These systems can be deployed at ease and are perfect tools to gather intelligence

These systems will be run by computers and we could have in the future a ‘terminator situation’ where the machines turn on us

Drone technology will be deployed in time sensitive situations to take out high targets such as how the US uses them in Afganistan

The systems are run by computer technologies there is a possibility of the drones being hacked into and controlled by other militaries

Nuclear Weapons

They are the most destructive weapon technology that mankind has ever developed and used.

Hiroshima is a perfect example of how dangerous this technology

Most advanced governments have this technology and use it as a deterrent.

There are no pros to nuclear weapons as they are the true technology that has the capability to destroy us all.

References

Adams, E. (2004, June 1). Electromagnetic Railgun. Retrieved from http://www.popsci.com/scitech/article/2004-06/electromagnetic-railgun

Daily Mail. (2011, Sept 30). Rise of the machines: Navy’s first unmanned stealth drone one step closer to aircraft carrier landing. Retrieved from http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2043887/Navys-unmanned-stealth-drone-X-47B-step-closer-aircraft-carrier-landing.html

Dmine45. (2007, Dec 1). Demonstration of the Navy Electromagnetic Rail Gun prototype [Video file]. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4OqlTXwLG40

Hamburg, D. (2012, July 16). Armed Quadrotors Are Coming. Retrieved from http://www.popularmechanics.com/technology/military/planes-uavs/armed-quadrotors-are-coming-10720086

Manjoo, F. (2012, March 5). I Love You, Killer Robots. Retrieved from http://www.slate.com/articles/technology/technology/2012/03/quadrotor_drones_are_amazing_and_cute_and_they_will_probably_destroy_us_all_.html

References

Northrop Grumman media. (2011, Sept 29). X-47B UCAS Flight Test Highlights --Summer 2011 [Video file]. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=0Oq4qah5LQ0

Pravda. (2012, Jan 2). Americans get Closer to building weapon of the Future. Retrieved from http://english.pravda.ru/science/tech/01-02-2012/120391-railgun-0/

The Dmel. (2010, May 21). Aggressive Maneuvers for Autonomous Quadrotor Flight [Video file]. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MvRTALJp8DM&feature=player_embedded

U.S. Air Force. (2012, Jan 5). MQ-IB PREDATOR. Retrieved from http://www.af.mil/information/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=122

World Guns. (n.d.). Alliant Techsystems / Heckler-Koch XM-29 SABR / OICW assault rifle (USA). Retrieved from http://world.guns.ru/assault/usa/xm29-oicw-e.html

ytblows. (2007, Feb 13). XM29 [Video file]. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XNdLFRhDhtk