Posted 06.08.2006 at 6:53 pm
18 Comments
According to a report in England’s Daily Mail, Limey soldiers will soon begin skydiving into war zones wearing carbon-fiber “stealth wings” fitted with mini turbojets that allow them to cruise up to 125 miles—literally under the radar—into enemy territories, at speeds of up to 140mph (!). They’ll do all this after jumping from planes at 27,000 feet, while carrying a couple hundred pounds of equipment on their backs. Whoa. My first thought was that once they land, these guys are going to look superdorky walking around with big, awkward airplane wings strapped to their backs. My second thought was that a fleet of 300-pound dudes in black bat suits speeding through the sky sounds terrifying, like the creepiest possible real-life version of the flying monkeys in The Wizard of Oz. My third thought was: Could I jump off the roof of my building and commute to work in one of these getups? How do I get one? —Megan Miller
Related:
The Navy's Swimming Spy Plane
Stealth Threat
The Science of Stealth
18 Comments
To comment, please Login.
|
|
|
|
|
|
June 2013: American Energy Independence
Five amazing, clean technologies that will set us free, in this month's energy-focused issue. Also: how to build a better bomb detector, the robotic toys that are raising your children, a human catapult, the world's smallest arcade, and much more.
Popular on Popsci
Most Commented
stealth threat
Most Emailed
stealth threat
Most Viewed
stealth threat
Online Content Director: Suzanne LaBarre | Email
Senior Editor: Paul Adams | Email
Associate Editor: Dan Nosowitz | Email
Assistant Editor: Colin Lecher | Email
Assistant Editor: Rose Pastore | Email
Contributing Writers:
Rebecca Boyle | Email
Kelsey D. Atherton | Email
Francie Diep | Email
Shaunacy Ferro | Email
Today on PopSci.com
Copyright © 2012 Popular Science
A Bonnier Corporation Company. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited.
zzzsssssssshhhh...Luke...zzzsssssssshhhh...I am your father...zzzsssssssshhhh...booyah!
I am Ayman El Difrawi. Flying bat suits will never stop me!
this is really cool....but just give me 10 years, i'll top it!
this is really cool....but just give me 10 years, i'll top it!
Technology... ... Blah, Blah, Blah
Iraq is still a Mess.
Lol they are like wanna be jet packs... :)
You know at Halloween, you see those witch-smashed-into-a-tree decorations?
This thing is useless. The glider will be detectable by a radar. I wonder why they made it for military use only.
'cause they're made by the military, and the military is greedy. they don't like to share their cool stuff.
i love it
ilove me too
im a poptart
As a former skydiver..I have had this idea in the back of my mind for a couple of years.
The "stand off" ability of the delivery aircraft offers an advantage..but the radar cross section of a multi unit element insertion must have been tested and found to be inconsequential..Powered flight would increase RCS radar cross section and increase detection thresholds yet again. Its a tool to have on the shelf..NOT THE HOLY GRAIL of Covert Insertion
would it not be smaller and more manuverable then a parachute?
Hmmm the Carbonfiber wing has been at the Wexner Center of the Arts (in Columbus Ohio)for over a month now.
With the whole story of Felix Bumgardner crossing the Channel in about a half hour.
Old news!
hi mom
Anyone remember The Rocketeer?
Sweet kick-ass, Carbon-fibre eh? sound's expensive, but on the battle field you can't have one of those things strapped on your back. So I guess they have to keep production cost low for it to work, but only a few people might be in each platoon but a few people can only do so much no matter how well they are trained.
Batman returns...
HA..HA..HA...
Just one mistake and all of crash together. Also what are they going to hide if they are fired on by small arms. I don't think it will fly.