Military

Explaining the software, tech, and design behind military tools, whether they're deployed on land, at sea, in the sky, or in space.

Latest in Military

An RQ-28A is shown in flight.
Technology

The Army skips off-the-shelf drones for a new custom quadcopter

By Kelsey D. Atherton

How a robotic arm could help the US Army lift artillery shells
Technology

How a robotic arm could help the US Army lift artillery shells

By Kelsey D. Atherton

SpaceX rocket lifting off from launchpad at dawn
Technology

SpaceX’s new Starshield program will supply satellite networks to the military

By Andrew Paul

Ukraine could use ‘threat emitters’ to trick Russian pilots
Technology

Ukraine could use ‘threat emitters’ to trick Russian pilots

By Kelsey D. Atherton

The Army’s Black Hawk helicopter replacement is a speedy tiltrotor aircraft
Technology

The Army’s Black Hawk helicopter replacement is a speedy tiltrotor aircraft

By Rob Verger

US soldiers might control weapons with their thoughts someday. Here’s why that’s complicated.
Technology

US soldiers might control weapons with their thoughts someday. Here’s why that’s complicated.

By Nancy S. Jecker and Andrew Ko / The Conversation

the B-21 raider bomber
Technology

Our first look at the Air Force’s new B-21 stealth bomber was just a careful teaser

By Rob Verger

A snapshot of the world’s nuclear weapons—and how the numbers are changing
Technology

A snapshot of the world’s nuclear weapons—and how the numbers are changing

By Kelsey D. Atherton

Meet a maintainer keeping the F-35 ‘flying computer’ in top shape
Technology

Meet a maintainer keeping the F-35 ‘flying computer’ in top shape

By David Roza/Task & Purpose

Armed police robots will be a threat to public safety. Here’s why.
Technology

Armed police robots will be a threat to public safety. Here’s why.

By Kelsey D. Atherton

Best of What's New 2022 Emergency Services and Defense
Technology

The most helpful emergency services and defense innovations of 2022

By Kelsey D. Atherton

The most exciting entertainment innovations of 2022
Technology

The most exciting entertainment innovations of 2022

By Stan Horaczek, Brandt Ranj

The most awesome aerospace innovations of 2022
Technology

The most awesome aerospace innovations of 2022

By Rahul Rao, Rob Verger

A futuristic x-ray developed by the US army as an illustration
Technology

An inside look at the radiation-sensing material that’s on the Pentagon’s radar

By Sarah Scoles

The 100 greatest innovations of 2022
Technology

The 100 greatest innovations of 2022

By Popular Science Team

A representative of U.S. Indo-Pacific Command Logistics Science and Technology briefs distinguished visitors on the Atmospheric Portable-water Sustainment Unit and Lightweight Water Purification System at Marine Corps Base Hawaii,
Technology

This device will allow the marines to make drinking water from thin air

By Kelsey D. Atherton

The Army shot down a missile surrogate using new command-system tech
Technology

The Army shot down a missile surrogate using new command-system tech

By Kelsey D. Atherton

DARPA’s flying forward with its jetpack program
Technology

DARPA’s flying forward with its jetpack program

By Kelsey D. Atherton

The Army wants to modernize battlefield medicine with blood delivery by drone
Technology

The Army wants to modernize battlefield medicine with blood delivery by drone

By Kelsey D. Atherton

Onlookers film and photograph Boston Dynamics' Spot robot at a showcase
Technology

Boston Dynamics starts a legal dog fight with competitor Ghost

By Andrew Paul

The UK’s DragonFire laser is designed to burn drones out of the sky
Technology

The UK’s DragonFire laser is designed to burn drones out of the sky

By Kelsey D. Atherton

Ukraine is getting upgraded Soviet T-72B tanks
Technology

Ukraine is getting upgraded Soviet T-72B tanks

By Kelsey D. Atherton

This mysterious Space Force plane has been in orbit for 900 days
Technology

This mysterious Space Force plane has been in orbit for 900 days

By Nicholas Slayton / Task & Purpose

pile of sticks
Technology

A drone made out of sticks? In the UAV space, anything flies.

By Kelsey D. Atherton

A VBAT vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) unmanned aerial system (UAS) prepares to land on the flight deck of the Military Sealift Command expeditionary fast transport vessel USNS Spearhead
Technology

The Navy doesn’t know what to do with all its drone data

By Kelsey D. Atherton

After years of delays, SpaceX launches Falcon Heavy rocket
Technology

After years of delays, SpaceX launches Falcon Heavy rocket

By Andrew Paul

What it’s like to fire Raytheon’s powerful anti-drone laser
Technology

What it’s like to fire Raytheon’s powerful anti-drone laser

By Kelsey D. Atherton

It’s time to stop using ‘kamikaze’ to describe the exploding drones in Ukraine
Technology

It’s time to stop using ‘kamikaze’ to describe the exploding drones in Ukraine

By Kelsey D. Atherton

The IVAS system in January, 2021.
Technology

Why the Army hates AR goggles

By Kelsey D. Atherton

These military vehicles are designed to deploy drone-like missiles
Technology

These military vehicles are designed to deploy drone-like missiles

By Kelsey D. Atherton

The Army’s new light tank can venture where its beefier cousins can’t
Technology

The Army’s new light tank can venture where its beefier cousins can’t

By Kelsey D. Atherton

Two photos of Elon Musk on smartphone screens
Technology

SpaceX says it can no longer fund Ukraine’s Starlink access

By Andrew Paul

These are the Cold War sites the National Park Service is considering as landmarks
Technology

These are the Cold War sites the National Park Service is considering as landmarks

By Kelsey D. Atherton

The Navy’s newest and most advanced aircraft carrier just left port
Technology

The Navy’s newest and most advanced aircraft carrier just left port

By Kelsey D. Atherton

This US Space Force telescope in Australia will keep tabs on unusual satellite activity
Technology

This US Space Force telescope in Australia will keep tabs on unusual satellite activity

By Kelsey D. Atherton

The Navy’s robot pilots could one day outnumber its human ones
Technology

The Navy’s robot pilots could one day outnumber its human ones

By Kelsey D. Atherton

depiction of dna as library bookshelves
Technology

Can these government efforts crack the code for DNA storage?

By Sarah Scoles

In the depths of this Idaho lake, the US Navy is testing out its submarine tech
Technology

In the depths of this Idaho lake, the US Navy is testing out its submarine tech

By Kelsey D. Atherton

Watch the Air Force sink a ship very quickly
Technology

Watch the Air Force sink a ship very quickly

By Kelsey D. Atherton

Watch this sleek electric plane ace its high-speed ground test
Technology

Watch this sleek electric plane ace its high-speed ground test

By Rob Verger

Air Company and US Air Force's SAF test flight.
Technology

Sustainable jet fuel is taking off with commercial airlines

By Charlotte Hu

A guide to the Gambit family of military drones and their unique jobs
Technology

A guide to the Gambit family of military drones and their unique jobs

By Kelsey D. Atherton

Worries of disaster follow blast close to a second Ukrainian nuclear power plant
Technology

Worries of disaster follow blast close to a second Ukrainian nuclear power plant

By Rob Verger

Lockheed’s newest high-energy weapon is multiple lasers in one
Technology

Lockheed’s newest high-energy weapon is multiple lasers in one

By Kelsey D. Atherton

Why do nuclear power plants need electricity to stay safe?
Technology

Why do nuclear power plants need electricity to stay safe?

By Rob Verger

What DARPA wants in a new recon and delivery drone
Technology

What DARPA wants in a new recon and delivery drone

By Kelsey D. Atherton

Iran grabbed two of the Navy’s Saildrones earlier this month. Why?
Technology

Iran grabbed two of the Navy’s Saildrones earlier this month. Why?

By Kelsey D. Atherton

Everything to know about the Army’s new 38-ton light tank
Technology

Everything to know about the Army’s new 38-ton light tank

By Kelsey D. Atherton

A Boeing drone flying in Australia.
Technology

Ghost Bat drones could fly alongside the next generation of Air Force fighter jets

By Kelsey D. Atherton

The Army’s Chinook helicopters are grounded. Here’s why.
Technology

The Army’s Chinook helicopters are grounded. Here’s why.

By Rob Verger

The US is sending ‘Vampire’ weapons to hunt drones in Ukraine
Technology

The US is sending ‘Vampire’ weapons to hunt drones in Ukraine

By Kelsey D. Atherton

How a ‘digital twin’ of an Apache helicopter could help keep these old birds flying
Technology

How a ‘digital twin’ of an Apache helicopter could help keep these old birds flying

By Rob Verger

The Army’s new Arctic vehicle, Beowulf, is made for ice and marshes
Technology

The Army’s new Arctic vehicle, Beowulf, is made for ice and marshes

By Kelsey D. Atherton

Looking for nuclear weapon
Technology

The US military doesn’t know where 6 of its nuclear weapons are

By David Roza/Task & Purpose

Unidentified aerial phenomena filmed from a US Navy jet
Technology

Congress sounds really concerned about unidentified aerial phenomenon

By Andrew Paul

The UK is upgrading military buggies into self-driving vehicles
Technology

The UK is upgrading military buggies into self-driving vehicles

By Kelsey D. Atherton

After a two-month flight, the Army’s Zephyr drone fell from the sky
Technology

After a two-month flight, the Army’s Zephyr drone fell from the sky

By Rob Verger

F-16 Fighting Falcons from Eglin Air Force Base fly over a high school football game in Niceville,
Technology

DARPA wants a new long-range weapon propelled by rotating explosions

By Kelsey D. Atherton

The UK military is elevating its surveillance network with high-altitude balloons
Technology

The UK military is elevating its surveillance network with high-altitude balloons

By Kelsey D. Atherton

The Air Force wants to start using its ‘Angry Kitten’ system in combat
Technology

The Air Force wants to start using its ‘Angry Kitten’ system in combat

By Kelsey D. Atherton

The Navy is struggling with a summer of bad weather ‘mishaps’
Technology

The Navy is struggling with a summer of bad weather ‘mishaps’

By Nicholas Slayton / Task & Purpose

The PACT Act will take the burden of proof off US veterans exposed to burn pits
Health

The PACT Act will take the burden of proof off US veterans exposed to burn pits

By Isobel Whitcomb

a drone operator
Technology

Why controlling a drone with a laser has its perks—and pitfalls

By Kelsey D. Atherton

Well water from Red Hill Navy fuel facility being pumped out through pipes into the Halawa Stream surrounded by pink and white graffiti
Environment

What will it take to save Oahu’s freshwater from the Red Hill fuel leak?

By Nikita Amir

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