Bringing in the boom, the U.S. Navy are packing bigger guns then every before. The USS Zumwalt takes control by being twice as heavy and over 100 longer than any destroyer in the Navy’s arsenal. The sleek figure negates 50 times more radar signature than any other carrier equal to one of a fishing boat. On top of being invisible, its mass because of its deadly firepower. State-of-the-art technology has turned their shells into trajectory changing rockets aligned with GPS-guided technology. Turning this massive battering ram to the future takes incredible power. At 30 knots and full power, this machine consumes 58 megawatts, yet continues to produce 78 megawatts. The dual 35 megawatt induction motors are the driving force behind this energy sucking computer. Other systems like radar detection, Sm-2 antiaircraft missiles, surface-targeting Tomahawks, and missile-destroying ESSM interceptors will continue to consume power, but never enough to drain the generators. The USS Zumwalt controls open water territory in the Pacific as the US continues to watch North Korea. This $3 billion untested amphibious-ready ship must take action before the U.S. is confident in mass producing this war machines. Only time will tell to see if this slick machine is what our troops need to be in the next generation intervention.

Sources:

Popular Science, Oct. 2012. Invisible. Invincible. Destroyer

Lockheed Martin’s conceptual team has the future in their hands. The airline industry face the toughest fuel restraints by burning on average a gallon of gas for a mere 5 miles of travel. The price of oil has begun to level off but nonetheless will never decrease. The box wing concept will create a far more fuel efficient plane while being more sustainable. Using the same materials as F-22 fighters is the least radical change Lockheed has in mind. By injecting this looped-wing design into the plane they are immediately increasing the lift to drag ration by 16% significantly increasing fuel efficiency. The engines will now be 40% larger improving the rate of air that is pulled into the engine by another 25%. In total, the Box Wing jet will be 50% more fuel efficient. Finally with the increase in the lift-drag ratio, planes will be able to make steeper takeoffs reducing the sound pollution by 35 decibels. The key and most important result from this box wing concept is that planes can takeoff up to 50% less runway. Allowing these planes to takeoff and land in shorter smaller airports will increase the safety of the pilots and passengers by allowing more runway to stop or take off. Planes can take off in harsher tailwinds reducing the delays proving a more efficient airline, as well as, reduce the pollution and gas emissions. Planes pollute the air 40% more by simply being up at altitude than at sea level, this 50% increase in fuel efficiency will make a major impact to our green footprint.

Sources

http://www.popsci.com/technology/article/2012-04/jets-future