Random Military/Science/Aviation Thoughts

• So, just how do you disarm a nuclear bomb? You can learn right here thanks to Wired magazine.
• Is the F-22 Raptor really worth it? Some say no, but you don't have to look long to find planes that outclass our F-15, F-16, and F-18. For example, Sukhoi, a Russian aerospace company, continues to improve it's line of advanced fighter-bombers and has come up with the Su-47, a forward-swept-wing fighter that is currently being marketed several countries as a production fighter that can supposedly compete with the Raptor. Even if we don't spend the money on the F-22 and F-35, other countries are going to continue to develop the technology and sell it internationally.
  
• The Army is getting some new toys to play with. Most people are familiar with the main three Army helicopters: the big, double-rotor Chinook, the ubiquitous Blackhawk, and the newscopter-painted-green Kiowa. But the Army will soon add two new helicopters: the ARH-70 and the UH-72. The ARH-70 is just the military version of a Bell 407 and will replace the similar but older Kiowa as the armed reconnaissance helicopter for the Army. It'll still look like a civilian helicoptor tricked out with a few missiles.
  The small UH-72, however, will fill a niche. Based on the EC-145, it will be used when bigger, more expensive helicopters aren't necessary. It can seat nine and has a unique clam-shell back with a high-set tail rotor. It's a neat little aircraft that can do search and rescue, medevac, utility, transport, and special ops.
  
• DARPA is funding another Grand Challenge. That's the race where robot cars have to navigate a course for a cash prize. In the first Grand Challenge in 2004, no robots were able to finish. Last year, several vehicles were able to finish the 132 mile course, with a team from Stanford winning the $2 million prize. This year the robot has to navigate through traffic. The goal is to eventually replace the drivers of Army supply trucks with robots.
• DARPA, the mad scientists of the army, is also throwing a lot of money into limb regeneration. They already have mice that can fully recover from severed spinal cords, heal holes without a scar and potentially grow back severed toes. The hope is that eventually amputees would be able to grow back limbs like salamanders do. How weird is that?