Military

Israel's Iron Dome defense system is capable of intercepting — and destroying — thousands of incoming rockets targeting civilian areas. Here's how the sophisticated system works.

By John Donovan

Ukraine is seeking foreign volunteers to join the fight against the Russians. But unless you've got military experience and elite skills, you probably should stay home.

By Patrick J. Kiger

Back in 1983 when the Cold War was in full swing, the U.S. was looking for an effective new tactic to deter a nuclear strike. The "Star Wars" missile defensive initiative, however, wasn't it. Why not?

By Jonathan Atteberry

Winning wars sometimes requires innovative new tools, so it seems possible that new technologies are developed in the heat of battle. But is all technology born from conflict?

By Jonathan Strickland

With video conferencing technology, soldiers can maintain contact with their families back home. Learn how the military uses video conferencing.

By Joe Wallace

The U.S. Army is one of the three main branches of the U.S. military and is primarily concerned with fighting on the ground. Learn all about the U.S. Army from sign up to discharge.

By Ed Grabianowski

Unique among the U.S. armed forces, the Coast Guard is perpetually on active duty, entrusted with lots of responsibilities, including saving lives at sea and enforcing maritime laws.

By Ed Grabianowski & Francisco Guzman

Body armor is about to undergo the biggest change in centuries -- new liquid formations are making Kevlar much lighter and more flexible to wear. Find out about this new technique for making body armor more wearable.

By Tracy V. Wilson

The U.S. Air Force is the youngest American military branch, forming in the 20th century after the invention of the airplane. Tasked with protecting the nation's skies and supporting ground troops, the Air Force relies on the most technologically advanced military aircraft in the world.

By Ed Grabianowski

The military uses virtual reality for most everything -- from learning to fly a jet fighter to putting out a fire onboard a ship. Learn about how virtual reality military applications help with training and safety enhancement, and serve as a tool to analyze military maneuvers and battlefield positions.

By Jonathan Strickland

The 2001 anthrax attacks, the first bioterrorist attacks in the United States, took five lives. Mail was stopped in several cities and it cost more than $1 billion to clean up the spores. So where does the U.S. stand if it's attacked again?

By Marshall Brain & Susan L. Nasr

Companies are reporting waiting lists for gas masks. Learn how these devices work and what they can actually protect you from.

By Marshall Brain

The invention of the machine gun forever changed the battlefield. While soldiers once had to reload after a single shot, they now can fire hundreds of rounds per minute without a single pause.

By Stephanie Watson & Tom Harris

When humans discovered fire, they learned to cook their food in a controlled environment. What came next? Flamethrowers, of course. What do flamethrowers have in common with their living counterpart -- fire breathers?

By Tom Harris

Grenades are a devastatingly effective weapon on the battlefield. Find out what happens when a soldier pulls the pin and tosses one of these miniature bombs at the enemy.

By Tom Harris

The revolver turned shooting a round into a one-step process, forever changing the face of crime, law enforcement and self-defense. Find out what goes on inside a revolver.

By Tom Harris

The Stinger missile is a deadly man-portable air-defense system (MANPADS) that can be rapidly deployed by ground troops. It's lightweight, combat-proven and has a greater than 90 percent success rate. So how are Stingers used and against whom?

By Marshall Brain & Patrick J. Kiger

An Apache helicopter went down near the Iraqi town of Taji yesterday -- it's the third helicopter to go down in Iraq in 10 days.

By Tom Harris

There is some serious technology and ingenuity involved in making a 172-foot-wide, bomb-carrying aircraft "disappear." Find out how the B-2 bomber deals with enemy radar.

By Tom Harris

The M1 can withstand an attack from any tank out there -- including another M1. Learn all about the toughest armored land vehicle in the world.

By Tom Harris

Floats like a butterfly and stings like a bee -- the F-15 is the Muhammad Ali of the skies. The military has been using this fighter jet since the '70s, and it still outmaneuvers the competition. Find out why this plane has a perfect combat record.

By Tom Harris

C-4 is in the news quite a bit these days -- it's a powerful explosive that's used in terrorist attacks all over the world. Find out what C-4 explosive is and what it can do.

By Tom Harris

The crew of the USS Abraham Lincoln returned home this week, after a wearying 10 months at sea. Take a tour of the U.S. military's most monumental machines, from flight deck to hangar bay to engine room.

By Tom Harris

A Sidewinder missile weaves through the air toward an enemy target as if it has a mind of its own -- and in a way, it does. High-tech "smart weapons" take most of the guess work out of hitting a target. Find out how Sidewinders seek and destroy.

By Tom Harris

On a television drama last week, the plot involved photos taken of a Russian missile silo, and the characters mentioned a "keyhole satellite." What is a keyhole satellite and what can it really spy on?