Military

What once was "Star Wars" under Reagan is now National Missile Defense under Bush. Learn more about the technology behind the system.

By Kevin Bonsor

The Osprey is a unique aircraft. How does it work? And what has caused its recent failures? Get an in-depth look at the aircraft's systems and design.

By Craig Freudenrich, Ph.D.

The U.S. Army's Future Combat Systems (FCS) initiative is a massive overhaul of military technology intended to prepare the Army for modern warfare. Learn how.

By Ed Grabianowski

Those same, buzzing insects that seek out molecular hints of the pollen they use to make honey can just as easily detect traces of materials used to bombs. How are honeybees used to find bombs?

By Julia Layton

The United States Navy is the largest navy in the world. Learn how the Navy is structured, what ships it uses, what life is like in the Navy and how it has evolved over the years.

By Ed Grabianowski

The National Guard serves many purposes and does many jobs for the United States. But how does it differ from the U.S. Army? And what can the president authorize the Guard to do?

By Ed Grabianowski & Patrick J. Kiger

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 Kim Jong Un regime continues to demonstrate its desire to threaten the U.S. and its allies with nuclear-armed ICBMs. But can any of these missiles actually reach the U.S. mainland?

By Julia Layton & Sarah Gleim

In the first reports released since North Korea announced its underground nuclear test on Monday, officials are saying they have found no evidence of a nuclear signature in the air above the blast site.

By Julia Layton

In 2007, Attorney General nominee Michael Mukasey came under fire for refusing to classify water boarding as torture. What does water boarding entail? Does it work?

By Julia Layton

Have you always thought of yourself as more of a Jean-Pierre than a Jon? Good news, you can still be that guy, provided you're willing to fight for France for five years.

By William Harris

Whether you call it a homemade bomb, a booby trap or an improvised explosive device, an IED is simple to make, easily hidden and extraordinarily destructive. Why are these deadly devices one of the No. 1 killers of soldiers in Iraq.

By Craig Freudenrich, Ph.D.

The Vietnam War occurred decades ago, but one of its legacies lingers on in Vietnamese soil and the U.S. court system. How did this defoliant do so much damage?

By Jacob Silverman

When he needs a new state-of-the-art trick up his sleeve, James Bond asks Q. Who do U.S. soldiers go to for cutting-edge equipment?

By Jonathan Strickland

You may have thought militaries stopped using napalm after the Vietnam War thanks to the United Nations, but this incendiary weapon lives on in modern warfare. Has it also been used in Iraq?

By Jacob Silverman

These 10 technologies changed war and the course of history as we know it. Some of these battlefield innovations, like adding grooves to gun barrels, are surprisingly simple. So what else made our list?

By Susan L. Nasr

Suicide bombings are chillingly logical. By hiding explosives on a willing carrier, individuals smuggle death into densely populated areas. But are these bombers strictly a modern phenomenon?

By Robert Lamb

Once you pass through this school's gates, you leave your civilian clothes and ordinary life behind and join the South Carolina Corps of Cadets. It's a far cry from the adventures of a typical, clueless college freshman. So what's knob life like?

By Craig Freudenrich, Ph.D.

The U.S. Army Rangers are an oddity of the U.S. military special operations forces. Though they can trace their lineage as far back as colonial times, they didn't become a permanent presence in the military until the 1970s.

By Josh Clark

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has called on NATO to impose a no-fly zone over Ukraine, but so far NATO has refused. Could a no-fly zone bring Putin's invasion to an end? How would it be enforced?

By Patrick J. Kiger

The U.S. Navy SEALs exemplify unconventional warfare. Find out how conventional and unconventional warfare differ in this article.

By HowStuffWorks.com Contributors

Was a dog really the first to encounter bin Laden? We may never know, but we do know that man's best friend has been serving in wars for centuries, getting soldiers smokes, sniffing out bombs and patrolling borders. Why do canines make such good soldiers?

By William Harris

It may make you run. It may make you throw up. It will definitely make you cry. It's tear gas, and it's no fun to be hit with.

By Robert Lamb

The thrilling roar of fighter jets performing a military flyover is now a common experience at many big events. In fact, the military approves most of the 850 or so flyover requests submitted annually. What does it take to arrange a flyover?

By Jacob Silverman