Not The Onion: America has Hellfire Missiles that deploy frikkin' sword blades.

[Justin]

This is the most 'Murrica thing ever:

https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/31310/this-photo-proves-how-the-hellfire-missile-that-uses-blades-instead-of-explosives-works


After the most recent known use (https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/31297/another-syrian-terrorist-seemingly-killed-by-hellfire-missile-with-pop-out-sword-blades) of the AGM-114R9X Hellfire missile, a weapon that uses blades instead of explosives to kill its target with minimal collateral damage, literally smashing and slicing through them, evidence of exactly how the bizarre weapon works has come to light. Imagery from the scene of the attack, located less than 10 miles from where Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi was killed in Syria, shows what appears to be the core of the weapon and its deadly appendages. It appears to be a gruesome, but stunningly effective device.

[Martinjmpr]

Reminds me of a speech I heard once:

"You men are all lucky men. Soon you'll be fighting for your planet. Many of you will be dying for your planet. A few of you will be forced through a fine mesh screen for your planet. Those are the luckiest men of all!"

-- Captain Zapp Branigan, Democratic Order of Planets (DOOP.)

[Irving]

So it's basically a mechanical broad head? Makes sense. Although, it seems that if the missile can hit with enough accuracy to make sword contact, then just the impact of the missile alone would work. This does effectively triple the surface area though.

[def90]

yeah, these have been around for a few years now. Basically kinetic bombs, no explosives, the force of the impact itself creates enough of a concussion to kill anything within a certain area around it.

[Gman]

Surprised it took this long to show up here. I was reading about this months ago in the Wall Street Journal. I'd hate to be in the same vehicle where someone was targeted.

https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/27917/secret-hellfire-missile-with-sword-like-blades-made-mysterious-syria-strike-on-terror-leader

[BushMasterBoy]

I live under Damocles Sword.

[sniper7]

I guess you really can bring a knife to a gun fight.

[Gman]

I guess you really can bring a knife to a gun fight.

Especially when it's attached to a 1,000 mph missile.

[CS1983]

they shoulda named it Whooshtof

[brutal]

they shoulda named it Whooshtof

LOL, You mean like WooshTF?

You always crack me up.

[battlemidget]

Like a slapchop

[Gman]

Better get a few ShamWows for cleanup.

[GilpinGuy]

Obviously, (but only coyly eluded to in the article) this should be called the "Flying Ginsue" with an asterisk on each weapon noting that "This weapon was labelled and approved by the COAR MOD "theGinsue" for use as needed by the US Military".

[O2HeN2]

Great, so now knives are "Military grade weapons" and must be banned.

Good thing cars aren't used by the military.

O2

[Singlestack]

Reminds me of the Monty Python sketch about rotating knives:

http://www.montypython.net/scripts/architec.php

[Gman]

Reminds me of the Monty Python sketch about rotating knives:

http://www.montypython.net/scripts/architec.php


http://youtu.be/EoRov2tGZO4

[Irving]

Says video unavailable. Probably because I'm not a Mason.

[brutal]

Says video unavailable. Probably because I'm not a Mason.

Or forgot the secret handshake.

[Gman]

Weird. Imbedded without a problem...and then the error showed up. Link is there for it on YouTube.