October 18, 2005
Just When Scotty Left the Building

Someone goes and develops transparent aluminum:

Engineers here are testing a new kind of transparent armor -- stronger and lighter than traditional materials -- that could stop armor-piercing weapons from penetrating vehicle windows.

The Air Force Research Laboratory's materials and manufacturing directorate is testing aluminum oxynitride -- ALONtm -- as a replacement for the traditional multi-layered glass transparencies now used in existing ground and air armored vehicles.

Like all wonder-materials developed by/for the military, the stuff is five times as expensive to make as anything else. However, it's still very much a prototype process, so it's expected the cost will go down somewhat over time. Since they can't make really big sheets of the stuff yet, it would appear we may end up going back to the old "framed window" look of aircraft from the 30s and 40s.

If it keeps Hajji's bullet away, I'm all for it.

Posted by scott at October 18, 2005 09:59 AM

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'Plasteel' in our lifetime? Maybe we can start hoping for flying cars again...

Posted by: Jon on October 19, 2005 01:04 PM

I want my Millennium Falcon right frickin' now!!!

And if you give it to me, I promise to the following:

-only buzz capital and other major cities occasionally
-try not to break in on Presidential press conferences by hovering above them and broadcasting "Bust a Move" over all frequencies.
-drop random scientists off on the other planets so they can do research. Hell - I may even leave shelter and supplies for them.

Posted by: ronaprhys on October 19, 2005 02:55 PM
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