I want to build and design weapons, what to major in?

[lisab]

Weapons don't have to kill. Here's a story from "60 Minutes" about a "ray gun" that isn't lethal:

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/02/29/60minutes/main3891865.shtml

 

[gerry73191]

Thank you for all your input

 

[The|M|onster]

Im most inclined to rockets, but I am reluctant to specialize.

I want to have a broad understanding of weapons design in general.

Nowadays it is very hard NOT to specialize. There is little room for a Jack of all Trades in any industry. Even if you were to go into a field involving rockets, you wouldn't be designing the entire rocket. You'd more likely be doing something like working on control systems or materials design. I recommend you take the core engineering courses when you get into college, and then pursue the area that interests you the most.

 

[The|M|onster]

Weapons don't have to kill. Here's a story from "60 Minutes" about a "ray gun" that isn't lethal:

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/02/29/60minutes/main3891865.shtml

Nice article! It reminds me of Archimedes at the battle of Syracuse.

 

[mgiddy911]

double major in peace-studies and theology

 

[Pythagorean]

I've always had an interest in lasers and acoustical weapon ideas, myself. I'd totally make/design them too, but not for the current administration.

I think powerful non-lethal weapons will be the ultimate in diplomacy and warfare, though.

I heard of a new taser that just shoots a beam of ultraviolet light, which ionizes the air, then the current can just flow to the perp, no wires! That's neat!

 

[Andy Resnick]

Why is the turnover so high? Is it stressful work, or does it not pay well?

The pay is fine. The intellectual challenges are also rewarding. It's stressful work, definitely.

 

[Andy Resnick]

Nice article! It reminds me of Archimedes at the battle of Syracuse.

It's amusing, and more than a little frustrating, that these myths are blindly carried along. There was a thread about this.

 

[shamrock5585]

I heard of a new taser that just shoots a beam of ultraviolet light, which ionizes the air, then the current can just flow to the perp, no wires! That's neat!

yes I've heard of this weapon... its an actual lightning gun haha... it turns the air into plasma in a sense which can carry a current... so all the gun has to do is apply a high voltage and bam you got lightning blasting some poor dude off his feet. I've heard its very accurate and has a pretty long range. Genius idea... simple but yet so complex.

also about specializing in a certain area of study... you will definately have to chose at some point... not many people design rockets and then just go to designing armor or other weapons... It takes a lot of hardcore mathematics and physics to understand/design rockets... you don't do all that studying and years of experience to just switch and start on something new.

 

[seycyrus]

I've always had an interest in lasers and acoustical weapon ideas, myself. I'd totally make/design them too, but not for the current administration.

I think powerful non-lethal weapons will be the ultimate in diplomacy and warfare, though.

I heard of a new taser that just shoots a beam of ultraviolet light, which ionizes the air, then the current can just flow to the perp, no wires! That's neat!

The US has established several non-lethal DE (Directed Energy) efforts, the major areas of actualization have been in area denial technologies.

The LIPSE system that I believe you are referring to, has not seen any actual pragmatic use.

 

[Mathemaniac]

Any kind of engineering, or computer science, really. I imagine weapons design utilizes every kind of engineering somewhere and lots of programming. Pick something out of those fields you find interesting, be it EE, ME, ChemE, CompE, or programming.

You probably didn't come here for an argument on the morals of weapons design, but I must ask, of all the ways you can contribute to the country, you choose weapons design? The reality is that there are things our country, no, the entirety of humanity, needs way more than weapons, such as alternative clean energy. And in the end, if having the biggest stick, as it were, is necessary for survival, humanity will inevitably be doomed to a very tragic ending.

 

[Andy Resnick]

If you don't want to develop new and safer weapons, then don't. Tut-tutting other people's beliefs isn't helpful.

 

[mathwonk]

you have a comic book attitude, not a real peace seeking one. this is sad. if you want peace work for justice, not weaponry.

 

[mathcompsci]

Hi Gerry,

I say mechanical or electrical engineering. Physics if you like the theory more than the application. Chemical engineering sounds like a sure fire bet too.

There's more to building weapons than the engineering. You could also study other things.

I've never seen Iron Man. Actually, 12 years ago I stopped watching TV, and I know now way more about what is going on in the world.

The Hollywood weapons you see are good to get attention. But War in of itself is actually fought on many levels that the common idiot wouldn't understand.

I refer you to Clausewitz, On War. A simple google of that will give you a free copy since it is so old.

Modern weaponry is moving into non-lethal munitions and more effective mind-wars. Yes. The gun for your mind. It only makes sense economically not to waste billions on munitions and design if you could spend way less to RECRUIT the enemy to your cause.

I'm x-military from these fiascos currently going on. So is my little brother who was spec ops for this crap. My father is x-Nam, and my grandfather (same side) is x-military for WW2. It's safe to say I come from a military family. Those of us still alive totally disagree with this war.

But you're free to choose what you like to do, as I am free to say what I please.

I can honestly understand the desire to defend. It's an alpha male thing actually. But as all alpha males know, they don't like other alpha males in their territory.

Most people I've met though in life are faux-alphas. It is simple to test them actually. I'll let life teach you that for yourself.

May I give some advice?

Ok so you read on here it is.

Weapons are for destruction. Period. Anything else you've heard is Bullsh.. and only a fool would think that they won't be used. ALL weapons are USED. It's why they were made.

Diplomacy is the only means to defend without physical destruction. And maybe this is what you'd like to do.

Do I think all wars are over? No. Could they be physically speaking yes, but the powers that be don't want that. It doesn't make sense economically to stop having wars. Personally, I hate them.

So. I have an idea or two for you.

First off. The blunt truth.

Once you a kill a man (even "legally" in war) life will never be the same.

Even if you were just the man loading the shell and not pushing fire. Even if you are the engineer watching the news realizing they finally deployed your "toy". Life will never be the same.

So I think you should prepare yourself for that responsibility. A similar feeling but way less potent is when you actually beat another man up badly. When you look down and see that face of "oh man I didn't mean for this" and you both realize at the same time that it is going to take 6 months to recover from this "tiff". Then you will have a smidgen of the feeling of taking a life.

Best of luck to you on your weaponry endeavors. Pray to your fair tales that you don't kill an innocent.

PS. As a kid I use to cut up my fathers brooms and stuff and make Num-chucks. Try it. Then ask you kid brother to do the same so you can have Num-chuck wars... By the way, that sh#t hurt, but it was fun. We use to have rock wars too at the stone cory until my little brother got stiches in the head... That was fun too until that happened. We even had sling shot wars too with nickles, and damn they would leave a mark. And I can't even count how many fist fights we got in, countless. Ironically, they came after the fun stuff a lot, lol.

 

[mathwonk]

i apologize for my judgmental remarks. the point is that there is no hard division between good guys and bad guys, and civilization is not preserved by making sure only "good guys", i.,e. people who share your beliefs or homeland, have the best weapons.

in fact it is the possession of weapons that makes someone potentially a bad guy, i.e. able to wreak harm on others. give anyone the most weapons and he becomes an instant threat to peace. present day examples are easy to think of.

the real need is not for more and better weapons, but for more and better safeguards against the misuse of weapons. if you are really smart, work on that one.

 

[maze]

recommend electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, physics, computer science or even math as undergrad, and then masters in specialized subfield.

 

[Evo]

Thread closed pending moderation. This has gone way off topic.