The Navy Just Launched a Drone from a Submarine—While Underwater

The Navy Just Launched a Drone from a Submarine—While Underwater

If you thought launching a drone from an aircraft carrier was impressive, you’re going to be blown away by this: After six years of development, the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory has successfully launched a drone from a submerged submarine.

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Army 3D-Prints Futuristic Electronics In Its Own New Jersey Mini-City

Army 3D-Prints Futuristic Electronics In Its Own New Jersey Mini-City

Defense Systems reports on the Army’s 3D printing operation at the Picatinny Arsenal in New Jersey, describing how they’ve been using additive manufacturing to print antennas into helmets, sensors into clothes, and even whole functioning batteries—among other things. Gizmodo was at the lab last week to see these machines in action, and to photograph the fascinating things going on in this "defense R&D mini-city." [Defense Systems]

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Marching into the Future of 3D-Printed War

Marching into the Future of 3D-Printed War

We all know by now that 3D printing is the future of manufacturing—even the president says so. The march of progress doesn’t always move as quickly as we’d like, however, especially when the military-industrial complex is involved. While 3D printing machines are becoming steadily cheaper and the possibilities incredibly sophisticated, the disparate branches of the U.S. armed forces tend to move slowly, weighed down by procedure and convention. However, there’s plenty of evidence to believe that’s changing when 3D printing is concerned.

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