Top 10 Most Powerful Indian Weapon Systems

Top 10 Most Powerful Indian Weapons

India is one of the most rapidly growing militaries in the world. They have evolved from a regional force with tactical capabilities to a growing strategic force with global reach. They are heavily dependent on foreign suppliers for equipment as their local industry hasn’t quite delivered as promised. But the ones in service are top quality indigenous systems. This article will cover the 10 most powerful weapon systems used by the Indian Armed Forces. It is interesting to note that even though most of the weapons in the list are foreign supplied, the Indians have modified many of them to suit their requirements. They are known for purchasing well known platforms and integrating them with sub systems from around the world to create a lethal system which would turn out better than the original. This makes them a force to reckon with. The order of weapons in the article is entirely based on my analysis and opinion. I haven’t included strategic nuclear weapons and their delivery platforms. After over a hundred fan requests in the past month, Defencyclopedia brings you this article. So sit back and enjoy reading it.

10. Pinaka MLRS

Pinaka Launch Vehicles

The Pinaka was India’s long range replacement for the vintage BM-21 Grad MLRS (Multiple Launch Rocket System). It entered service in 1998 as a 40 km range system and consists of 12 rockets mounted on an 8×8 truck with NBC protection. An improved variant with 65 km range rockets is currently in service. These are highly networked rocket launchers and operate in conjunction with Weapon Locating Radars, Battlefield Surveillance radars, Unmanned Aerial Vehicles and long range IR and Optical sighting systems which enhance their accuracy and effectiveness in combat. DRDO has teamed with Israel Military Industries (IMI) to install a GPS guidance system on the rockets to use them for precision attacks. They have also been combat proven in the cold and high altitude regions during the Kargil conflict in 1999.

Pinaka replenishment vehicle

It is interesting to note that the Pinaka is 10 times cheaper than its American equivalent, the M270, while offering similar or better performance! A Pinaka battery has a total of 288 rockets on launchers and replenishment vehicles. The India Army has reportedly ordered over 15 batteries and 5000 rockets are being produced per year. A future variant of Pinaka with 120 km range is in development and it would be in the same class as the Russian Smerch heavy rockets.

Fan art of Pinaka © 3D artist Saurav Chordia

9. PAD/ AAD Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD) System

AAD missile being test fired

The Indian BMD program raised eyebrows when it was first announced and has come a long way since. It has been successfully tested against a short range ballistic missile and is reportedly deployable at short notice to protect major cities. Two interceptor missiles, the PAD (Prithvi Air Defence)and the AAD (Advanced Air Defence) along with the Green Pine radar form the core of this system. The PAD is an exo-atmospheric interceptor with a ceiling of over 80 km and a range of over 2000 km. It is used to intercept ballistic missiles which are travelling outside the Earth’s atmosphere. The AAD is an endo-atmospheric interceptor with a range of 250+ km and a ceiling of 30 km. It’s used to intercept short range ballistic missiles. Both these missiles initially guided by an Inertial Navigation System (INS) and have an active radar seeker for homing in on the target.

The PAD interceptor missile

The long range Swordfish radar is used to track and provide fire control to these missiles. This Israeli radar has a range of 800+ km and can be used for tracking enemy missile launches and trajectories. India is upgrading this radar to increase its range to 1500 km. This will be used along with upgraded variants of the PAD/AAD missiles which will have a longer range and a higher flight ceiling. It is said that the AAD missile can be used as a long range SAM to shoot down enemy aircraft and cruise missiles as well. This would make India one of the few operators of 250+ km range SAMs. The PAD and AAD missiles working in tandem are said to have a a hit probability of 99.8% against enemy ballistic missiles.

8. NaMiCa  (Nag Missile Carrier)

This is a relatively unknown weapon that is developed by India. The core of this system is the 3rd generation Nag Anti-Tank missile mounted on a modified BMP-2 chassis. It contains 8 Nag missiles in armored box launchers plus a further 8 for reload with a complete optical and IR sensor suite to detect enemy tanks. These missiles are fire and forget and have a top-attack capability which allows them to target the vulnerable top part of the tanks. The Nag has a tandem High Explosive Anti-Tank (HEAT) warhead which enables it to penetrate any armour in the region. It has successfully detected targets at 5 km and engaged them in day and night conditions and has demonstrated its ability to destroy enemy tanks. The most unique ability of this system is its amphibious capability, which allows it to be cross any water body in the battlefield.

This weapon system is very unique as very few armies possess similar systems. The Indian Army has placed an initial order for 13 Namicas and 443 Nag missiles. They have projected a requirement for 200 Namicas and 7000 Nag missiles. The Namica will form an integral part of Indian Army armoured formations. It will spearhead tank divisions and eliminate high-priority enemy armoured targets at long ranges. Future variants may incorporate longer ranged Nag missiles.

7. P-8i Neptune

India has a 7500 km long coastline and hundreds of islands which need protection. The water bodies surrounding India are expansive and perfect for hostile submarines to lurk in. That’s where the P-8I comes in. It was chosen for its excellent endurance and sensor suite which is unequalled by any other ASW aircraft. It has a mission endurance of 4 hours at a distance of 2000 km from base. This means that it can fly 2000 km from base, hunt submarines for 4 hours and then fly back 2000 km to base on just its internal fuel. The fact that it is essentially a modified commercial airliner makes its maintenance very easy. The P-8I has a long range search radar in its nose and the Indian variant is unique in having a Magnetic Anomaly Detection (MAD) boom at the aft to hunt submarines. Also, the Indian variant replaces several electronics systems with Indian versions.

It can carry 120 sonobouys internally and 6-8 Mk-54 torpedoes in its bomb bays along with 4 Harpoon missiles under its wings. This allows it to engage a whole range of surface and underwater threats. The P-8I thus gives the Indian Navy the ability to project power in the Indian Ocean and hunt submarines thousands of km away from their coast. India currently operates 8 aircraft with 4 more on order. They have an option to purchase 12 additional aircraft at a later date, which I’m sure they will after retiring their Tu-142s in the next decade.

6. T-90S Bheeshma

Being an operator of over 5000 T-55/72 tanks, it was natural that the Indian Army chose the T-90S as their replacement. They were first procured hurriedly from Russia in response to its neighbor’s attempt to purchase the T-80 and Abrams tanks. It weighs just 48 tons and has a crew of 3 which is made possible by the use of an autoloader for the 125 mm smoothbore gun. The unique feature of this tank is its ability to fire the Invar anti-tank missile from its barrel. The other special feature is that, even though the 12.7 mm machine gun mounted on the turret is manually operated, it can also be remotely controlled from inside the turret by the commander. The Indian variants have indigenous Kanchan ceramic armour which is topped by a layer of Explosive Reactive Armour (ERA). It is powered by a diesel engine which makes maintenance easier and reduces fuel consumption compared to the gas turbines of the T-80.

It is said that the Indian T-90S are downgraded variants of the Russian T-90A, but the Indians have fitted it with Israeli, French and Swedish sub systems and have made it possibly better than the Russian variant itself. It is slated to be fitted with the Saab LEDS-150 Active Protection System (APS) which will give it a 3-layered defense against enemy anti-tank munitions. The first layer is the APS, the second layer is the ERA and the third layer is the Ceramic armour. The T-90S can be easily deployed anywhere as it can be airlifted by Il-76 and C-17 transports of the IAF. India operates around 600 T-90S and the eventual number by 2020 is expected to be around 1500 tanks.

5. INS Vikramaditya

India’s latest aircraft carrier is the largest ship ever operated by them. This 45,000 ton refurbished carrier is currently the most powerful asset in the Indian Ocean. It has the capacity to deploy 24 MiG-29K fighters along with 6 ASW/AEW helicopters. This formidable combination gives the Indian Navy a very useful power projection tool. The carrier has a Russian electronic and sensor suite which is said to be powerful enough to prevent it from being tracked by powerful airborne radar systems. Though currently unarmed, the carrier will receive the Barak-8 SAM for self-defense during its first refit. The carrier uses a ski jump to launch fighters and arrestor wires to recover them, classifying it as a STOBAR carrier.

4. Phalcon AWACS

India was late in entering the Airborne Early Warning and Control System (AWACS) scene, but they did so with a bang, by procuring what is described by the FAS as the most advanced AWACS in the world. It consists of an Israeli Elta EL/W-2090 radar mounted on a Russian Il-76 aircraft. This radar is a 360 ° Active electronically Scanning Array (AESA) which is mounted inside a dome on top of the Il-76. The specialty of the radar is that it is stationary as its beams are electronically steered as well, which eliminates the need for the radar to be steered mechanically. This allows it to track targets 10 times faster when compared to well-known systems like the E-3 Sentry. It has an integrated IFF system, Electronic Counter Measures (ECM) and ECCM suites for self-protection, Electronic Intelligence (ELINT) for collecting data about enemy radars and monitoring communications and SatCom systems.

The 3 Phalcons are an invaluable asset for the Indian Air Force and act as major force multipliers. They can detect targets 500 km away and such a feature can prove to be vital in mountain and desert regions where ground based radars are not widely deployed. They can track up to 100 targets simultaneously and guide fighter jets and SAMs to intercept them. The probability of detecting cruise missiles and repelling surprise enemy air attacks is very high if such a system is employed in combat. They are frequently deployed with fighter escorts and they can be vectored to intercept long range threats. India is planning to procure a further 2-3 such systems.

3. INS Chakra

After acquiring the Akula II class SSN Nerpa from Russia on a ‘lease’ for 10 years, the Indian Navy gained the ability to provide a long range underwater escort for their carriers and destroyers. The INS Chakra is modified for Indian needs and carries a mix of 36 Torpedoes and Klub Anti-ship missiles which can be fired from the 8×533 mm torpedo tubes. There are reports that India will acquire another Akula SSN, the Iribis which is currently under construction. It may be modified to carry vertical launch tubes for BrahMos missiles.

2. BrahMos Missile 

Army variant of BrahMos

This is undoubtedly the most famous weapon that India has. It was the result of a joint venture between India and Russia to modify the Yakhont missile for Indian needs and make it into a universal missile which could be launched from any platform. This 9m long missile which weighs 3 tons has now become the backbone of the Indian Defense forces as a long range standoff weapon. It is currently employed by the India Navy on most of their major warships. Indian Army has inducted 3 regiments and the Air Force is conducting trials for the air launched variant. The air launched variant has a reduced weight of 2.5 tons and 1 missile can be carried under the fuselage of the Su-30 Mki. The current production rate is said to be 100 missiles per year.

Naval variant launched vertically from INS Kolkata

The next generation of BrahMos is named as the BrahMos NG. It is basically a smaller version of the current BrahMos with similar performance and minor improvements. It will undergo a 50% weight reduction and a 30% length reduction and 0% performance reduction. So how is it possible to do such a thing? According to my sources, the current BrahMos uses large electronics circuits and heavy guidance systems and components. The casing of the missile is quite heavy as well since the missile has 25 year old technology which is excellent but heavy and big, which makes the current version so heavy. The NG will feature new gen micro-electronics and advanced composites which will drastically reduce its weight. The new smaller ramjet will also contribute to the smaller size and reduced weight. The speed will be increased from Mach 3 to Mach 3.5. All the branches of the Indian military have expressed interest in the NG variant.

Size difference between current and NG variant of BrahMos

1. Su-30Mki

If there is one aircraft that has defined the Indian Air Force in the 21st century, it’s the Su-30Mki. This is a long range, multi-role, supermaneuverable 4.5+ gen fighter which is built according to Indian specifications. The baseline Su-30Mk from Russia was modified with French, Israeli and Indian avionics to create the ultimate Su-30 variant for India. It became the Su-30Mki where ‘i’ stands for India (Indiski). After realizing the combat potential and versatility of this amazing fighter, the IAF placed an order for 314 aircraft which makes India the largest Su-30 operator in the world.

The Su-30Mki is the bread and butter of the IAF as the rest of their fleet consists of legacy 4th gen fighters which have just a fraction of the capabilities of this fighter. With its 4000+ km range, 12 Hardpoints for 8000 kg of weapons, PESA Bars radar, it outclasses any other fighter in the region. It is safe to assume that 1 Su-30Mki can do the job of 2 MiG-29 and 2 Jaguar combined. It is currently used for air defense, reconnaissance and ground attack. The Su-30Mki is evolving into a cruise missile platform for the IAF. By 2016, it will be integrated with BrahMos and Nirbhay cruise missiles which would give it strike capabilities never before imagined by the IAF or its rivals. It also is integrated with several indigenous and imported electronic jamming pods and anti-radiation missiles which make it a deadly platform for Suppression/Destruction of Enemy Air Defense (SEAD/DEAD) which is the most important part of modern warfare to sanitize enemy threats.

CONCLUSION

The weapon systems covered in this article give you a brief idea about the capabilities of the Indian Armed Forces. Many weapons Arjun Mk2, Barak-8, INS Vikrant aren’t on this list as they havent entered service and are still in developmental/testing phase. Since the list has only top 10 weapons, i couldn’t fit in several powerful weapon systems. Only matured weapons systems have been covered here.

10 Weapons of the Near Future

As time goes by we’ll see some of the world’s armies become radically transformed. It’s already beginning — countries like China, Russia, India, Turkey, the United Kingdom, France, Germany and Israel all use unmanned vehicles. But none come close to America’s arsenal of over 7500 UAVs, which makes up more than a third of the country’s air force. Other countries are committed to increasing their number of unmanned vehicles in the near future, and that’s just one of the technologies that will change the way we fight wars.

10. Wolf-2

Historically speaking, Russia has always counted on cheap and reliable weapons. The T-34 tank of WWII is considered by many to be a perfect balance of firepower, armor and speed, making it the most mass produced tank of the war with more than 57,000 being built. There’s also, of course, the Russian designed AK-47 rifle, the most common gun in the world today.
With increasing tensions between Russia and the West, Russia has decided to boost the number of its unmanned vehicles significantly. The Wolf-2 is just one of many Russian prototypes — it’s the size of a small car and fitted with a 12.7 mm heavy machine gun. This unmanned vehicle can move all on its own, while the remote human operator can select up to 10 targets for the Wolf to fire on.

9. Insect Drones

If information is power, information gathered while the enemy is unaware is even greater power. The United States has been developing small scale drones in order to better survey areas. Ranging in size from as big as the palm of your hand to the size of your fingertip, these drones can take the inconspicuous shape of birds and insects.
Their main purpose will be to infiltrate hard to reach places, and in addition to military use they can be used by firefighters to assess the situation inside a burning building. These drones can reach speeds of up to 45 mph, and can navigate a maze of rooms and avoid detection without the need for remote human piloting or pre-planned GPS way points.
The main concern will be personal privacy, as these robots will be extremely hard to detect. And while the technology isn’t quite there yet, it’s speculated that these tiny drones will one day be able to retrieve DNA samples or leave behind RAFID tracking nanotechnology on someone’s skin.

8. The Eclipse

The Eclipse is a an unmanned surface vessel, a 36 foot craft capable of reaching speeds of up to 60 mph and loitering in water for up to 10 days without the need to refuel. The design of the Eclipse helps it remain undetected by enemy radar, and it’s controlled by a human operator via radio or satellite links. This vessel’s purpose is to survey the coastline, fight against piracy and rescue survivors, all while eliminating the need to put a human crew in harm’s way. Thanks to its infrared cameras it can see in the dark, but it can also detect chemical and radiological matter and underwater mines, and can even scan the seabed. The boat can be outfitted with a high-powered fire hose, a net firing cannon that tangles and stops propellers and, of course, a .50 caliber machine gun.

7. Autonomous Rotorcraft Sniper System

The ARSS is, as the name suggests, an unmanned sniper helicopter. At only 1100 pounds, the ARSS can travel at speeds of up to 135 mph for nine hours straight and at altitudes of up to 13,000 feet. It can also carry weights of about 380 pounds, which is fortunate since it’s usually fitted with a heavy duty rifle. The rifle can fire about 10 well placed shots per minute, and it can take out a car engine with a single bullet. The autopilot system can fly the helicopter to its destination and keep it stabilized while a human operator aims and shoots. All of this is done with a laptop and an Xbox 360 controller 20 miles away from the action. The ARSS can wield a variety of other weapons, including a xenon strobe light that causes nausea and disorientation.

6. Extreme Accuracy Tasked Ordnance

A sniper has the advantage of being hundreds of yards away from the battle, but it’s not as easy as it sounds. A sniper must always take into account wind velocity, rain, dust and even the rotation of the Earth itself, not to mention the fact that the target is usually on the move. If he misses he risks discovery, and more often than not there’s no one out there to help them.

   To cut down on missed shots, DARPA has come up with a special .50 caliber bullet capable of changing direction in mid-flight. They’re vague when it comes to explaining the exact technology in play, but we do know that it uses a real-time optical guidance system via a laser beam, making the EXACTO bullet home in on a target regardless of the weather or movement. Small fins are used to change the trajectory of the projectile up to 30 times a second, which will enable snipers to increase both their accuracy and effective distance. Just imagine the possibilities if combined with the ARSS (and the jokes that will be made about an EXACTO ARSS).

5. The Electromagnetic Railgun

The US Navy is about to add the Electromagnetic Railgun to its arsenal, which can launch projectiles towards targets on the mainland some 100 miles away. The difference between it and a regular cannon is that this gun doesn’t use any explosives to fire its payload. By harnessing a combination of electric and magnetic forces, the railgun can expel a round of ammunition with speeds exceeding Mach 6. That’s around 4500 mph! The round doesn’t have any explosives, because the force of the impact alone is enough to do the job. That means the price drops significantly — around $25,000 a pop compared to $500,000.

4. Hydra

Like the mythological creature of ancient times, Hydra will be able to strike an enemy from several hidden locations at once. Waterproof containers that can hold several air and waterborne drones will be placed on the seabed, and they’ll be capable of waiting for further instructions for months at a time. This will allow for a highly coordinated operation, and they can also be called upon in case of unforeseen circumstances like piracy or surprise attacks. Hydra is intended to be deployed in international waters, and predictions say that by 2018 Hydra will be operational all around the planet.

3. X-47B

The X-47B unmanned combat drone is an $813 million milestone in UAV development. Back in 2013 and 2014 a series of tests demonstrated that this was the first drone that could take off from and land on a carrier vessel. A simple miscalculation could have spelled disaster, resulting in the X-47B crashing onto the landing pad, into another jet, or a crew-member.
The first series of tests were done on a cleared deck, but in August 2014 the X-47B, accompanied by a F-18 jet, made a series of take offs and landings where all other jets were in their proper place, simulating normal conditions. The aim was to see if UAVs can accompany the Navy without disturbing the normal rhythm on-board the vessel. So far these tests have proven to be a success, and the next phase will be to test the drone’s refueling capabilities in mid-flight.
The drone itself is capable of flying at over 40,000 feet for a distance of 2100 nautical miles on a single tank of gas and at speeds close to the sound barrier. It can also carry up to 4500 pounds in its weapons bay, and its wings can fold upwards so it can fit into a tightly packed carrier hangar.

2. GXV-T Tank

Tanks, even modern ones, aren’t exactly known for their agility. All in all, they’re still armored metal boxes on tracks which fire a big cannon. DARPA is planning to change that with the GXV-T Tank. The aim is to make a tank faster and smarter rather than bulky and heavily armored. Normal armor can’t withstand more than a few shots anyways, so it’s no use trying to add more of it — especially if it slows the tank even further.
DARPA’s goal is for their new vehicle to avoid detection as much as possible and dodge incoming missiles by ducking or raising the entire tank through an advanced suspension system. Another option will be to have access to a sudden burst of acceleration to take the vehicle out of harm’s way. If all else fails, the GXV-T will also be equipped with a series of armored plates that can rapidly change position on the tank and take the blow. All of this will be done autonomously by the vehicle itself.
This type of tank will be far better suited for a larger variety of environments and scenarios. Being smaller than a standard tank, the GXV-T can sprint through city streets or heavily wooded areas, all the while avoiding detection from infrared, electromagnetic and acoustic detectors.

1. Counter-Electronics High Power Microwave Advanced Missile Project

Boeing, in collaboration with the US Air Force Research Laboratory, have designed and successfully tested their CHAMP project. We don’t know much about how it’s deployed or what the missile looks like, but we do know that the device is capable of taking out any electronics it sets its sights on. It can disable several targets at once, and does no other damage beyond leaving you in the dark.
This will come in especially handy against passive radar technology that can, to some degree, detect stealth aircraft. CHAMP program manager Keith Coleman said, “This technology marks a new era in modern-day warfare” and that “In the near future this technology may be used to render an enemy’s electronic and data systems useless even before the first troops or aircraft arrive.”

Top 10 Weapon Amazing Cases.

A good weapon should be dangerous to the enemy while perfectly safe to the person wielding it. But there have been plenty of weapons with designs so flawed or execution so poor that they actually achieved the reverse. Some of them were good ideas that were too far ahead of the curve, others were merely terrible engineering failures. And some border on sheer stupidity.


10. The Nambu Type 94 Handgun

Imperial Japan had some amazing weapons, ranging from the rugged Arisaka rifle to the nimble A6M2 Zero fighter aircraft. This was not one of them. In fact, the Nambu Type 94 is a serious contender for the title of worst service handgun ever.

9.  T-64 TANK 

 For decades, NATO commanders lived in fear of a flood of Warsaw Pact tank and mechanized infantry divisions breaking through Germany’s Fulda Gap. The spearhead of the offensive would be the T-64, a main battle tank that was certainly formidable on paper. A small target at just 2.17 meters (7 ft) tall, the T-64 was relatively light (allowing it to traverse muddy fields or flimsy bridges with ease), composite-armored, and armed with a smoothbore 125mm gun that could fire guided missiles. It also had the advantage of an autoloader that reduced the required crew to three (as in the famous Soviet Armored Guards hymn, “Tri Tankista“). For decades, NATO commanders lived in fear of a flood of Warsaw Pact tank and mechanized infantry divisions breaking through Germany’s Fulda Gap. The spearhead of the offensive would be the T-64, a main battle tank that was certainly formidable on paper. A small target at just 2.17 meters (7 ft) tall, the T-64 was relatively light (allowing it to traverse muddy fields or flimsy bridges with ease), composite-armored, and armed with a smoothbore 125mm gun that could fire guided missiles. It also had the advantage of an autoloader that reduced the required crew to three (as in the famous Soviet Armored Guards hymn, “Tri Tankista“). 

  

8.  The Century Series Fighters 

Photo credit: USAF

In the 1950s and ’60s, the US Tactical Air Command focused on developing fast planes with a high rate of climb to serve as interceptors or high-speed fighter-bombers—with maneuverability as a very secondary concern. It was decided that the new planes could be armed with air-to-air missiles, some of them nuclear-tipped, rather than traditional guns. The result was the Century Series: the F-100 Super Sabre, the F-101 Voodoo, the F-102 Delta Dagger, the F-104 Starfighter (pictured above), the F-105 Thunderchief, and the F-106 Delta Dart (which was developed from the F-102)


7.  Mark-14 Torpedo

 

Photo credit: US Navy

Not that the Navy is immune to bad weapons design. At the beginning of World War II, many navies had problems with their torpedo systems (only the Japanese had a really outstanding design, the Long Lance) but the Americans took the prize for messing up. In 1942 alone, Navy submarines fired more than 1,400 torpedoes to sink a paltry 109 Japanese ships, totaling under 42,000 tons.


6.  Glisenti M1910 Handgun

 


Italy has a reputation for crafting quality handguns, with variants of the Beretta 92 currently the standard sidearm for a number of NATO militaries (including the US M9). But there’s always an exception that proves the rule, and the Glisenti M1910 has to be a serious rival for the Nambu 94’s title of worst service handgun ever.


5.  Breda M1930 Machine Gun

 
The end of the Glisenti wasn’t the end of the Italian tendency to make elegant but flimsy items with low durability. The Breda M1930 lacked the simple primary extraction design of many other machine guns, so an internal oiler had to be installed in the feeding mechanism to ensure spent cartridges would actually be ejected. This did succeed in getting the cartridges out, but the oil tended to form a disgusting gunk in even slightly dusty environments. Such gunk would clog the mechanism of all but the most hardy of firearms, and the expensively precision-machined Breda was certainly not one of those. Armed with the M1930, Italy’s campaigns in Ethiopia and the deserts of North Africa had predictable results. No mass-produced design has used oiled cartridges since.


4.  Heinkel He -177 Greif

Photo credit: ibiblio.org

This one should have been named the “Grief.” In Nazi Germany, technical prowess and common sense were often overruled by the childish whims of the top brass, and the He-177 was one of the foremost examples. The idea was good: a bomber with the range and payload of the Allied Lancasters and Flying Fortresses, but able to fly faster and higher.



3.  LAGG-1 n LAGG-3 Fighters

Photo credit: taringa.net

The Nazis were not unique in producing terrible aircraft thanks to political meddling. Their deadly foe, the Soviet Union, arguably outdid them with the LaGG-1 and LaGG-3. Named after the initials of designers Semyon Lavochkin, Vladimir Gorbunov, and Mikhail Gudkov, the LaGG was built around a polished and very flammable wooden fuselage. Soviet pilots quickly began to joke that the name actually meant “Lakirovannii Garantirovannii Grob” or “Varnished Guaranteed Coffin.”



2.  The V-2 Rocket

 
The V-2 was the first ballistic missile in the world, an amazing engineering feat for 1944. Designed and built by Nazi Germany under the direction of Wernher von Braun (later to become a key figure in NASA) it was a single-stage missile with a range of 320 kilometers (200mi) propelled by a mixture of ethanol and oxygen. Originally named the Aggregat-4, it was renamed by Nazi propagandists as Vergeltungswaffe-2, or Second Vengeance Weapon, the V-1 being the infamous “doodlebug” flying bomb.


1.  SA-80 Rifle

 

When it comes to apparently brilliant ideas that don’t work well in real life, we couldn’t forget the British. The SA-80 is their current standard rifle, officially designated L-85, and although it has evolved to be effective in combat, it didn’t start well. Fully introduced in 1987, the SA-80 boasts a “bull-pup” configuration, which means that the receiver and magazine assembly are behind the trigger and handle, allowing a shorter overall length with the same weight and barrel size. The British originally explored the idea with the EM-2 rifle in the 1950s, but these prototypes were ultimately discarded in favor of the much less radical, but awesomely reliable FN FAL.