Weapons Firing in Slow Motion: Incredible Videos

The U.S. military uses some awesome weapon systems, but many of them are even more impressive when you can slow down the action and see exactly how the weapon engages and destroys its targets. We scoured Youtube and found some of the best.

1. Tanks

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lWn_NhYzD_YTanks hardly need an explanation. This compilation video includes a few different types of munitions and lots of nice explosions as rounds leave the barrel.

2. Javelin

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I5BXArdVlNAThe Javelin is primarily an anti-tank missile that attacks from above, though it can be used against aircraft and buildings in a direct fire mode. An initial charge blows the missile away from the launcher before the propellant sends the fire and forget missile to its target.

3. TOW Missile vs. Tank

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E1VWPOpYbQITube-launched, optically tracked, wire-guided missiles serve a primarily anti-armor role. The missiles in this video are one of the variants that allow for top-down attacks, exploding above the target to penetrate the tank through its thinner turret armor as opposed to a direct hit.

4. M2 .50-cal machine gun

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bl3HJnFdH1IThe M2 is beloved by troops. For the uninitiated, this video of the M2 chewing through a car should quickly give you an idea of why.

5. Dillon Minigun

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a8ZeqZrLxpwThe M134 fires 7.62mm rounds, which makes it a minigun when compared to larger calibers like the 20mm Vulcans but still a big badass compared to most weapons floating around. These weapons are used extensively by the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (SOAR).

6. Mk 12 Special Purpose Rifle

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_DjSJtzcof0Developed by the US Navy for use by its special operators, this weapon is an extremely modified version of the M16. It is also now used by Army Special Forces. It fires standard NATO 5.56mm rounds.

7. Det Cord

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m8CBXHzLsscDet cord is a thin cord of explosives that detonates at four miles per second. When watching it at normal speed, it seems like the whole thing goes off at once. In extreme slow-mo though, you can watch the detonation move through the cord.

8. Tomahawk Missile

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C6mSqHUgddIThe Tomahawk missile has many variants, from conventional surface attack to a nuclear version to ones that drop cluster munitions. If you want to see extreme slow-motion video of a Tomahawk striking its target, check out this video.

9. 40mm semi-automatic grenade launcher

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iryZ8iVPhmgThe M32 MGL is a semi-automatic grenade launcher that looks like an old-western revolver on steroids. It’s in service with the US Marine Corps and can bring a lot of controlled, accurate pain quickly.

10. U.S. Navy Railgun

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UBnoM3TwD0UCurrently in tests with the U.S. Navy, the electromagnetic railgun has been a dream for years. Judging by videos like these, and the fact that the railgun is scheduled for sea trials in 2016, that dream may soon be a reality.

11. Fully-automatic M4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gD7pd03L43k

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