Has Star Trek's "transparent aluminum" become real? Sort of:
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.
The stuff is expensive, but worth it. Check out the whole thing for all the tech details.
(Hat tip to longtime reader Garrett Banse, who's been reading my stuff since Ye Olde FidoNet Days.)
In a June 2004demonstration, an ALONtm test pieces held up to both a .30 caliber Russian M-44 sniper rifle and a .50 caliber Browning Sniper Rifle with armor piercing bullets. While the bullets pierced the glass samples, the armor withstood the impact with no penetration.
The stuff can take hits from .50 BMG? Holy crap!
Buy their stock now, there's a lot of VIPs who are going to want this.
Since FidoNet? Stephen, how old were you then? 12?
Hey, FidoNet wasn't that long ago.
Soon, the loony left will be screaming that Bush short-changed the troops by invading Iraq before bullet-proof aluminum was invented.
I wonder when I can get the stuff for my windshield; I just got done replacing my third windshield in a year due to rocks kicked up on the freeway. Stopping a bullet would be nice too :)
Rosignol,
According to the article, it's all military research labs that came up with the stuff. No private entity is listed, as far as I can tell.
The army (or any govt. entity, for that matter) can't get patents, so exactly what stock should we be buying?
Has anyone spotted Scottie ?
Hello Computer !!
Bait and Switch!
That's no more "aluminum" that the glass holding your martini is "magnesium".
Sucker.
I'll bet who ever does sell this product has already trademarked "Transparent Aluminum" .
BTW where did you (Whitehall) get the idea that Star Trek's "Transparent Aluminum" was aluminum?
Charles,
Never heard of Star Trek "Transparent Aluminum" until this item came up. I would guess that it is FICTION.
This new stuff, it it aluminum? It's not metal, no more than glass is magnesium or beryl is berylium.
I'm sorry, but people are so used to marketing guys snowing you that they can get away with calling something "transparent aluminum" and people believe it!
My favorite Dilbert insight is:
"Marketing - we let them pick out the colors."
