The hovering Multiple Kill Vehicle is simply a waking nightmare
Are you ready for a vision of your inevitable end at the hands of a hovering murderbot? Feast your eyes, then, on this video of the Missile Defense Agency's MKV-L -- or as we like to call it, the Multiple Kill Vehicle. The device -- meant to be used in a bundle of missile interceptors deployed by a larger "carrier" -- has apparently just completed its first flight test, so... you've been warned, resistance is futile, he'll be back, and in space no one can hear you scream. [Warning: read link is a PDF]
[Thanks, Jason]
[Thanks, Jason]


















All your bases are belong to us.
All your BASE are belong to us.
FAKE
So CGI, I mean the way that thing stayed in the air and when it fell that bounce was totally "alternate reality"
... oh God I hope I'm right... who knows when these things will be hitting crazy american gunshops
"Get rid of unwanted pests with a horrendous amount of fire power"
How embarrassing to have the first post and blow it.
Flail.
@ idiocy_glanders
How embarassing to fail at calling out a fail.
Dear RoboDan,
You are a complete idiot.
Don't worry though, you have plenty of company among these Reader Comments.
@ ByronGman
How embarrassing to fail at understanding sarclasm.
Here we are just seeing the carrier vehicle hovering and focusing on a target. The propulsion occurs in pulses because it is often much easier to control the duration than the flow rate of liquid fuel in many space applications.
Yes, the propulsion system you are seeing shows some refinement of years-old technology, which is why the Missile Defense Agency was gladly willing to release this video (http://www.mda.mil/mdalink/videos/mkvhover2DEC08.wmv). If you want a sharper image of the vehicle, check out (http://www.mda.mil/mdalink/images/mkvhover_2DEC.jpg).
Thanks everyone for the other informative info and links further down in the comments!
@RobotDan
http://xkcd.com/331/
In A.D. 2101
War was beginning.
Captain: What happen ?
Mechanic: Somebody set up us the bomb.
Operator: We get signal.
Captain: What !
Operator: Main screen turn on.
Captain: It's You !!
Cats: How are you gentlemen !!
Cats: All your base are belong to us.
Cats: You are on the way to destruction.
Captain: What you say !!
Cats: You have no chance to survive make your time.
Cats: HA HA HA HA ....
Captain: Take off every 'zig' !!
Captain: You know what you doing.
Captain: Move 'ZIG'.
Captain: For great justice.
Hmm, that is the last time I make comments while playing Crysis. :)
I saw a small clip on the discovery channel back in 1999.
It use two much fuel and the bigger it gets the more fuel it uses. its actually a research project for the development for Pulsating jet engines at high altitude,( I think they called ram jets im not sure)
@idiocy_glanders
I guess it's better than "FIRST!!!!!", "Can is play Crysis?" or "Will it blend?"
Oh good, Cyberdyne Systems first generation of HK (Hunter/Killer) is out.
EdgeOne: Actually that'd be sardonicism, not sarcasm.
That kind of military devices - won't arrive in 20-35 years.
Such steps in research is just an earliest beginning.
This prototype is ineffective.
That flying bots require enormous quantity of energy which our science can't provide today.
Who's needed such thing that can fly only 5-10 seconds? Noone today and noone in the near and far future.
I'm applying for the job of naming these things. My first order of business? Rename the MKV to BFMKV.
More like OMGWTFMKV
with this technology, Starfuries are right around the corner.
You forgot BBQ.
As long as it doesn't belong to the Enclave, it's not a big deal.
Otherwise, get your Fat Man.
you sir, get one of my hard-earned Plus Points.
Totally what I was thinking!
matroska prepares to deal the final blow to avi...
Half Life II
Mario Cart II!
iEye, it's your turn to embarrass yourself now!
I get what your saying! Lets start a police state and govern it with these things
Woooo
Silly, it isn't Half Life. It's Missile Command.
True, but it still looks like it should be retrofitted with guns and cameras to control the people. How else will they stay in line?
Half-Life 2 does have flying Manhacks.
I for one welcome our new Multiple Kill Vehicle overlords.
I guess this comment was inevitable huh. As a firefox user, I hit / and simply search "I for one".
Never fails on articles of this subject.
Asimov must be pissed.
as a firefox user, i use ctrl +f.
as a smarter firefox user, i just start typing.
nah i'm kidding. well i really do just type,. but the air of supremacy was purely in jest
Not like you have a choice.
Resistance Is Futile.
This is why 2008 will be like 1984.... This is really kinda pushing it. I see no real uses for this except throwing it in a room or other confined area and letting it shred everything inside. Hopefully the manual says please proceed with caution, this thing kills indiscriminately and randomly.
As opposed to a grenade that is thrown in a room with bad people? Bullets don't discriminate either. Absolutely, if used improperly, something like this could be horrific. The assumption is that the hardware is just a more efficient and effective version of what we already have.
So nice to read moral posturing from a guy named "hitnrun".
in theory it could be more efficient if it was equipped with thermal sensors, although realy, i'm more paranoid about the implications of this thing in the wrong hands...
You know,it's odd that you mention 1984----I saw this very footage on CNN years ago , as one of the main experiments in Reagan's Star Wars defense initiative! And, if that is the case, this is some improved beast by now(".....and we'll throw in an iCore7 with GPS....!)----ozzdzz61
Kinda like how the terrorist do it. Right? indiscriminately and randomly? It's time for a taste of their own medicine.
Man, did nobody read the pdf? This thing is designed to intercept missiles and destroy them. It's supposed to be a DEFENSE tool. But the name is a little misleading, I guess.
everything that is defensive can be used a a wepon in the right circumstances. Also the fact that its a computer, its bound to screw up.
@hitnrun
Right, because a human wouldn't "screw up." Ever.
I got some tin foil if you wanna make some hats.
What are you going on about?? These are at the core of an interceptor system for ICBM's.
For more scary propaganda about this, hit this up...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hsPKYDcfw4k
Well, it would just nicely and loudly hover there deafening everyone with pulses of its jet engines. Or wait, did you think they were machine guns?
Man. You guys do realize that if they had some sort of booster on the side of this thing to get it hovering and spinning in a 360 degree rotation, this thing would create sphere o' death. The SLAUGHTER SPHERE! AHHHH! Man. This is some James Bond shit. Im fuckin pumped. Where do I sign up?
All trial registrants must report to Black Mesa, or Big Brother.
James Bond? Don't you mean The Last Starfighter?
Yeah. Sure. The Last Starfighter. Either way, the thing is BA.
I was thinking it's more along the lines of robotic gun kata.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gun_Kata
I could accomplish the same thing with a 3 dollar broom stick handle
They're handing out miniature ones for free during the new Terminator premiere.
It's a SkyNet HK v0.1 alpha
Yea it made me think Terminator right away, they should have covered the floor of the test cage with human skulls and other post apocalyptic rubbish ala T1.
The video says "T08 Hover Test." I mean they're even using the T# Terminator model numbering system.
Manhacks!
They're flooding the tunnels!
My thoughts exactly.
those are just stabilizing boosters btw...no guns yet!
I'm sure if it got close to you the effect would be the same.
You shut your mouth. You sound really stupid right now. Really stupid.
Tuesday is coming. Did you bring your umbrella?
It won't have guns. It's for killing missiles.
The stabilizing boosters ARE guns. Or at least they should be.
Farris: Tuesday's coming. Is your umbrella (coat?) MKV-L proof?
Smiley: ...what? Just because V8 should be beer instead does not mean V8 is beer.
I live in a giant bucket.
Dear Santa,
I have been very good this year and would like nothing more than to have a fleet of hovering murderbots.
Sincerely,
Alex
one of the rare comments that truly makes me lol a true lol.
Dear Santa,
Forget the last 12 letters I sent you... this MKV thing is what I REALLY want this time, I promise I won't send you any more letters.
Thanks for understanding...
Fraser!
Not what I expected... I had my speakers up too loud and nearly crapped myself. Is the thing firecracker powered?
My cat will never walk in front of the computer speakers again.
Y'know, I was sure the video was over after just two rounds of jet-fire slaughter-bot demo. Nope. As soon as I scrolled down to the comments, round three scared the life out of me.
After so many kills does a siren go off and all you hear is MEGA KILL?
M M M M M MONSTER KILL!
that's quite possibly one of the most threatening clips i've ever seen, i might watch it back to back with the old quadraped robot getting kicked about back to back for about an hour then look out my window at the world for a bit.
then... well... might just fire into the bathroom for a wank...
Dear God...
SHUT. DOWN. EVERYTHING.
It needs to be quieter. Then it can be the ultimate flying/killing machine!
I could have sworn there was something similar to this that was shown online some time ago. Not the same, but similar.
MKV... Rename it MDK so we all know what it's about.
Yea, this thing has been around for a while.
It's meant to be used in space. What you see in the video is one of several that is launched from a larger mother-ship. The mother-ship assigned each one of these a target warhead to destroy and they zip off to kill their designated targets. See this video for CGI concept added...
http://closingvelocity.typepad.com/closing_velocity/mkv/
Crazy shit in space! The narrator is disturbingly nonchalant about missiles, "kill vehicles" and missiles with a payload of half a dozen "kill vehicles"...
But all you would have to do to thwart the mother ship is upload a virus....And smoke a cigar...
I remember a video just like this of the old kinetic kill vehicle (which apparently the multiple kill vehicle replaced). I'm not sure what the point of this demonstration is. It's going to be in the upper atmosphere by the time it has to move under its own power.
I remember the same video, it was ages ago (and cooler then this one, it spun around and stuff) Oh well. It's not news, it's engadget.
Fake... and obviously so.
Oh look, flying pigs
theres no need to ruin everyones fun
Stupid comment... and invisibly so...
Looks like interesting from an automated hover/stabilization standpoint, but how much fuel does that thing use just for the short test they ran? I can't imagine it's terribly efficient.
It's meant to be used in space, so it really won't be using the reaction jets quite so much, that and it's really not going to live that long anyway.
Brilliant Pebbles - take TWO!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RCVPNQhXtq8
Note the date - April 1989
Is that even real? Looks like a render...
Man, Half Life 3 is looking pretty good!
Not very stealthy, is it? I thought those were some kind of guns until I realized it's just the weird stabilization system. Although if I heard that kind of popping noise in the distance, I'd be heading for cover. Definitely effective in that respect.
Space mine from gundam wing much?
No, it's more like a funnel from all the other gundam series, as this thing needs to recharge frequently or else it is dead in space.
And this thing is more or less exactly like the older divert and attitude control weapon system prototype, just looks like it can carry extra fuel in those tanks.
Now, combine half a dozen of these on an airplane or giant robot with http://www.engadget.com/2007/11/26/brain2robot-project-creates-eeg-controlled-robot-arm/ or that FPS mind reading helmet that pops up every other month here and you have yourself a superweapon capable of taking down a fleet of just about anything... If the pilot's brain is able to handle the stress of direct (or semi direct) control over 6 bits and a mother ship.
Actually, this one IS the carrier vehicle. The kill vehicles are the little cylinders. Current missile defense systems are like stopping a bullet by shooting a bullet at it, and this one is like stopping a bullet by firing a shotgun at it.
Not really, if u watch the video that someone put up before (on another comment, CGI rendered one), ull see each little cylinder targets a different warhead