The last time we heard anything about Northrop Grumman's development of a weaponized laser system, they were telling us that the "hardest part was over," and it looks like they weren't exaggerating. According to today's PR released by the 4th largest defense contractor in the world, the units, dubbed FIRESTRIKE, are now "ready for sale." In case you haven't been following every detail of the story, the FIRESTRIKE is a solid-state laser (think raygun), which weighs 400 pounds, has an Ethernet interface, and can be chained together with up to 7 other identical modules to create a 100 kw beam. The unit's obviously not very portable, and we don't have any information on its price, but we're going to go ahead and assume we can't afford it. Enemies of Engadget: you're safe, at least for now.

When you're caught between the lines of dueling mercenary armies, trapped in a rapidly aging body that doesn't quite react the way it used to, you need a reliable side arm to protect yourself. That was Solid Snake's situation in Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots, his chosen weapon the Silver Wolf pistol, recreated here in as a Japanese fan's stainless steel and rubber band DIY masterpiece. Constructed of numerous cross-drilled plates and featuring both a laser sight and integrated flashlight, the result looks to be impressively accurate and likely quite painful, as you can see for yourself in a video just below. Bonus reloading footage included!

[Thanks, Joe L.]

It's tough for us to go six months without a newfangled approach to hacking the famed USB missile launcher, so it's with great joy that we present to you this particular one. By utilizing a spare Wiimote, a USB-enabled PC, a USB missile launcher, a few strips of duct tape and a minor amount of programming knowledge, you too can craft an auto-aiming launcher which can find, aim at and attack IR targets. Grab the aforementioned items and hit the read link, just take care to not poke your eye out, alright?

[Via HackNMod, thanks Joe]

Okay, okay -- we get it. So maybe there's just not enough room in a genuine Zapper to fit all the necessary innards of a Nintendo Entertainment System into, but it's just a bit weird to see the Big N's antiquated console crammed into some other light gun. Similar to the NES-in-an-NES-controller mod we peeked earlier this week, this unit includes a plethora of games and all the controls you need; just plug it up to a TV, pop a few batteries in there and you're golden. Is it any surprise this guy was tracked down on Ben Heck's own forums?

[Via Nintendo Wii Fanboy]

We find it impossible to think that anyone in attendance of a local LAN party wouldn't be awestruck when this rig waltzed in, and truthfully, we'd be a little distracted by its boyish good looks all the while. TiTON -- the same mastermind that brought us the Team Fortress 2 Dispenser -- has recreated a TF2 sentry that (unfortunately) fires no real shells at enemies. On the upside, it does pack enough hardware to enable gamers to light up rebel forces within a digital realm, but just like your 16th birthday cake, this one may be too pretty to indulge in. Tap the read link for lots more images and a breakdown of the build.

Arthur C. Clarke's ideas have had a tendency of becoming a reality in the past, and it looks like that's now happening yet again, in this case with a little help from the folks at DARPA. As New Scientist reports, the prolific agency is currently working on a new weapon system that bears a striking resembles to the Stiletto weapon in Clarke's 1955 novel Earthlight. That science fiction version was described as "a solid bar of light" that can pierce a spacecraft "as an entomologist pierces a butterfly with a pin." Or, more specifically, "a jet of molten metal, hurled through space at several hundred kilometers per second by the most powerful electro-magnets ever built." DARPA's MAHEM weapon (or Magneto Hydrodynamic Explosive Munition), on the other hand, is described by New Scientist as using magnetic fields to "propel either a narrow jet of molten metal or a chunk of molten metal that morphs into an aerodynamic slug during flight." There is a slight difference, however, in that MAHEM's electromagnetic field will be generated by an explosion, and not a giant electro-magnet. It's also not clear if MAHEM will be used to defend a fortress on the moon, although that's not exactly as far fetched as it once seemed either.

Automated paintball machines have been spotted holding down a-many of forts, but it's still been relatively hard to find one pre-built and ready for purchase. Enter Evolution Model Technology, whose Paintball Sentry Turret is mighty enough to mow down even the deepest of crosstown rival cliques trying to get up in your area. Arriving in wired and wireless versions, the unit is available with water- or winter-proof armor, can be controlled remotely and features a head that rotates 350-degrees and tilts 90-degrees. Best of all, the cold blooded plastering machine can be customized to the hilt for those living in seriously dodgy locales, but considering the $1,399.50 (and way, way up) price tag, you better have one incredible stash of valuables to protect before pulling the proverbial trigger.

[Via technabob]

We've seen paintball guns destined for robot mounting, but darkback2 reckoned it was entirely more wicked to actually construct his own paintballing overlord from scratch. Apparently, Gepetto wasn't born to a be a killer (nor a lover, for that matter), but the idea of remotely controlling a security guard outside your domicile really gets our gears turning. Head on past the break to catch a couple of videos of this creature in action -- oh, and Gepetto, we hear there's a street down in Atlanta that could use someone like you.

[Via Technabob]

If the Disintegrator had you quivering in your combat boots, we'd recommend grabbing a bullet proof vest and having a seat for this one. Apparently, a fellow in California has dressed up a (legal) AR-15 assault rifle in Hello Kitty fashion for his better half, and while it'd be way too easy to pass this off as a fantastic Photoshop job, the pictures awaiting you in the read link definitely prove otherwise. Cute never looked so evil.

[Via CNET]

While we certainly hope the average (read: not GI) jane / joe isn't overly concerned about the rate at which homegrown explosions detonate as desired, we understand the Army's need to have more faith in their own munitions. Reportedly, a new "smart fuse" conjured up at Georgia Tech could soon prevent bombs from experiencing fuse failure by using "semiconductor fabrication equipment to make hundreds of ultra-high precision detonators on a wafer at the same time." In addition to cutting down on the use of toxic heavy metals and increasing the safety of weapon production, the intelligent MEMS fuse will supposedly "incorporate built-in arm and fail-safe mechanisms that virtually guarantee that munitions go off when they should, every time." Weapons that fire when needed -- now there's a concept.

[Image courtesy of Rich's Incredible Pyro]

Nah, it's not like tagging an intruder with shades of neon green, yellow and orange will do much to disable him / her, but it would probably make 'em think twice before going any further. 'Course, we're sure one could think of other uses for an automated paintball gun, and for those creative enough to agree, Team Cynergy has put together a videotaped how-to guide for building a laser-based motion detector and connecting it to your gun. We'll save the technicalities for those who dare to check out the near-10 minute clip posted after the break, but the long and short of it involves a Parralax BASIC Stamp 2 microcontroller, a red laser pointer, a servo and a good bit of tinkering (among other things). Besides, this is a lot less dangerous than that motion-activated BB rifle and laser-guided turret you built earlier this year, so why not flex some DIY muscle and give this endeavor a go?

[Via HackedGadgets]

We realize tasers have been getting an awful lot of attention lately after that Gator down south got a bit too feisty at a John Kerry Q&A session, but we're trying hard to believe that this story is from a parallel universe and not our own. Apparently, some women in America are gathering around hors d'oeuvres and bottled water to hear taser plugs, which is quite a leap from the oh-so-innocent Tupperware parties of yesteryear. As expected, paranoid gals are snapping up the pink versions like they're going out of style, but considering that stun gun-proof garb is just around the corner, you should probably save your cash and just stick with the BlackBerry.

[Via TechDigest]

Although we doubt Peter Parker will ditch the day job in order to plug a new kind of pepper spray, we're sure the web slinger has a soft spot for Domonique Torrence's creation. This wrist-worn contraption enables individuals to keep mace within a finger's reach and secured to one's hand even if attacked, and we'd say there's a certain intimidation factor thrown in as an unintended bonus. Reportedly, the device is set to go on sale later this year for $30, but you know that inner superhero will force you to pick up two as you seek to live out those dreams of incapacitating baddies on the streets of New York. Just be careful where you aim, alright?

[Via CrunchGear]

Barrel-mounted cameras aren't exactly revolutionary, but it's not everyday that you see the boys in blue sporting one on their sidearm. Nevertheless, Orange County's sheriff's emergency service team and the Newburgh Police Department will reportedly "be the first groups to test the pistol cam," which would record audio and video whenever the weapon was removed from its holster. According to Chief Eric Paolilli, it'll be implemented if trials prove that there are no safety / functionality issues associated with it. As it stands, the state has set aside $35,000 in order for the device to be adequately tested, and if everything goes smoothly, Newburgh officers could soon be rocking the camera (and creating footage for COPS) as part of their standard equipment.

[Via The Raw Feed]