Antimatter - near future of the space flights and weapons

Antimatter is a most potent and efficient fuel known so far. While tons of chemical fuel are needed to propel a human mission to Mars, just tens of milligrams of antimatter can do the same thing. Only 1kg of antimatter can release the useful energy in equivalent of 20 megatons of TNT, which is nearly half of energy released by a hundreds of kilograms of fissile material in the Tsar Bomba (50 megatons of TNT), the most powerful nuclear bomb ever detonated. About 5 tones of antimatter would theoretically be enough to fuel all of the world’s energy consumption for a single year.

Concepts for using the benefits of antimatter already exists and they are technically achievable. However, 2 difficult problems must be overcome before antimatter can be put to use as a fuel source. The first is the cheaper creation of antimatter in sufficient quantities and the second is the storage of antimatter. As soon as these problems become solved, antimatter is going to be used in space missions and military as a fuel for engines and weapons.

5th generation jet fighter’s technology

Aircrafts classified as fifth generation jet fighters currently represents the cutting edge of the fighter design. There are no strict and official rules for classification of fighters, but these aircraft are the most versatile and they have the most of the latest technological upgrades. They have high performances in terms of maneuverability (including thrust vector control), range, avionics, ability to attack objectives on the ground and in the air while keeping low visibility for radars (advanced stealth technology), and they are equipped with sophisticated “situational awareness” sensors and networking for improved “team” organization. 

Only 5th generation officially tested fighters in the world so far are the US’s F-22 Raptor and F-35 Lightning II (3 different prototypes), and the Russian prototype Sukhoi PAK FA (T-50). The US intends to buy a 2,443 of F-35 Lightning II for an estimated US$323 billion, making it the most expensive defense program ever. The Russian Defense Ministry will purchase the first 10 of the T-50 after 2012 and then 60 after 2016. China, India, South Korea and Japan also have their actual 5th generation fighter programs, which should prepare their fighters for production within 8 – 15 years.

Father of All Bombs

Probably the most powerful conventional (non-nuclear) weapon in the world today is Russian “Aviation Thermobaric Bomb of Increased Power” (ATBIP, Russian: Авиационная вакуумная бомба повышенной мощности (АВБПМ)), nicknamed "Father of All Bombs" (FOAB) (Отец всех бомб). It is a Russian-made air-delivered / land activated thermobaric vacuum bomb with the same destructive power as a small tactical nuclear weapon. 

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