Russia's Emphasis on Nano Weaponry

Take this with at least a grain of salt, probably more, and recognize that you're reading an English translation from Spanish of news items taken from Russian media and translated from Russian into Spanish.

Still, after all those caveats, and remembering the penchant of Russian leaders for hyperbole, this report has an ominous ring to it:

The Russian Military Complex (RMC) successfully applies nanotechnology in the production of weapons and war materials, informed the government vice president, Serguei Ivanov.

Ivanov added that this field of science can radically change the character of war and added that the works of RMC will be completely financed.

Recently the director of the Nanotechnology Center of the Energy Institute of Moscow Andrei Alexeyenko affirmed that the specialty can "intelligently" destroy mobile targets, including combat tanks.

Alexeyenko explained that devices less than one millimeter can be used to form a cloud of any size and power of destruction.

Moscow is investing over 1.1 billion dollars on the rapid development of nanotechnology to achieve leadership in the world market, added Russia television channel.

Over the years, we have written extensively on this blog and elsewhere about the realistic expectation that Russia will invest heavily in nanotech, putting much of that effort into military aims, and quite possibly starting a serious program to develop molecular manufacturing.

The same could be said for the United States, China, India, and perhaps several other countries. What does all this mean for the future of warfare and for the cause of peace and tranquility? Only time will tell, but the early indicators do not look promising.

[Hat tip: Nanotechnology Now]

Mike Treder

Comments

[George J. Killoran]

I hope President Obama has a good advisor on Nanotechnology, specifically molecular manufacturing. If he does, I have confidence he will listen closely to this advisor, comprehend the benefits and dangers of molecular nanotechnology, and take the necessary steps to insure the positive and peaceful use of this new and rapidly developing technology.

[x-ray fluorescence]

Nanotechnology is extremely diverse, ranging from novel extensions of conventional device physics, to completely new approaches based upon molecular self-assembly, to developing new materials with dimensions on the nanoscale, even to speculation on whether we can directly control matter on the atomic scale...

[David Gange]

Any technology, including nanotechnology, is morally neutral, in and of itself. People will decide how to use the technology, for good or ill. A knife may be used to prepare food, carve wood, open a package, or kill someone. Its' use depends upon the user, so too with nanotechnology.