Futuristic Weapon Assignment

This is our futuristic weapon assignment. We have been tasked too create a projectile weapon that is either a one handed or two handed weapon.

Futuristic Weapon Mood Board.

Sketchbook Work

Looking back over the past 75 years.

I began this project by looking back over the years at influential guns and important time periods. Weapons for the first half of the 20th century largely remained unchanged. It wasn't until world war 2 when humanity was once again thrown into the jaws of war that small arms were developed and evolved too become legendary killing machines. Weapons such as the M1 Garand and the Thompson sub machine gun earned their place in the history books by tearing through Nazi Germany and Imperial Japan; these guns and the brave soldiers who wielded them secured freedom for mankind. All of a sudden the gun was seen as a vital asset for any nation wishing too remain free of oppression.

Throughout the war weapons had been improved upon time and time again. However there still wasn't a multipurpose weapon that could engage targets at range and be used easily in close quarters. This is when the assault rifle was invented. The next big step in weapon design. Soldiers appreciate a versatile weapon that out performs their enemy. 

Form, function and purpose are all key too an effective weapon, the weapon I need to design has got to be able too adapt to a variety of different situations that could potentially exist in a future battlefield. It has to be able too hit an enemy at range and in close quarters, attack and defend against multiple hostiles and be easy too handle and keep clean.  

I plan too create an advanced assault rifle for use on a future battlefield. The weapon will fire standard cartridge bullets (just like modern day assault rifles) and will be grounded in reality meaning I will only look at a plausible, functional design. The majority of my inspiration will be taken from the real world.

The progression in technology over the years. Looking at how weapons have progressed along with their aesthetic properties.

I have researched technology used in weapons along with the way vehicles and guns look in this modern day and age. I have also compared old against new in an effort too understand how weapons have progressed. A futuristic weapon would in my opinion be shaped in the same way a stealth bomber would be shaped. Harsh angles with a sleek design. Lots of sharp surfaces and urban camouflage.

My weapon will be an assault rifle that has many advanced in built features. Inspiration for these features will only be taken from technology that is in a prototype stage or only exists in blueprints. However all are theoretically possible.

Scope: The scope is without a doubt one of the most crucial parts of any assault rifle. My design is going too make use of a computerized scope that can see in the dark by using night vision and infrared. The scope will also feature a range finder and a friend or foe tracking system that will not only spot enemies but track them giving the user details about the target by matching any recognizable features too a database. This will ensure that the trigger is only pulled if the target is confirmed as wanted or hostile.

The scope will also have an in built recording system that will stream the footage onto a private military server. This will allow analysis of the footage in the event of a blue on blue or the murder of civilians.   

Interchangeable barrels will allow the shooter too switch between a suppressor and a muzzle break. Allowing the noise generated when the weapon is fired too be suppressed.

A comfortable, adjustable, lightweight stock will allow the weapon too be used with ease.

The same applies to optional grips included with the weapon.

Different camouflage and colors will be available too order if required.    

An advanced feature on my rifle will be a smart DNA and fingerprint grip. This will allow whoever owns the weapon too fire it. If a soldier loses his gun nobody will be able too fire the weapon. the gun will read the users DNA and fingerprints, preventing the weapon from being fired by locking the trigger. However if the person trying too fire the gun try's 3 times or more the gun will release an electric charge incapacitating the individual. The smart gun system is based off of real world technology.

A main part of most modern assault rifles is the grenade launcher. However these are fast becoming outdated. A grenade launcher cant take out a tank or an aircraft, it has a limited range and limited grenade types. All that being said it is just an attachment, it can be re designed, unlike the rifle (which has undergone no changes since the mid 20th century). But what can I replace the grenade launcher with?

Having researched weaponry it is clear too me the next step in projectile weapons is the rail gun. Rail guns are devastating, they destroy everything they hit. I want too design a rail gun attachment for my weapon that is similar to a grenade launcher.

Before I begin to design a rail gun attachment for my assault rifle I have to look at a real prototype rail gun and what is required to run it. 

Click the link below too see a rail gun in action.

Rail Gun Test Fire - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-uV1SbEuzFU

How a rail gun works and the problems with it.

What are the problems I will face when designing a rail gun attachment?

The biggest problem I face is the weapon destroying itself, the heat and recoil generated by firing a rail gun appears too destroy not only the enemy but also itself. However I believe I can use this to my advantage. 

Developing my rail gun attachment.

Due to the extreme heat generated by this weapon and the huge amount of power needed to fire it I have decided that my rail gun attachment is a one shot weapon. The extremely high power battery needed combined with the heat created actually works too my advantage though. The attachment will be a small self contained rail gun that will internally destroy itself once fired by bursting the battery's and incinerating the rails. The battery acid will mix with components inside the rail gun dissolving all components over the period of one to two hours. The heat generated by firing will also play its part by boiling the battery acid speeding up the process. The only part that will remain solid is the tough heat proof outer shell. the shell will ensure the shooter doesn't injure himself by firing.  

This will ensure the cutting edge rail gun attachment doesn't fall into enemy hands.

Developing the assault rifle and stock.

Final result.

This is my final result. You can see the rail gun attachment is attached to the underside of the barrel. Overall I am unhappy with my final result. The shading (done through gradients in Photoshop) looks in my opinion out of place too some extent. The gun also doesn't look like a futuristic weapon as such, and the rail gun looks out of place. The design of the rail gun and assault rifle contrast against each other. Even though I feel my final result doesn't fit the criteria given too us I do feel that one good thing about this design is its neatness. Everything is in proportion to each other and fits in place.

Again like I mentioned in my previous post I need too work on my drawing skills using a tablet in order too improve my drawings.