Lookout Below

In 1995, a U.S. Army veteran and unemployed plumber under the influence of methamphetamine stole an M60 Patton tank from a U.S. National Guard Armory in San Diego, California and went on a rampage, destroying cars and a large RV before being shot to death by police. The week before his rampage, Shawn Nelson told a friend he was thinking of committing suicide.

At one point during the chase, the tank rolled over a fire hydrant and created a geyser. After 23 minutes on the loose, the tank stalled when it hit the concrete center divider on a freeway and got hung up. Officers scrambled on top of the tank, opened the hatch and fired their weapons. The shooting drew criticism as to why the police didn’t use tear gas to subdue the suspect. Police said that Nelson was “driving a 58-ton vehicle, aiming it at occupied cars and trucks and creating a serious threat to public safety.” The district attorney’s office ruled in 1995 that the shooting was justified.

The unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) has become the weapon of choice for the U.S. military. The UAV is an unpiloted aircraft that is flown by remote control or pre-programmed flight plans. UAVs are deployed heavily in Iraq and Afghanistan and used primarily for reconnaissance and attack. UAVs are preferred for missions that are too “dull, dirty, or dangerous” for manned aircraft.

This video shows what happens when you arm a UAV with a 30mm cannon and point it at the enemy. Warning: the video is explicit.