Wonder weapons
Encyclopedia
A wonder weapon is any very advanced form of weapon
ry whose design, production or deployment in the field of battle
is impractical or ill-timed. Such weapons are radical departures from, or improvements of, the arms or machinery used at the time and are often intended to turn the tide of a current conflict. These weapons are either never completed, or are introduced near the end of hostilities in limited capacity so the expectations far exceed the results.
The term is a calque
of the German word Wunderwaffen, which was coined during World War II
. Amongst Germans, it was abbreviated into "Wuwa" /vu va/, which belittled these projects.
The secrecy surrounding the development of new weapons sometimes conflicts with the weapon developers’ hype of new products, resulting in common advancements being mislabelled as wonder weapons.
The term is often used to describe weapons that were being developed in Nazi Germany just prior to the end of the war, such as the Wasserfall missile, the Messerschmitt Me 262
(the world's first jet fighter) and the failed German atomic bomb project
led by Werner Heisenberg
, and is also used to refer to the V-weapons program.
Many wonder weapons of the past become the conventional weapons of later conflicts when fully developed--this has happened to dreadnought
s, tank
s, and long-range missiles. More recently, offensive developments in electromagnetism
with railgun
s, laser
s, and microwave
or radio frequency
radiation are often termed wonder weapons.
Weapon
A weapon, arm, or armament is a tool or instrument used with the aim of causing damage or harm to living beings or artificial structures or systems...
ry whose design, production or deployment in the field of battle
Battle
Generally, a battle is a conceptual component in the hierarchy of combat in warfare between two or more armed forces, or combatants. In a battle, each combatant will seek to defeat the others, with defeat determined by the conditions of a military campaign...
is impractical or ill-timed. Such weapons are radical departures from, or improvements of, the arms or machinery used at the time and are often intended to turn the tide of a current conflict. These weapons are either never completed, or are introduced near the end of hostilities in limited capacity so the expectations far exceed the results.
The term is a calque
Calque
In linguistics, a calque or loan translation is a word or phrase borrowed from another language by literal, word-for-word or root-for-root translation.-Calque:...
of the German word Wunderwaffen, which was coined during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. Amongst Germans, it was abbreviated into "Wuwa" /vu va/, which belittled these projects.
The secrecy surrounding the development of new weapons sometimes conflicts with the weapon developers’ hype of new products, resulting in common advancements being mislabelled as wonder weapons.
The term is often used to describe weapons that were being developed in Nazi Germany just prior to the end of the war, such as the Wasserfall missile, the Messerschmitt Me 262
Messerschmitt Me 262
The Messerschmitt Me 262 Schwalbe was the world's first operational jet-powered fighter aircraft. Design work started before World War II began, but engine problems prevented the aircraft from attaining operational status with the Luftwaffe until mid-1944...
(the world's first jet fighter) and the failed German atomic bomb project
German nuclear energy project
The German nuclear energy project, , was an attempted clandestine scientific effort led by Germany to develop and produce the atomic weapons during the events involving the World War II...
led by Werner Heisenberg
Werner Heisenberg
Werner Karl Heisenberg was a German theoretical physicist who made foundational contributions to quantum mechanics and is best known for asserting the uncertainty principle of quantum theory...
, and is also used to refer to the V-weapons program.
Many wonder weapons of the past become the conventional weapons of later conflicts when fully developed--this has happened to dreadnought
HMS Dreadnought (1906)
HMS Dreadnought was a battleship of the British Royal Navy that revolutionised naval power. Her entry into service in 1906 represented such a marked advance in naval technology that her name came to be associated with an entire generation of battleships, the "dreadnoughts", as well as the class of...
s, tank
Tank
A tank is a tracked, armoured fighting vehicle designed for front-line combat which combines operational mobility, tactical offensive, and defensive capabilities...
s, and long-range missiles. More recently, offensive developments in electromagnetism
Electromagnetism
Electromagnetism is one of the four fundamental interactions in nature. The other three are the strong interaction, the weak interaction and gravitation...
with railgun
Railgun
A railgun is an entirely electrical gun that accelerates a conductive projectile along a pair of metal rails using the same principles as the homopolar motor. Railguns use two sliding or rolling contacts that permit a large electric current to pass through the projectile. This current interacts...
s, laser
Laser
A laser is a device that emits light through a process of optical amplification based on the stimulated emission of photons. The term "laser" originated as an acronym for Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation...
s, and microwave
Microwave
Microwaves, a subset of radio waves, have wavelengths ranging from as long as one meter to as short as one millimeter, or equivalently, with frequencies between 300 MHz and 300 GHz. This broad definition includes both UHF and EHF , and various sources use different boundaries...
or radio frequency
Radio frequency
Radio frequency is a rate of oscillation in the range of about 3 kHz to 300 GHz, which corresponds to the frequency of radio waves, and the alternating currents which carry radio signals...
radiation are often termed wonder weapons.
See also
- FuturismFuturismFuturism was an artistic and social movement that originated in Italy in the early 20th century.Futurism or futurist may refer to:* Afrofuturism, an African-American and African diaspora subculture* Cubo-Futurism* Ego-Futurism...
- Illusory superiorityIllusory superiorityIllusory superiority is a cognitive bias that causes people to overestimate their positive qualities and abilities and to underestimate their negative qualities, relative to others. This is evident in a variety of areas including intelligence, performance on tasks or tests, and the possession of...
- Opportunity costOpportunity costOpportunity cost is the cost of any activity measured in terms of the value of the best alternative that is not chosen . It is the sacrifice related to the second best choice available to someone, or group, who has picked among several mutually exclusive choices. The opportunity cost is also the...
- Superiority (short story)Superiority (short story)"Superiority" is a science fiction short story by Arthur C. Clarke, first published in 1951. It depicts an arms race, and shows how the side which is more technologically advanced can be defeated, despite its apparent superiority, because of its own organizational flaws and its willingness to...
- Technological utopianismTechnological utopianismTechnological utopianism refers to any ideology based on the belief that advances in science and technology will eventually bring about a utopia, or at least help to fulfill one or another utopian ideal...
- Unintended consequenceUnintended consequenceIn the social sciences, unintended consequences are outcomes that are not the outcomes intended by a purposeful action. The concept has long existed but was named and popularised in the 20th century by American sociologist Robert K. Merton...