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Now You Can Buy Your Own Personal Flamethrower

Ever Wanted Your Own Personal Flamethrower? The Time Has Come
Chris Jancelewicz

This could very well be the best news of the day for those among us who grew up playing video games like "Contra" or watching movies with Arnold Schwarzenegger incinerating entire jungles. Our fantasies are now reality.

The first commercially available handheld flamethrower is now on the market and ready for purchase.

The XM42, created by Ion Productions, can spray ignited fuel approximately 20 to 25 feet in front of you.

A representative from Ion Productions spoke via email with The Huffington Post U.S. and said that the XM42 shouldn't be used as a weapon, but has many other practical uses -- including melting ice, clearing brush, and stopping insect infestations.

"We strongly encourage use only in a safe outdoor area free from inadvertent flammable objects and away from others," wrote Chris Byers, CEO and Project Lead.

As of now, the flamethrower isn't legally for sale in Canada, but you can purchase it in any U.S. state other than California.

An Indiegogo campaign for the portable flamethrower launched on March 23. It'll cost $699 - 799, depending on the finish. As of this writing, it has raised $18,879 of its $40,000 goal.

(Watch the incredible video, above.)

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Invisible Death Ray(01 of06)
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This is the US Military's Active Denial System, or ADS. It's a truck-mounted high-powered microwave weapon that when directed at a person or crowd can produce a severe burning sensation of the skin. The Pentagon worked on the system in the hopes of finding a non-lethal crowd control weapon that could replace the water cannon. It's non-radioactive, non-lethal and safe to use, however it has caused controversy over the effects it causes to the body.
Hypersonic Missile(02 of06)
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The X-51A WaverRider is a terrifying response to America's increasing military commitments around the globe. Using a revolutionary scram jet engine, the missile is able to reach the hypersonic speed of Mach 5. Once trials are completed it will give the US Military a missile that can hit any target in the world from the US, within an hour.
Giant Laser Cannon(03 of06)
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The laser cannon has arrived, no longer will it be relegated to SyFy TV shows and Star Wars. The US Navy's directed energy weapon fires a highly concentrated laser at incoming targets and is capable of destroying drones, small boats and missiles. While the laser is highly advanced the military designed it to be easy to use with game controllers being the main form of input.
Robot Soldiers(04 of06)
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The QinetiQ MAARS or Modular Advanced Armed Robotic System, is essentially a small robot tank. It's a track-based robot that happens to contain a large machine gun, grenade launcher and a myriad of targeting sensors. While the weapons are controlled by a human, the robot has been designed for defence and patrol so it'll use in-built AI to help it follow troops or patrol a base.
Self-Aiming Rifle(05 of06)
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The TrackingPoint XS1 poses a worrying question for the future of armed warfare. With a state-of-the-art connected scope, the holder simply tags the target and the gun's sensors work out distance, wind speed and elevation showing you exactly where you need to aim. Gone are the days of sharpshooters, replaced instead with scopes that'll work through Google Glass and help you fire through walls.
The Railgun(06 of06)
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The railgun started life as a mythical weapon that often appeared in video games and sometimes showed its face in films (Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen). Using electromagnets to hurl a metal slug at hypersonic speeds, this weapon is the future of artillery and small arms, and now the US Navy has one. Constructed by BAE Systems, the railgun prototype can fire a metal slug at over Mach 6 and at a target over 110 kilometres away.

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