Modern Marvels: Leather

Soldiers, machines, and supplies are only effective if they arrive at the battlefield in time. Explore the history and the technology behind the machines that do the heavy moving in times of war. The V-22 Osprey is designed to combine the best qualities of a helicopter with the best qualities of a fixed-wing aircraft. For all of its ingenuity and promise, the Osprey has had a tumultuous development period. These controversies will be examined as Osprey advocates explain how the aircraft’s shortcomings have been worked out. Take a look at the Boeing CH-47 Chinook helicopter–a versatile, twin engine, tandem rotor, heavy lift copter that is a major military workhorse. Also spotlighted are LMSRs, which are some of the largest non-combatant ships in the military. Reaching nearly a thousand feet in length, they are capable of carrying an entire U.S. Army task force.