June 17, 2006: Whoever thought a radar gun and an airbag could provide protection from RPGs. The U.S. has spent billions of dollars in the last few years, to make unarmored vehicles less vulnerable to RPGs and roadside bombs. All that money has made it possible for a lot of odd ideas to be tested. One of these is TRAPS (Tactical RPG Airbag Protection System). This uses a modified car airbag, the radar technology found in police radar guns, and some pretty basic control software. Once TRAPS is turned on, it's radar constantly scans for any object fitting the size and speed profile of an incoming RPG warhead. If one is detected, the airbag deploys, and sets off the RPG warhead a safe distance from the vehicle. A system capable of protecting a small military vehicle, like a hummer, would weigh about 125 pounds, run off the vehicle power supply and cost about $10,000.

The basic concept was tested, and it will take another year to get a production model built, tested and manufactured for the troops. As weird as TRAPS sounds, keep in mind that the most successful air-to-air missile ever designed, the U.S. Sidewinder, came into existence the same way half a century ago. Some researchers took off-the-shelf technology (a standard 127mm free flight rocket, an infrared heat sensor, a battery and some simple electromechanical controls) and got the missile working in a few months. Effective technology doesn't have to be expensive, it just has to be well thought out, and do the job at a price the user can afford.