A new hovering robot meant to shoot down enemy ballistic missile is currently being developed by the US army. Video of a December 2nd flight test conducted at the Edwards Air Force Base in California by defense contractor Lockheed Martin has made it online, and it does have the appearance a machine from the “Terminator” movies. Rival defense contractor Raytheon is also working on its own version of a multiple-kill-vehicle program.

Inside a sizeablesteel enclosing, Lockheed’s MKV lifts off the ground,  moves to the sides, quickly firing while at the same time flames shoot out of its bottom and sides. The plan is to mount several MKVs onto carrier missiles, which would then take off into space in order to engage enemy nuclear-tipped ballistic missiles at the highest points of their trajectory arcs. Once in space, the MKVs would be released from the carrier vehicles, and subsequently utilize very accurate targeting computers to shoot large bullets - or as the military calls them “kinetic interceptors” - to destroy the enemy warheads prior to them going back down to Earth.