Can You Design and Test Weapons as an Engineer?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the prospects and challenges of pursuing a career in weapons engineering, specifically focusing on the design and testing of weapons. Participants explore the roles available in this field, the implications of security clearances, and the collaborative nature of engineering in weapon systems.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant expresses a desire to specialize in weapons engineering and inquires about the feasibility of both designing and testing weapons.
  • Another participant notes that while engineers are involved in both design and testing, it is unlikely that one individual would perform both roles.
  • A suggestion is made to choose a specific area of interest within weapons engineering, such as missiles, and to explore the various engineering disciplines involved in their development.
  • Concerns are raised about the necessity of security clearances for working on military-related projects, with emphasis on the expectation of confidentiality in military roles.
  • Anecdotal evidence is shared regarding a nuclear engineer's experience with hands-on testing of weapon components.
  • Discussion includes the emergence of remote-controlled vehicles as a developing area within weapons technology.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally agree that security clearances are a significant factor in pursuing a career in weapons engineering, but there is no consensus on the specific pathways or roles available, indicating multiple competing views on the topic.

Contextual Notes

Participants mention various military and civilian opportunities, as well as the complexity of weapon systems requiring collaboration among different engineering disciplines. Limitations regarding the clarity of roles and the implications of security clearances are noted but remain unresolved.

Xecphra
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Hello, and thank you for taking the time to read my post here.

I am currently a freshman in college and am working towards becoming an engineer, however i am looking to specialize in weapons engineering. With this being said i would like to be able to design and test my creations. Throughout all of my research on this field it seems that i would only be able to design the weapons without actually testing them.

I was curious if there was anyone on this forum that has the kind of job that i am looking for. I am also aware that there is a lot of government activity with gaining a security clearance and what not in order to be able to test weapons.

I am just curious if there is actually a job with this kind of description and what i need to be doing in order to progress towards it.

Thank you.
 
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There are engineers involved in weapons testing as well as weapons design, but it's not very likely that one person would do both.

The USA approach to security isn't entirely logical (but, the same is probably true of any other country). For example, the US Navy operates ships whose engines were designed and built by a non-US company, but that the people who design and build the engines are not actually allowed onto the ships, because they are not US citizens. Go figure.
 
Well that sounds logical as ever. So it appears that i need to pick one or the other?
 
what type of weapons are you interested in?

lets say you want to work with missiles...

the control systems are designed by a team of controls engineers. then a team of electrical engineers makes the electronics that implements the control system, while mechanical engineers make the actual body of the missile. Then anyone from chemists to physicists works on the payload. While this is going on there is a entire other team building the test fixtures for each part on the missiles.

My recommendation would be to find a field that you enjoy. In many fields of engineering you can somehow find your way onto working with weapons. Those systems are very complicated and require MANY engineers to work them.
 
Xecphra said:
Hello, and thank you for taking the time to read my post here.

I am currently a freshman in college and am working towards becoming an engineer, however i am looking to specialize in weapons engineering. With this being said i would like to be able to design and test my creations. Throughout all of my research on this field it seems that i would only be able to design the weapons without actually testing them.

I was curious if there was anyone on this forum that has the kind of job that i am looking for. I am also aware that there is a lot of government activity with gaining a security clearance and what not in order to be able to test weapons.

I am just curious if there is actually a job with this kind of description and what i need to be doing in order to progress towards it.
One did not indicate which nation from which one is posting. Most military programs dealing with weapons would require a security clearance of some kind, and in the military one signs on with the expectation that one will retain secrecy of sensitive information. Non-military or civilian employees are required to have a security clearance in order to work on certain sensitive science, engineering and technology - no surprise there.

Meanwhile, there are opportunities within the military or with a contractor for the military.

http://www.atec.army.mil/

http://www.atc.army.mil/

http://www.army.mil/article/91879/

There are different centers for research. The Pentagon and each branch has decided development and testing facilities and centers. Each center may be dedicated to a particular science or technology.
 
A good GM-15 Nuclear Engineer boss, that had previously closed an aerospace company (throttling solid fuel motor), told of sketching a 40 mm grenade ogive, waiting on the machinists to make one, and stepping out the backdoor to see how far it would fly.
 
Hi-tech weapons and protection rolled out for Navy
http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/power-players-abc-news/technologies-once-available-only-in-movies-are-now-a-reality-for-the-us-navy-225652354.html

It seems remote controlled vehicles is a developing area.
 

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