Future Military Technology?

The Prometheus is a scientific vessel, and it has been specified that it carries no weapons. Apart from that we can see that the mercenaries do carry real weapons. The axes are being used as weapons, but they clearly aren't, as they could just be fire axes or, more simply, tools from a wider set of accessories. And flamethrowers could be more useful than guns, bombs and what else because of the many uses of fire (not just warfare). IMO military technology doesn't belong to Prometheus, and if any of it were to be shown its importance would be tertiary. If Cameron gets to direct "Prometheuses" as a metaphor of Afghanistan, then we should expect more focus on military tech.

Hi, lethalweapon: It seems to me a rather bad idea taking weaponry on a scientific/discovery. It didn´t work well on Earth in the past, doubtfuly would work in space where there is a chance one might find an inteligent [probably more advanced] civilization. It would be as stating "hello there fellow aliens, we are a [peaceful] beligerant race who would like to make friendship you you. Take a look at my guns... now show me yours"... and that isn't a nice start for things.

"We come in peace, shoot to kill!"

Hi NoXword: lol, yeah... pretty much that

I do not understand why you're disappointed. I saw some issue with the flamethrowers [decon units] and axes on another thread... As I see it, these are just the kinds of emergency or general service items you might expect to find any time human beings are taking a journey into the unknown and they probably always will be. An axe cannot, "fail", it is independent of power and supplies like "technology" - and axes are supremely versatile. When it [i]really[/i] all goes down the toilet, and every gizmo is broken or out of power or ammo - I suggest a heavy stick with a cutting edge on it is a pretty damn handy and comforting piece of low technology to have nearby.... I daresay that will apply as much 3 centuries from now, as it applies today - and as much as it applied 3 centuries ago. Similarly, these decon units that are being used as flamethrowers - we seem to see these items being used in a contingency/emergency capacity. And, as @NoXWord says: this is a "Scientific" Mission and vehicle...I don't believe we're supposed to interpret these items as designated "primary weapons"? The situation goes South, they use what they have - and that means raiding the, "Emergency", locker. Rather than a case of the Story "missing" anything, I see it as a [i]really[/i] nice touch - and maybe a little bit of a signpost: if you have to turn to axes and flamethrowers, things have gone [i]very[/i] bad - and you will not be sniping anything at a distance; you will not be throwing any, "fission grenades"; you won't be "nuking the site from orbit"....you're going to have to get close - it's going to have to be personal. Me? I [i]love[/i] a well-balanced axe.

dont they show plasma shooting pistols or something like that? they aint shooting bullets thats for sure lol

Ok, I understand that the crew is aboard a scientific vessel for exploriation, but nonetheless their certainly be advanced scouting probes, perhaps fited for combat if necessary. Nasa uses probes to explore mars, what makes you think that in future we would not use more avanced nanobots or probes to explore unknown terrain, instead of risking human life. Does not make sense to me. Also no one addressed the issue of the type of military technology and scientific technoloy that would be available to us in the future to combat some sort of hostile force. You actually think that some vessel is going to fly to some possibly unknow planet and send in a group of explorers or reaseachers without having some kind of contingency plan or strategy. Does not make sense. Considering that Weyland Industries is aboard the vessel and they developed several new weapons themselves. Why would they not cary weapons aboard considering they might encounter a hostile force.

Salutations, I unanimously agree Lethalweapon. Advanced scouting probes and/or drones would be able blueprint,chart elevations,calculate,lay-outs,etc.,everything from enviromental conditions to indigenous lifeforms.Entertainment perspective aside a manned exploratory vessel landing on the surface seems illogical in light of the purposed technological aspect of the film. All scientific information could easily be collected from scouting drones and surface modules and from the Prometheus itself without having to enter the atmospheric level of the planetoid.For argumentative purposes if a surface evaluation is needed a team of ''synthetics"would provide more practicable assessment than a terrestial team. Also, an axe does seem to be archaic to the Prometheus even for a general service item. In an emergency or occupational hazard crisis an axe is capable only to the material it can be effective with.There is nothing in the interior or exterior veneer of the Prometheus for an axe to be effective against rendering it futile or useless as an emergency contingency service item. Thank you and your points are valid Lethalweapon.

@lethalweapon I didn't say I didn't think they would use nanobots etc, etc and etc?.. And I didn't say that they do not have a contingency plan or strategy - how could I know whether they do, or not - any more than you? I'm confused: you asked something about the presence of axes? That's what I was referring to...