Gallery: The Counterterrorism Games: Where the Bad Guys Are Plastic and the Guns Are Real

  • Warrior Competition
    Lindsey Leger
    01

    LindseyLeger-jordan-specialforces-006.jpg

    The Lebanese team gathers up their gear at the Warrior Competition at KASOTC near Amman, Jordan.
  • Warrior Competition
    Lindsey Leger
    02

    LindseyLeger-jordan-specialforces-018.jpg

    The Russian team storms a fake city in the urban assault event.
  • Warrior Competition
    Lindsey Leger
    03

    LindseyLeger-jordan-specialforces-007.jpg

    The Colombia team participates in the desert stress shoot event. Soldiers run and crawl through an obstacle course, then pick a weapon and shoot at targets popping up at varying distances.
  • Warrior Competition
    Lindsey Leger
    04

    LindseyLeger-jordan-specialforces-008.jpg

    The three-gun gauntlet. For this event, a team member runs through a concrete maze while holding a rifle then shoots at targets. After that, they have to run through two more stations and shoot at targets with two other weapons.
  • Warrior Competition
    Lindsey Leger
    05

    LindseyLeger-jordan-specialforces-013.jpg

    The Jordan team participates in a mock Airbus seizure event. The plane was filled with plastic dummies, some with paper targets on their heads and chests to signify that they are terrorists.
  • Warrior Competition
    Lindsey Leger
    06

    LindseyLeger-jordan-specialforces-010.jpg

    The all-women's Unit 30 SWAT Police team from Jordan.
  • Warrior Competition
    Lindsey Leger
    07

    LindseyLeger-jordan-specialforces-019.jpg

    Teams from several countries relax on the sidelines during the “Top Gun” event.
  • Image may contain Bunker Building Door Ground Gravel Road Dirt Road and Wall
    Lindsey Leger
    08

    LindseyLeger-jordan-specialforces-024.jpg

    Fake buildings at the KASOTC training facility in Amman, Jordan.
  • Image may contain Human Person Military Military Uniform Armored Army Clothing Hat Apparel and Soldier
    Lindsey Leger
    09

    LindseyLeger-jordan-specialforces-023.jpg

    Brigadier General Aref Al-Zaben is the General Director for the King Abdullah II Special Operations Training Center.
  • Warrior Competition
    Lindsey Leger
    10

    LindseyLeger-jordan-specialforces-015.jpg

    Soldiers await instructions during the urban assault event. All the exercises are performed with live ammunition.
  • Image may contain Cushion Human Person Interior Design Indoors Furniture and Couch
    Lindsey Leger
    11

    LindseyLeger-jordan-specialforces-025.jpg

    For the airbus seizure event, teams board the plane, shoot the hijacker, remove explosives, and carry victims to safety.
  • Warrior Competition
    Lindsey Leger
    12

    LindseyLeger-jordan-specialforces-020.jpg

    Members of the American and Canadian teams watch other teams compete during the Warrior Competition.
  • Warrior Competition
    Lindsey Leger
    13

    LindseyLeger-jordan-specialforces-004.jpg

    The Jordanian team rests before participating in the “urban assault” event, where soldiers raid a building, rescue a hostage, and fire at fake terrorists.
Read More
Newly Deciphered Sabotage Malware May Have Targeted Iran’s Nuclear Program—and Predates Stuxnet
Researchers have finally cracked Fast16, mysterious code capable of silently tampering with calculation and simulation software. It was created in 2005—and likely deployed by the US or an ally.
Andy Greenberg
Rednote Draws a Line Between China and the World
As the platform expands abroad, it’s taking steps to separate Chinese users from the international audiences it once brought together.
Zeyi Yang
Apple’s Next Chapter, SpaceX and Cursor Strike a Deal, and Palantir’s Controversial Manifesto
In this week’s episode of Uncanny Valley, we talk about Tim Cook’s legacy as CEO at Apple and what his long-rumored departure means for the future of one of the world's biggest companies.
Brian Barrett
At 'AI Coachella,' Stanford Students Line Up to Learn From Silicon Valley Royalty
CS 153 has gone viral on the Palo Alto campus—and on X. Not everyone is happy about it.
Maxwell Zeff
Palantir Employees Are Starting to Wonder if They're the Bad Guys
Interviews with current and former Palantir employees, along with internal Slack messages obtained by WIRED, suggest a workforce in turmoil.
Makena Kelly
This Is the Only Office Lamp That Does Double Duty on My Nightstand
Portable lamps are rarely, if ever, as powerful, precise, and multipurpose as the Lume Cube Edge Light Go.
Matthew Korfhage
These New Smart Glasses From Ex-OnePlus Engineers Have a Hidden Cost
The Kickstarter-funded glasses from L'Atitude 52°N have AI features bundled for one year, but the company doesn't know yet how much it will charge for access after that.
Boone Ashworth
The Best Pool-Cleaning Robots for a Truly Automated Summer
Send the pool guy packing. One of these robotic buddies can maintain your water quality instead.
Christopher Null
The Best Fitbit Models for Every Lifestyle
The fitness trackers I'd recommend to beginners, athletes, and kids.
Boutayna Chokrane
Robot Vacuums That Don't Suck (Unless It's Dirt)
Tired of vacuuming? Hand the reins to a robot vacuum.
Nena Farrell
They Made D4vd a Star. Now They Want Him Convicted of Murder
A legion of young fans propelled the singer D4vd to viral fame. Now that he’s been charged with the murder of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez, they say the clues were in their Discord all along.
Jennifer Swann
Your Shower Water Might Be Messing With Your Hair and Skin—These Filters Help
I tested leading filtered showerheads to see how well they remove total chlorine from your water.
Matthew Korfhage