What were some technological advances of 1969?

Answer 1

From the Korean War (1950-1953) until the early stages of the Vietnam War, the US Military had shelved guns for their fighter aircraft (jets), in favor of missiles. After our aerial dog fighting losses began to become intolerable over North Vietnam, "guns" were being fitted onto some of our jets (notably the F-4 Phantom), and a new dog-fighting school opened up at Miramar Naval Air Station in California, in 1969, nick-named the "Top Gun" school. Other than a few TV guided "primitive smart bombs", that made their experimental debut late in the war, and landing a man on the moon in late 1969, the Vietnam War was PRIMARILY fought with cold war weapons developed in the 1950's, and seeing combat in the 1960's in Vietnam. Weapon wise; the ONLY really new equipment created in the 1960's, and which were used in the Vietnam War (Battle Tested), was the M-16 rifle (replacing the M-14 rifle), the M-551 Armored Reconnaissance Airborne Assault Vehicle (today called the SHERIDAN TANK), the ACAV (a M-113 Armored Personnel Carrier/Armored Cavalry Assault Vehicle), the US Air Force F-111 Ardvaark (an adjustible swept wing bomber), the A-7 Corsair II (jet fighter bomber used by both the US Navy & US Air Force), and some US Navy, "Brown Water Navy" (Riverine Force), Swift Boats, PBR's (Patrol Boat River), and the made specially for Vietnam...the Alpha Boat (ASPB-Assault Support Patrol Boat).