Which hypersonic steamboat are you talking about? 1) "Ultrasonic signals are typically generated by stressing a piezoelectric material with sinusoidal electrical signal. When the electrical signal is terminated, the transducer continues to ring in damped oscillation over several cycles. The length of the electrical signal plus the ringing period determines the duration of the output ultrasonic signal, commonly referred to as a pulse, although in fact consists of many cycles of a sinusoidal wave. The width of this pulse limits temporal resolution when used in nondestructive testing, complicates its use in depth-finding, and limits the minimum usable depth. Additionally, the major power limitation in depth-finding usage is cavitation at the transducer surface. It would be desirable to generate an output pulse of minimum width using a conventional piezoelectric ultrasonic transducer." Source and further information: http://www.freepatentsonline.com/4507762.html Further information: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ultrasonic_motor 2) "The SLT would be assembled and based at the LEO space logistics base’s space dock. Its assembly, as shown in Fig. 8, would represent a significant advancement in developing mastery of space operations by demonstrating the capability to assemble and sustain large vehicles in space. This is comparable to the building, in Pittsburgh in 1811, of the first steamboat on western waters. Just as the New Orleans represented the first of a new era of frontier transportation, the SLTs will be the first true spacecraft designed for sustained operations in space. One final point. The large size of the SLT’s hangar also permits it to carry one or two SLV tugs to provide local passenger and cargo transport. From lunar orbit or the L1 Lagrangian point, a version of these tugs, configured for surface landing, could transport passengers and cargo to the lunar surface and back. This would enable scheduled transportation services to and from the Moon to support lunar exploration and possible future scientific and commercial operations." Source and further information: http://www.airpower.maxwell.af.mil/airchronicles/cc/snead.html Further information: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hypersonic 3) "deflagrating explosives disguised as coal go back to the civil war when these 'rock's were filled with black powder and a threaded cap and painted black.The Idea was to mix the pipe bombs essentially in the coal bin of a steam boat railroad engine.few seconds in that intense heat of the fire box and boom there goes the boiler with its tremendous steam pressure destroying much of the target, the fires resulting did the rest.Nothings new in war.The shaped xcharge i interpret as a HEAT chrge the imp platter charge with a stel platter is a kinetic energy weapon useful offroad against inf and armor depending on size/placement of the device.We made a small evice in the military from materials availble on most US garages an 1/2 lb of a med vel exp 6250MPS approx.The target plate of armore stel 1 in thickn was penetratd like it had ben hit by a high velocity tank round 1/2 the size of the original platter and it wasnt a penetration from a heat type charge not with obvious spalling present id judge the plate was struck at aproximately 1200MPS and the 50lb penetratd target plate was thrown in the air some 75 ft.Just for what its worth these supposed technical wonders are easily made in any metalshop worth the name.Iran in no way needs supply the copper platters for the EFPs." Source and further information: http://www.defensetech.org/archives/002122.html