A new drone called Cerberus GL built by Skyborne Technologies Pty. Ltd. was designed to be a first man-packable multi-round UAV. The Cerberus GL can be equipped with a 40mm grenade launcher, 12-gauge shotgun, or Micro-Munitions. It has a range up to 2 miles and flight time of 28 mins and weighs just 14 pounds. The U.S. Army is searching for capable solutions for killing enemy troops protected behind cover. Matthew Cox of Militiary.com writes (abridged): U.S. Army weapons officials are testing an experimental drone armed with a multi-shot, 40mm grenade launcher to destroy enemy targets hiding … [Read more...]
New Stealth Combat Air Vehicle Revealed
Airbus recently released images of its Low Observable UAV Testbed (LOUT) to the public. The previously classified project, begun back in 2007, has now completed its first phase of testing. Built on a technological foundation of electronic countermeasures, signature reduction, and electromagnetic emission control, this demonstrator looks to achieve a stealthy low probability of intercept (LPI) for Airbus’s Future Combat Air System (FCAS). Tyler Rogoway of The War Zone tells us that communications, sensors, and even cyber-security are included in the program. He writes (abridged): LOUT was … [Read more...]
U.S. Navy Wants Mini F-35 Carriers
The Navy’s demand for aircraft carriers is growing almost as fast as the cost to build them, but there’s one thing that’s not keeping pace, and that’s the budget. To bridge the gap in supply and demand, admirals are looking to a WWII strategy to fill their needs. The U.S. Navy is exploring the idea of converting an amphibious assault ship (LHA) to serve as a mini-carrier. Mike Glenn of the Washington Times writes (abridged): The U.S. Navy is looking to the past for a possible solution to its current aircraft carrier problems. Borrowing an idea employed in World War II, the service is … [Read more...]
What Happens When a Defense Contractor Buys a Luxury Tank Maker?
Over the years, defense industry watchers have been in awe over Howe and Howe Tech’s Ripsaw creations, from the EV2 (Extreme Vehicle), the EV3-F1 single-seater, EV3-F2 two-seater, to the EV3-F4 four-seater. This superfast tank system has done nothing but turn heads, including that of Textron Systems CEO, Lisa Atherton, who watched an episode of Jay Leno’s Garage featuring the Ripsaw. Textron Systems eventually purchased the Maine-based Howe & Howe Technologies to fill the company’s gap in the unmanned land vehicle area of the defense market. The deal finalized in December of 2018, and … [Read more...]
Artificial Intelligence Wingman known as ‘Skyborg’ Aces Another Test
The U.S. Air Force Laboratory has partnered with Kratos to bring the company’s low cost “wingman” from prototype to operational status. In its first three flight tests, Kratos’s XQ-58A Valkyrie has successfully executed 100 percent of test points. The three virtually flawless flights totaled about 270 minutes of flight time. The USAF envisions the Valkyrie with onboard sensors and weapons and will also look to implant artificial intelligence. The effort to incorporate AI is being called “Skyborg,” and will give the Valkyrie the ability to learn alongside pilots and even respond … [Read more...]
U.S. Air Force Deploys Weapon to Counter Hostile Drones
The recent attacks on Saudi oil facilities show that rogue drones are the new weapon of choice for militants in the Middle East. An inability to stop drones capable of raining down terror from the sky day or night could be the biggest defensive gap experienced in warfare since the U.S. encountered IEDs in Iraq. The rogue drones are virtual flying IEDs and may have turned U.S. military assets in the Gulf region into a strategic vulnerability. At the moment, America’s military lacks the ability to guard against these crude air assets in such a target-rich environment. Without a proper defense … [Read more...]
New Smaller Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile Unveiled
Raytheon’s new Peregrine medium-range missile is small, fast, lightweight and can be used against drones, manned aircraft, and cruise missiles. The missile is more maneuverable, weighs just over 150 pounds, and is half the cost and size of legacy medium-range missiles. The missile has advanced tracking and targeting systems for all-weather day/night operations. Its compact airframe is easily integrated into 4th and 5th generation fighters and allows them to carry more missiles into battle. Raytheon Company (NYSE: RTN) is developing a new medium-range, air-launched weapon called … [Read more...]
This Weapon Could Drastically Affect the Balance of Naval Warfare
Russia’s Shkval Supercavitating torpedo could affect the balance of naval warfare. It’s a game-changer, and the U.S. has nothing like it in its arsenal. Kyle Mizokami of The National Interest tells us that, “a 200 knot torpedo is a very attractive capability, and as naval competition heats up in both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, we may see even more navies adopting supercavitating designs and adjusting their undersea tactics accordingly”. He writes (abridged): Imagine the sudden revelation of a weapon that can suddenly go six times faster than its predecessors. The shock of such a … [Read more...]
World’s First Unmanned Ground Vehicle Equipped with a Micro-Combat UAV
German defense contractor Rheinmetall showed off its new Mission Master unmanned ground vehicle (UGV) platform at this year’s International Defence Industry Exhibition MSPO. The new platform includes Polish defense systems company WB Group’s WARMATE Loitering Munition, a multi-mission unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). #MSPO2019: #Rheinmetall Unveils #MissionMaster #UGV Armed with #WARMATE Loitering Munition System. #WBGroup https://t.co/krHQdKrs7U pic.twitter.com/Thy5sQzZSY— DefPost (@defpostmedia) September 3, 2019 WARMATE has a flight time of 50 minutes and can perform … [Read more...]
Marines Innovate to Overcome Shortcomings in the Amphibious Fleet
A traditional necessity in amphibious warfare is the need to defeat land-based opposition to dominate the theater of battle. Given that, the military has long focused on projecting power ashore. Now, however, with the development of anti-access/area-denial systems (A2/AD), potential adversaries building strong navies, and the advent of drones, it’s pushing the military to consider a flip of the script. There is competition for control of the seas now, and that’s putting amphibious ships in great danger. America’s amphibious warships will need upgrades to leverage the power of the F-35B … [Read more...]