News that the United States Air Force (USAF) is test flying a Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) fighter has recently surfaced. The NGAD prototype, a 6th- generation fighter, would be a follow-on to Lockheed Martin’s F-22 stealth fighter jet. "The NGAD has come so far that the full-scale flight demonstrator has already flown in the physical world. It's broken a lot of records," Air Force acquisition chief William Roper said during the Air Force Association's annual Air, Space & Cyber Conference. "A lot of the mission systems that we require for next-generation air dominance have been … [Read more...]
AI Beats Human in F-16 Dogfight
Heron Systems was selected as one of eight companies/universities to participate in DARPA’s AlphaDogfight Trials. Each team went head-to-head in a round-robin tournament; the top four teams then moved on to the next round. Those four teams--Lockheed Martin, Physics AI, Aurora Flight Sciences, and Heron Systems--then competed in a single-elimination tournament. In the end, it was Lockheed Martin vs Heron Systems to see who would move onto the finals. Heron Systems defeated Lockheed 16-4 to advance to the championship round, where they took on “Banger” (call sign), a USAF weapons … [Read more...]
Turkey’s Drones: A Game Changer
Libya’s air space is filled with Chinese and Turkish drones, Russian MiGs and Sukhoi 24s, and Emirati Mirage 2000s, and soon to join the fight are Turkish F-16s and Egyptian Rafaels, writes Tom Kingston of DefenseNews. In short, Libya has been transformed into what seems like an air warfare laboratory and there are lessons to be learned here. Since May 2019 Turkey has used Libyan air space to fly its TB2 drone, and it’s been a game changer, pushing back Haftar’s forces and knocking out Russian air defenses. Turkey has boosted its TB2’s effectiveness and capabilities with new software and … [Read more...]
Production of Israel’s Iron Dome Weapon System Coming to U.S.
Raytheon and RAFAEL Advanced Defense Systems are teaming up to produce the Iron Dome Weapon System in the U.S. This will be the first Iron Dome production facility outside of Israel and will expand availability to the U.S. and its allies. Iron Dome is a mobile all-weather short-range air defense system with a success rate exceeding 90 percent. Each battery can defend up to 60 square miles, determining if an incoming threat will land in populated areas or uninhabited areas to minimize unnecessary countermeasures, effectively lowering its operating cost. Read more from Raytheon’s press … [Read more...]
Russia Tests Anti-Satellite Weapon
U.S. Space Command has reported that Russia has just conducted an anti-satellite test in space on July 15. Russia and China have both been pursuing technology capable of jamming or destroying U.S. military and commercial satellites. A report published on February 13, 2018, “Threat Assessment” by Daniel R. Coats, Director of National Intelligence, warned of the destructive anti-satellite (ASAT) weapons and that they would reach operational capability sometime in 2020. The U.S. Space Command Public Affairs Office writes (abridged): U.S. Space Command has evidence that Russia conducted a … [Read more...]
America’s Largest Nuke – The B83 Bomb
At nearly one and a half megatons, the B83 is the largest bomb the United States keeps in its arsenal. The bomb is 12 feet long and 18 inches in diameter and weighs approximatly 2,400 lbs. Caleb Larson, a defense writer for The National Interest, writes (abridged): At nearly one and a half tons, the B83 is the largest nuclear bomb that the United States currently keeps. Its nuclear tiled is 1.2 megatons—significantly more powerful than either of the nuclear bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki during World War II. It’s big, it’s powerful, and it’s had a colorful history. Though … [Read more...]
China is Fortifying its Coastline
China’s recent advancements in space technology and missiles are creating a defensive bubble that will be difficult to penetrate. China has dramatically expanded its firepower, most notably with its satellite networks and missiles, pushing the boundaries of its anti-access/area denial strategy (A2/D2) to new ranges. The news of an air-to-air missile in development, the “PL-XX,” which could target vital air tankers, AEW&C aircraft, JSTARs, and even high-flying unmanned aircraft at a range of 188 miles, could put U.S. fighter jets at a disadvantage. Mike Yeo of DefenseNews writes: The U.S. … [Read more...]
U.S. Air Force Wants Air-Breathing Hypersonic Cruise Missiles
The U.S. Air Force has reached out to the weapons industry regarding a hypersonic cruise missile that can be launched from a fighter jet or bomber. The service is aiming to conduct a preliminary design review by 4th quarter 2021. The future program could leverage work already done by the Department of Defense (DoD) and the Air Force Research Laboratory on the Hypersonic Conventional Strike Weapon to help speed the way for rapid prototyping. Read more from Valerie Insinna of DefenseNews: WASHINGTON — The U.S. Air Force is seeking information from industry about hypersonic cruise missile … [Read more...]
U.S. Army Wants Unmanned Future Attack Aircraft
Sikorsky and Bell were selected by the U.S. Army in March 2020 to compete for the future attack recon aircraft (FARA). Bell’s 360 Invictus will go up against Lockheed Martin-owned Sikorsky’s X2-equipped Raider X for final prototyping. Some of the features the U.S. Army want are navigation capabilities in GPS-denied environments, a 20mm cannon, speeds upwards of 200mph, and optional manned/unmanned capabilities. Matthew Cox of Military.com reports: U.S. Army modernization officials have asked aviation firms for ideas on equipping the service's future scout helicopter with mission systems such … [Read more...]
U.S. Installs Air Defense Systems in Iraq
U.S. air defense systems are now active in Iraq following threats from Iranian-backed insurgents. The Patriot batteries will protect against long-range threats while the Army’s C-RAM system will be used to counter rockets and mortar. The more sophisticated Avenger air system will handle low-flying missiles and aircraft like drones and helicopters. Lolita Baldor of the Associated Press writes: New air defense systems are now protecting American and allied forces at military bases in Iraq where troops have been attacked by Iranian-backed insurgents in recent months, according to U.S. … [Read more...]