As you can see in the map above, the Syrian civil war has many fronts and many players. Those fronts are increasingly more complicated as outside forces are getting increasingly involved. As Haaretz explains in “Syrias Four-Front War and the Unprecedented Chaos It Has Created,” the recent chaos has seen al-Qaida rebels shooting down a Russian jet, Kurdish fighters downing a Turkish helicopter, Israel downing a Iranian drone, and the Syrian army shooting down an Israeli F-16, all within a week. Below, Haaretz breaks down these Syrian Fronts. 1) Turkey's war on the Kurds Turkey opened a new … [Read more...]
The F-35C is about to Extend its Deadly Reach
The U.S. Navy is reporting that the final developmental test was completed to integrate Raytheon’s Joint Standoff Weapon C (JSOW C-1) with the F-35 carrier variant, the F-35C. The deployment of the JSOW on the F-35C is on schedule for 2019. The F-35C with the JSOW will be able to eliminate the toughest ground targets from a distance of more than 100 kilometers. The new system will be positioned inside the jet’s internal weapons, maintaining the platform’s stealth profile. The extended range of the JSOW C coupled with the F-35C’s massive internal fuel capacity (20,000 pounds the largest of the … [Read more...]
The U.S. Navy’s Carrier Deck of the Future
Lockheed Martin’s Advanced Development Program (ADP), also known as its Skunk Works, which is responsible for many famous military aircraft designs has released a video of its unmanned-carrier based MQ-25 stealth tanker plane. The video sheds light on the U.S. Navy’s carrier deck of the future with its purpose-built MQ-25 concept. The Skunk Works® purpose-built MQ-25 unmanned tanker concept is designed to deliver robust refueling capability to support our combat strike fighters and extend the range of our aircraft carriers. Our offering builds on our unmanned systems legacy including the … [Read more...]
China’s Plan to Defeat the World’s Most Advanced Fighter Jet
The Chinese are working on a solution to identifying targets at 200 miles for its very-long-range air-to-air missile (VLRAAM). David Axe of the National Interest reports that the Chinese military has proposed building a targeting network around its Divine Eagle, a high altitude long endurance (HALE) counter stealth UAV. The hypersonic VLRAAM is truly state of the art and, if coupled with an effective targeting network, could put the U.S. stealth fighters in jeopardy. The U.S. currently does not have a VLRAAM in its arsenal. The most advanced air to air missile in America’s arsenal is the … [Read more...]
Can the Army Save Lives with Virtual Reality?
Researchers at the U.S. Army’s Communications-Electronic Research, Development and Engineering Center are working on a new technology that troops could soon be using to locate IEDs reports Todd South of the Navy Times. The new technology uses virtual reality (VR) goggles and/or tablets to paint a digital picture of what lies beneath the ground. This creates a virtual map of the ground for explosive ordinance disposal (EOD) specialists. The research could eventually lead to robots equipped with these new sensors. Troops hunting hidden bombs or IEDs by hand often rely on upgraded metal … [Read more...]
U.S. Army Racing to Catch Up to Russian and Chinese Armor Technology
The U.S. Army has been frantically searching for an Active Protection System (APS) to protect its armored vehicles against a proliferation of Rocket Propelled Grenades (RPGs) and Anti-Tank Guided Missiles (ATGMs). Recent events have shown just how vulnerable the American military’s vehicles are to RPGs and ATGMs. The U.S. Army has found itself left behind as many nations have already deployed APSs on their armored vehicles, most notably Russia and China. In a press release yesterday, the U.S. Army’s Tank Automotive Research, Development and Engineering Center (TARDEC) awarded Lockheed … [Read more...]
Russia Modernizing Its Flying Tanks for Arctic Deployment
Russia is turning to its Soviet Era jet -propelled T-80 as it continues its Arctic military buildup. The Russian Defense Ministry decided that it was more cost effective to modernize the T-80 MBT, which are currently collecting dust in Army depots, than to build new models. The modernization package includes a greater fuel efficiency, modern thermal and laser systems, dynamic protection layers, and crew compartment modifications to withstand temps of -43.6 Fahrenheit. T-80 tanks with jet-propulsion engines have been gathering dust in army depots since the collapse of the Soviet Union. But to … [Read more...]
The U.S. Airforce is Testing CubeSat’s for Connected Battlefields
The U.S. Airforce Research Laboratory (AFRL) is looking to benefit from a commercial internet connection through thousands of small satellites or CubeSat’s. The AFRL believes these commercial satellites could provide wider bandwidth and help protect against the emerging anti-satellite threats. The AFRL envisions its stealth aircraft sharing secure data over a commercial space internet like the one OneWeb is planning. The Air Force is testing two experimental satellites launched aboard a Falcon 9 rocket on Feb 22nd. The test will include mounting antennas on test aircraft in hopes of … [Read more...]
Can America’s F-35 beat Russia’s Su-57 Without Firing a Shot?
The debate of which fifth generation fighter jet would win in a head to head battle, the F-35 or the Su-57, could be decided without a single shot fired. Business Insider is reporting that there are multiple experts stating that Russia’s fifth generation fighter jet program is in desperate need of funding. The Trump administration’s loosening of export restrictions on the F-35 have put a major strain on Russia’s fifth generation fighter program by offering countries a better alternative. Alex Lockie reports that the final blow could come from a boardroom in India. Russia recently grabbed a … [Read more...]
China Adding Artificial Intelligence to Submarines
A senior scientist involved with the program told the South China Morning Post that China is working on updating old computer systems on nuclear submarines with an AI decision support system. The new system will relieve some of the load and mental burden from commanding officers. China believes its AI assistant could help commanders by assessing battlefield environments and recognizing threats more accurately than a human operator. China is working to update the rugged old computer systems on nuclear submarines with artificial intelligence to enhance the potential thinking skills of … [Read more...]