Saturday, October 06, 2018

Terminator Times #50

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (drones):

The USAF is adding modular Agile Pods to their RQ-4 Global Hawks.

A USAF MQ-9 Reaper used a heat seeking missile to shoot down another drone.

The USAF autolanded its first MQ-9 block 5 Reaper.

The USAF is considering adopting the Loyal Wingman concept.  First potentially converted F-16s and then Kratos' Valkyrie.  Maybe.

The US Army issued specifications for a small VTOL UAV.

The US Army commissioned the University of Pennsylvania to develop eye tracking glasses to use to steer drones with.

Is the new US Navy MQ-25A Stringray actually pretty stealthy?

A US Navy MQ-4C Triton bellyflopped at Point Mugu.  The Tritons have stood down.  They will remain in stand down until the investigation is complete.

The US Navy is procuring support equipment for its FireScout UAVs.

The US Navy is accelerating its work on the MALD UAV/decoy.

Belarus is showcasing its Yastreb (Hawk) UAV.

China's Blowfish I VTOL UAV has entered service with the PLAN.

China's AV500W VTOL drone participated in a PLA exercise.

Chinese UCAVs are being used extensively by the Middle Eastern countries because they don't come with the restrictions American UAVs do.

Croatia is forming a unmanned research center.

Estonia is buying RQ-20B Puma UAVs.

Germany wants to sell its sole EuroHawk to Canada.  Here's a timeline of everything that went wrong with the Eurohawk program.  Transport Canada is the agency that may buy the UAV.  However, the RQ-4E isn't flyable: the Germans gutted the aircraft when they put it into storage.

The Netherlands is reforming a squadron to fly its Reapers.

Portugal is buying Raven B UAVs.

The Russian Altair UAV is profiled again for the video from the last post.

The Russian Orion-E is not capable of carrying weapons, but only a very small payload: 100 kg.  The parent company is starting work on a successor.

Serbia is reportedly buying six Chinese UCAVs.  Serbia has confirmed the story, possibly buying six Wing Loong IIs.

Turkey has developed a local EO/IR sensor for its Anka drone.

The Houthi of Yemen attacked Dubai airport with a drone.

Zambia's Hermes 450 UAV has been spotted.

AeroVironment is selling Raven UAVs to Latin American and Caribbean countries.

Bell unveiled its full size mockup of its V-247 Vigilant tilt rotor drone for the USMC's MUX program.

General Atomics got a contract for more MQ-9 Reaper ground stations.

Insitu unveiled a longer range Integrator UAV.

Logos has a new WAMI sensor for the Integrator UAV.

MBDA has unveiled its Spectre combat UAV concept.

Nothrop demonstrated the ability for the FireScout to help hunt mines with other unmanned assets.  It did again at ANTX.

Techmash has developed a grenade launcher for use on a drone.

Unmanned Ground Vehicles (Ogres and Bolos):

DARPA is kicking off its Subterranean Challenge where folks must build robots to navigate bunkers, caverns and rubble strewn underground spaces.

Thousands of US Marines are participating in a study on unmanned robotic targets.

The British tested Harris' T7 UGV at its Project Starter trials.

China is holding a UGV competition.

The French are looking at adding UGVs and UAVs to their Scorpion studies.

The Russians are upgrading their Uran-9 UGV.

South Korean company Hanwa has developed a 4x4 UGV for the Republic of Korea's army.

Thailand is buying French Cobra UGVs.

Brokk unveiled its newest SR120d demolition bot.

Endeavor Robotics is readying its Kobra UGVs for the DARPA challenge.

Unmanned Surface Vehicles (Roboats):

China has unveiled a new armed USV concept called JARI.  A prototype is undergoing testing.

ECA has developed a new USV.

A new unmanned suicide boat has been spotted off Yemen.

A pair of USVs were attempted to be used by the Houthis to attack the Jizan port.

Unmanned Underwater Vehicles:

Hydroid is pitching its Remus 100 UUV to clear mines in shallow water.

3d Printing:

DARPA highlights its development of 3d printing.

The USMC built a barracks using a 3d concrete printer.

Software Bots:

AI might help reduce the chance of surprise by an enemy.

The new head of the Strategic Capabilities Office wants to focus on military AI.

META:

The US is pushing to reclassify drones under international arms export restrictions.

The European Parliament is lobbying for a global ban on autonomous lethal weapons.

Killer robots are a threat to humanity, especially if they get hijacked.

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