Saturday, April 27, 2019

Terminator Times #57

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (drones):

DARPA claims its autonomy experiment to be a success.

USAF AFRL is seeking a prototype Skyborg UAV.

The USAF wanted to turn the D-21 Mach 3 recon drone into a nuclear bomber.

A USAF Global Hawk may replace the two Reapers in Greece.

The US Army has awarded fly-off contracts between Textron and Martin for its Shadow UAV replacement.

The US Army and USMC are looking at procuring a less than 600 kg UAV for resupplying small units in the field by 2024.

The USMC is adding more autonomy to its KMAX helicopter UAVs.

The USMC wants a drone to kill drones, especially drone swarms.

Is the USMC getting 'night vision' drones?

The US Navy is seeking weapons studies for the FireScout and, in general, is enhancing the VTOL UAVs capabilities.

Some US Navy academics think hydrogen fuel could be the key to unlocking very long endurance in UAVs.

Australia is committing to buying a second Triton UAV.

Bangladesh is developing a UAV for UN deployments.  The US is supporting its development.

Belgium has been granted permission by the US State Department to buy the SkyGuardian UAV.

The British have been highlighting their problems with the Watchkeeper drones.

China's Tengden is readying its first production TB001 armed recon drone.

China's Wing Loong UAVs have fired over 3,000 munitions and hit at a rate of 90%, including hitting moving targets.


A Chinese Wing Loong was shot down over Yemen.

The Dutch Reaper contract has been awarded.

France is arming its Reapers.

The first 12 German Heron TP operators are being trained in Israel.

Greece wants to buy 3 Reapers.

Indonesia is buying six ScanEagles.

Iraq has unveiled its first indigenous UAV.

Italy was going to cancel its P.1HH drone contract.

Lebanon has taken delivery of six ScanEagles, supposedly.

Malaysia may buy Reapers.

Russia's shotgun wielding drone gets more profiling.

Russia's Eleron UAV was used in its internal games/competitions.

Russia will fly its first UAV with a 3d printed engine.

Russia is pushing hard to export its Orion-E UAV, especially in Brazil.

Russia wants to show off its Korsar UAV.

Saudi Arabia is working on unmanned helicopters.

Spain has bought its last two MQ-9 Reapers.

Turkey is making progress on its Anka-Aksungar UAV.

Uzbekistan has introduced the RQ-11B Raven.

Vietnam is interested in buying ScanEagle UAVs.

Aurora Flight is promoting its Odysseus long endurance UAV for the US Army.

Bell has been developing its Autonomous Pod Transport VTOL cargo UAV.

Boeing's getting a $17M contract to support ScanEagles in Afghanistan.

General Atomics was awarded a $9.2M contract to sustain the British Reapers.

IAI expanded its control station options for the Heron.

Jetwind of Brazil has developed a UAV.

ST Engineering demonstrated a BLOS requirement for its hexacopter.

Terra Drone has taken a stake in a Slovenian UAV company.

Unmanned Surface Vehicles:


The US Navy is betting big on its LUSV program.

Why did the US Navy shift to getting LUSVs?

US Navy's unmanned ships may be the key to defeating China and Russia.

A panel stated USVs will be a major part of a future US Navy.




The Chinese Sea Lizard is making progress, more than what the Jane's article states in public.


Unmanned Underwater Vehicles (robo subs):

The program for the USN/Boeing Orca gets fleshed out and is getting serious money.

The British have started development on their own XLUUV like the Orca.

The Russians have launched the Poseidon wielding mothership SSN, the Belgorod.  She is derived from the Oscar line of classes, but is 100 ft (30m) longer.

Software Bots:

How AI could change warfare.

Could the rush to weaponized AI create cyberthreats?

Simulating superintelligences in war.

Microsoft may have worked with a chinese military university on AI.

Thales highlights its modular BRAINS system.

META:

The US Navy turned a Royal Navy amphibious ship into a minesweeper through the use of unmanned tech.

Robots will autocomplete soldiers' commands.

Lethal autonomous weapons are a legal challenge.

The Pentagon wants your thoughts on AI in war, but may not listen.

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