Terminator Times #66

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (drones):

The USAF lost a drone over Libya just after Italy did.  Is there a new jamming/hacking system in play?

The USAF AFRL tested a low cost ISR drone flying it for 2.5 days.

The rival Shadow replacement drones for the US Army are being sent to combat units for tests.

A grenade launcher armed tricopter will be used in an upcoming US Army exercise.

The US Navy's Ohio class SSGNs were intended to be drone command posts.

The US Navy will prototype the MQ-8C with weapons.

The MQ-8C is getting a new radar from Northrop.

A US Navy RQ-4A Global Hawk suffered major damage at takeoff in the Middle East.

In support of the Australian Loyal Wingman program, Boeing has started flying surrogates

Australia is considering buying the MQ-9B.

A Chinese Soar Dragon UAV shadowed and monitored USN ships recently.

Pictures of a sigint version of the GJ-2 drone seems to have emerged from China.

A whole bunch of Chinese drones were spotted at Malan AB by spysat.

British Watchkeepers are being deployed to Cyprus.

Iran is heavily dependent on UAVs for its air power.

Israel asked the US to withhold drones from the military aid to Lebanon.

Italy lost a MQ-9A Reaper in Libya.

The Japanese Coast Guard will phase out its Chinese made drones starting in 2020.

Kazakstan will start producing Elbit UAVs in 2020. 

Morocco's recently approved Apache helicopter buy will have manned/unmanned teaming.

The first NATO RQ-4D Global Hawk has been delivered.  This is the first of 5.  It has been sent to Italy.

Russians are wargaming with drones.

Serbia has bought the CH-92A UAV from China.

Turkey's UAVs in Libya are suffering from a high attrition rate.

Turkey is getting quadcopter drones with automatic weapons.

Turkish drones escorting drill ships will fly from Turkish Cyprus.

Yemeni Houthis shot down a Wing Loong drone.

AeroVironment is trying to play catchup with new Switchblade suicide drones.

Bell has flown its APT-70 cargo drone with actual cargo.

Elbit has launched its Magni quad copter.

Unmanned Ground Vehicles (Bolos, Ogres and Terminators, oh my!):

The US Army has developed a universal kit for offroad self driving vehicles.

The US Army is looking for unmanned medevac vehicles.

More on the FLIR win of the CRS-H robot contract with the US Army.

The USMC wants to use autonomous robotic CRABS to clear obstacles for amphibious assaults.

Qatari Barzan Holdings showed off its multimission UGV in Japan.

Russia is testing UGVs to kill UGVs.

Critical Solutions International showed off its amphibious UGVs.

Unmanned Surface Vehicles (Ro-boats):

DARPA has unveiled its NOMARS USV project.

The US Navy is wargaming how to use the LUSV in the future.

The Acting US SecNavy has put forward that unmanned vessels will count to the 355 ship navy vessel count.

Congress wants to slow the US Navy's purchase of USVs becaue it thinks the Navy doesn't know what it wants.

Thales UK has demonstrated an offboard EW package on a USV during a NATO trial.

3d Printing:

The USMC is deploying 3d printers to allow for replacement parts to be made onsite instead of ordering them.

The Australian Navy is also testing deployable 3d printing tech.

Software Bots:

The SecArmy sees a huge role for AI in its long range kill chain.

A report to Congress on AI and national security.

AI command and control must leave room for people.

The US military needs better data to use AI.