Saturday, October 05, 2019

Terminator Times #63

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (Drones):

DARPA's Gremlins project has been delayed due to the earthquake damage at China Lake.

The NGA may be interested in an ISR version of the MQ-25 for maritime surveillance.

The US military is interested in small hard kill interceptor drones to kill drones.

The USAF's Reapers will test out SRC's Agile Condor pod.

A USAF drone strike killed 30 pine nut workers in Afghanistan.


The USAF's XQ-58A Valkyrie can be armed with 2 air to air missiles and the USAF is looking to tailor the airworthiness process for attritable aircraft like the Valk.

The US Army tested using a Gray Eagle with a Chinook.

The US Army is seeking an American made quadcopter.


The US Navy's MQ-25 tanker drone prototype has flown.  A boring flight test was what they hoped for and got.

The US Navy's Trition is off to Guam.

Britain signed a £100 million contract for its Protector UAV.

Britain's Protector is getting closer to civilian airspace approval.

China appears to be ready to unveil the Malan triangle UAV at the upcoming military parade.  And they did!  This is the WZ-8, a high speed recon UAV.  It appears to be in service.

China and Serbia are deepening their UAV cooperation.  China is giving Serbia nine Wing Loong UAVs.

China's Sharp Sword carrier based UAV is claimed to be entering service by the end of the year.  It may be the aircraft may NOT be carrier based, but in service already.  It did get displayed at the October 1st military parade.

China's reported plan to put a ISR drone on its carriers makes sense to some.

Finland has finished trials of the S-100 Camcopter.

Hezbollah in Lebanon claims to have shot down an Israeli drone.

Houthi drones attacked crude oil sources at two Aramco plants in Saudi Arabia and have disrupted the supply, at least for a short time.  An estimated ten drones made the attack.  The Houthi attack knocked out half the Saudi crude oil supply.  One senior US administration official stated the attacks didn't come from the Houthi.  The Houthis state the refineries are still targets.  Saudi Arabia presented evidence of the origin of the drones that attacked.

How DID drones take out 5% of the world's oil supply?

The Houthis are threatening the UAE.

Drone attacks like the Houthi against the Saudis are not considered a danger to the US.

An Indian UAV crashed during a test flight.

78% of all Israeli flight ops last year were UAV flights.

NATO is not prepared for drone attacks like what hit the Saudis.


Russia has started MUM-T testing between the Ohotnik-B UAV and the Su-57:

Future Russian drones might be fitted with a simplified version of the Su-57's comm system.

Russia will have a new version of the Orlan-10 UAV soon.

Turkey unveiled its Akinci UCAV.

Turkey downed a UAV violating its airspace.

AeroVironment showcased its Vapor UAV.

BAe is likely to buy Prismatic and jointly built the PHASA-35 UAV.

Bell is pushing the V-247 tilt rotor UAV for the USMC and use in the USN in general.

Crew Training International won a contract mod to support the MQ-9.

Drone Evolution has launched its drone tethering solution.

FlareBright's mini UAV is intended as a tactical recon element.

KAI's Night Intruder VTOL UAV has taken flight.

MBDA is developing a swarming EW version of its Spear munition, blurring the lines between missile and drone.

Northrop won a $375.8M contract to support the MQ-4C Triton.

UAVOS and Stratodynamics HiDRON stratospheric glider UAV reached a new altitude record of 98,000 ft.

Yates has started production of its 900 kg cargo glider drone, the Silent Arrow.

Unmanned Ground Vehicles (Bolos and Ogres):

The US Army test fired a Javelin missile from a Titan/Themis UGV.

Will the LLAMA succeed for the US Army where the Big Dog failed?

France ordered 56 UGVs from Nexter.

Norway has ordered more FLIR Packbots.

BAe Australia is building an autonomous version of the M113 APC.

Elta demonstrated its self driving AFV for the Israeli army.

Rheinmetall unveiled the plan to mount 70mm rockets on its Mission Master UGV.

Rheinmetall's Supacat is optionally manned/semi autonomous mortar system.

Unmanned Surface Vehicles (Ro Boats):

The US Navy claims a stronger technical background in USVs than its critics think.

The Sea Hunter's controls might be adapted to the USMC LCUs making them unmanned hovercraft.

The USMC is looking into the CUSV USV.

The USMC & USN are looking at USVs to bolster USMC capabilities.

Unmanned Underwater Vehicles (robo subs):

The US Navy tested UUVs in frigid conditions in Alaska.

General Dynamics has unveiled its new Bluefin-21 UUV.

Hydroid won a $52.3M contract mod for more Knifefish UUVs.

China unveiled its HSU-001 UUV.

3d Printing:

The USAF is using 3d printing to improve readiness.

The US Army is ramping up its use of 3d printing.

Indian companies have signed an accord to collaborate on 3d printing for defense use.

A ruggedized 3d bioprinter is meant for military medical applications.

Exoskeletons:

The USMC is considering an exoskeleton for cargo work.

Software Bots:

Boeing Australia is working on AI there.

META:

NATO exercised its unmanned assets off of Portugal.

An ex Google engineer warned autonomous weapons can cause mass shootings.

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