Author: Michael

Naval Group

France’s Rubis class nuclear-powered attack submarine Perle has finally returned to active service after nearly four years. Perle had begun undergoing a routine maintenance and refit cycle in 2019, but then suffered a devastating fire in 2020 that required extensive repairs. This included grafting on a ‘new’ front half taken from a decommissioned Rubis class submarine, the ex-Saphir. The result is a unique submarine that is slightly longer than a standard Rubis.

Read More

via Twitter Screencap

In the latest example of ‘unconventional’ improvised Ukrainian weapons, we now have video of the contraption made of half a dozen AK-74 assault rifles in action. This follows footage released two days ago which showed the same weapon, but did not depict it firing. It is now one of a variety of improvised small arms solutions — some more relevant than others — that have been pressed into service as counter-drone weapons by Ukrainian forces.

Read More

Actor Robert Downey Jr. attends ‘Iron Man 3’ Beijing premiere at the Forbidden City on April 6, 2013 in Beijing, China. (Visual China Group via Getty Images).

It’s no secret Hollywood has long coveted the Chinese market and has gone as far as re-editing movies to appeal to Chinese audiences.
When Iron Man 3 was released 10 years ago, the filmmakers created a version of the movie specifically for China, in which Tony Stark travels to the country for heart surgery and it is revealed that the source of his power is Gu Li Duo, an inner Mongolian milk drink.

Read More

The Defense Advanced Research Project Agency has awarded General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc. (GA-ASI) a $94 million contract to complete the third and final phase of the agency’s effort to develop armed, air-launched drones.
The LongShot program aims to develop an unmanned aerial vehicle able to fire multiple air-to-air weapons while flying alongside or ahead of manned aircraft in order to extend ranges and reduce risk, according to a DARPA release.

Read More

China is continuing to induct SAC J-16 multirole fighters into the service as part of its modernisation of the air force. (VCG via Getty Images/Qian Baihua)
China has augmented its operational units with additional numbers of Shenyang Aircraft Corporation (SAC) J-16 multirole and Chengdu Aircraft Industries (Group) Company (CAC) J-20 stealth fighter aircraft.
Janes assesses that China may have inducted 15 new SAC J-16s and 11 CAC J-20 fifth-generation stealth fighters into service since January 2023.

Read More

A still from surveillance footage released by the US 5th Fleet shows a naval vessel that can be identified as the Iranian corvette
Bayandor
. The 5th Fleet said it fired on the tanker
Richmond Voyager
.
(US Naval Forces Central Command/US 5th Fleet)
The US Navy’s 5th Fleet has accused the Islamic Republic of Iran Navy (IRIN) of firing on a civilian tanker in international waters in the Gulf of Oman on 5 July.

Read More

The RN’s new minehunting mother ship, RFA
Stirling Castle
, conducts its first series of trials with the service’s autonomous MCM USVs RNMB
Hydra
,
Hazard
, and
Apollo. (Crown Copyright)
The UK Royal Navy’s (RN’s) new minehunting mother ship has conducted its first trials with autonomous unmanned surface vessels (USVs) in what has been hailed by the service as a landmark moment for the service’s future mine-countermeasures (MCM) operations.

Read More