Browsing: All news

Category Added in a WPeMatico Campaign

KNDS Deutschland and GDELS presented the artillery gun module on the Piranha HMC at Defence iQ’s Future Artillery 2024 conference. (GDELS)
Janes
learnt about Swiss efforts to modernise its artillery at Defence iQ’s Future Artillery 2024 conference being held in Paris from 21 to 23 May.

Switzerland is rebuilding its armed forces that were drawn down after the end of the Cold War, followed by the reduction of defence spending from 1.52% to 0.68% of GDP.

The Royal Thai Navy’s lead Pattani-class OPV, HTMS
Pattani
, seen here during an exercise in the South China Sea.
(US Navy)
Thailand has announced plans to carry out a major upgrade programme for its two Pattani-class offshore patrol vessels (OPVs).
An announcement on this was released by the Royal Thai Navy (RTN) via its official website on 17 May under a section on procurement plans.

Proposed new capabilities for the PzH 2000 could extend its life to 2040–50. (Krauss-Maffei Wegmann)
System improvements to the Panzerhaubitze (PzH) 2000 were proposed at Defence iQ’s Future Artillery 2024 conference held in Paris from 21 to 23 May to extend the lifetime of the self-propelled howitzer (SPH) to 2040–50.
Proposed new capabilities made possible by the PzH 2000’s modularity include an advanced 155 mm gun firing ammunition with a range of 100 km and beyond. A related option would be an automatic charge loader, in addition to 30 ready-to-fire rounds.

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) has chosen designs for the next phase of its AdvaNced airCraft Infrastructure-Less Launch And RecoverY (ANCILLARY) program, to demonstrate an autonomous vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) X-plane. The effort aims to develop and flight test a drone that will offer long endurance and the ability to launch and recover from ship flight decks and small austere land locations in adverse weather and without additional infrastructure equipment.

A new measure from federal lawmakers would create a drone corps as a formal branch of the Army. But Army leaders don’t agree. Photo by Capt. Marion Jo Nederhoed.
A Virginia Congressman is asking the Army to create a drone corps as a formal training branch, on par with traditional specialties like artillery and intelligence. But Army leaders aren’t buying it.

Groups of drones autonomously launching from uncrewed ground vehicles could well be part of the U.S. Army’s future toolkit for mine-clearing operations. That’s exactly what the video below showcases, in which 20 drones can be seen flying off from an uncrewed ground vehicle in just 13 seconds.
The video emerged on social media recently, but it isn’t clear where or when it was taken. It does however bear the logo of the Army’s Sandhills Project, also known as the Future Breaching Experiment.

Future of warfare: U.S.

The Navy has increased the readiness of its cyber force that conducts operations by 20 percent, according to a top official.
The U.S. cyber mission force includes 133 offensive, defensive and support teams that conduct ops for Cyber Command. Each of the military services is responsible for providing personnel for a set number of teams to the organization, which then employs those forces in operations for the other geographic combatant commands.

The Department of Defense has published the first aerial image of its new B-21 Raider. It’s also the first official side profile shot we have seen. The photo was part of a set of three new images showing the Raider flight testing at Edwards Air Force Base.
The air-to-air image showcases the deep shelf-like extension that makes up the jet’s leading edge, which is most pronounced along its nose. This is a key very low-observable feature of the aircraft that is far more pronounced than the beak-like nose and chine-line that is seen on its predecessor, the B-2.

The Pentagon’s Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Office recently hired a slate of four new leaders to help further drive digital infrastructure and policy adoption across the department, CDAO Rhada Plumb announced Wednesday.
“We are going through the process of announcing a new leadership team. But more broadly, we brought in a complement of experts within CDAO and forward at the [combatant commands] to help with data solutions,” she said during her first-ever keynote as the office’s chief, at DefenseTalks hosted by DefenseScoop.

Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall was kind enough to spend some time with Ryan talking about the reorganization of the Department of the Air Force and modernization. They also discussed the challenges new entrants have breaking into working with the Defense Department. And they closed with a brief discussion about resistance to plans to move some Air National Guard members from six states into the Space Force. Image: Air Force photo by Eric R. Dietrich   TRANSCRIPT FORTHCOMING
The post A Conversation with Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall appeared first on War on the Rocks.