drones

The United States Special Operations Command is always looking for ways to give its soldiers, marines, sailors, and airmen an advantage over current and potential enemies. To that end, SOCOM has been partnering with several industry sectors to design, develop, and produce ground-breaking equipment. More specifically, SOCOM wishes to incorporate artificial intelligence and augmented and virtual […]

In the previous installment, we explored what characteristics make an effective Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV). A company that manufactures UAVs and wishes to be competitive has to ensure that its products have a robust and accurate navigation system, stout and clear sensory and image capturing technology, and a resilient and efficient operating system (for example, […]

It’s easy to look at a product like Lockheed Martin’s F-35 and say “Lockheed manufactures that aircraft,” which would be a true statement. However, much of the “manufacturing” the company does is actually “assembly” of a collection of parts manufactured by other, smaller companies. Despite the importance of these firms, not many people know much […]

The U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) has just awarded an $18 million contract to Insitu, a subsidiary of Boeing, as part of the MEUAS III unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) program. Insitu manufactures the ScanEagle UAV for the U.S. military. The ScanEagle is an ISR-capable drone that can operate at high altitudes (its maximum operational ceiling is […]

It’s easy to look at a product like Lockheed Martin’s F-35 and say “Lockheed manufactures that aircraft,” which would be a true statement. However, much of the “manufacturing” the company does is actually “assembly” of a collection of parts manufactured by other, smaller companies. Despite the importance of these firms, not many people know much […]

One of the perks of studying at an elite U.S. university is that top companies, organisations, and agencies congregate in search of talent. What follows is my experience attending a Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) recruiting brief and simulation session at the Johns Hopkins University. Names have been altered to preserve personal security. You can read […]

Killer robots — those autonomous armed robots programmed to randomly kill humans — don’t exist yet, although artificial intelligence laboratories are working on them, and the very thought has thrown the world into a tizzy. Last Sunday, Britain’s Ministry of Defence (MoD) produced a report warning that future warfare will be conducted by armies of […]

Washington, D.C., United States—In the coming weeks, the Department of Defense (DoD) will release a study examining the U.S. military’s dependence on foreign countries. The study will focus on critical military materials and their providers. The ultimate aim will be to limit or eliminate dependence on foreign firms or countries that could prove adversaries in […]

Despite lacking the economic power touted by nations like the United States or China, Russia has managed to keep their name on the tips of defense analyst’s tongues for years thanks to their unique strategy of using cost-effective hybrid warfare techniques to interfere with foreign governments while allocating funds to only high-profile defense initiatives. While […]

With a rapidly developing military drone industry growing in prominence the world over, and heavyweight defense contractors like Northrop Grumman devoting a large portion of their overall R&D programs to unmanned aerial vehicles, it’s easy to see that the future of military aviation will be largely unmanned. The benefits of such a transition are extensive, […]

With Russia so frequently dominating the headlines of the American media, one could be forgiven for believing we’re amid a full scale resurgence of the Cold War. While there are certainly parallels between today’s geopolitical climate and the heyday of American/Soviet staring contests, this new Cold War, if you’re so inclined to call it that, […]

Between foreign military influences, civil war, and the presence of Islamic extremism, Syria has become a quagmire of conflict in recent years. Now, with a litany of domestic and international military assets in play, Syria appears to have become a test bed of sorts for new military technologies — particularly for the Russian military, who […]