Raytheon also develops new airframe elements for cruise missiles, which will be able to change in flight, adapting to the mission requirements, and other changes in the battle. These Morphing Aircraft Structures, developed under a DARPA program, are scheduled for testing in early 2005. Morphing capability applied to a missile would enable efficient flight at multiple speeds and altitudes without sacrificing performance as is currently the case when operating off the optimized cruise point. Exceptionally quick response to a threat and mission flexibility could mean fewer missiles are needed to destroy a target. Morphing wings is the first in a series of steps to permit a cruise missile to travel at high speeds to a target area, loiter and then move to another target area, with speed changes from 0.3 Mach to 3.0 Mach. The technology ultimately could be applied to other platforms and future air vehicles, manned and unmanned. To facilitate such morphing structures, the integrated system design probes advanced materials, actuators, sensors and electronics to create devices and adaptive structures that enable significant in-flight vehicle shape change. These shape changes are more significant than those currently found in flight vehicles, and, in turn, will enable new military capabilities such as those envisioned by Raytheon.
Countering the UAS Threat
Tamir Eshel - 0
The ongoing wars in Eastern Europe, Caucasus, and the Middle East have emphasized drones as a new and rapidly changing tool of warfare. First manifested in the US war in Iraq and Afghanistan, the...
Iron Swords War – Air Defense Challenge
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Unlike the land campaign in Gaza that involved mostly ground forces on both sides, most activities on other fronts were conducted in the aerial domain, which tasked Israeli air defense forces to spread out their assets, learn to adapt and improve under fire, and engage different threats, the new techniques, and tactics developed by the enemy. This article outlines Israel's current and evolving air and missile defense capabilities in retrospect of the recent events.
SeaGuardian UAS Assumes Net-Enabled Weapons Capability
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General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. and Lockheed Martin are collaborating to provide Net-Enabled Weapons (NEW) capability for GA-ASI’s MQ-9B SeaGuardian Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS). The addition of NEW capability for SeaGuardian will bolster the Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance and Targeting (ISR&T) capability for the aircraft, enabling the platform to rapidly engage targets based on real-time intelligence collected by its sensors. Such capabilities are already supported by the MQ-9 but were not yet implemented by the MQ-8B SeaGuardian.
BAE Systems Showcases the MCWS Turret on AMPV
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BAE Systems’ fourth Armored Multi-Purpose Vehicle (AMPV) prototype is being showcased at Eurosatory this week. Configured with a common top plate, also known as the External Mission Equipment Package (ExMEP), the prototype showcases the vehicle’s ability to integrate capabilities and equipment packages internationally. The new turret uses Oshkosh / Rafael MCWS turret selected by the US Army for the Stryker. BAE Systems has also introduced Elbit Systems UT30 gun turret, Patria's Nemo mortar turret and Moog Reconfigurable Integrated-weapons Platform (RIwP) for the CUAS variant.
Kongsberg Teams with MBDA, Diehl to Develop a Supersonic Anti-Ship Missile
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Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace teams with German partners Diehl Defence and MBDA Deutschland to develop the Tyrfing, an advanced Super-Sonic Strike Missile (3SM). The new missile is expected to replace the Naval Strike Missile...