Technology News

The Directorate of Defense R&D (DDR&D) in the Ministry of Defense together with the US Department of Defense Irregular Warfare Technical Support Directorate (IWTSD) and the Merage Institute, will hold a first-of-its-kind competition – the Mobile Standoff Autonomous Indoor Capabilities Challenge in short: the “MoSAIC”. The competition will incorporate operating commercial robots and drones in an urban setting, in the city of Yeruham, simulating the challenges on the future battlefield.

Elbit Systems unveiled today a new version of its SkylarkTM 3 Small Tactical Unmanned Aerial Systems (STUAS) equipped with a hybrid propulsion system. According to the company, the use of a battery-powered electric engine with an internal combustion engine triples the endurance and offers up to 18 hours of operations.

Rheinmetall Defense has introduced another variant of its Skyranger air defense weapon system, the Skyranger 30 HEL - a mobile, hybrid solution mounting the company's 30mm AHEAD with a laser onboard. As a hybrid solution, the Skyranger 30 HEL is designed to thwart the full range of current and future airborne threats. The interplay of a 30mm automatic cannon, guided missiles, and a high-energy laser (HEL) results in a mix of effectors unique in this combination. The Skyranger HEL was presented in public for the first time at a counter-drone event held last year by the Swiss procurement agency armasuisse in Bure, Switzerland.

General Atomics has recently conducted a flight demonstration of two Avenger unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), each equipped with Lockheed Martin’s Legion Pod IRST21, an Infra-Red Search & Track pod designed to detect aerial targets at long range, without using radar.

The FGCV demonstrates IAI/ELTA’s ability to deliver innovative tools that provide a new level of flexibility, resilience, and survivability to field units, improving the maneuverability, situational awareness, and lethality of each element and the entire formation as a whole. It also confirms the company’s ability to contribute proven capabilities and technologies for the benefit of the important Next Generation Fight Vehicle (NGFV) Program.

Nexter-KNDS unveiled today an innovative concept for a large caliber gun system for main battle tanks designed to overmatch the heavy threats expected in the 2040-2050 timeframe. The "Autoloaded and SCALable Outperforming guN" (ASCALON) concept is designed to cope with the latest generation of heavy armor while staying ahead of the threats of the next half-century.

India's leading aerospace manufacturer Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) unveiled today the Combat Air Teaming System (CATS) at the Aero India airshow in Bengaluru. CATS aligned with similar teaming concepts underway in the USA and Europe, integrating manned and unmanned aerial platforms in cohesive, dynamic future air combat.

Nexter Munitions successfully fired the KATANA smart artillery ammunition and tested its flight control capability during a test campaign in Sweden. During the test, the electronic and electromechanical systems were exposed to extreme physical conditions of the 155mm gun firing, demonstrating the system's endurance to realistic firing conditions.

The Royal Air Force (RAF), in partnership with Leonardo, successfully conducted a live trial of a ‘swarming drones’ capability targeting a simulated enemy air defense radar. The demonstration showed how a swarm of BriteCloud-equipped drones overwhelmed the threat radar systems with electronic noise.

The SkyLord family employs XTend’s edge technology with cognitive skills to safely perform dangerous missions. The system uses augmented reality (AR) guidance and control technology to enable an operator to perform complex missions with great ease and precision, using an AR vision system and a single-handed controller. This telepresence interface enables operators to immerse themselves and “step into” a remote reality and engage targets effectively yet safely.

Elbit Systems has added an Unmanned Aerial System capability to the Seagull Unmanned Surface Vessel (USV), broadening surveillance and intelligence gathering capabilities of the unmanned boat. Trials conducted in recent weeks were dedicated to the integration of Elbit Systems' Skylark C mini-Unmanned Aerial System (UAS), onboard the Seagull USV, further enhancing its intelligence-gathering capabilities.

The unmanned Loyal Wingman aircraft was unveiled in Australia yesterday. The aircraft is the first of three prototypes built under the Australian Loyal Wingman program. The Loyal Wingman prototype now moves into ground testing, followed by taxi and a first flight later this year.

In a trend to improve wide-area persistent surveillance (WAPS) beyond existing capabilities, three defense industries from Israel unveil groundbreaking, lightweight WAPS systems designed for small, tactical unmanned aerial systems (STUAS) at the Singapore Airshow. These platforms are designed to operate with tactical forces and provide intelligence support to the units in direct contact with the enemy.

In a recent firing series held in South Africa, the German-South African joint-venture Rheinmetall Denel Munitions (RDM) demonstrated a dramatic increase in the range of its artillery firepower. The demonstration employed three 155 mm cannons with 52 and 39 caliber lengths, which scored three world records - firing at ranges of 76, 67 and 54 km.