U(C)AV ontwikkelingen

[Harald]

How To Satisfy The Navy's Future Vertical Lift-Maritime Strike Needs With Bell's Rob Freeland

Bell sees a version of its V-280 Valor and its navalized V-247 Vigilant drone concept as the solution for the Navy's ambitious goals.



.../...

https://www.twz.com/air/how-to-satisfy-the-navys-future-vertical-lift-maritime-strike-needs-with-bells-rob-freeland

[Harald]

USMC will designate its Wild Weasel UAV as MQ-58B

Kratos Defense & Security Solutions announced the successful completion of the first phase of the U.S. Marine Corps' Penetrating Affordable Autonomous Collaborative Killer – Portfolio (PAACK-P) program. The accomplishment comes after a live flight test at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, where the Kratos XQ-58A Valkyrie unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) effectively collaborated with F-35 aircraft and demonstrated its electronic attack (EA) capabilities.



The XQ-58A successfully flew alongside two F-35s, showcasing its potential as a "loyal wingman" for manned fighter jets. Furthermore, the Valkyrie's onboard EA payload autonomously detected, identified, and geolocated enemy targets. This data was then transmitted to collaborating aircraft, enabling a coordinated electronic attack against those targets.

The XQ-58A's performance during the PAACK-P Phase 1 testing suggests its suitability for the Suppression of Enemy Air Defenses (SEAD) role. By employing electronic jamming techniques, the XQ-58A can neutralize enemy air defense systems, paving the way for manned aircraft to conduct their missions with reduced risk.

The utilization of unmanned systems like the XQ-58A offers a significant cost advantage over traditional manned aircraft. This is particularly relevant for high-risk missions, where the potential loss of a pilot and an expensive fighter jet is a major concern.

The successful demonstration not only validates the XQ-58A's capabilities but also informs the development of the MQ-58B, the planned production variant. Data and lessons learned from the XQ-58A's performance will directly influence the design specifications for the MQ-58B, ensuring it meets the specific requirements of the Marine Air-Ground Task Force (MAGTF) Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) Expeditionary (MUX) Tactical Aircraft (TACAIR) for the SEAD role.

The successful demonstration represents a major milestone for the PAACK-P program and the future of Marine Corps unmanned aerial systems. The XQ-58A's combination of affordability, long-range flight capabilities, high speeds, and diverse payload options makes it a valuable asset for the Marine Air-Ground Task Force (MAGTF). Lt. Col. Bradley Buick, of the Marine Corps' Cunningham Group, emphasized the importance of MUX TACAIR (tactical aircraft) like the XQ-58A, highlighting their potential to enhance the lethality and survivability of manned platforms within the MAGTF.

Kratos Defense & Security, the developer of the XQ-58A, partnered with Northrop Grumman (likely supplier of the EA suite) and various Department of Defense entities, including the Marine Corps itself, the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering (OUSD(R&E)), the Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR), and the Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division (NAWCAD) for the demonstration.

https://alert5.com/2024/04/03/usmc-will-designate-its-wild-weasel-uav-as-mq-58b/

https://ir.kratosdefense.com/news-releases/news-release-details/kratos-demonstrates-xq-58a-electronic-warfare-capabilities

[Harald]

How Marine MQ-9s Will Adapt For A Pacific Fight, Pave Way For Future Drones

Marine Operational Test and Evaluation Squadron One will get its first MQ-9s this summer along with a load of new systems and tactics to test.

Operational Test and Evaluation Squadron One (VMX-1), the specialized Marine Corps unit tasked with operationalizing innovations for the service's air arm, is about to receive two MQ-9 Reapers. The addition of the combat-proven drones into VMX-1's diverse stable will allow the squadron to deliver new capabilities to the Marine Air-Ground Task Force (MAGTF) and improve the ways the service's existing MQ-9s can be used in future high-end conflicts. It will also work to pave the way to an increasingly uncrewed future for the Corps.

.../...

https://www.twz.com/air/how-marine-mq-9s-will-adapt-for-a-pacific-fight-pave-way-for-future-drones

[Huzaar1]

Ik moet zeggen dat dit idd erg interessant is, ook de optie, onderzoek om dit bij helicopters toe te passen om inkomend grondvuur te bepalen.

Helaas is het nu met deze ontwikkelingen erg stil geworden.

Oekr gebruikt een ander systeem, door kaasland geleverd. Maar hebben ze zelf totaal gemodificeerd.

[Harald]

https://magazines.defensie.nl/landmacht/2018/09/12_innovatie_sensor_09-2018

Ik moet zeggen dat dit idd erg interessant is, ook de optie, onderzoek om dit bij helicopters toe te passen om inkomend grondvuur te bepalen.

Helaas is het nu met deze ontwikkelingen erg stil geworden.

[Huzaar1]

Niet iedereen is zo verstandig maar je mag van dit soort niveau militairen wel mogen verwachten dat men beter na denkt.

Maar het systeem op zich vind ik zeer interessant, ik kan me herinneren dat er ook enkele jaren geleden een NL bedrijf was die een geluidssensor ontwikkelde voor defensie. Dit was de Microflow, een systeem dat naar mijn idee makkelijk en relatief goedkoop door defensie aangekocht kan worden en (waar nodig) geplaatst kan worden om een gebied / object te beveiligen tegen drones.

Kon ik maar meer duiden over de rol die NLD hierin heeft gespeeld. Heel interessant.

[Harald]

Maar het systeem op zich vind ik zeer interessant, ik kan me herinneren dat er ook enkele jaren geleden een NL bedrijf was die een geluidssensor ontwikkelde voor defensie. Dit was de Microflow, een systeem dat naar mijn idee makkelijk en relatief goedkoop door defensie aangekocht kan worden en (waar nodig) geplaatst kan worden om een gebied / object te beveiligen tegen drones.

jij bedoeld dit, zie onderstaande artikel. Is getest bij de KL idd en is op missie getest in Mali

https://magazines.defensie.nl/landmacht/2018/09/12_innovatie_sensor_09-2018

[Parera]

Bedankt US top officer. Met zulke praatgrage vrienden heb je geen vijanden nodig. Dit was toch echt geen openbare en niet gerubriceerde informatie.

Wat een pannekoek

Niet iedereen is zo verstandig maar je mag van dit soort niveau militairen wel mogen verwachten dat men beter na denkt.

Maar het systeem op zich vind ik zeer interessant, ik kan me herinneren dat er ook enkele jaren geleden een NL bedrijf was die een geluidssensor ontwikkelde voor defensie. Dit was de Microflow, een systeem dat naar mijn idee makkelijk en relatief goedkoop door defensie aangekocht kan worden en (waar nodig) geplaatst kan worden om een gebied / object te beveiligen tegen drones.

[Huzaar1]

Thousands Of Networked Microphones Are Tracking Drones In Ukraine

Ukraine is using a network made up of thousands of acoustic sensors across the country to help detect and track incoming Russian kamikaze drones, alert traditional air defenses in advance, and also dispatch ad hoc drone hunting teams to shoot them down. This is according to the U.S. Air Force's top officer in Europe who also said the U.S. military is now looking to test this capability to see if it might help meet its own demands for additional ways to persistently monitor for, and engage drone threats.

Gen. James Hecker, head of U.S. Air Forces in Europe (USAFE), as well as Air Forces Africa (AFAFRICA) and NATO's Allied Air Command, provided the details about Ukraine's acoustic sensor network and related air and missile defense issues at a press roundtable that The War Zone and other outlets attended earlier today. This gathering took place on the sidelines of this year's Air & Space Forces Association Warfare Symposium, which opened today.

https://www.twz.com/land/thousands-of-networked-microphones-are-tracking-drones-in-ukraine

Bedankt US top officer. Met zulke praatgrage vrienden heb je geen vijanden nodig. Dit was toch echt geen openbare en niet gerubriceerde informatie.

Wat een pannekoek

[Parera]

Thousands Of Networked Microphones Are Tracking Drones In Ukraine

Ukraine is using a network made up of thousands of acoustic sensors across the country to help detect and track incoming Russian kamikaze drones, alert traditional air defenses in advance, and also dispatch ad hoc drone hunting teams to shoot them down. This is according to the U.S. Air Force's top officer in Europe who also said the U.S. military is now looking to test this capability to see if it might help meet its own demands for additional ways to persistently monitor for, and engage drone threats.

Gen. James Hecker, head of U.S. Air Forces in Europe (USAFE), as well as Air Forces Africa (AFAFRICA) and NATO's Allied Air Command, provided the details about Ukraine's acoustic sensor network and related air and missile defense issues at a press roundtable that The War Zone and other outlets attended earlier today. This gathering took place on the sidelines of this year's Air & Space Forces Association Warfare Symposium, which opened today.

https://www.twz.com/land/thousands-of-networked-microphones-are-tracking-drones-in-ukraine

[Harald]

General Atomics unveils XQ-67A sensing drone for US Air Force

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc. (GA-ASI) has unveiled its new unmanned aerial vehicle, the XQ-67A, specifically designed for the US Air Force Research Laboratory's Off-Board Sensing Station (OBSS) program. This program, shrouded in secrecy, aims to deploy drones capable of guiding fighter jets and transmitting essential information on targets and threats to pilots.



On February 8, 2024, GA-ASI shared images and videos showing the XQ-67A performing high-speed taxi tests, thereby preparing for its inaugural flight. Although it has not yet been confirmed whether the drone has flown, the US Air Force had planned for a first flight within the first six months of the fiscal year 2024.

C. Mark Brinkley, spokesperson for GA-ASI, emphasized the revolutionary aspect of the XQ-67A in the field of unmanned combat air systems. He highlighted the methodical approach adopted to progress through the phases of the OBSS project in collaboration with government partners, focusing on rapid development, accelerated design, and the delivery of effective combat capabilities.

The OBSS program, initiated in 2021, originally awarded contracts to GA-ASI and Kratos, with the latter being phased out in 2023. The objectives of the program, although not fully disclosed, appear to focus on the deployment of drones equipped with advanced sensors. These drones would operate ahead of combat jets, collecting and relaying critical data on targets and threats. It is reported that the XQ-67A will be remotely piloted.

The US Air Force's exploration of unmanned capabilities is not limited to the XQ-67A. Tests have also included Kratos's XQ-58A Valkyrie and Boeing's MQ-28 Ghost Bat, the latter having been imported from an Australian development project for further testing in the United States.

Alongside the OBSS program, the US Air Force's Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) initiative envisions a fleet of drones fulfilling multiple roles: missile carriers, sensing units, electronic warfare platforms, and decoys to draw enemy fire. These drones are expected to bolster the US Air Force's capabilities by providing an economical solution to enhance its aging fleet, aiming to counter the numerical superiority of adversaries such as China.

https://www.airrecognition.com/index.php/news/defense-aviation-news/2024-defense-news-aviation/february/9554-general-atomics-unveils-xq-67a-sensing-drone-for-us-air-force.html


General Atomics debuts new XQ-67A Air Force sensing drone

Details of the AFRL's Off-Board Sensing Station program remain highly classified, though the effort is expected to field an unmanned aircraft that can fly ahead of fighters and relay targeting information and other threat data back.

https://breakingdefense.com/2024/02/general-atomics-debuts-new-xq-67a-air-force-sensing-drone/



https://twitter.com/i/status/1755667827691057169

[Parera]

U.S. AFSOC Demonstrates Simultaneous Control Of Three MQ-9A RPAs By A Single Crew

The test is part of the Adaptive Airborne Enterprise concept development, which also demonstrated the Reaper's capability to release an Altius 600 sUAS from a launch pod.
The U.S. Air Force 27th Special Operation Wing recently disclosed the successful demonstrations of new capabilities for the Remotely Piloted Aircraft community throughout December 2023. The demos are part of Air Force Special Operations Command's Adaptive Airborne Enterprise (A2E) development, which envision an evolution beyond using the MQ-9 Reaper exclusively for Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) and strike operations.


https://theaviationist.com/2024/02/12/u-s-afsoc-demonstrates-simultaneous-control-of-three-mq-9a-rpas-by-a-single-crew/

[Harald]

https://hushkit.net/2024/02/10/we-look-at-a-look-at-the-new-saab-supersonic-killer-drone/

Swedish defence company SAAB has revealed a radically shaped supersonic uncrewed combat air vehicle study.

Extra info ;

This Is Saab's Concept For A Supersonic, Stealthy Loyal Wingman Drone

A low-observable, high-speed drone concept is an intriguing addition to the growing field of loyal wingman contenders.

Saab is working on a supersonic, stealthy 'loyal wingman' type drone concept. The program has been running for some time as a company-funded effort but has gone largely unnoticed until recently. Ultimately, however, the appearance of such a drone concept is entirely in keeping with the company's status as one of Europe's active developers of uncrewed systems and could be indicative of what Saab offers its customers in the future.

Photos of the concept drone, developed under Saab's Future Combat Air System (FCAS) program, have recently been doing the rounds on social media. At this point, it's worth noting that the FCAS nomenclature is used by rival British and pan-European future air combat initiatives, each with a crewed fighter at its heart. Further confusing matters, Saab had previously been cooperating with the United Kingdom on its FCAS program, about which more later.

The most intriguing photos show wind-tunnel tests of a scale model for the Saab Loyal Wingman drone, which took place in December 2021.

.../...

https://www.twz.com/air/this-is-saabs-concept-for-a-supersonic-stealthy-loyal-wingman-drone

[Harald]

https://hushkit.net/2024/02/10/we-look-at-a-look-at-the-new-saab-supersonic-killer-drone/

Swedish defence company SAAB has revealed a radically shaped supersonic uncrewed combat air vehicle study.

[Parera]

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