U(C)AV ontwikkelingen

[Harald]

Leonardo unveils design of Proteus Uncrewed Rotorcraft Technology Demonstrator





Mooi speeltje voor op de ASWF's als dit door ontwikkeld vanuit prototype naar operationeel.

ik had het bericht ook gelezen, best interessant idd. 

Ook de video, zie onderstaande link, geeft een goed beeld van wat ze willen en de mogelijkheden.
Door die "modular payload bay" kun je verschillende capaciteiten toevoegen.
Het is best een grote UAS, een stuk groter dan de bekende kleine S-100 van Schiebel. Niet met elkaar te vergelijken. Voor ASWF taken kwa grootte juist geschikt, voldoende capaciteit (sonoboeien en/of dipping sonar) en range/bereik/vliegduur.

https://x.com/i/status/1876570256107303070

[Parera]

Leonardo unveils design of Proteus Uncrewed Rotorcraft Technology Demonstrator



Leonardo, the Royal Navy and the UK Ministry of Defence's Defence Equipment and Support (DE&S) Future Capability Innovation (FCI) team have unveiled the design of the Proteus technology demonstrator aircraft. The circa three-tonne uncrewed rotorcraft will be used to demonstrate advances in autonomy and payload modularity and interchangeability, whilst developing cutting-edge new rotorcraft technologies including design and manufacturing techniques. Its development supports the Royal Navy's Maritime Aviation Transformation (MATx) strategy, which covers the evolution of maritime aviation out to 2040. This includes building mass at sea and supporting future anti-submarine warfare missions.

The design of the Proteus technology demonstrator, images of which were published today, reveals that it has drawn on components from throughout Leonardo's helicopter portfolio in order to reduce costs and accelerate aircraft development. Leonardo has also drawn on knowledge and experience from across its existing Uncrewed Air System (UAS) programmes.

This design will demonstrate the viability of large UAS in the maritime environment and will function as a test bed for the development and demonstration of autonomous capability. This includes flight control laws and algorithms for large autonomous Vertical Take-Off and Landing (VTOL) aircraft.

Uniquely, the Proteus design features a modular payload bay. This is designed to enable flexibility in mission roles, including the ability to trade fuel for mission payload. The ability to plug in specific payloads for different missions aims to give commanders in the field a wide range of options from a single type of aircraft. This is both operationally useful and delivers value for money by avoiding the need to buy and maintain multiple different fleets of aircraft.

Leonardo's site in Yeovil, the Home of British Helicopters, maintains an aggressive autonomy development roadmap, which covers the capabilities required to conduct autonomous flight and deliver mission capability. In practice, this means maturing and testing a range of transformative technologies and techniques, for the design and manufacture of rotorcraft as well as on-board the aircraft itself.

For instance, Leonardo has created a 'digital twin' of the Proteus technology demonstrator to aid in development. Utilising a digital twin, Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) algorithms in a synthetic environment enables Leonardo to test, modify and prove capability without the need for live aircraft trials, thereby reducing costs and significantly accelerating development when compared to traditional rotorcraft programmes.

Leonardo is also experimenting with the application of new digital manufacturing technologies in rotorcraft production, including additive layer manufacturing (3D printing) and the use of cost-effective low temperature cure composite materials, which require fewer manufacturing stages in the production of parts.

Once proven, these technologies will be employed more extensively to deliver agility through spiral development techniques, reduce through-life costs in comparison to conventional crewed aircraft, and improve manufacturing resilience and sustainability throughout Leonardo's supply chain.

In addition to innovating in technologies, Leonardo is also utilising the Proteus programme to transform its approach to collaboration with customers and end users. The company is drawing on 'Agile' methodology that breaks the project into phases and emphasises continuous collaboration and improvement. This closer collaboration between Leonardo, DE&S and the Royal Navy has enabled the €71M (£60M) project, initially contracted in 2022, to move forward at-pace, with the demonstrator on-track to fly for the first time in mid-2025.

https://uk.leonardo.com/en/news-and-stories-detail/-/detail/leonardo-unveils-design-of-proteus-uncrewed-rotorcraft-technology-demonstrator

Mooi speeltje voor op de ASWF's als dit door ontwikkeld vanuit prototype naar operationeel.

[Lynxian]

He gats, wat een naar wapen! Ben wel benieuwd naar de potentiële range. Zal nu nog wel niet zo fantastisch zijn omdat het een testwapen is, maar zo'n grondstation is natuurlijk wel een aantrekkelijk doelwit.

[Ace1]

Nieuwe drone schiet met een onzichtbare laser dwars door metaal

Chinese wetenschappers hebben een drone ontwikkeld die doelwitten op de grond kan raken met een onzichtbare laserstraal. Het wapen is zo krachtig dat het met gemak door metaal kan snijden.

De drone zelf hoeft geen zware laserapparatuur te dragen. In plaats daarvan ontvangt hij een laserstraal die vanaf een mobiel grondstation wordt uitgezonden. Via een speciaal stabilisatiesysteem met twee telescoopachtige buizen wordt de straal vervolgens nauwkeurig naar het doelwit gericht.

De laserstraal heeft een vermogen van 1 kilowatt en werkt met infrarood licht dat onzichtbaar is voor het menselijk oog. Met dit vermogen kan een stalen plaat van 2,5 centimeter dik in 17 seconden worden doorgesmolten. De straal is zo krachtig dat hij bij menselijk weefsel onmiddellijk ernstige brandwonden veroorzaakt. Ook materialen als hout, plastic en textiel zijn niet bestand tegen het wapen.

Tests geslaagd
De technologie is succesvol getest, maar verdere details over mogelijke militaire toepassingen zijn niet bekendgemaakt. Dat staat in een paper gepubliceerd in het Chinese wetenschappelijke tijdschrift Acta Armamentarii. De krant South China Morning Post berichtte er voor het eerst over.

Lasers kunnen overigens ook worden ingezet om drones uit de lucht te schieten. Zo testte het Britse leger onlangs voor het eerst zo'n laserwapen tegen drones, die vanaf een pantservoertuig werd afgevuurd.

Grote rol drones in oorlogsvoering
Het nieuws komt op een gevoelig moment. Sinds de Russische invasie van Oekraïne in 2022 spelen drones een grote rol in moderne oorlogsvoering. Hoewel er al wapens bestaan die vijandelijke drones met radiogolven kunnen uitschakelen, luidt de ontwikkeling van offensieve laserdrones mogelijk een nieuwe fase in.

Intussen is er in de Verenigde Staten al weken ophef over drones, die 's nachts worden gespot boven meerdere staten aan de oostkust.

https://www.bright.nl/nieuws/1245338/deze-drone-kan-met-een-onzichtbare-laser-door-metaal-schieten.html

[Harald]

These Are Saab's Concepts For Its Next Generation Fighter, Drones

Saab is hoping to draw upon "common DNA" to develop a family of crewed and uncrewed future combat aircraft.



Swedish defense firm Saab has presented concepts for a potential new-generation crewed fighter and a series of drones intended to work alongside it. With a long history of domestic combat aircraft development, a sixth-generation fighter and complementary stealthy drones make sense for Sweden, although there are big questions about whether this is a realistic prospect without joining forces with other countries.

The future concepts appeared in a recent TV segment aired on Sweden's SVT channel, where they were discussed by Saab's Peter Nilsson, head of Advanced Programs at the company. Screenshots from the broadcast were shared on social media by the Swedish military blogger @GripenNews.

https://www.svt.se/nyheter/inrikes/dronare-central-del-i-nasta-generations-stridsflyg

Most interestingly, the footage includes an overall vision for a future combat aircraft 'ecosystem,' with multiple related crewed and uncrewed systems.

At this very early stage, the concepts should be understood as highly provisional, but they may or may not reflect design considerations that Saab is already addressing for Sweden's next-generation air combat requirements.

.../...

https://www.twz.com/air/these-are-saabs-concepts-for-its-next-generation-fighter-drones

[Harald]

United States tests Kratos Thanatos stealth drone for autonomous strike and intelligence-gathering missions.

On December 11, 2024, the US company Kratos Defense and Security Solutions announced the successful first flight of its Thanatos stealth Uncrewed Combat Air Vehicle (UCAV) prototype. The exact date and location of the test have not been disclosed, but the company confirmed that it took place within the last few months. The flight validated the basic aerodynamic design of the platform, marking a step toward full system integration and further operational testing, possibly for reconnaissance, electronic warfare, and strike operations.



The Thanatos program has been under development since at least 2019, with its existence publicly acknowledged in November 2023 when Kratos released a computer-generated visualization of the design. The prototype's tailless diamond-shaped wing, recessed exhaust, and blended inlets indicate its focus on reduced radar and infrared visibility. These features suggest an emphasis on low observability and adaptability in contested environments. The company has described the successful test as demonstrating the platform's aerodynamic viability, paving the way for additional tests of integrated systems and operational capabilities.

This stealth Uncrewed Combat Air Vehicle (UCAV) is intended for high-risk missions typically performed by crewed aircraft, potentially reducing personnel exposure in combat scenarios. Potential roles include reconnaissance, electronic warfare, and strike operations. Thanatos is expected to integrate artificial intelligence to enable autonomous or semi-autonomous functionality, though the extent of these capabilities has not yet been detailed. Kratos has suggested that the final system will operate with advanced autonomy, consistent with ongoing developments in uncrewed technologies.

Kratos has indicated that it is pursuing a contract for Thanatos with an undisclosed customer. While the company has not confirmed its client, the U.S. Air Force has been widely speculated as a likely operator due to the appearance of its designation in early visualizations. This aligns with the Air Force's Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) program, which envisions deploying a large fleet of autonomous drones in coordination with crewed platforms. The CCA program's goals include enhancing mission effectiveness through distributed operations, with roles for uncrewed systems ranging from additional sensing and electronic warfare to weapon delivery.

The design and objectives of Thanatos are consistent with the Department of Defense's broader push for runway-independent, scalable, and cost-efficient uncrewed systems. Kratos has previous experience in this domain, particularly with the XQ-58A Valkyrie, which has been tested for multiple operational missions, including data-sharing with crewed platforms during recent military exercises. The Valkyrie's ability to launch without conventional runways has been described as relevant for distributed operations, and while it is unclear whether Thanatos will share this capability, Kratos continues to refine its approach to autonomous system deployment.

The company's emphasis on manufacturing feasibility is also evident. Kratos has explored large-scale production capabilities for its drone systems, including the development of propulsion solutions in collaboration with GE Aerospace. A scalable production approach may play a role in enabling higher unit volumes if Thanatos is adopted for programs requiring larger fleets, such as the Air Force's projected acquisition of 1,000 uncrewed combat aircraft.

Although the specific capabilities and mission profile of Thanatos remain classified, its development appears to align with strategic objectives such as force multiplication, distributed operations, and the ability to operate in high-threat environments. As Kratos continues testing and integration, further information on the platform's systems and potential operational roles may emerge, particularly if it secures a contract under the CCA program or similar initiatives. The next phases of development are expected to involve testing payload capacities, validating AI systems, and completing operational evaluations.

https://www.armyrecognition.com/news/aerospace-news/2024/united-states-tests-kratos-thanatos-stealth-drone-for-autonomous-strike-and-intelligence-gathering-missions

[Harald]

Poland acquires General Atomics MQ-9B SkyGuardian in $310M deal

The SkyGuardian purchase comes months after Kosiniak-Kamysz announced the creation of a so-called "Drone Force," following the model that Ukraine created earlier this year.

Poland has signed off on a $310 million purchase of MQ-9B SkyGuardian drones from General Atomics.

Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz, Poland's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defense, signed the documents on Dec. 12.

While the agreement is the first purchase from Poland of the SkyGuardian — the name for General Atomics' Reaper — Warsaw has been operating similar drones since February 2023, when the country entered into a $70.6 million lease with General Atomics for MQ-9A Reapers.

Warsaw didn't initially disclose the number of systems purchased, but a Monday press release from GA-ASI announced Poland purchased three MQ-9Bs and two Certifiable Ground Control Stations (CGCS), as well as three years of GA-ASI's SkyGuardian Global Support Solutions.

https://breakingdefense.com/2024/12/poland-acquires-general-atomics-mq-9b-skyguardian-in-310m-deal/

[Harald]

Smarter MQ-1C Gray Eagle Is Getting Mojave's Short Field Capabilities

Gray Eagle STOL will pack the latest 25M suite of upgrades along with short takeoff and landing capabilities, allowing for rough field and carrier ops.



General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GA-ASI) has provided details on the latest iteration of its MQ-1C Gray Eagle uncrewed aerial system (UAS), specifically the Gray Eagle STOL, or Short Takeoff and Landing variant. The new version of the drone incorporates technology that was first demonstrated on the company-funded Mojave, a heavily armed drone descended from the Gray Eagle that was also designed to be ideally suited to operating from remote or austere locations with rough strips and limited logistical support. The new drone is also very clearly pitched toward the U.S. Army and foreign customers that need increase distributed operations — as evidenced in the concept art at the top of this story — dispersed operations in the Pacific specifically.

GA-ASI describes the Gray Eagle STOL as its "most rugged UAS design," although it's worth noting at this point that the basic MQ-1C Gray Eagle for the U.S. Army was already something of a design that put a premium on efficiency and usability. Derived from the Air Force's Predator, the Gray Eagle — originally known as the Warrior — was tailored for warfare in the Middle East, used a heavy-fuel piston engine instead of a turboprop, and was intended to be operated by a cadre of enlisted soldiers.

Further reducing the footprint in terms of logistics and crews, the MQ-1C was designed to take off and land automatically through secure line-of-sight links, before flying beyond-line-of-sight missions via satellite communications.

Enhancements for the MQ-1C soon followed, including an extended-range model with double the range and endurance, a test example staying aloft for nearly two days nonstop in a demonstration above Southern California.

Building upon the MQ-1C Gray Eagle, GA-ASI is now offering the Gray Eagle STOL, which emphasizes the ability to operate from unimproved surfaces or even ships at sea, thanks to its short takeoff and landing capability, which was previously proven using the Mojave, first flown in 2021.


GA-ASI's Mojave demonstrator during takeoff and landing trials on a dirt strip near El Mirage, California, on August 1, 2023

Using the Gray Eagle STOL, "commanders can choose virtually any bases of operation and take advantage of unconventional locations not normally affiliated with unmanned aircraft or aviation operations as an added level of survivability and surprise," GA-ASI asserts.

The Mojave's ability to take off and land in very short distances — including on dirt strips — is something we have reported on before. Its stated performance includes a takeoff run of 400 feet for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) missions, or 1,000 feet when armed with 12 Hellfire missiles. Other weapons options include the Dillon Aero DAP-6 Minigun, which has been live-fire tested from the Mojave at Army's Yuma Proving Ground.

Its STOL attributes also lend the Mojave to shipborne operations, as demonstrated during trials aboard the British aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales. The short-field performance is such that the Mojave can also conduct carrier-based operations, in certain configurations, without any need for a catapult to launch it or arresting gear during recovery.

This STOL performance has now been ported over to the Gray Eagle STOL, as C. Mark Brinkley, a General Atomics spokesman, described to TWZ.

"Mojave is simply a demonstrator model for our overall STOL concept, meant to show the possibilities afforded by our medium-altitude, long-endurance UAS when STOL capability is added. It's one-of-a-kind and was not designed to go into production as it is currently built. We continue to use it as a technology demonstrator and have some upcoming demos scheduled, as well as some public showings planned at various trade shows next year."

With that in mind, the Gray Eagle STOL also adds some features that were not found on the Mojave.

These include the various technologies introduced on another improved development of the MQ-1C, namely the Gray Eagle 25M (or GE 25M), first flown in December 2023.


Gray Eagle 25M

The Gray Eagle 25M was developed to provide the U.S. Army with the option to procure a more advanced version of the MQ-1C, which would incorporate various enhancements to better meet the demands of a future conflict, likely to be expeditionary peer conflicts rather than a counterinsurgency fight.

.../...

https://www.twz.com/air/smarter-mq-1c-gray-eagle-is-getting-mojaves-short-field-capabilities

[Harald]

Collaborative Combat Aircraft Program "Ingesting" Modular Chassis Concept Pioneered By XQ-67 Drone

The USAF is very interested in the idea of a common 'chassis' with landing gear and core systems that can equip different CCA airframes.

The U.S. Air Force says the once-secretive Off-Board Sensing Station (OBSS) drone program has been fully folded into the service's Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) effort. General Atomics has already disclosed that its current CCA design is derived from the XQ-67 drone it developed for OBSS.

The Air Force and General Atomics have done pioneering work on the idea of accelerating the development and production of different kinds of drones by using a common core 'chassis' that includes landing gear and critical mission and flight control computer systems through OBSS. It is now hoped that these concepts will be beneficial to future tranches of CCAs.

.../...

https://www.twz.com/air/collaborative-combat-aircraft-program-ingesting-modular-chassis-concept-pioneered-by-xq-67-drone

[Huzaar1]

Het is allemaal logisch. Ik zou alle investeringen in de F-35 gebruiken als transitieperiode naar volledig autonome fighters.

Het slaat over 5 jaar al nergens meer op om een piloot in zo'n ding te willen. Houdt de boel met zn afhankelijkheid van zuurstof, zicht en beperking met G krachten alleen maar tegen. En een piloot en life support eraf betekent ruimte voor munitie of brandstof erbij.

[Harald]

MQ-25 Stingray Tanker Drone Armed With Stealthy Anti-Ship Missiles Makes Perfect Sense

Arming MQ-25s with standoff weapons fits with the Navy's future air wing vision and would provide unique capabilities suited to a Pacific fight.



Boeing has displayed a model of its MQ-25 Stingray carrier-based tanker drone armed with a pair of stealthy Lockheed Martin AGM-158C Long-Range Anti-Surface Missiles (LRASM). While the MQ-25 is yet to achieve initial operational capability in its basic aerial refueling role, the appearance of the model is significant, as the U.S. Navy begins to look again at expanded missions for the drone.

.../...

https://www.twz.com/air/mq-25-stingray-tanker-drone-armed-with-stealthy-anti-ship-missiles-makes-perfect-sense

[Harald]

Boeing adapts carrier borne tanker for U.S. Air Force needs with MQ-25 land-based variant

Based on information reported by Aviation Week, Boeing has unveiled a new land-based variant of its MQ-25 autonomous tanker. The design, aimed at future U.S. Air Force refueling needs, expands on the U.S. Navy's carrier-based Stingray model.

Boeing's land-based MQ-25 boasts a 92-foot wingspan, 17 feet wider than its naval counterpart. This increased span, coupled with the elimination of wing-folding requirements, provides 40% more fuel capacity in the wings.

The MQ-25 land-based variant is specifically designed for operations in contested environments, addressing a critical capability gap in current aerial refueling strategies. These high-threat areas, potentially including regions near peer adversaries, pose significant risks to conventional tankers like the KC-46 due to advanced anti-air systems and long-range missiles.

Boeing's new design aims to penetrate these dangerous zones, extending the reach of U.S. air power. The autonomous nature of the aircraft reduces the risk to human operators, while its smaller profile may enhance survivability compared to larger tankers.


A key feature of this variant is its potential to refuel Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA), the Air Force's term for autonomous combat drones. This capability could significantly extend CCA mission durations and operational ranges, enhancing their effectiveness in future conflicts. Additionally, the MQ-25 variant maintains compatibility with Navy fighters equipped with probe-and-drogue refueling systems, offering cross-service flexibility.

The aircraft's ability to be refueled by KC-46 tankers before moving into higher-threat areas creates a tiered refueling strategy. This approach allows the Air Force to project power deeper into contested airspace while keeping more vulnerable assets at safer distances.

John Scudi, Boeing's acting MQ-25 advanced capabilities program manager, revealed the aircraft could serve multiple roles beyond refueling, including intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, airborne early warning, and electronic warfare.

The land-based variant retains the Stingray's fuselage, mission systems, and Rolls Royce AE 3007N engine. It features two additional 3,000-pound pylon stores, potentially accommodating refueling equipment or weapons systems.

Boeing officials report collaborating with the Air Force on this design, though it's not directly linked to the ongoing Next-Generation Aerial Refueling System analysis. The unveiling coincides with the Air & Space Forces Association's Air Space & Cyber Conference.

https://aviationweek.com/defense/aircraft-propulsion/boeing-unveils-land-based-mq-25-autonomous-tanker-design

[Harald]

Canada to acquire MQ-9B SkyGuardian Drones to monitor Arctic Ocean.

The Canadian government has confirmed its plans to enhance its technological presence in the Arctic by purchasing 11 high-tech drones from an American company for a total of $2.5 billion. These MQ-9B SkyGuardian drones, manufactured by General Atomics, will be based at 14 Wing Greenwood in Nova Scotia and 19 Wing Comox in British Columbia, with some of their missions also focusing on the Arctic.



Originally, the drones were to have their own advanced operational site in the Arctic to facilitate specific operations with two aircraft and maintenance personnel. However, this plan has been modified. The drones will now be deployed as needed at existing advanced operational bases in the Arctic, sharing space with other Royal Canadian Air Force planes. These bases will benefit from new or renovated hangars, integrated into NORAD's modernization efforts.

The Arctic environment poses particularly rigorous challenges for drone operations. Extreme conditions, with temperatures dropping to -35 degrees Celsius, isolated and icy runways, and limited satellite coverage, require specific adaptations. The transmission of flight instructions and surveillance data is crucial, and adapting the drones to these constraints has delayed delivery initially scheduled for 2025 to 2028.

In addition to environmental challenges, the lack of experience among Canadian military personnel in operating large drones has been noted as an additional obstacle. Nevertheless, the MQ-9B SkyGuardians are designed to be versatile, capable of carrying various weapons, including 250- and 500-pound bombs, as well as low-collateral-damage munitions, for both domestic and international missions.

In addition to surveillance and attack missions on international targets, the drones will play a crucial role in national sovereignty patrols, surveillance of major events, and information gathering during natural disasters.

A new $65 million command center is also under construction in Uplands, Ottawa, and is scheduled to be completed by 2028. This 6,000 square meter facility will house nearly 200 military personnel responsible for operating and controlling the drones. This announcement follows a controversy where the Canadian Forces and National Defence initially declared the location secret, although public documents later clarified and exposed the details of the project.

This investment in drone capabilities underscores Canada's commitment to maintaining its sovereignty in the Arctic while modernizing its defense capabilities in cooperation with NORAD's requirements, despite the daunting challenges posed by the Arctic environment.

The MQ-9B SkyGuardians are designed for long-endurance missions, capable of flying for over 28 hours over distances up to 7,200 kilometers. They will operate with a maximum take-off weight of 5,670 kilograms and can reach speeds of up to 390 km/h, with an operational ceiling of 13,500 meters. The fleet will include six remote cockpits, manned by pilots, sensor operators, and mission intelligence coordinators, allowing the Canadian Armed Forces to conduct extensive surveillance operations using a variety of sensors.

https://www.armyrecognition.com/news/aerospace-news/2024/canada-to-acquire-mq-9b-skyguardian-drones-to-monitor-arctic-ocean

[Harald]

GA-ASI teams with Lockheed Martin to develop net-enabled weapons capability for SeaGuardian

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc (GA-ASI) is collaborating with Lockheed Martin to provide a net-enabled weapons (NEW) capability for GA-ASI's MQ-9B SeaGuardian medium-altitude, long-endurance (MALE) unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), GA-ASI announced on 27 June 2024.

The addition of a NEW capability for SeaGuardian will bolster the intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance and targeting (ISR&T) capabilities of the aircraft.

The NEW technology provides expanded sensor targeting applications for the precision targeting of long-range weapons.

"The SeaGuardian's demonstrated persistence, coupled with its vast array of precision targeting sensors, enables more efficient kill chains, especially in contested environments," GA-ASI explained in a press release.

Using the SeaVue multi-role radar from Raytheon, GA-ASI's MQ-9B SeaGuardian UAV will effectively leverage Lockheed Martin's extensive NEW expertise to further refine targeting capabilities for future theatre deployments. Initial testing was completed on 5 June 2024, using F/A-18 fighters on the US Navy's W-289 test range in Southern California.

GA-ASI and Lockheed Martin have been developing Link 16 messages to communicate with weapons inflight using the SeaGuardian Systems Integration Lab (SIL) in preparation for overwater range test flights.

"This is a very important system attribute for SeaGuardian to enable naval long-range targeting concepts of operation against high-end threats at much less risk to manned platforms," GA-ASI president David R Alexander was quoted as saying in a GA-ASI press release. "We appreciate Lockheed Martin's support in helping us prove out the NEW technology, which is an important component of our ISR&T capability."

https://euro-sd.com/2024/07/major-news/39179/new-capability-for-seaguardian/

[Harald]

New Electronic Warfare Pod Turns Marine MQ-9 Reaper Into "A Black Hole"

The new electronic warfare and intelligence collection pod enables MQ-9 Reapers to be "mostly undetectable," according to the Marine Corps Commandant.



To keep its small fleet of MQ-9 Reaper drones relevant in a fight against a foe like China, the U.S. Marine Corps has added a pod designed to help shield it from enemy sensors and support friendly forces in the region at the same time.

The electronic warfare pod "can mimic, I'll be careful here, it can mimic things that are sent to it that it detects, turn it around and send it back," Gen. Eric M. Smith, the Commandant of the Marine Corps, told a Brookings Institution forum on Tuesday. "So it becomes a hole. A black hole. It becomes mostly undetectable."

The Reaper Defense Electronic Support System / Scalable Open Architecture Reconnaissance (RDESS/SOAR) pod gives the MQ-9s "the ability to somewhat disappear off of enemy radar," Smith added, declining to elaborate for security reasons because it is a classified device. Sensing an enemy's radar emissions and sending false signals back to the receiver is a core tenant of electronic warfare, one capability of many a system like this is likely to possess.

RDESS/SOAR was initially tested by the Air Force in 2021, but not much more has been heard about the pod until today. It is unclear when the Marines first fielded it.

According to General Atomics, which makes the pod, "it is a broad spectrum, passive Electronic Support Measure (ESM) payload designed to collect and geo-locate signals of interest from standoff ranges." That gives it the ability to collect enough data about the battlespace to better drive decisions while being far enough away from some kinds of enemy defenses to be able to survive.

It is a variant of the baseline Scalable Open Architecture Reconnaissance (SOAR) pod that enables the drone to detect enemy radar and communications emitters at standoff distances. It provides real-time targeting information which can be instantly disseminated for exploitation or stored for further analysis.

The 634-pound SOAR pod, mounted the Reaper can carry under its wing, was jointly developed by General Atomics and L3Harris.




.../...

https://www.twz.com/news-features/new-electronic-warfare-pod-turns-marine-mq-9-reaper-into-a-black-hole