Photo credit: Crown Copyright
There’s mosquito-zapping laser weapons, and then the UK’s DragonFire, a powerful 50-kW class laser that until now has been classified. This solid-state laser is made from bundles of doped glass fibers with their output turned into a single beam.
North American Wave Engine Corporation successfully demonstrated their unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) with no moving parts. That’s right, power comes from a 50+ lbf (222+ N) thrust wave engine, complete with remote instant start on liquid fuel.
Kratos’ Thanatos is designed for long range missions, while Teledyne DLIR’s Black Hornet 4 nano drone tackles more stealthy operations. Weighing just 70 grams, it can fly for more than 30-minutes on a full charge and in up to 25-knot (28.7 mph) winds.
The Air Force Research Laboratory’s (AFRL) Aerospace Systems Directorate successfully flew General Atomics’ XQ-67A uncrewed air vehicle on Feb. 28, 2024, at the General Atomics Gray Butte Flight Operations Facility near Palmdale, California.
Why bother with Exosonic’s Air Force One concept, when the Hermeus Quarterhorse is in development? This hypersonic aircraft is reportedly capable of flying at 5-times the speed of sound.
Anduril’s Roadrunner and Roadrunner-M drones are completely autonomous, with the ability to be customized for various missions. First up, Roadrunner has a modular, twin-jet powered design with vertical takeoff and landing capability, which gives it the flexibility to rapidly launch from any location.
Mehler Protection unveils the ExoM Up-Armored Exoskeleton, offering ballistic protection up to VPAM 8, or the ability to withstand being hit by three 7.62 × 39-mm rounds (AK-47) fired from a distance of 33-feet.
The UK Armed Forces successfully tested their DragonFire Laser Directed Energy Weapon (LDEW) system against aerial targets. This laser weapon is capable of delivering a high power laser over long ranges with unmatched precision equivalent to hitting a £1 coin from a kilometer (0.62 miles) away.
Photo credit: Sgt. 1st Class Luisito Brooks (Left) / Staff Sgt. Oscar Gollaz (Right)
As 2023 comes to a close, the US Army reflects on some of the highlights captured by their own soldiers. First (left), we see the U.S. Military Academy’s Parachute team performing exercises with the 2nd Battalion, 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne). Next (right), army mortarmen assigned to the 1st Battalion, 506th Infantry Regiment ‘Red Currahee’ fire an M120A1 120mm towed mortar system.