The US Navy’s AN/SEQ-3 Laser Weapon System (LaWS) is currently installed on the USS Ponce for field testing and the system worked perfectly against low-end asymmetric threats. The commander of the Ponce is has also been given authorization to use the system as a defensive weapon if necessary. So far, it has publicly engaged an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV or drone) and a simulated small-boat attacker. Read more for a video and additional information.
There’s the V-22 Osprey, and then Bell’s V-280 Valor, a tiltrotor aircraft being developed by Bell and Lockheed Martin for the United States Army’s Future Vertical Lift (FVL) program. It’s designed for a cruising speed of 320 mph, a top speed of 350 mph, a range of 2,100 nautical miles and an effective combat range of 580 to 920 mi. Read more for a video and additional information.
Boeing has developed the Future Attack Reconnaissance Attack (FARA) Aircraft for the U.S. Army. This battle ready machine is a thrust compounded single-main rotor helicopter with a six-bladed rotor system, single engine, tandem seating and a modular, state-of-the-art cockpit with a reconfigurable large area display and autonomous capabilities. Read more for a video and additional information.
The U.S. Navy successfully installed the first Optical Dazzling Interdictor, Navy (ODIN), a laser weapon system that enables warships to counter unmanned aerial systems. The Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer USS Dewey (DDG 105) was the first ship to get one of these systems. The development, testing and production of ODIN was done by Navy subject matter experts at Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC) Dahlgren Division in support of Program Executive Office Integrated Warfare Systems. Read more for a video and additional information.
The Boeing AH-64 Apache is basically a twin-turboshaft attack helicopter with a tailwheel-type landing gear arrangement and a tandem cockpit for a crew of two, complete with a nose-mounted sensor suite for target acquisition and night vision systems. It comes armed with a 30 mm M230 chain gun carried between the main landing gear, under the aircraft’s forward fuselage, and four hardpoints mounted on stub-wing pylons for carrying armament and stores. Read more for a video and additional information.
Israel-based defense company Rafael’s new Drone Dome C-UAS system uses laser technology to identify and intercept moving targets, making it perfect for securing air space from hostile drones. This system includes electronic jammers as well as sensors that allow for neutralization of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), and it’s already fully operational being deployed worldwide. Read more for a video and additional information.
For those who don’t know, the Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker is a military aerial aircraft designed specifically for refueling missions. It’s the US Air Force’s first jet-powered refueling tanker, replacing the KC-97 Stratofreighter, and was initially tasked with refueling strategic bombers, but was used extensively in the Vietnam War and later conflicts such as Operation Desert Storm. Read more to see it refuel a B-2 in mid-air.
The US Navy has the twelve largest nuclear-powered fleet carriers in the world, capable of transporting around 80 fighter jets each; the total combined deck space is more than twice that of all other nations combined. In addition to the aircraft carrier fleet, they also have nine amphibious assault carriers that are used for carrying up to 20 F-35B Lightning II V/STOL fighter aircraft, as well as helicopters, and are similar in size to medium-sized fleet carriers, giving the United States 32 total active service carriers. Read more to see the precision required to land an aircraft on one of these warships.
The Boeing C-17 Globemaster III is essentially a large military transport aircraft that was developed for the United States Air Force (USAF) from the 1980s to the early 1990s by McDonnell Douglas. This aircraft typically performs tactical and strategic airlift missions, transporting troops and cargo throughout the world; additional roles include medical evacuation and airdrop duties. Read more for a video showing how it uses full reverse and spoilers to come to a complete step in under 1,000-feet.
The Sarcos Guardian XO powered exosuit turns normal humans into real-life terminators, enabling one to carry 200 additional pounds (91 kg) of payload, while lifting heavy objects for hours on end without physical strain or fatigue. While it may look complex, it only takes 30 seconds to step inside one and it responds in milliseconds to the operator’s movements for up to 8-hours on a full charge. A hot-swapping battery system lets you extend that time indefinitely. Read more for two videos and additional information.