Defense Systems

Other nations scramble to match US drone capabilities

U.S. military success with surveillance and attack drones has sparked a global race in which as many as 50 nations have purchased surveillance drones, and some also are trying to develop their own armed versions.

Defense Systems

Actress Mila Kunis accepts YouTube invite to Marine ball

Black Swan actress Mila Kunis saw Sgt. Scott Moore's invitation to the Marine Corps Ball online and couldn't help accepting.

Defense Systems

Rapidly spreading drone war raises many questions

The U.S. and British militaries haven't acknowledged it, but it looks like the first ever drone war might be taking place right under our noses. And it's leaving a lot of unanswered questions about the future of war.

Defense Systems

Army places initial order for JTRS ground radios

The Army has placed an initial production order with General Dynamics to deliver 6,250 Rifleman and 100 Manpack radios for use by soldiers at the tactical level.

Defense Systems

Army refines aerial layer at NIE exercise

Aerostat blimps and Shadow unmanned aircraft systems configured with Joint Tactical Radio System devices are being used in the Army's Network Integration Evaluation exercise as an aerial layer to extend a mobile, line-of-sight network to pass voice, video and data images.

Defense Systems

DOD wants to transfer $920M to support intell ops

The Defense Department has asked Congress for permission to shift more than $920 million to increase support for battlefield intelligence tools.

Defense Systems

Navy test replicates UAV landing on carrier

The successful test of a carrier touchdown of an F/A-18D surrogate aircraft, which replicated maneuvers of unmanned aerial vehicles, is another step closer to the 2013 goal of an autonomous landing of a UAV on an aircraft carrier, the Navy says.

Defense Systems

Senate questions need for two airship programs

The Army and the Air Force both have programs in the works for high-altitude, persistent surveillance airships, and the Senate Armed Services Committee wants to know the rationale for having seemingly duplicate programs under way.

Defense Systems

Navy, Marine Corps begin UAS cargo tests

The Navy and Marine Corps are moving forward on the first of two UAS tests.

Defense Systems

Drone attacks: Acts of war or old-fashioned policing?

While the United States says flying an unmanned aerial vehicle over a foreign nation is not necessarily an act of war, there is no doubt that a UAV attack committed by another government on U.S. soil would be seen as one.

Defense Systems

DOD rule would shield unclassified info from cyberattack

Military contractors would face new requirements for protecting unclassified information from cyberattack under a draft rule published June 29 in the Federal Register.

Defense Systems

Wireless-by-satellite venture might cause GPS interference

A wireless-by-satellite network start-up has been blocked from starting business by the FCC on the grounds that its planned operations could knock out 500 million GPS receivers used by the first responders, airlines and others.

Defense Systems

Air Force launches ORS-1 prototype satellite

The Air Force launched the ORS-1 prototype June 30 after a mere 30 months of development and testing.

Defense Systems

Panetta's agenda: Keep U.S. military strength intact

Incoming Defense Secretary Leon Panetta has stated publicly that he will not allow a gutting of the U.S. military by expected budget cuts.

Defense Systems

Hackers steal personal military data in Gannett breach

A breach of Gannett Government Media in early June resulted in the pilfering of personal data of members of the U.S. military, which is highly sought-after by cyber criminals.

Defense Systems

Gates' legacy lies in practical military tech

Defense Secretary Robert Gates, who leaves his Cabinet position June 30, spent most of his tenure popping the military's fantasy bubbles that inhibited durable technological and martial innovation.

Defense Systems

Hackers launch wave of attacks on al-Qaeda websites

Anonymous hackers have launched a series of sophisticated denial-of-service assaults on Islamic Jihadist websites that have crippled such groups' efforts to use the Internet as a communications medium.

Defense Systems

Air Force sensors might get new analysis job

At least one Air Force official wants to consider using sensors to do some of the initial data analysis before sending intelligence to analysts.

Defense Systems

Should the US and China have a cyber pow-wow?

Former U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger wants the U.S. and China to improve their cyber relations.

Defense Systems

Unmanned sailing vessel set for next sea trial

The latest prototype of the experimental Harbor Wing unmanned surface vessel will set sail this September from San Diego in a trial designed to further test its ability to conduct intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions.