Russia’s Kronshtadt Group, a subsidiary of Joint-Stock Financial Corporation Sistema, has unveiled a strike-capable variant of the Orion-E medium-altitude long-endurance unmanned aerial vehicle (MALE UAV). Continue reading
Category Archives: Military UAS
RQ-4B Global Hawk Accident Investigation Released
According to an Air Combat Command Accident Investigation Board (AIB) report released today, an RQ-4B Global Hawk that crashed June 21, 2017, near Lone Pine, California, broke up mid-air after experiencing issues with one of its navigational data devices/ navigators. This caused the RQ-4B to enter an unusual flight altitude and experience airspeeds that exceeded structural limitations, from which the aircraft could not recover. Continue reading
Bell Unveils V-247 Vigilant Tilt-Rotor Combat Drone
As the U.S. Marine Corps looks to move ahead with its multi-role, vertical landing and takeoff-capable drone program, known as MUX, Bell has unveiled a new, full-scale mock-up of its V-247 Vigilant unmanned tilt-rotor at a technology exposition at one of the service’s own bases. The company has been actively pitching the design as an option for MUX project, but it has a modular design that could make it appealing to other U.S. and foreign military services, as well. Continue reading
Blowfish VTOL UAV Enters Service with China People’s Liberation Army Navy
Officials from Chinese company Ziyan revealed at the Africa Aerospace and Defence (AAD) 2018 exhibition in South Africa on 19–23 September that the Blowfish I vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) has entered service with the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN). Continue reading
Serbia Confirms Procurement of Chinese UAVs
Serbian Deputy Defence Minister Nenad Miloradovic on 17 September confirmed that Serbia will buy unmanned combat aerial vehicles (UCAVs) from China. Continue reading
Reaper Scores First Air-to-Air Kill During USAF Trial
MQ-9 carrying an AIM-9X Sidewinder air-to-air missile
The US Air Force (USAF) scored the first air-to-air kill for the General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc (GA-ASI) MQ-9 Reaper unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) during trials late last year, the service disclosed on 19 September. Continue reading
Northrop Grumman Gets $65M US Navy Contract for Triton Support
Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., Linthicum Heights, Maryland, is awarded $64,800,000 for firm-fixed-price delivery order N0001918F2470 against a previously issued basic ordering agreement (N00019-15-G-0026). This delivery order provides for the low rate initial production 3 initial spares operational requirement to support organizational level maintenance for the MQ-4C Triton Unmanned Aircraft System Multi-Function Active Sensor (MFAS). Continue reading
MBDA Unveils Spectre Combat UAV Concept
MBDA in the United Kingdom has unveiled a new combat unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) concept designed to provide on-call, low-cost organic precision effects close air support for forward-deployed land forces. Continue reading