DefenceTalkKANDAHAR AIRFIELD, Afghanistan: Airmen assigned to the 62nd Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron provide world-class close air support and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance in the Afghanistan area of operations. They complete this mission by maintaining, launching and recovering all MQ-1B Predators and MQ-9 Reapers in the country from Kandahar and Jalalabad Airfields. “MQ-1s and MQ-9s account for […]https://www.defencetalk.com/reapers-predators-on-the-prowl-in-afghanistan-65146/

DefenceTalkFORT HOOD, Texas: Selected units received an upgrade to their Raven unmanned aerial systems during an initiative here last week. The upgrade, dubbed the Raven Gimbal, is a new payload for the Raven R-11B Small Unmanned Aircraft System – a small, hand-launched reconnaissance and surveillance tool. “The Gimbal system replaces the old, fixed camera, where […]https://www.defencetalk.com/troopers-receive-new-raven-uas-camera-upgrade-65114/

DefenceTalkAeroVironment, Inc. today announced it has received a contract from the United States Army totaling $3.4 million for RQ-11B Raven unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) to supply the Spanish Ministry of Defense via the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program. Raven is the most widely used UAS in the world today. It is designed for rapid deployment […]https://www.defencetalk.com/us-army-contract-rq-11b-raven-uavs-spanish-army-65099/

DefenceTalkThe Pentagon’s Missile Defense System is working on plans to develop a high-altitude, long-endurance drone armed with a compact, electrically powered laser capable of shooting down ballistic missiles. The original Airborne Laser Testbed (ALTB) was a Boeing 747 with a crew and tanks of toxic chemicals to generate power. That Pentagon mothballed the aircraft in […]https://www.defencetalk.com/us-missile-defense-agency-developing-laser-drone-65047/

DefenceTalkNorthrop Grumman Corporation (NOC) successfully demonstrated mission management control features that create more unmanned aircraft system (UAS) versatility and efficiencies. During a series of high-altitude, long-endurance RQ-4 Global Hawk demonstrations, the UAS seamlessly responded to external requests to dynamically alter its route of flight and sensor functionality, thereby breaking the one-user to one-vehicle paradigm. “Northrop […]https://www.defencetalk.com/northrop-demos-new-capabilities-in-uav-mission-management-systems-64989/

DefenceTalkHackers’ arsenal was beefed up with a drone armed with weapons to crack into wireless computer networks at close range, whether they be in skyscrapers or walled compounds. David Jordan of US-based Aerial Assault was at an infamous Def Con hacker gathering on Sunday, showing off a drone that could be dispatched on missions to […]https://www.defencetalk.com/aerial-assault-drone-is-armed-with-hacking-weapons-64957/

DefenceTalkBritain’s defence forces should spend more of their budget on spy planes, drones and covert forces to fight extremist militants, Prime Minister David Cameron said on Monday. The government last week announced it would meet the minimum defence spending target set by NATO of two percent of gross domestic product for the full five years […]https://www.defencetalk.com/british-military-should-focus-on-drones-spy-tech-cameron-64892/

DefenceTalkThe U.S. Army Research Laboratory, or ARL, has been exploring the tactical reconnaissance vehicle, or TRV, concept for nearly nine months and is evaluating the hoverbike technology as a way to get Soldiers away from ground threats by giving them a 3-D capability. The Army is interested in this disruptive technology because it has the […]https://www.defencetalk.com/tactical-reconnaissance-vehicle-project-eyes-hoverbike-for-defense-64804/

DefenceTalkWashington: Drones will not be flying over Washington under strict security measures for the US Independence Day holiday weekend, the Federal Aviation Administration said Tuesday. Following terror strikes in France, Tunisia and Kuwait, authorities issued an alert ahead of the weekend that usually draws thousands to the US federal capital for fireworks and picnics. “We […]https://www.defencetalk.com/no-drones-in-washington-for-july-4-holiday-64759/

DefenceTalkUsing existing technology, a team of Air Force intelligence experts have developed a new Web-based program that saves lives and money, while enhancing the “eyes in the sky,” the centerpiece of the $80 billion remotely piloted aircraft industry. On June 24, the innovators received the U.S. Geospatial Intelligence Foundation Achievement Award for developing the Surveillance […]https://www.defencetalk.com/us-air-force-uses-web-based-remotely-piloted-aircraft-application-64741/