DefenceTalkDuring an inspection visit to the People’s Liberation Army air force headquarters in Beijing on Monday, Xi, also chairman of the Central Military Commission, said the air force plays a decisive role in national security as well as military strategy, and he requested it to have balanced strength in defensive and offensive operations, PLA Daily […]https://www.defencetalk.com/chinas-xi-calls-for-joining-space-and-air-roles-59325/

DefenceTalkA US Air Force research team is in the process of beta-testing Google Glass headsets for possible utilization in battlefield scenarios. The BATMAN evaluation group at the US Air Force’s 711th Human Performance Wing is a highly-distinguished military research and development faction. According to VentureBeat, that unit is interested in Google Glass for its ability […]https://www.defencetalk.com/usaf-researchers-test-google-glass-for-combat-intelligence-missions-59296/

DefenceTalkNASA’s OSIRIS-REx program has successfully completed a comprehensive technical review of the mission and has been given approval to begin building the spacecraft, flight instruments and ground system. Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] is responsible for development of the spacecraft, which will be the first U.S. mission sent to a near-Earth asteroid to collect and return […]https://www.defencetalk.com/osiris-rex-asteroid-mission-passes-important-design-review-59282/

DefenceTalkNavy engineers are making final adjustments to a laser weapon prototype that will be the first of its kind to deploy aboard a ship late this summer. The prototype, an improved version of the Laser Weapon System (LaWS), will be installed on USS Ponce for at-sea testing in the Persian Gulf, fulfilling plans announced by […]https://www.defencetalk.com/all-systems-go-navys-laser-weapon-ready-for-summer-deployment-59273/

DefenceTalkRussian lawmakers have endorsed draft legislation to allow the country to set up a satellite navigation monitoring system in Nicaragua, a Cabinet committee said Tuesday. “The agreement is aimed at creating an organizational and legal framework for mutually beneficial partnership between Russia and Nicaragua in terms of exploring and using space for peaceful purposes,” the […]https://www.defencetalk.com/russian-lawmakers-approve-satellite-navigation-hub-in-nicaragua-59258/

DefenceTalkA Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP) satellite built by Lockheed Martin was successfully launched today at 7:46 a.m. from Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif. atop an Atlas V rocket. Lockheed Martin confirmed signal acquisition shortly after launch. DMSP-19 is the fourth Block 5D-3 version to be launched, and Lockheed Martin has produced more than 40 […]https://www.defencetalk.com/usaf-satellite-launched-today-will-improve-weather-prediction-59226/

DefenceTalkTo compensate the frustration over the endless search for missing the Malaysian airliner, Chinese scientists have doubled efforts to promote their project of a huge satellites network, which will enable Beijing to monitor the whole world. As the mission to find the passenger jet MH370 which disappeared off the radars on March 8 with 239 […]https://www.defencetalk.com/china-eyes-global-monitoring-network-of-surveillance-satellites-59216/

DefenceTalkChina’s President Xi Jinping questioned his US counterpart Barack Obama about reports that Washington had secretly tapped Chinese telecoms giant Huawei for years, a top security aide said Monday. “President Xi did raise that recent report in the context of their discussions on cyber-security,” Ben Rhodes, Obama’s deputy national security adviser, told a press briefing. […]https://www.defencetalk.com/chinas-xi-challenges-obama-on-telecoms-spying-report-59136/

DefenceTalkThe Bundeswehr, Rheinmetall and the Israel Aerospace Industries’ (IAI) ELTA Group have successfully tested the MASS and NavGuard ship protection systems. The trials took place under the aegis of the German Navy in Howachter Bay in the Baltic at the end of October 2013. Also taking part in the trials was 2 Company, 92 Mechanized […]https://www.defencetalk.com/germany-tests-new-mass-and-navguard-ship-protection-systems-59129/

DefenceTalkNATO said several of its websites were targeted in a “significant” cyber attack on Saturday that was claimed by Ukrainian hackers in what appeared to be the latest bout of virtual warfare linked to the country’s crisis. Spokeswoman for the military alliance Oana Lungescu said on Twitter that the websites had been hit by “a […]https://www.defencetalk.com/nato-websites-targeted-in-attack-claimed-by-ukrainian-hackers-59055/