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Military

14 Dec 2018

Img credit: sputniknews.com

The defence sector is forever changing and Russia’s new Peresvet laser weapon gives a terrifying glimpse into the future. Russia announced the launch amidst some controversy after the US threatened to withdraw from an arms treaty between the two military powerhouses. Could this be a coincidence? Many people think not. Chances are that it probably fits perfectly with Russia’s plans as tensions between the two countries have increased in recent times.

President Vladimir Putin already promised to deploy several high-tech weapons in the near future when he made his annual address to Russia’s Federal Assembly in March 2018. He wants the West to know that Russia is developing new weapons and should be considered a real force if a New Cold War erupts.

9 Nov 2018

Military vehicles and robots date as far back as WWI with small, remote-controlled and tracked, disposable explosive devices. WWII saw even more innovative designs with the Soviet Army developing full-sized remote-controlled tanks between 1930 and 1940. Even the Brits had a hand in remote controlled tanks with their Matilda MK2 Infantry tank, the ‘Black Prince’.

While nothing compares to modern day military vehicles and autonomous systems, our history is filled with incredible engineering feats. With so many different autonomous military vehicles and systems, we’re only focusing on a few of the standouts.

12 Oct 2018

The Farnborough Air Show in July 2018 featured several new projects, concepts and prototypes but one that stood out was the Tempest, UK’s new combat aircraft. A number of companies are involved with this project including BAE Systems, Rolls-Royce, Italy’s Leonardo and missiles expert MBDA. Reports suggests that the UK will invest £2bn in the project with the aim of a first flight in 2035.

There is no denying that the UK has been a leader in aerial combat for over a century with a wide range of skills and technology. This latest project sends a clear message that they are determined to make sure they remain at the top.

5 Oct 2018

BAE Systems has been a trusted supplier to the US Marine Corps for more than 70 years. Their most recent engineering accomplishment is the next-gen ACV 1.1 Amphibious Combat Vehicle. Set to replace the current range of Amphibious Assault Vehicles (AAVs), the new vehicle offers improved survivability.

This particular combat vehicle was designed from scratch to meet the real mission challenges of deploying Marines from ship to shore. The ACV 1.1 is a combination of the long history between BAE Systems’ amphibious legacy and Iveco Defence Vehicles’. Together, they have produced more than 30 000 multi-purpose armoured vehicles with the latest variant a certain standout.

21 Sep 2018

3D printing, often referred to as Additive Manufacturing (AM) is the sequential layering of materials using computers to create three-dimensional shapes. The process appears relatively simple as a 3D digital model of the item is created. This is done either through computer aided design (CAD) or using a 3D scanner.

The printer reads the design and “prints” successive layers of a medium, either liquid, powder, or sheet material. These are joined together or fused to create the final product or item. While the 3d printing process can sometimes be slow, it can create almost any shape which is particularly useful for geometrically complex components.

The future of construction lies with robots getting down and dirty while implementing 3D printing technology. And now, 3D printing has found yet another purpose with the US military building barracks using a large 3D printer.

14 Sep 2018

The future of aviation may be closer than we think thanks to an electric aircraft start-up company, Impossible Aerospace. One of their newly-designed electric drones is capable of flying non-stop for two hours. With $9.4 million in funding from Airbus and two Silicon Valley venture capital firms, electric drones are just the beginning.

Spencer Gore, CEO and founder of Impossible Aerospace, is a former Tesla battery engineer with invaluable industry experience. His vision is to transform aviation using electric drones as proof of concept. The plan is to make longer-range electric passenger aircraft with today’s low energy-density batteries. If all goes according to plan, the future looks bright for zero-emission passenger aircraft. We take a closer look at the technology and the young mastermind behind it all.

7 Sep 2018

Flying cars are once again a hot topic of discussion but this time it involves Metro Skyways, a subsidiary of Israel’s Urban Aeronautics (UA). The company has announced that they are going into the full-scale development of the CityHawk VTOL flying car. The first manned flights of this hybrid-powered six-seater will take place in 2021 followed by full FAA certification. They plan to convert the CityHawk to run on hydrogen fuel cells after the launch.

Urban Aeronautics Ltd has developed advanced aerodynamic technologies that form the basis of a new internal rotor (ducted fan) aircraft known as Fancraft™. They capitalise on their extensive portfolio through two subsidiary companies, Tactical Robotics Ltd and Metro Skyways Ltd. Both companies are developing unique Fancraft™ for specific markets. The CityHawk, wingless flying car with “land anywhere” technology is their latest project and looks impressive, to say the least.

10 Aug 2018

Plating services are important in any industry but particularly for the application in military vehicles.  The brave men and women in our armed forces are often required to place themselves in dangerous situations. For that reason, the quality of equipment and machinery they use could literally mean the difference between life and death. To protect our military personnel, the defence industry always ensures that they have the best products at their disposal.

13 Jul 2018

While the implications of robotic military vehicles on human society are yet to be fully realised, the technology is here and probably have been for longer than we think. Most recently an Estonian defence firm, Milrem, launched the world’s first modular unmanned ground vehicles (UGV) doubling as a tank-destroyer. The modular, multi-purposed vehicle intends to provide support for dismounted troops in the shape of a transport platform, remote weapon station, IED detection and a UAV carrier among others.

The race to build the perfect military vehicle is an ongoing slog-fest and defence contractors around the globe have their hands full. More specifically, tank designers and anti-tank weapon designers are constantly pushing the envelope for better technology.

29 Jun 2018

When you think of military vehicles, what comes to mind first? Traditionally, tanks and Humvees are always common but times have changed and will continue to do so. Advanced warfare and new technologies are major contributing factors influencing the types of military vehicles required in the future. Weight, speed, cost and armament all play pivotal roles.

Looking back at 2014, DARPA announced the launch of its Ground X-Vehicle Technology (GXV-T) program. In a nutshell, GXV-T aims at finding high-tech alternatives to normal armour plating. Success would result in tanks weighing much less, travel twice as fast while still protecting its occupants. The problem comes in with advancing technology as artillery designers keep making bigger anti-tank guns. This has generally been the case and in response, tank designers just add more armour.

One such example is America’s main battle tank, the M1A2 Abrams. It weighs an astonishing

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