The 20th Attack Squadron locates and kill a terrorist command

The demand for UAVs to conduct armed overwatch missions to help protect United States forces, as well as their allies and partners, isn't going away, but exact the opposite: For the foreseeable future, the Reapers will continue to provide this invaluable service for American troops around the world, as you can see in a recently released video that includes a unique clip that an MQ-9 Reaper captured of militants firing a rocket-propelled grenade at a C-130 Hercules airlifter that was performing an air drop of cargo at relatively low altitude.

In the full video, the UAV's pilot and sensor operator, who later struck those hostile forces, also offer an interesting behind-the-scenes look at how the unmanned aircraft perform these kinds of armed overwatch missions. The Air Force's 432nd Wing at Creech Air Force Base in Nevada, one of the service's premier UAV units, posted the video on YouTube on Apr. 6, 2020. The pilot, 1st Lieutenant Russel, and the sensor operator, Airman First Class Ashley, both assigned to the 20th Attack Squadron, which itself is assigned to the 432nd, but is based at Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri, describe the event.

Predator A: 141.000 missions and more than 2.000.000 flight hours

Predator A did its first flight in July 1994 and its operational debut in 1995. Since then, more than 320 Predator A have been delivered to various customers in support of global security worldwide, and the product line remained in production until 2011.

The Predator A has flown about 141.000 missions and more than two million flight hours in total. More than 90 percent of those hours were flown supporting combat missions. Linden Blue, CEO of GA-ASI has said “With innovation in mind, we have always looked for ways to challenge the industry standard. Our Predator series has evolved over the past 25 years to become MQ-9 and Gray Eagle (MQ-1C), which are the world's most proven combat RPAs.”

GA-ASI won its first major award for the Predator A program in 1994 from the United States Office of Joint Programs, which was later transferred to the United States Air Force. In addition to the United States, Predator A was acquired by the Italian Ministry of Defense for the Italian Air Force, and later in a modernized version known as the Predator XP for the UAE (United Arab Emirates).

Predator A established the GA-ASI legacy of offering a long-lasting multi-mission UAV with integrated sensors and data link systems for persistent knowledge of the situation and fast attack capabilities. The Predator series continues to stand out in combat environments and in conducting civil surveillance missions. David R. Alexander, president of GA-ASI, said “We are proud of our long and distinguished history of support for the combatant. From Predator A to Predator B, Gray Eagle, Avenger® and their various mission configurations, our aircraft and payload systems continue to respond to the changing mission requirements of the US military and civilian users, and from allied countries."

Throughout its 25-year history, the Predator series fleets have flown nearly six million flight hours. GA-ASI is developing the new version of the series, MQ-9B SkyGuardian, that meets the airworthiness certification and air traffic management requirements that will allow the UAV to operate in the NAS (National Airspace System).

Somalia: UAV airstrikes against al-Shabaab

A United States airstrike targeting al-Qaeda affiliate al-Shabaab in Somalia killed four people and destroyed a car bomb near Mogadishu on Wednesday, December 27, the U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) said in a statement: “In coordination with the Federal Government of Somalia, U.S. forces conducted an airstrike against al-Shabaab militants in the early evening hours of Dec. 27, 2017, approximately 25 kilometers west of the capital [Mogadishu], killing four (4) terrorists and destroying one vehicle-borne improvised explosive device, preventing it from being used against the people in Mogadishu,” Africom said in a Thursday statement.

On December 24, an airstrike targeting al-Shabaab in southern Somalia killed 13 people. On December 15, an airstrike 30 miles northwest of Kismayo killed eight people. Three days earlier, on December 12, a U.S. airstrike targeted an al-Shabaab car bomb near Mubarak, 65 kilometers (40 miles) from Mogadishu. On November 27, Africom targeted Abnaa ul-Calipha in northeastern Somalia. A week earlier, the command said an airstrike killed more than 100 al-Shabaab militants 125 miles northwest of Mogadishu. On November 15, Africom said a drone strike about 60 miles north Mogadishu killed “several” al-Shabaab militants. Four days earlier, Africom said it struck al-Shabaab in the Bay region, about 100 miles west of Mogadishu.

The strike is the latest in an increasing number of U.S. airstrikes against al-Shabaab and Abnaa ul-Calipha, Islamic State’s affiliate in Somalia.

Industry 4.0 and the Evolution of Small, Smart, and Cheap Weapons

Dramatic improvements in Robotics, AI (Artificial Intelligence), AM (Additive Manufacturing, also known as 3D Printing), and Nanoenergetics are dramatically changing the character of conflict in all domains.

The convergence of these new and improving technologies is creating a massive increase in capabilities available to smaller and smaller political entities — extending even to the individual.

This increase provides smaller powers with capabilities that used to be the preserve of major powers. Moreover, these small, smart, and cheap weapons based on land, sea, or air may be able to dominate combat.

This new diffusion of power has major implications for the conduct of warfare and national strategy. Because even massive investment in mature technology leads to only incremental improvement in capabilities, the proliferation of many small and smart weapons may simply overwhelm a few exceptionally capable and complex systems.

The advances may force the United States to rethink its procurement plans, force structure, and force posture. The diffusion of power will also greatly complicate U.S. responses to various crises, reduce its ability to influence events with military force, and should require policymakers and military planners to thoughtfully consider future policies and strategy.

(Read more...)

¿Can 3D Printing get married with traditional technologies?

More and more, Additive Manufacturing is now seen as a complementary technology, as witnessed by the increased in hybrid printers that combine 3D Printing and CNC machining.

Now, Stratasys, one of the leading players in the 3D printing industry, is sharing some of that expertise via a new whitepaper titled "How Additive and Traditional Manufacturing Mix".

The whitepaper is free to download from 3dprint.com after you fill out a brief form, by clicking here: https://3dprint.com/stratasys-how-additive-and-traditional-manufacturing-mix/.

Trump may take a hard line with Pakistan

Even though the US Government was unable to defeat the Taliban with 100.000 troops in the country, apparently Trump thinks that by taking a harder line with Pakistan and sending a few thousand more troops to Afghanistan he is going to pressure the Taliban into making peace.

The result will probably be for Pakistan to create more difficulties for the US Government in Afghanistan and also a point blank refusal to allow any drone attacks, as a majority of the Pakistani public would support such a move. However, the United States claims that the Pakistani spy agency the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) has ties to the Haqqani network of militants who are thought to be responsible for some deadly attacks in Afghanistan. The Afghan Government too has accused Pakistan as giving safe haven to the militants. Pakistan Government denies this, as they have lost about 7.000 of its security forces and about 22.000 civilians as a result of militant activity since 2003.

There are some within the US Government and in various think tanks who do not consider Pakistan an ally at all:

• The Pentagon designated the Haggani network that Pakistan is alleged to support, as "terrorist organization" in 2012.
• Navy Admiral Mike Mullen, a top U.S. military officer, told the U.S. Congress in 2011 that the Haqqani net was a veritable arm of the Pakistani ISI.
• David Sedney, who was Obama's deputy assistant secretary of defense for Afghanistan from 2009 to 2013, claims that Obama's attempt to make Pakistan a strategic partner failed miserably and said that it made Pakistan's behavior even worse.

But this appears very one-sided: Pakistan in effect allowed UAV attacks on its territory in the face of tremendous political opposition. It also eventually carried out military operations in the territories that were quite costly in casualties for their security forces.

The U.S. has given considerable aid to Pakistan since 2002: $33 billion and that included Coalition Support Funds (CSF) that is meant to reimburse allies that incurred costs in supporting counter-insurgency operations. Pakistan did incur heavy costs in its operations in conflicts with various militant groups in the tribal areas of north-west Pakistan. However, the U.S. argues that Pakistan has failed to take action against the Haqqani network and last year withheld $300 million in CSF funding to Pakistan. US officials say the Trump administration may do the same... But also warns that moves such as this would encourage China to invest even more than the $60 billion it has already invested in Pakistan.

India to Purchase 22 Predator

According to The Diplomat, the Indian Government had expressed interest in purchasing an unarmed naval variant of the Predator already before 2015. However, the United States rejected India’s request because the country was neither member of the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) nor did it enjoy Major Defense Partner (MDP) status.

Now, the US Government has approved the deal, which is valued at over $2 billion. The deal, still pending congressional approval, would be the first such purchase by a country that is not a member of the NATO alliance. With these new UAVs, India seeks to protect its maritime assets, in particular in the Indian Ocean, and detect intrusions on a real-time basis.

Next to the threat of terrorism emerging from the maritime domain, India has been in particular concerned about the growing Chinese naval presence in the Indian Ocean.

UAVs keep dropping drugs and porn into prisons

A new report from USA Today found that UAVs have been used more than a dozen times to fly contraband into federal prisons over the last five years, as scattered reports suggest the smuggling operations have proven popular.

Local news reports from not just the United States but around the world have brought other instances to light over the past few years. In 2014, police in Australia said a UAV was employed for a planned drug smuggling operation. Later that year, there was another incident in South Carolina, where a UAV crashed while attempting to deliver weed.

And the list goes on: in 2015, a UAV-delivered drug package sparked a fight in an Ohio facility. That year, in yet another incident, two people were arrested for trying to smuggle contraband using a UAV. The paper writes that Justice Department documents showed attempts to smuggle cellphones, drugs, and porn into the federal facilities, although the tally almost certainly undercounts possibly successful attempts, as well as smuggling done in state facilities.

Understandably, officials are now wondering what to do about the problem. In April, the United Kingdom announced a new squad dedicated to combating the issue. The US Bureau of Prisons, meanwhile, has posted requests for technology that could be used to stop UAVs near facilities. While it’s likely impossible to get a full count of incidents, it does seem clear that the smuggling operations can sometimes be lucrative. Prosecutors in one recent case said a smuggler had been making $6,000 per drop.

Global Defense Robotics Industry 2017 Market Research

Global Defense Robotics Industry 2017 Market Research Report is a professional and in-depth research report on the world’s major regional market conditions of the Defense Robotics industry, focusing on the main regions and the main countries (United States, Europe, Japan and China).

The report introduces Defense Robotics basic information, including definition, classification, application, industry chain structure, industry overview, policy analysis, and news analysis, etc. Key Manufacturers profiled in this research are Honeywell Aerospace (US), BAE Systems Plc. (UK), iRobot Corporation (US), Thales SA (France), QinetiQ Group Plc (UK), QinetiQ North America, Inc. (US), AAI Corporation (US), Allen-Vanguard Corporation (Canada), Cassidian (Germany), Cobham Plc. (UK), General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc. (US), Northrop Grumman Corporation (US), The Boeing Company (US) and Ultra Electronics (UK).

Complete report on the Defense Robotics Market Research Report spread across 119 pages, profiling 14 companies and supported with 125 tables and figures is now available at:

http://www.deepresearchreports.com/contacts/inquiry.php?name=501288 

USA vs China

The China Foreign Air Reconnaissance Force has gained rapid development in the past ten years, counting actually with 154 aircrafts for electronic reconnaissance, maritime security, new series of electronic reconnaissance aircraft, AWACS air marshals series, and various types of remote long endurance UAVs.

Regarding the United States, in the Asia Pacific area they have a strong forward deployed air reconnaissance force with more than 100 ISR manned aircrafts, and about 250 different types of high-end ISR UAVs. Also, they have E-3 AWACS, E-8 joint stars and joint surveillance target attack radar systems, RC-135 electronic reconnaissance aircrafts, RC-12 series aircrafts, P-3C and P8 anti submarine patrol aircrafts, U-2 high-altitude reconnaissance aircrafts and 21 RQ-4A aircrafts.

Also, both powers have command and reconnaissance systems that can meet operational requirements: optical and radar survey and reconnaissance satellites, electronic reconnaissance and high speed photographic reconnaissance systems, mapping systems, database systems, command and combat mission planning systems, and many other systems. Therefore, it is evident there are fierce reconnaissance and anti reconnaissance confrontation between both potential enemy countries.

¿Why are both superpowers investing so much in reconnaissance and counter-reconnaissance systems? ¿May be certain the hypothesis of a future war between United States and China? The time will say it.

Significant Aspects of the FAA’s Drone Rules

The Federal Aviation Administration has released its much anticipated Part 107 rules, which cover the use of drones for non-recreational purposes in the U.S. airspace system. The Part 107 rules are based on a document called the Notice of Proposed Rule-making (NPRM), which was released in February 2015. (Read more)

US To double Drones in Afghanistan

For the Pentagon, it seems, drones are invaluable: The United States is looking to reduce its man presence in Afghanistan, and instead “the Air Force aims to double the number of drone squadrons over the next five years,” the Hindustan Times reports. Drones are already a major presence in Afghanistan in particular, and in US missions around the world at large. “In the wars we fight, this is the future,” said drone pilot Lt. Shaw, who operates out of the US Air Force drone base in the southern Afghan city of Kandahar. The US doesn’t release detailed statistics of drone involvement in Afghanistan, but it is clear that they play a major role in operations in the country. (Read more)

UAVs para desastres naturales: La revolución electrónica humanitaria

El empleo de UAVs para intervenir en las crisis puede sorprender a más de uno: en general se considera que los drones son un gran adelanto para las operaciones de defensa y obtención de información, y los últimos avances han permitido recientemente su despliegue también en las regiones asoladas por catástrofes. (Seguir leyendo)

¿What could a Terror-Drone do to a passenger jet?

A collision between a passenger jet and a drone has left the plane undamaged but the aviation industry deeply shaken: ¿What could a terror-drone do to a plane? ¿How many drones are out there? ¿How many incidents involving drones have there been?  ¿What are the rules? ¿What can be done to cut the risk? The incident brings attention to the number of unregulated drones in the sky and the potential for a terror-attack. (Read more)

Funded Research: Additive Manufacturing for UAV Restoring

The capability of the Additive Manufacturing (AM) for rapid manufacturing of complex-shape and fully functional UAV parts directly in the battlefield, without rough post-processing, is such an exciting possibility that cannot be matched by any traditional manufacturing technologies.

The objective of this funded proposal is to establish a multiphysics computational framework and tool to predict the residual stresses and temperature map in the damaged key-parts of  UAVs that are rapidly restored using AM without disassembling the parts from the system.

Although the proposed research will focus on utilizing AM for restoring the damaged parts, it can be also used for on-demand and customized manufacturing of the whole parts directly from the digital blue-prints; thus, the proposed research will enhance the utilization of AM for this purpose too.

(More info: http://www.memphis.edu/fedex/drones/research2016.php)

Siria: Abatido Junaid Hussain

Ayer miércoles 26 de Agosto se ha difundido la noticia del fallecimiento en Raqqa (Siria) del ciudadano británico Junaid Hussain, de 21 años, y dos de sus guardaespaldas, tras el ataque llevado a cabo desde un Reaper contra el vehículo en el que viajaban.

Nacido en Birmingham, hacía el numero tres en la lista de objetivos del Pentágono por detrás de Jihadi John (nombre de guerra Mohammed Emwazi) y de Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. su triste fama se remonta al año 2012, cuando el grupo de piratas informaticos "Team Poison" logró acceder al ordenador personal de Tony Blair, tras lo cual extrajeron información confidencial que difundieron posteriormente. 

Las investigaciones llevaron a la detención de Junaid Hussain, que fue condenado ese mismo año a seis meses de prisión. Tras cumplir condena, viajó a Siria para unirse al ISIS como ciberexperto, coordinando desde allí las actividades de guerra cibernética adoptando el nombre de Abu Hussain al-Britani. Entre otras actividades, se baraja la posibilidad de que fuese el autor del robo de contraseñas de acceso a las cuentas del US Central Command en Twitter y YouTube, tras lo cual difundieron a través de ellas mensajes pro-Isis.

También se le apunta como autor de ataques durante este año a diversas webs en Île-de-France y a las cuentas en Twitter del semanario Newsweek y del International Business Times. Tambien se le apunta como autor material de robos de dinero mediante transferencias efectuadas gracias a su destreza. Frecuente usuario de las redes sociales, amenazó en repetidas ocasiones a traves de ellas con izar la bandera del ISIS en el 10 de Downing Street y en la Casa Blanca.

Se le apunta asimismo como responsable de la radicalización online de los dos terroristas que el pasado mes de Mayo abrieron fuego en Garland (Texas) contra un concurso público de caricaturas de Mahoma. Más concretamente, se sabe que Hussain estuvo en contacto con uno de los terroristas antes del ataque, y que pocos minutos después del ataque difundió públicamente a través de Twitter felicitaciones a los autores del ataque. Tambien se le apunta como autor de un plan fallido para atentar en Londres durante un desfile militar, el pasado mes de Junio.

Estaba casado con la cantante punk Sally Jones, de 45 años, con la que tenía un hijo. Ella y su hijo viajaron asimismo a Siria, y en la actualidad se sabe que ha adoptado el nombre de guerra de Umm Hussain Al-Britani, y se sospecha que dirige una brigada femenina del ISIS. 

Estados Unidos permitirá la exportación de UAVs capaces de ser armados

El coro de voces que vienen desde años pidiendo al gobierno de Obama un cambio en su política de exportación de UAVs ha venido incrementando su presión en los últimos años, argumentando que carece de sentido prohibir la venta de un sistema Predator para misiones ISR a un país que ya cuenta con aviones F-16. Finalmente han conseguido su objetivo, y el pasado 17 de Febrero ha sido aprobada una enmienda a la normativa que regula el comercio exterior de aviones no tripulados para uso militar. La enmienda surge en este caso como consecuencia del interés que la administración Obama está poniendo en equipar a sus aliados al objeto de asumir mayores responsabilidades en la guerra global contra el terrorismo, y si bien contempla como hasta ahora condiciones estrictas para la venta o transferencia de UAVs armados, permite sin embargo su exportación a países aliados pero sólo cuando vayan encaminadas a la "mejora de sus capacidades operativas". 

MQ-1 Predator para lucha antiterrorista

Según ha informado el diario NY Daily News, haciéndose eco de fuentes policiales afganas, un misil lanzado hace unas horas desde un UAV de combate MQ-1 Predator ha alcanzado a seis personas, entre ellas al Mulá Abdul Rauf, subjefe del ISIS en Afganistán.

Según la policía afgana, Rauf circulaba en un vehículo junto con otras cinco personas en el momento del ataque. No se han dado más detalles del suceso.

David del Fresno

 

Orientación y Asesoría en Impresión 3D y Manufactura Aditiva

 

http://daviddft.wix.com/david-del-fresno

Piloto de UAV: Una profesión con mucho futuro

En un campo cercano a la Playa de Daytona (Florida, USA) unos estudiantes realizan vuelos de prueba con UAVs.

Nada excepcional, si no fuese porque se trata de estudiantes de la Universidad Embry-Riddle, realizando ejercicios prácticos para graduarse como pilotos profesionales de UAV.

Embry-Riddle es una más dentro de un pequeño pero creciente grupo de escuelas y universidades norteamericanas que está ofreciendo una amplia gama de programas enfocados al diseño y manejo de UAVs. Las escuelas han puesto en marcha estos programas ya que se espera una creciente oferta de puestos de trabajo cuando la Administración Federal de Aviación apruebe el reglamento de UAVs para uso civil.

“Hemos visto un enorme interés por el grado en UAVs" afirma Alex Mirot, profesor de la Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. “En los tres años que llevamos impartiendo el programa, se han graduado unos 230 nuevos pilotos.” Por su parte, Steven Gitlin, vicepresidente de marketing y comunicación de AeroVironment, se muestra optimista al respecto: “El mercado civil de UAVs puede ser mucho más grande que el mercado militar. El pasado año hemos contratado a unas 50 personas y prevemos aumentar la plantilla n otras 50 personas durante el año en curso.”

AeroVironment fabrica UAVS que se utilizan principalmente para aplicaciones ISR en el campo militar y policial, pero que están encontrando cada vez más demanda por parte de profesionales del sector agrícola, que los utilizan para llevar a cabo la observación aerea de sus explotaciones, al objeto de conocer con precisión las zonas donde hay que regar más, o donde hay que volver a rociar pesticidas, cualesquiera otras aplicaciones de precisión. Sin embargo, “Prevemos que la demanda de UAVs aumente asimismo en aplicaciones relacionadas con la minería y la preservación de la fauna salvaje” afirma Gitlin.

Por su parte, la Asociación Internacional de Sistemas No Tripulados (AUVSI) estima que una vez que se aprueben las normas de la FAA para el uso de aviones no tripulados en el ambito civil, podrían facturarse cifras en torno a 13 billones de dólares durante los primeros tres años, que podrían aumentar hasta los 82 billones de dólares en 2025. El resultado será la creación de más de 100.000 nuevos puestos de trabajo que estarían remunerados con un salario mínimo anual estimado en torno a 40.000 dólares.

David del Fresno

Orientación y Asesoría en Impresión 3D y Manufactura Aditiva

http://daviddft.wix.com/david-del-fresno

Campaña de la FAA sobre el uso civil de UAVs

Ante el desconcierto actual que reina entre los usuarios norteamericanos de UAVs para uso civil, y a la espera del reglamento definitivo que se prevé para 2017, la FAA está divulgando un vídeo donde se explican de manera intuitiva las normas básicas que regulan actualmente estas actividades en los Estados Unidos.

David del Fresno Consultores

Asesoría estratégica en Impresión 3D

http://daviddft.wix.com/david-del-fresno