April 24, 2018 | International, Land
By: Todd South
In case you weren't already terrified of robots that can jump over walls, fly or crawl, Army researchers are developing your next nightmare — a flexible, soft robot inspired by squid and other invertebrates.
And they want soldiers to be able to use 3D printers to make them on the battlefield.
The U.S. Army Research Laboratory and the University of Minnesota are developing materials that can be 3D printed based on the flexibility and nimbleness of invertebrates such as a squid, according to an ARL release.
Traditional materials are too rigid and limit certain types of movement that robots might require to get into “confined or restricted spaces,” said Ed Habtour, an ARL researcher.
The prototypes that Habtour and fellow ARL researchers developed gave 3D-printed actuators three times the movement as what's been tested before.
The material that they've used in their testing will bend in any direction when hit with electricity.
“In the initial phase of the project, our team began by investigating new methods for emulating the locomotion of invertebrates,” said Michael McAlpine, a professor at the University of Minnesota.
That helped researchers learn how to apply the natural movement of invertebrates like squids to produce “high bending motions without skeletal support,” McAlpine said.
Because the material doesn't have to be dried, heated or assembled, it would require little training and could be used for printable robots that soldiers could make and use whenever and wherever they're needed.
“If we can understand these interactions, then we can use those insights to fabricate dynamic structures and flexible robots which are designed to be self-aware, self-sensing and capable of adjusting their morphologies and properties in real time to adapt to a myriad of external and internal conditions,” Habtour said.
The material is still in early development stages, so don't expect to see a robot squid in the foxhole next to you tomorrow.
June 13, 2023 | International, Other Defence
The United States announced on Tuesday a new $325 million military aid package for Ukraine that will include munitions for air defense systems, ammunition and vehicles, the Pentagon said.
December 18, 2019 | International, Aerospace
WASHINGTON — BAE Systems Chief Executive Jerry DeMuro will hand over leadership to Tom Arseneault next year, the company announced Tuesday. Arseneault will transition from chief operating officer to CEO of the U.S. subsidiary of U.K.-based BAE Systems plc in April, with DeMuro taking on a newly created role of executive vice president of strategic initiatives. DeMuro will also continue to serve on the board of directors. “I think it is one of the primary responsibilities you have, as a CEO, to develop the talent,” DeMuro told Defense News when asked about succession planning in an exclusive interview Dec. 7, during the Reagan National Defense Forum. “And leadership succession, in particular CEO succession, isn't always smooth. I think this is a natural progression, making it smooth for our customers, our shareholders, all stakeholders and our employees. “It's just about progressing to that point where we on the board feel it's time to hand that baton off.” DeMuro has served as CEO since 2014, when he succeeded Linda Hudson. Among his key priorities during the last five years has been unifying a business primarily born out of acquisition. With Tom's April appointment, Jerry will transition to an advisory role, providing advice and counsel to leadership with both BAE Systems Inc. in the U.S. and BAE System plc in Europe on a number of priority programs. Within the scope of his responsibilities will be chairing the internal program reviews for several key international pursuits. He will also continue to advance the defense industry's positioning regarding evolving cybersecurity requirements. Arseneault, who in May also added “president” to his title and was elected to the company's board, is currently responsible for delivering business and functional performance across the company's three sectors. He's been with BAE for 22 years, having previously served as president of the company's electronic systems sector and executive vice president of the product sectors. “If you've been watching, we had him as the COO [chief operating officer] for several years. I also had him doing strategy and corporate development, and rounding out his portfolio" across the various business units, DeMuro said. “[I]t's just about getting him prepared, and making sure our stakeholders are comfortable.” BAE is currently in low-rate production for the U.S. Army's Armored Multi-Purpose Vehicle to replace the M113 armored personnel carrier and family of vehicles. It's also scheduled to deliver its prototype for the Mobile Protected Firepower vehicle program by 2021 — required ultimately to be a 105-120mm cannon and a tracked vehicle that can withstand a classified level of enemy fire. DeMuro has pointed to electronic warfare as another key priority area for the company, delivering capabilities to the F-35 and all other fifth-generation fighter jets, as well as precision-guided munitions and technologies that support space resiliency. Parent company BAE Systems in the U.K. ranked seventh on the Defense News Top 100 list of the largest defense companies in the world. Defense revenue has dropped from $25.45 billion in 2015 to $22.48 billion in 2018. The U.S. subsidiary oversees one of the companies largest operations from Arlington, Virginia. https://www.defensenews.com/industry/2019/12/17/bae-systems-to-get-new-ceo-in-april
January 13, 2021 | International, Aerospace, Naval, Land, C4ISR, Security
La ministre des Armées, Florence Parly, a déclaré, mardi 12 janvier, lors de son audition à l'Assemblée nationale, que son ministère a consommé les 37,5 milliards d'euros qui étaient prévus en loi de finances initiale pour 2020, malgré les perturbations induites par la crise sanitaire. Elle a également indiqué que le ministère des Armées a bénéficié de 800 millions d'euros de crédits dégelés en novembre, une « date qui n'avait jamais été aussi anticipée par rapport à la fin de l'année ». En 2021, le ministère doit présenter une actualisation de la loi de programmation militaire (LPM), dont la mise en œuvre devra intervenir avant la fin de l'année 2021. Cette actualisation doit notamment permettre de préciser l'évolution des effectifs pour les années 2024 et 2025 et de vérifier la bonne adéquation entre les objectifs fixés dans la LPM, les réalisations et les moyens consacrés. Florence Parly a précisé que ce processus doit aussi déterminer les menaces auxquelles la France risque d'être confrontée dans les années à venir. La Tribune du 13 janvier