January 18, 2021 | International, Aerospace

China’s WJ-700 Armed Reconnaissance Drone Completes Maiden Flight

China's new WJ-700 high-altitude, long-endurance and high-speed armed reconnaissance drone successfully completed its maiden flight earlier this week.

The “rare type” drone is capable of executing both attack and reconnaissance missions in China, according to a statement the Third Academy of the state-owned arms firm China Aerospace Science and Industry Corp (CASIC) sent to the Global Times.

First unveiled at Airshow China in 2018, the WJ-700 is expected to have a maximum take-off weight of 3,500 kg, with a maximum endurance of 20 hours.

It is capable of performing air-to-surface precision strikes in multiple situations such as stand-off ground attacks, anti-ship, and anti-radiation attacks, the statement said, noting that it will “create a new pattern for drone combat.”

China wants to begin selling the drones to domestic and international market needs in the next five to 10 years.

Compared to other popular drones, the distinguishing characteristic of the WJ-700 is its large size, meaning it has an outstanding payload capacity that allows it to carry larger munitions like anti-ship missiles and stand-off weapons that enable the drone to launch attacks from outside of an enemy anti-aircraft fire coverage zone, Wei Dongxu, a Beijing-based military expert, said.

Key tactical and even strategic battlefield hubs, including radar installations, warships and command centers could be targets of the WJ-700, analysts said.

The WJ-700 could deliver diverse combat missions in high-threat battlefield environments with its precision combat and wide-area reconnaissance and surveillance capabilities. After completing various system-level tests and verifications, it will be officially put into combat applications, the academy said.

https://www.defenseworld.net/news/28768#.YAXP_-hKiUk

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September 9, 2019 | International, Aerospace

Eurofighter Typhoon defensive aids sub-system enhancement study contract awarded
The EuroDASS consortium, which comprises Leonardo, Elettronica, Indra and Hensoldt, will spend 18 months exploring future upgrades for the Eurofighter Typhoon's world-class electronic warfare system. The Praetorian Defensive Aids Sub System (DASS) is highly-regarded by users and has kept Eurofighter Typhoon crews safe throughout peace-keeping operations in Libya and Syria. The study will support the ability of the Eurofighter Typhoon's defences to keep pace with new technology and techniques employed by rapidly-developing threat systems. Leonardo, on behalf of the EuroDASS consortium, has received a contract from BAE Systems that will see the consortium explore the future of the Eurofighter Typhoon's ‘Praetorian' Defensive Aids Sub System (DASS). The ‘Praetorian Long Term Evolution (LTE)' study will lay the groundwork for future development work which will ensure that the Typhoon's Electronic Warfare system will remain one of the most advanced in the world for decades to come. The contract is a key part of the wider Eurofighter Typhoon LTE study, which aims to identify a suite of technology enhancements for the Eurofighter Typhoon's weapons system infrastructure and propulsion to provide a clear road map for the future of the platform. The Praetorian DASS is provided by the EuroDASS consortium, which comprises Leonardo, Elettronica, Indra and Hensoldt. It equips the Eurofighter Typhoon with advanced protection from threats including Infra-Red (IR or heat-seeking) and radar-guided missiles. The system is well-regarded by users and has been battle-tested on peace-keeping operations in Libya and Syria. The LTE project will enable Eurofighter Typhoon to be a survivable and effective combat aircraft out to 2060 against a background of accelerating technology development by potential adversaries. The Praetorian Defensive Aids Sub System (DASS) is the Eurofighter Typhoon's protection system, which integrates sensors and jamming equipment to provide exceptional situational awareness and a digital stealth capability for the aircraft, achieved through advanced electronic deception techniques. The Praetorian LTE study will evaluate potential future DASS requirements, enabling the aircraft to cope faster, easier and more affordably with new threats as they arise in the future. The study is expected to deliver options for long-term technical solutions and enablers which will sustain the growth path of the platform in the future. Options are likely to coverboth improved architecture, which new capabilities can be added to in a more agile and lower-cost fashion, and improvements to the exploitation and fusion of sensors to support the multi-role flexibility of the platform. A number of options will be explored and presented to the Eurofighter partner nations to support informed decision making. https://www.eurofighter.com/news-and-events/2019/09/eurofighter-typhoon-defensive-aids-sub-system-enhancement-study-contract-awarded
December 18, 2019 | International, Aerospace

Detecting targets from 70,000 feet above Earth
El Segundo, Calif., December 16, 2019 /PRNewswire/ - Raytheon Company (NYSE: RTN) will support and sustain the sensor and processor for the Advanced Synthetic Aperture Radar System 2-A under a $217M U.S. Air Force IDIQ. Work will be performed through 2024. ASARS-2A provides the U-2 aircraft with long-range, high-resolution intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities over large areas, from as high as 70,000 feet above Earth. "With ASARS-2A, the Air Force can detect ground targets day or night, no matter the weather condition," said Chad Pillsbury, director at Raytheon Secure Sensor Solutions. "And, it's reliable. The Air Force just completed ASARS-2A's 9,000th tactical mission in Korea this year." The ASARS-2A sensor locates moving and stationary targets using its ground moving-target indicator and search and spot modes. Its on-board processing system delivers near-real time, precise target location data. This allows decision makers to respond quickly, rather than relying on ground stations to process the targeting data. About Raytheon Raytheon Company, with 2018 sales of $27 billion and 67,000 employees, is a technology and innovation leader specializing in defense, civil government and cybersecurity solutions. With a history of innovation spanning 97 years, Raytheon provides state-of-the-art electronics, mission systems integration, C5I® products and services, sensing, effects and mission support for customers in more than 80 countries. Raytheon is headquartered in Waltham, Massachusetts. Follow us on Twitter. Media Contact Lauren Radziminski +1.972.952.2190 saspr@raytheon.com SOURCE Raytheon Company View source version on Raytheon: http://raytheon.mediaroom.com/2019-12-16-Detecting-targets-from-70-000-feet-above-Earth
August 15, 2022 | International, C4ISR

Torch.AI wins Pentagon 'insider threat' cybersecurity contract
The Pentagon will use the software as part of its System for Insider Threat Hindrance, or 'SITH,' in another apparent military reference to Star Wars.

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China’s WJ-700 Armed Reconnaissance Drone Completes Maiden Flight

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Torch.AI wins Pentagon 'insider threat' cybersecurity contract The Pentagon will use the software as part of its System for Insider Threat Hindrance, or 'SITH,' in another apparent military reference to Star Wars.

Torch.AI wins Pentagon 'insider threat' cybersecurity contract
The Pentagon will use the software as part of its System for Insider Threat Hindrance, or 'SITH,' in another apparent military reference to Star Wars.