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February 1, 2022 | International, Aerospace

FAA Limits Pentagon Link 16 Access Over Interference Concerns

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  • Rafale International et Thales s'allient en Belgique

    June 13, 2018 | International, C4ISR

    Rafale International et Thales s'allient en Belgique

    La France poursuit activement sa campagne afin de convaincre la Belgique d'opter pour le Rafale et ainsi moderniser son aviation de combat, composée de F-16 américains vieillissants. Rafale International, le GIE qui regroupe Dassault Aviation*, le constructeur de l'avion de combat français, Thales, son électronicien, et Safran, son motoriste, a signé, mardi 12 juin, un accord de partenariat avec Thales Belgique. L'objectif est d'ouvrir un centre d'excellence industriel en cybersécurité outre-Quiévrain. http://www.lefigaro.fr/societes/2018/06/12/20005-20180612ARTFIG00301-rafale-international-et-thales-s-allient-en-belgique.php

  • Drones are now a permanent part of the LAPD’s arsenal

    September 20, 2019 | International, Aerospace, Security

    Drones are now a permanent part of the LAPD’s arsenal

    By CINDY CHANG Drones became a permanent part of the Los Angeles Police Department's crime-fighting arsenal Tuesday, despite opposition from privacy advocates who fear the remote-controlled aircraft will be used to spy on people. In a yearlong trial, the LAPD's SWAT team deployed drones four times, mostly when suspects were barricaded and the device provided a bird's eye view of the property's nooks and crannies. On Tuesday, the five-member civilian Police Commission unanimously approved new regulations that enshrine the drones' use in specific situations, including active shooters, barricaded suspects and search warrants. The drones will not be equipped with weapons or facial recognition software, according to the regulations, which are similar to those governing the trial program. In July, at Chief Michel Moore's recommendation, the use of drones was expanded beyond SWAT to include the bomb squad in neutralizing explosives and sweeping large public events for radioactive devices. Drones “provide invaluable information to decision makers while decreasing the risk to human life,” Moore wrote in a July 3 report, noting that everyone is safer when the devices check out a dangerous situation instead of officers going in blind. The LAPD joins about 600 other law enforcement agencies around the country that use drones, according to a 2018 report by Bard College's Center For the Study of the Drone. The new regulations will ensure that the drones are not “being used in a flippant manner,” Asst. Chief Horace Frank, who runs the department's counter-terrorism and special operations bureau, told the Police Commission on Tuesday. The LAPD's drone regulations are more restrictive than those of many other agencies, Frank said. Each drone deployment must be approved by a commander and a deputy chief, and the Police Commission will receive an annual report. Asked by Commissioner Eileen Decker whether drones can help de-escalate volatile situations, Frank cited a June 15 incident when a drone flew near a man who had barricaded himself in a trucking yard. “The minute we deployed the device at the entrance to the trailer and he saw it, he gave up,” Frank said. Activists said the LAPD and Police Commission have disregarded citizens who expressed reservations about the drones in community meetings and online surveys. One activist, Michael Novick, predicted that the LAPD would expand drone usage and infringe on civil liberties. “We're witnessing the exact definition of mission creep,” Novick said. “Now you're upgrading. You approved a temporary pilot project. You're going to normalize it with this step. ... The next step will be they'll come back and say, ‘We actually need the ability to have facial recognition.'” The LAPD's drone fleet will remain at four strong, Frank said. But the DJI Spark devices used in the pilot program will be replaced by DJI Mavics, which have better indoor flying capabilities, extended flight time and lights for navigating in the dark. The models are similar to those used by hobbyists. The Police Commission accepted a $6,645 donation from the Los Angeles Police Foundation to purchase the Mavics, as well as a donation of drone flight tracking software from Measure Aerial Intelligence. As the commission approved the drone regulations and donations, the audience broke into chants of “Shame! Shame!” Moore said he is mindful of “concerns of Big Brother and invasion of privacy and civil liberties.” “We're committed to striking the right balance that ... protects all of our community — their rights of privacy but also their public safety and their right to exist without threats of dangers that this tool can be used in some instances to mitigate,” he told reporters after the meeting. https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2019-09-10/drones-are-now-a-permanent-part-of-the-lapds-arsenal

  • Turkey to launch its first armed unmanned surface vessel

    November 10, 2020 | International, Naval

    Turkey to launch its first armed unmanned surface vessel

    By: Burak Ege Bekdil ANKARA, Turkey — A partnership between two leading Turkish defense companies has launched the country's first armed unmanned surface vessel, the ULAQ. Ares Shipyard and Meteksan Defence said Oct. 28 the ULAQ was built from advanced composites, has a 400-kilometer range and can travel up to 65 kph. The companies also said the platform is equippped with day and night vision capabilities as well as encrypted communication infrastructure, which can be operated from mobile vehicles and headquarters or from sea platforms such as aircraft carriers or frigates. That infrastructure can be used for intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, surface warfare, asymmetric warfare, escort and strategic infrastructure protection missions. The design for the prototype was finalized in August, Ares and Meteksan said, and structural construction was recently completed, with the first vessel to enter Mediterranean waters in December following its outfitting. ULAQ's missile systems are inclusive of four cells of Cirit and two of L-UMTAS, manufactured by Turkey's state-controlled missile-maker Roketsan. Firing tests are planned for the first quarter of 2021. Along with the Cirit and L-UMTAS missile systems, the ULAQ will be equipped with different variations of communication and intelligence technology, like jamming and electronic warfare systems, to cover diverse operational needs. The vessel will be able to carry out joint operations with complementary drones. Its builders said the ULAQ is not only remotely controlled but also an autonomous vehicle that hosts artificial intelligence. “ULAQ is a messenger (original word is ‘ulak'), an envoy from the ancient Turkish culture who represents the state with his extraordinary skills since Central Asia. Along with the intelligence and experience, ULAQ possesses extreme warriorship capabilities,” Ares CEO Utku Alanc said. Added Meteksan CEO Selcuk Alparslan: “While designing the critical electronic systems of the platform, we have sought maximum indigenousness and fully considered the operational needs of Turkish Armed Forces.” https://www.defensenews.com/unmanned/2020/11/09/turkey-to-launch-its-first-armed-unmanned-surface-vessel/

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