General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc’s (GA-ASI) SkyGuardian drone set out today on its historic transatlantic flight. At 12:48 pm CDT, the MQ-9B Medium-altitude, Long-endurance (MALE) Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) took off from the company’s Flight Test and Training Center in Grand Forks, North Dakota and is on its way to RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire, England. read more
China says that it has developed a laser rifle that can “carbonize” human flesh at a range of 800 m (2,625 ft), yet weighs only 3 kg (6.6 lb). In a report in the South China Morning Post, Chinese researchers say that the ZKZM-500 laser assault rifle is a fully portable “non-lethal” weapon that can burn hair, skin and signs, and even penetrate and set fire to fuel tanks. read more
At the National Press Club in Washington, DC, Bell helicopter has unveiled its new V-247 Vigilant tiltrotor drone for the US Marine Corps. Like the company’s V-22 Osprey, the Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) can lift off and hover like a helicopter, yet has the range and speed of a fixed-wing aircraft. According to Bell, the Vigilant can carry out combat reconnaissance missions from land bases without runways or from small ships with flight decks. read more
U.S. Special Operations Forces operate a fleet of portable, rapidly deployable field workshops that can repair, manufacture, or even improve equipment in the field. The workshops, known as Mobile Technology Repair Complexes, are powered by renewable energy and stuffed with tools including lathes, welders, and 3D printers. MTRCs have proven their worth in the war against the Islamic State in Syria, quickly building ad hoc medical facilities from available materials. read more
Moscow has expressed its concern over NATO’s military infrastructure that has been built adjacent to the Russian border. On May 28, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov declared that Russia is prepared to take appropriate measures in response. That statement was a reaction to Warsaw’s plans to host a permanent US military presence on its territory. read more
The Israeli Air Force says its F-35A fighters recently participated in two separate air strikes, which would be the first use of the F-35 in combat.
The IAF did not offer much detail, leaving it unclear whether the fighters fired any kind of weaponry or simply acted in some kind of support capacity.
Israeli Air Force head Maj. Gen. Amikam Norkin told participants at a IAF leadership conference, “We are flying the F-35 all over the Middle East. It had become part of our operational capabilities. We are the first to attack using the F-35 in the Middle East and have already attacked twice on different fronts.” According to the Jerusalem Post, Norkin made the remarks while standing in front of a photograph of a F-35 flying over Beirut, Lebanon. read more
On this podcast I’ve elected to skip the political commentary and focus this Memorial Day weekend on several recipients of the Congressional Medal of Honor, our nation’s highest military honor.
I’ve chosen at least one hero from World War I, World War II, the Korean War, Vietnam and present day.
Included are the following brave heroes: Edouard Izac, William Lawley, Charles Berry, Bryant Womack, Kenneth Kays and Michael Murphy. read more
A new portable system small enough to mount on a personal firearm provides its user with the ability to quickly locate the source of hostile gunfire. The PEARL system, created by French defense contractor Metravib, uses acoustic sensors to determine the source of gunfire during the confusion of combat. read more
