Categories D – H

By David Crane defrev at gmail dot com September 7, 2008 Laser warfare may be closer than we think. Danger Room and Gizmodo both report that Northrop Grumman is promising the U.S. military that it will have working, deployable weapons-grade solid-state, electric lasers (tactical lasers) ready to go by the end of 2008. Solid-state electric lasers have been making progress …

By David Crane defrev at gmail dot com August 29, 2008 Textron Defense Systems (TDS), is actively marketing their Urban-Unattended Ground Sensors (U-UGS) as a core Future Combat Systems (FCS) wireless technology/hardware platform that will watch infantry warfighters’ backs as they maneuver inside the urban battlespace. According to the Textron literature, the U-UGS system of networked, wireless unmanned ground sensors …

By David Crane defrev at gmail dot com August 20, 2008 The recent dust-up in Georgia between Russian and Geogian forces, i.e. the Russian invasion of Georgia, has reinvigorated expensive, high-tech conventional-warfare/Cold-War-type weapons like the Lockheed Martin/Boeing F-22 Raptor low-observable/stealth fighter aircraft a.k.a. F/A-22 Raptor air-to-air (air-superiority fighter)/ground attack aircraft. The F-22, in particular has been receiving a lot of …

By David Crane defrev at gmail dot com August 14, 2008 A couple of brothers—twins, actually—out of North Brunswick, Maine, Geoffrey and Michael Howe of Howe and Howe Technologies Inc., have developed a relatively large tracked tactical UGV (Unmanned Ground Vehicle) for military applications called the Ripsaw Military Spec 1 UGV (a.k.a. Ripsaw MS1 UGV a.k.a. Rip Saw MS1 UGV). …

By David Crane defrev at gmail dot com August 11, 2008 For the last 7 months, I’ve been using a Holsters Plus Sure-Lock 3-10 tactical kydex pistol holster with a 10-degree forward cant to carry my Glock 19 (G19) 9mm Parabellum (9x19mm NATO) pistol, and, so far, I’m very pleased with it. The Sure-Lock 3 – 10 is a retention …

by David Crane defrev at gmail dot com August 4, 2008 While we were reading through the June 2008 issue of Defense Technology International (Dti) magazine, we came across an ad for the Guardium UGV (Unmanned Ground Vehicle), which is made by G-NIUS Unmanned Ground Systems (GUGS) Ltd. out of Israel. The Guardium UGV, being billed as "the world’s 1st …

By David Crane defrev at gmail dot com August 8, 2008 While we're on the subject of perimeter security hardware/technology, we should perhaps mention a very interesting rapidly-deployable "long-range sensor for detection and identification of mobile targets" developed in France called Caladiom. A joint project between Bertin Technologies, CEA/LETI, the National Institute of Advanced Technologies (ENSTA) and the DGA (Délégation …

by David Crane defrev at gmail dot com July 17, 2008 Elbit Systems Ltd. (Nasdaq: ESLT) and Alliant Techsystems (NYSE: ATK) announced on July 09, 2008 that they’ll be teaming up on the development of a laser-guided 2.75"/70mm Hydra rocket called the Guided Advanced Tactical Rocket-Laser (GATR-L). GATR-L is being designed and developed to provide an affordable and cost-effective precision-strike/precision-kill …

By David Crane defrev at gmail dot com Speaking of sub-Hellfire-yield laser-guided missiles, Thales UK Air Systems Division (ASD) has introduced a new low-cost, lightweight multi-role missile called, appropirately enough, the Lightweight Multirole Missile (a.k.a. Lightweight Multi-role Missile)–or LMM for short–as a follow-on to the Starstreak Self-Propelled High-Velocity Missile (SP HVM) a.k.a. Starstreak Multi-role Missile (surface-to-air/surface-to-surface missile) and Starburst surface-to-air …

by David Crane defrev at gmail dot com Back in May, DefenseReview learned that Raytheon is teaming with an Abu-Dhabi, UAE-based company called Emirates Advanced Investments (EAI) to create an advanced semi-active-laser-guided 2.75"/70mm Hydra rocket under the moniker "Laser Guided Rocket" (LGR). The concept, of course, is nothing new. Back in September of last year, DefenseReview reported on the sudden …