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☆ Romania aims to buy F-35 fighter planes to boost air defences
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-11 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

BUCHAREST, April 11 (Reuters) - Romania aims to buy the latest generation U.S. F-35 fighter planes to boost its air defences, the country's supreme defence council (CSAT) said in a statement on Tuesday. The European Union and NATO state has raised defence spending to 2.5% of gross domestic product this year from 2%, in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Last year, President Klaus Iohannis said Romania was mulling acquiring F-35 planes, which are made by U.S. weapons maker Lockheed Martin Corp (LMT.N). In March, the defense ministry said Romania would buy Abrams tanks made by General Dynamics (GD.N), as part of wider defence acquisitions plans. In December, Romania's defence ministry signed a deal to acquire seven Watchkeeper X unmanned aircraft systems from Israeli defence electronics firm Elbit Systems (ESLT.TA) for roughly 1.89 billion lei ($418.02 million).

☆ Inside Ukraine’s scramble for “game-changer” drone fleet
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-24 | by ( Max Hunder | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +10 min

It is hoping that domestic drone makers like AeroDrone will help it meet its ambitious goals. The government is now working with more than 80 Ukraine-based drone manufacturers, Ukraine's Defence Minister Oleksii Reznikov told Reuters. RUSSIAN TERRITORYThe range and potency of Ukraine's drones is a sensitive issue. Danilov, the national security council head, acknowledged Ukraine’s reliance on other countries for more high-tech drone components. "We are trying to fulfil our needs in this sector with domestic production, but we realise that it's unlikely we will be able to fulfil everything," he said.

☆ Pentagon releases video of Russian fighters clashing with U.S. drone
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-16 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailPentagon releases video of Russian fighters clashing with U.S. droneThe Pentagon just released video of the Russian SU-27 fighter clash with a U.S. Reaper drone. The video shows a fighter releasing fuel onto the unmanned aircraft, according to the U.S. military. It returns to drop even more fuel and runs into the drone. The camera feed was temporarily lost, but when it returns, you can see the damaged propeller The damage caused the U.S. military to bring the drone down in the Black Sea.

☆ Russian jet's collision with a US drone shows Russia may have a fighter pilot 'problem,' former US aviators say
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-16 | by ( Ryan Pickrell | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

A Russian fighter jet collided with an American drone this week after harassing it. The collision was likely unintentional, and former US naval aviators say that it could point to problems with Russian fighter pilots. A State Department official said it "probably was the result of profound incompetence on the part of one of these Russian pilots." Russian military failures in Ukraine have altered this view, he continued, "and now, you've got something like this." Charles Larkin Sr./US Air Force via AP"The tactical portion here is that poor training or poor decision making by a Russian pilot caused a collision," Snodgrass said.

[1/2] A U.S. Air Force MQ-9 Reaper drone sits in a hanger at Amari Air Base, Estonia, July 1, 2020. Two Russian Su-27 jets carried out what the U.S. military described as a reckless intercept of the American spy drone before one of them collided with it at 7:03 a.m. (0603 GMT). The U.S. military said the incident followed a pattern of dangerous behavior by Russian pilots operating near aircraft flown by the U.S. and its allies, including over the Black Sea. The Black Sea lies between Europe and Asia and is bordered by Russia and Ukraine, among other countries. "The State Department will be speaking directly with their Russian counterparts, and expressing our concerns over this unsafe and unprofessional intercept," said White House National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby.

[1/8] A U.S. Air Force MQ-9 Reaper drone sits in a hanger at Amari Air Base, Estonia, July 1, 2020. On the diplomatic and economic fronts, talks continued to extend a deal to allow grain shipments from Ukraine's Black Sea ports that is due to expire this week, the United Nations and Turkey said. DRONE CRASHTwo Russian Su-27 jets carried out what the U.S. military described as a reckless intercept of the American spy drone while flying in international air space. The accounts of the incident in the Black Sea, which is bordered by Russia and Ukraine among other countries, could not be independently verified. RUSSIAN AMBASSADOR SUMMONEDRussia's Ambassador to Washington Anatoly Antonov was summoned by the U.S. State Department to discuss what happened over the Black Sea, said spokesperson Ned Price.

☆ Amazon's drone business can't get off the ground as regulations, weak demand stymie progress
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-11 | by ( Annie Palmer | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +11 min

He even had baseball caps made that said "D&R 2022" with the Prime Air logo on them. CEO Andy Jassy, who succeeded Bezos in mid-2021, hasn't talked a lot about Prime Air in public. Prime Air sites in Lockeford, College Station and Pendleton, Oregon, were all hit by the job cuts, further straining operations. An Amazon drone operator loads the single shoebox-size box that can fit inside its MK27-2 Prime Air drone AmazonIt was a surprising setback for Amazon. Meanwhile, Amazon is working on development of its next-generation Prime Air drone called the MK30, and known internally as CX-3.

The Biden administration is seeking additional funding for the Federal Aviation Administration, funds that aim to boost hiring of air traffic controllers and facilitate other improvements to manage increasingly congested airspace. The White House on Thursday proposed $16.5 billion for the agency, up from the $15.2 billion the FAA received in fiscal 2023. Airlines and the Transportation Department have sparred over causes of flight disruptions, with some company executives blaming a shortfall of air traffic controllers. Last year, the FAA managed airspace for a record 92 space missions – a total that includes rocket launches and spacecraft reentries, which it expects to top in 2023. Many of those missions launched from Florida, a state which has seen more and more commercial air traffic as well.

☆ Stocks making the biggest moves midday: Rivian, Delta, Snap, Dish Network and more
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-07 | by ( Michelle Fox | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

United Airlines — United Airlines gained 4.4%, as the broader airline space got a boost after the Justice Department sued to block JetBlue's acquisition of American Airlines. Snap — The tech company's stock gained 4.1%, adding to the 13% it gained on Monday. Dish Network -- The stock climbed 7.4% after Dish co-founder and Executive Vice President James DeFranco disclosed the purchase of 1.45 million shares. DXC Technology — Shares fell 4.5% after DXC Technology said talks of a possible acquisition of the information technology company by a financial sponsor were terminated. Bank stocks — Bank stocks fell after Fed Chair Jerome Powell suggested that rates may need to go higher for longer.

☆ Turkey's powerhouse drone industry is on the verge of another milestone: a stealthy unmanned fighter jet for its new aircraft carrier
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-06 | by ( Benjamin Brimelow | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Turkey's Navy plans to make Kızılelma the primary aircraft on its first aircraft carrier. On January 23, the company announced that the Kızılelma, its newest and potentially most promising product, had successfully conducted its second flight test. The test is another step forward for what may become the company's crown jewel and the high point of Turkey's burgeoning drone industry. The KızılelmaThe Kizilelma drone during its first flight test, in Istanbul on December 14. The Kizilelma during its first flight test on December 14.

☆ China, Japan square off at first security talks in four years
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-22 | by ( Sakura Murakami | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Japan in December said it would double defence spending over the next five years to 2% of gross domestic product - a total of $320 billion - to deter China from resorting to military action. Beijing, which increased defence spending by 7.1% last year, spends more than four times as much as Japan on its forces. China is Japan's largest trading partner, accounting for around a fifth of its exports and almost a quarter of its imports. “While relations between Japan and China have a lot of possibilities, we are also facing many issues and concerns," Yamada told Sun. He pointed to their territorial dispute over uninhabited islands in the East China Sea known as the Senkaku in Japan and Diaoyu in China, Beijing's recent joint military drills with Moscow and the suspected Chinese surveillance balloons spotted over Japan at least three times since 2019.

☆ China's balloons give Japan and Taiwan a reason to share intelligence, says lawmaker
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-16 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

TOKYO, Feb 16 (Reuters) - The flight of suspected Chinese surveillance balloons has shown that Japan and Taiwan need to share "critical" intelligence about possible aerial threats, a senior defence policymaker for Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party said. Japan said on Tuesday it suspected Chinese spy balloons had flown over Japan at least three times, most recently in 2021. The change will add unmanned aircraft to those," Minoru Kihara, one of the lawmakers, told reporters after the briefing. Japan on Wednesday said it had warned China that violations of its airspace by surveillance balloons were unacceptable. China said the balloon was a civilian weather-monitoring aircraft and it accused the United States of sending its balloons into Chinese airspace.

☆ China says U.S. balloons flew into its airspace
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-14 | by ( Yew Lun Tian | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

BEIJING, Feb 14 (Reuters) - China said on Tuesday that more than ten high-altitude balloons released by the United States since May 2022 flew into its airspace and that of other countries. Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said the high-altitude balloons "flew around the world and illegally entered the airspaces of China and other relevant countries at least ten times". Wang did not provide details on the other countries involved, declined to specify which parts of Chinese airspace the incursions happened or provide photos as evidence. Earlier on Monday, he said the U.S. balloons entered Chinese airspace more than ten times since January 2022. "The United States should conduct a thorough investigation and give China an explanation," Wang said on Tuesday.

☆ Shunned by the US, Turkey is preparing to launch its first aircraft carrier — but it will come with a twist
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-09 | by ( Benjamin Brimelow | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

Turkey will instead operate the Anadolu with drones, using them to project power across the region. The US kicked Turkey out of the F-35 program in 2019, leaving Ankara without fighter jets for its new carrier. Strictly speaking, Anadolu is not a dedicated aircraft carrier but an amphibious assault ship — specifically a landing helicopter dock, or LHD. Turkey was a Level III partner in the US-led F-35 program, with Turkish companies making about 900 parts for the aircraft. Turkish carrier dronesTCG Anadolu in Istanbul in September 2022.

☆ Ukraine says SpaceX needs to pick a side after the company decided Kyiv can't use its Starlink internet for military drones
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-09 | by ( Chris Panella | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Ukrainian presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak tweeted Thursday that SpaceX needs to a pick a side in the war. SpaceX announced Ukraine wouldn't be allowed to use its internet services for military purposes like drones. Ukrainian presidential advisor Mykhailo Podolyak tweeted Thursday that SpaceX must choose to support either Kyiv or Russia after the company said that Ukraine can't use its Starlink internet service for military purposes. Podolyak said SpaceX can either be "on the side" of Ukraine and "the right to freedom" or the company can pick Russia and "its 'right' to kill and seize territories." According to BBC News, SpaceX took steps to limit Ukraine's ability to use the internet service for offensive measures like drones.

☆ SpaceX curbed Ukraine's use of Starlink internet for drones -company president
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-09 | by ( Joey Roulette | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

WASHINGTON, Feb 8 (Reuters) - SpaceX has taken steps to prevent Ukraine's military from using the company's Starlink satellite internet service for controlling drones in the region during the country's war with Russia, SpaceX's president said Wednesday. Speaking later with reporters, Shotwell referred to reports that the Ukrainian military had used the Starlink service to control drones. SpaceX has privately shipped truckloads of Starlink terminals to Ukraine, allowing the country's military to communicate by plugging them in and connecting them with the nearly 4,000 satellites SpaceX has launched into low-Earth orbit so far. Governments including the United States and France have paid for other shipments of Starlink terminals on top of those funded privately by SpaceX. Starlink had suffered services outages in Ukraine late last year, for reasons SpaceX did not explain.

☆ Taiwan to speed drone development, take lessons from Ukraine war
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-07 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

TAIPEI, Feb 7 (Reuters) - Taiwan will speed up development of drones for military use taking into account the lessons of the war in Ukraine and the threat posed by China, the island's defence ministry said on Tuesday. Unmanned aircraft have played a crucial role on both sides since Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February last year. Taiwan Defence Ministry spokesperson Sun Li-fang told reporters that the island is speeding up the development and production of drones. Chi Li-ping, director of the institute's Aeronautical Systems Research Division, detailed drones in development for the military, including for reconnaissance purposes. Taiwan has also had to deal with Chinese drones which have buzzed Taiwan-controlled islands off the Chinese coast.

☆ Amazon's Prime Air reportedly has only made a handful of drone deliveries, as FAA restrictions have thwarted widespread use
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-02 | by ( Lakshmi Varanasi | Katherine Long | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

The FAA is blocking Amazon's drones from flying over people or roads without case by case permission, according to The Information. In 2020, Insider reported that Amazon's Prime Air was issued an approval certificate from the Federal Aviation Administration, FAA, to use "unmanned aircraft systems" in a commercial operation. That's curtailed the number of deliveries Amazon's Prime Air can make. One reason might be because Amazon's drones are pretty heavy, coming in at 80 lbs when empty, even though the packages it can carry have a weight limit of 5 lbs. Added to that, Amazon's drones have crashed several times during testing, with one igniting an "acres-wide brush fire" in 2021 Insider reported.

☆ Ukraine sets up drone assault units
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-27 | by ( Dan Peleschuk | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

KYIV, Jan 27 (Reuters) - Ukraine said on Friday it was setting up drone assault companies within its armed forces that will be equipped with Starlink satellite communications, as it presses ahead with an idea to build up an "army of drones". Commander-in-chief Valeriy Zaluzhnyi signed off on the creation of the units in a project that will involve several ministries and agencies, the General Staff said. Starlink is a satellite internet system operated by Elon Musk's SpaceX company, and widely used both by civilians and the military in Ukraine. Unmanned aircraft have played a crucial role on both sides since Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February last year. Ukrainian forces use drones to drop small explosives on Russian forces and surveil their movements.

☆ Ukraine's battlefields look like World War I but with a new and terrifying addition that leaves troops with almost nowhere to hide
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-22 | by ( John Haltiwanger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

The conflict in Ukraine has emerged as the first major war involving drone use on both sides. By the late 1990s, Predator drones were being used by the US and NATO for reconnaissance missions in the Kosovo War. Ukraine has in many ways emerged as a guinea pig for drone warfare. Anadolu Agency/Getty ImagesLater in the war, Russia began launching swarms of Iranian-made Shahed-136 "kamikaze" drones, striking targets across Ukraine. Drones have significantly shortened the so-called kill chain, Cancian explained, helping troops swiftly locate targets and provide coordinates for artillery.

☆ Amazon's drone delivery unit hit with layoffs just as 10-year-old project finally launches
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-20 | by ( Annie Palmer | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +12 min

Two employees said Carbon, who replaced Prime Air co-founder Gur Kimchi, was hired to turn Prime Air into a real business with a sensible budget. Sources with knowledge of Prime Air said cuts in the drone delivery business were expected considering the division's many struggles. Monica Williams, a College Station resident, poses with a Prime Air drone at a community event in July. College Station residents also expressed concern about the prospect of drones harming the deer, foxes and birds that are native to the area. "As we continue to expand, we will update you when drone delivery is available for your household."

☆ Pentagon receives more than 350 new reports of UFO sightings
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-13 | by ( Dan De Luce | Dan De Luce Is A Reporter For The Nbc News Investigative Unit. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +2 min

A classified version of the report was submitted to lawmakers, as mandated by a defense spending bill passed by the last Congress. Following demands from Congress, the top intelligence agency released its first report on UFOs in 2021, which looked at 144 reported cases. Officials found no evidence that the reported sightings indicated signs of extraterrestrial life or new breakthrough aircraft or weapons by foreign adversaries. Although the report cited no evidence that UFO sightings could be linked to foreign adversaries, government agencies “will continue to investigate any evidence of possible foreign government involvement in UAP events." The Pentagon last year set up an office to document and analyze UFO reports.

☆ UFO Sightings Increased in Past Two Years, U.S. Intelligence Report Says
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-13 | by ( Warren P. Strobel | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

An image taken from one of three unclassified U.S. Navy videos shows interactions with Unidentified Aerial Phenomena at an undisclosed location. WASHINGTON—Reported sightings of Unidentified Aerial Phenomena, known popularly as UFOs, have climbed significantly in the past two years, and almost half the new sightings remain unexplained, U.S. spy agencies and the Pentagon said in a report released Thursday. The study led by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence said the number of UAP sightings—often by Navy and Air Force pilots—stands at 510, with 366 of those reports coming in since March 2021. Slightly more than half of the objects are likely unmanned aircraft, balloons or airborne debris, according to analysis by a new Pentagon office focused on the issue, but 171 remain “uncharacterized and unattributed,” the report said.

SEOUL, Jan 5 (Reuters) - A North Korean drone briefly entered a no-fly zone surrounding South Korea's presidential office when it intruded into the South's airspace last week, Seoul's military said on Thursday, fuelling criticism over its air defences. The drone was among five North Korean drones that crossed into the South on Dec. 26, prompting South Korea's military to scramble fighter jets and helicopters. The border crossing has sparked criticism over South Korea's air defences at a time of the North's growing nuclear and missile threats. Reclusive North Korea has pursued missile and nuclear weapons programmes in violation of UN Security Council resolutions. North and South Korea are technically still at war because their 1950-53 conflict ended in a truce, not a peace treaty.

☆ U.S. FCC proposes additional spectrum for drone communications
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-04 | by ( David Shepardson | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

WASHINGTON, Jan 4 (Reuters) - The U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) on Wednesday proposed new rules to make licensed radio spectrum in the 5 GHz band for the rising number of unmanned aircraft systems, or drones, in use. Currently, drones typically operate under unlicensed and low-power wireless communications rules or experimental licenses. The FCC also said it is seeking comment on whether current rules for various spectrum bands are sufficient to ensure co-existence of drones and terrestrial mobile operations. "The FCC must ensure that our spectrum rules meet the current – and future – spectrum needs of evolving technologies such as unmanned aircraft systems, which can be critical to disaster recovery, first responder rescue efforts, and wildfire management," FCC Chair Jessica Rosenworcel said. Because drones are usually operated remotely, they depend "critically on wireless communications between a ground-based control station and the (drone) to control the flight," the FCC said.

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