This is what disappointment looks like for the Pentagon





http://www.businessinsider.my/f-35-setback...X8TKc27TqY8Q.97

Austal delivers high-speed support vessel to Oman



HENDERSON, Australia, May 25 (UPI) -- Austal Limited of Australia reports it has delivered the first of two high-speed support vessels to the Royal Navy of Oman.

The RNOV Al Mubshir is about 236 feet long and offers a range of capabilities to support naval operations, including helicopter operations, rapid deployment of military personnel and cargo, and search and rescue operations.

The vessel was delivered earlier this month. It was built in Austal's facility in Henderson, Western Australia, under a $124.9 million design, construct and integrated logistics support contract.

"The HSSV (high speed support vessel) leverages our revolutionary intellectual property and technology in high speed vessels and demonstrate our proven ability as a prime defense contractor to navies across the globe," said Austal Chief Executive Officer David Singleton.

"Construction of the second HSSV is progressing well and on track for delivery to the Royal Navy of Oman later this year."

http://www.upi.com/Business_News/Security-.../?spt=sec&or=bn

VIDEO: 28 Kurdish fighters killed by ISIS suicide bomber north of Raqqa: Amaq News



According to the Islamic State media outlet Amaq News, 28 Kurdish fighters of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) have been killed by an ISIS suicide truck in the northern Raqqah countryside earlier today.

The attack was conducted during the late afternoon as reported earlier by Al-Masdar News.

Footage of the suicidal operation can be seen here; however, the video and alleged death toll cannot be independently verified by al-Masdar News.

Clashes between ISIS and the largely Kurdish SDF have reignited over the past few days in the northern Raqqa countryside with U.S. backed forces making modest gains towards the Islamic State capital in Syria.

https://www.almasdarnews.com/article/video-...aqqa-amaq-news/

The U.S. Air Force Is Running Out Of Fighter Jets





http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2016...ghter-jets.html

AMERICAN SPECIAL FORCES HAVE A NEW STEALTH MOTORCYCLE





http://www.popsci.com/us-special-forces-ne...otorcycle-darpa

NRA use American country star to threaten Iran with ’gator-fighting cowboys (VIDEO)





https://www.rt.com/viral/344358-nra-iran-charlie-daniels/

Leonardo-Finmeccanica, NTU Singapore in joint research



ROME, May 24 (UPI) -- Research in integrated and innovative helicopter structure composites and aerodynamics is to be performed by Leonardo-Finmeccanica and NTU Singapore.

The collaboration agreement between the Italian-based company and Nanyang Technological University was signed in Rome following a memorandum of understanding earlier this year.

"This agreement is an exciting opportunity for Leonardo-Finmeccanica to expand the scope of its activities in Singapore, a strategic country where we are fully committed to strengthen a long-term partnership, not just for helicopters but also in other sectors," said Mauro Moretti, Leonardo-Finmeccanica chief executive officer and general manager. "Each year Leonardo-Finmeccanica invests 11 percent of its revenues in research and development and we are very happy to have the opportunity to sign with NTU an agreement that will contribute to Leonardo-Finmeccanica's commitment to advanced R&D and to NTU's reputation as Singapore's leading center for aerospace."

Leonardo-Finmeccanica said the collaboration will seek to further technology opportunities in the rapidly evolving rotary-wing sector, where changes are characterized by the progress in composite materials, reduction in hydraulics and dynamic components and growing efficiency in industrial processes.

Joint projects could include research in innovative methods to advance the manufacturing of Leonardo-Finmeccanica products through the use of new composite materials.

The collaboration will also expand aerodynamics research modeling, which can potentially improve overall flight performance.

"NTU's collaborations with leading industry players like Leonardo-Finmeccanica are crucial for successful translation of university research into commercial applications," said NTU Chief of Staff and Vice-President of Research Professor Lam Khin Yong. "NTU's mechanical and aerospace engineering faculty will work with engineers from Leonardo-Finmeccanica to research and develop new aerodynamics and manufacturing technologies that can be used in next-generation helicopters and aircraft."

http://www.upi.com/Business_News/Security-.../?spt=sec&or=bn

British special forces fighting in Libya: Report





http://www.middleeasteye.net/news/british-...eport-201027144

MILITARY SITUATION IN NORTHERN RAQQA, SYRIA ON MAY 25





https://southfront.org/military-situation-i...yria-on-may-25/

FLIR Systems launches ground surveillance products



WILSONVILLE, Ore., May 25 (UPI) -- FLIR Systems has launched new ground surveillance tools for border security and force protection.

The products announced at the Special Operations Forces Industry Conference in Florida are the LTV-X Light Tactical Vehicle and the FLIR Ranger R6SS portable radar.

The LTV-X is a tactical reconnaissance vehicle featuring multiple integrated sensors, such as the TacFLIR 280-HD multispectral ISR turret. and the Ranger R6SS Ground Surveillance Radar.

The LTV-X comes with an onboard command-and-control system for control, exploitation, and dissemination of real-time imagery and target tracking between deployed mobile and fixed assets, the company said.

The Ranger R6SS ground-surveillance radar detects and tracks personnel and vehicles within a 15-kilometer range. It has advanced Digital Beam-Forming and a high-speed refresh rate. With built-in North-finding and GPS capabilities, it can be mounted on a vehicle or dismounted and carried for artillery and mortar fire correction.

Its operators can also network multiple vehicles, sensors, unmanned aerial system with a central command center to give unprecedented situational awareness and responsiveness.

"The Ranger R6SS and LTV-X are FLIR's latest innovations in support of mission-critical ground surveillance, force protection and border security that leverage our unique commercially developed, military qualified model," said Kevin Tucker, vice president and general manager of FLIR Surveillance. "Both products are designed to maximize detection, responsiveness and reliability in situations that demand the highest performance."

http://www.upi.com/Business_News/Security-.../?spt=sec&or=bn

US commandos aid Kurdish-led push on Islamic State's Syrian stronghold





http://www.middleeasteye.net/news/elite-us...raqqa-238319494

How a B-2 Bomber Looks Like a Mere Bird on Radar



It's kind of ironic that the silhouette of the B-2 stealth bomber is so instantly recognizable. To naked human eyes, it's a weird black boomerang of an aircraft with all kinds of unique angles and curves that make it look iconic and bizarre. But each one of those details was carefully considered to make it invisible to inhuman radio-eyes.

There's a lot that goes into the B-2 bomber's stealth, from its carbon-fiber plastic skin to its unusual top-mounted engines. As Real Engineering explains, all of these details were very painstakingly designed—with help from a supercomputer—to ensure that when the plane is hit with radar waves, they bounce off at weird angles. The result is a plane with a 172-foot wingspan that can do a convincing impression of a large bird on radar.

Of all the B-2's stealthy quirks, perhaps the most interesting is its lack of a tail rudder, which means the plane has to rely on wing flaps or thrust vectoring in order to make the simplest adjustments to yaw. But of course an outfit that can make you look this slim is going to have some uncomfortable drawbacks.

http://www.popularmechanics.com/flight/a21...-stealth-works/

Indian Navy Commissions New Fast Attack Craft



Today, the Indian Navy commissioned an improved variant of the lightly armed Car Nicobar-class high-speed offshore patrol vessel, the INS Tarmugli, at ceremony held at Naval Dockyard Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh, according to statement provided by the Indian Ministry of Defense.

“INS Tarmugli is being based in Visakhapatnam under the Naval Officer-in-Charge (Andhra Pradesh) and would be deployed for coastal patrol and surveillance operations along the East Coast of India,” the statement reads.

The 320-ton Tarmugli is the first out of four improved Car Nicobar-class high-speed offshore patrol vessels—dubbed Water Jet Fast Attack Craft (WJFAC) by the IN–ordered under a March 2013 contract awarded to Kolkata-based shipbuilder Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE). Construction of the vessel began in July 2013. The craft was launched in June 2015, along with two other ships of the class.

The Tarmugli boasts improved maneuverability and speed in order to facilitate the interdiction of fast-moving naval targets. “Built for extended coastal and offshore surveillance and patrol the warship is fitted with advanced MTU engines, water jet propulsion and the latest communication equipment,” according to the Indian defense ministry.

“The propulsion system consists of three Hamilton waterjets driven by three MTU 4000 series engines through ZF gearboxes. MTU’s MCS-5 machinery control system is also installed. Top speed is approximately 35 knots, while range is about 2,000 nautical miles at 12-14 knots,” IHS Jane’s Defense Weekly explains.

The Car Nicobar-class ships are designed to be cost-effective platforms for patrolling India’s Exclusive Economic Zone and intercepting suspicious vessels. Ships of the class have also been deployed in anti-piracy operations. “The ship is capable of operating in shallow waters at high speeds and is equipped with enhanced fire power,” the ministry notes.

However, the Tarmugli remains a lightly armed vessel in comparison to other warships of the Indian Navy. “The ships armament consists of a 30 mm CRN 91 gun manufactured by Ordnance Factory Medak. An electronic day-night fire control system namely Stabilized Optronic Pedestal (SOP) manufactured by Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) controls the gun,” the statement reads. “The ship is also equipped with two 12.7 mm heavy machine guns (HMG) and multiple medium machine guns, besides shoulder-launched Igla surface-to-air missiles to combat aerial threats.”

The Tarmugli is manned by a crew of four officers and 41 sailors.

The ships of the Car Nicobar-class, named after an island in the Andaman group, are the first water-jet propelled vessels in the Indian Navy. So far the Indian Navy is operating 11 vessels of the class and is expecting to commission three more ships in the near future. Production of the vessels was sped-up after the 2008 Mumbai attacks.

http://thediplomat.com/2016/05/indian-navy...t-attack-craft/

Pictures reveal: U.S. soldiers wear YPG badges while fighting ISIS in northern Syria





New pictures have emerged showing U.S. special forces in northern Syria with YPG ornaments on their shoulders.

This comes as U.S. President Obama said one month ago he was sending 250 elite soldiers to fight ISIS in northern Syria.

The U.S. special forces team is fighting in the northern Raqqa countryside alongside the Kurdish militias of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and People’s Protection Units (YPG).

These forces – backed by coalition warplanes – have announced a campaign which aims to capture the city of Raqqa from the Islamic State.

According to YPG officials, some 30,000 troops are mobilized for the Raqqa offensive which has been making modest gains towards the Islamic State capital in recent days.

Remarkably, the YPG is a sister party of the PKK; the latter group, which operates in Turkey, is otherwise considered a terrorist organization by the U.S. and NATO.

Meanwhile, Russian Marines are embedded with the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) in Homs.

The U.S. and Russia are thus backing different sides in the Syrian war although both countries claim to be spearheading efforts to defeat ISIS.

https://www.almasdarnews.com/article/pictur...northern-syria/

Beijing’s Armed Fighter Jet of the Future Filmed In-Flight





http://sputniknews.com/asia/20160527/10403...nniversary.html

Russia, China to launch first computer-enabled anti-missile exercises



MOSCOW, May 26 /TASS/. Russia and China have started their first joint computer anti-missile defense exercises Aerospace-Security-2016, a source at the Russian Defense Ministry press service told journalists on Thursday.

"In compliance with a decision made by the Russian Defense Ministry and China’s Ministry of National Defense, Russia and China are conducting the first joint Russian-Chinese computer-enabled command-staff anti-missile defense exercises "Aerospace Security-2016" at the scientific research center of Russian Aerospace Defense Forces. The exercise will last until May 28," the Russian Defense Ministry source said.

The Defense Ministry explained that the exercises’ main goal was to drill joint maneuvers and operations of rapid reaction anti-aircraft and anti-missile defense units of Russia and China in a bid to defend the territory from occasional and provocative strikes by ballistic and cruise missiles.

"This joint exercise is not directed against any third country," the Russian Defense Ministry stressed.

"The Russian and Chinese sides will use the results of the exercises to discuss proposals on Russian-Chinese military cooperation in the field of anti-missile defense," the press service added.

http://tass.ru/en/defense/878407

THIS DRONE ON A LEASH COULD GUARD ARMY BASES





http://www.popsci.com/tether-eye-is-drone-on-rope

Here's Every Single American Combat Vehicle In One Huge Graphic





http://foxtrotalpha.jalopnik.com/heres-eve...huge-1778928328

U.S. Troops 18 Miles From ISIS Capital







http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2016...is-capital.html

Watch the Navy's LOCUST Launcher Fire Off a Swarm of Autonomous Drones



Last year, the Navy announced the Low-Cost UAV Swarming Technology (LOCUST) program, a plane to build a launcher that could first dozens of drones out of a tube to create a vicious swarm designed to "autonomously overwhelm an adversary."

A recent video posted to YouTube by U.S. Navy Research shows the latest demo from last month, in which the launchers just effortlessly throw a swarm of nine into the air with a serious of thwunks. It's both understated and impressive.

While the U.S. military has been utilizing large, single drones for years now, its future sights seem to be set on the potential for swarms of small, inexpensive, and expendable drones. The LOCUST system here is clearly meant for deployment from the ground or a ship, but both the Air Force and the Navy have been investigating the idea of air-launched drones and, by extension, the future motherships that might carry these little fliers as one of their primary weapons.

How these swarms actually fight, and how they will be armed, is still unknown, but it seems every more likely that little fliers like these are the future of warfare.

http://www.popularmechanics.com/military/w...cher-test-2016/