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Marine Special Operations Paragliding Capabilities Emerge At Demonstration In Tampa

Paragliding Marines went on a mock drone hunt at the event, but this is a capability that could be valuable for a host roles.

By Howard Altman, Joseph Trevithick
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Unmanned Long-Endurance Tactical Reconnaissance Aircraft crew chiefs, assigned within the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility, prep an ULTRA aircraft for taxi across the flightline before an early morning takeoff at an undisclosed location, May 7, 2024. ULTRA is an unmanned aerial system capable of flight times up to 80 hours, providing intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance capabilities to combatant commanders, with a smaller operational footprint than other UAS in its class.

Air Force’s ULTRA Long-Endurance Glider-Like Drone Is Now Operating In The Middle East

The product of a long program to field a low-cost, long-endurance surveillance drone, ULTRA is now flying missions around the Persian Gulf.

By Joseph Trevithick, Thomas Newdick

4:57 PM EDT May 8

Rogue 1 the marines' new drone.

Rogue 1 Is One Of The Marine Corps’ Newest Kamikaze Drone

Rogue 1 is being procured alongside two other types that are competing to give the USMC more robust man-portable loitering munitions.

By Howard Altman, Tyler Rogoway

2:12 PM EDT May 8

Armed robotic dog in use by MARSOC

Rifle-Armed Robot Dogs Now Being Tested By Marine Special Operators (Updated)

MARSOC is using robotic dogs equipped with remote weapon stations to detect targets automatically before being given approval to fire.

By Howard Altman, Oliver Parken

10:32 PM EDT May 7

US Special Operations Command says it has 'hit pause' on plans to convert an MC-130J special operations tanker/transport in a floatplane.

C-130 Floatplane Program Put ‘On Pause’ By Special Operations Command

The grand on again, off again plan for putting a special operations MC-130 on floats is not moving forward.

By Joseph Trevithick

8:42 PM EDT May 7

Air
Super hornets now carrying nine air-to-air missiles

Super Hornets Now Flying With Nine Air-To-Air Missiles To Counter Houthi Drones

Thanks to a recent upgrade, five AIM-120s, four AIM-9Xs and an ATFLIR pod offer considerable ‘magazine depth’ for tackling Houthi drones.

By Thomas Newdick

7:56 PM EDT May 7

Navy Pays $100K To Replace Each F/A-18 Tire, 3D Printed Repairs Cuts Cost To $300

By Eric Tegler

4:06 PM EDT May 7

B-2 Spirits Could Get New 5,000-Pound Bunker Busters

By Joseph Trevithick

12:42 PM EDT May 7

‘Robot Marines’ In Every Formation: Corps’ Robotics Chief Casts Vision

By Hope Hodge Seck

12:27 PM EDT May 7

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Sea
In a most unusual development in the Black Sea ‘drone war,’ Ukraine appears to have begun arming uncrewed surface vessels (USVs), better known as drone boats, with heat-seeking air-to-air missiles. The adaptation seems to have been made to provide the USVs with protection against the Russian helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft that are increasingly being used to counter them, although many questions remain about how these newly added weapons are intended work.

Ukrainian Drone Boats Now Armed With Adapted Air-To-Air Missiles

Videos show a clash between a Ukrainian drone boat armed with an adapted AA-11 Archer and the Russian helicopter sent to hunt it.

By Thomas Newdick

1:34 PM EDT May 6

More SM-3 Interceptors Needed After Downing Iranian Ballistic Missiles: Navy Secretary

By Howard Altman

8:14 PM EDT May 2

Navy Names Next Amphibious Assault Ship USS Helmand Province

By Howard Altman

3:13 PM EDT May 2

Manta Ray Underwater Drone Even More Enormous Than We Thought

By Oliver Parken

5:29 PM EDT May 1

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Land

Russian 'turtle tank' seen operating with additional cage armor and an attached mine roller

New Russian Turtle Tank With Cage-Like Armor Emerges On Ukrainian Battlefield

byOliver Parken

5:08 PM EDT May 6

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Space

Satellites in space

Russia’s Anti-Satellite Nuke Could Leave Lower Orbit Unusable, Test Vehicle May Already Be Deployed

byJoseph Trevithick, Oliver Parken

7:00 PM EDT May 3

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Nukes

Iskander M Ukraine running low

Putin Orders Tactical Nuclear Drills In Response To Western “Threats”

byThomas Newdick

8:12 PM EDT May 6

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SOF Week '24

An annual special operations capability demonstration has included paragliding Marines on a mock drone hunt.

Marine Special Operations Paragliding Capabilities Emerge At Demonstration In Tampa

byHoward Altman, Joseph Trevithick

3:45 PM EDT May 8

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