This is Turkey's TAI ANKA III UCAV (Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicle) flying with ordnance for the first time. It advertises a 10-hour endurance, 40k service ceiling, and a 2,600 lb payload. #technology #aviation #drone
The Merge
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The Merge reposted this
I like this history because it has some concise lessons about making assumptions and what happens when those assumptions get pooled together. #OTD 1976 Soviet pilot Viktor Belenko flew his MiG-25 "Foxbat" to Japan, landed at Hakodate Airport (skidded off the runway), and requested asylum in the U.S. This event gave the U.S. unprecedented access to the highly classified Soviet aircraft. Prior to this, Western intelligence had developed a number of assumptions about the MiG-25 based on limited information, and several of these assumptions were proven wrong after they were able to study the aircraft. Some of the big ones: 𝗔𝘀𝘀𝘂𝗺𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: The MiG-25 was a highly maneuverable air superiority fighter. 𝗙𝗮𝗰𝘁: It was an interceptor focused on speed and altitude, not agility. 𝗔𝘀𝘀𝘂𝗺𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: The MiG-25 used advanced materials and technology to go fast. 𝗙𝗮𝗰𝘁: It was made mostly of steel, not the lightweight materials like titanium that the U.S. expected. This made it heavier but durable at high speeds. 𝗔𝘀𝘀𝘂𝗺𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: The MiG-25 had sophisticated radar and avionics. 𝗙𝗮𝗰𝘁: Its radar used older vacuum tube technology, which was less advanced but more resistant to electronic countermeasures and EMP. 𝗔𝘀𝘀𝘂𝗺𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: The MiG-25 could sustain Mach 3.2 for long periods. 𝗙𝗮𝗰𝘁: Sustained Mach 3.2 would overheat the engines. Pilots usually kept it at Mach 2.8 for longer flights to avoid damage. Those assumptions, while proven faulty, collectvlly portraying the MiG-25 to be a 10-foot tall adversary. It was not---but that concern and those assumptions directly influenced the development of the F-15 Eagle! #airforce #history #eagle #airpower
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More on China and chips...via metals.
CEO Titoma, Electr. Design & Mfg Colombia & China. On-Time & On-Budget since 2001
China’s export restrictions rattle global markets… In 2023, China imposed export controls on critical #semiconductor materials germanium and gallium, as well as controls of graphite and technologies used in rare earth extraction and separation, shaking global markets. The materials are vital for advanced microprocessors and military optical hardware. Last month, export restrictions on antimony followed – a mineral used in armor-piercing ammunition, night-vision goggles, and precision optics. In retaliation for the US-led restrictions on the supply of high-tech chip making equipment to China, the impact of these controls has been profound, with prices of germanium and gallium nearly doubling in Europe. China's dominance in the global supply of these materials is formidable, producing 98% of the world's gallium and 68% of germanium. Since the controls, the availability of these materials outside China has plummeted – gallium exports have dropped by half. It has added complexity to already challenging markets and a wide range of #hardware from fiber-optic products to night-vision goggles could be next in the firing line. Long-term supply contracts are now impossible to obtain and shipment approval can take between 30 to 80 days. The situation has been exacerbated by accusations of Chinese stockpiling, which traders blame for the 52% surge in germanium prices since June. US companies are grappling with the challenges of obtaining export licenses and facing a limited stock of germanium and gallium, and the risk of running out is high. Efforts are underway to increase local production and find substitutes for these critical minerals. In some applications, gallium can be substituted with silicon or indium, while zinc selenide can replace germanium in certain uses. Additionally, recycling initiatives are being considered to recover these metals from scrap, but this is limited. However, these alternatives come at a significant cost, with estimates for developing a separate supply chain for processing gallium and germanium for the US and its allies costing US$20 billion and spanning several years… Daily #electronics from Asia insights – follow me, Keesjan, and never miss a post by ringing my 🔔. #technology #innovation
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We recently sat down with the team at Trusted Strategic Solutions, LLC to learn more about computer chips and the incredibly complex national security implications in play. We think this could be a great podcast topic--let us know in the comments! #chips #nationalsecurity #computerchips #technology #military #china #taiwan 👇 https://lnkd.in/gstVVQ3r
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How is the United States Air Force evolving the way it aquires capabilites? How is it navigating a perfect storm of aquisitions and force design, and why does this matter for Great Power Competition? We had an insightful conversation with Andrew Hunter, Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Aquisitions, Technology, and Logistics, to find out.👇 #Airforce #military #aquisitions #technology #nationaldefense https://lnkd.in/gsM3gx_7
🔷 Air Force Weapons Czar
themerge.co
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The Merge reposted this
This stunning chart shows the profound impact of the Last Supper. We used to have an American Industrial Base: Ford made missiles until 1990. Now we have a Defense Industrial Base. When the Berlin Wall fell ONLY 6% of DOD Spend went to companies that were pure Defense. The rest went to company with commercial and government business -- companies like Ford, Chrysler, Kodak, General Mills. Today 86% goes to Defense companies that can't benefit from self financed R&D and the innovation pressures of the commercial markets. China's primes only get 30-40% of their revenue from the PLA. https://lnkd.in/gDwCS93X I only wish the author understood that it is precisely the ability to earn higher profits that leads to lower prices by providing the incentive to invest in new technologies that change price performance. That's the power of America's commercial markets. As Bezos said: "your margin is my opportunity"
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❗️Spotify pinged us to relay that our podcast passed 100,000 plays on their platform.❗️
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The Air Force and Boeing reach a deal to build the first 2 rapid prototype E-7 Wedgetails...over a year after they started building them. Here's what's going on 👇 https://lnkd.in/gpGw9V42
🔷$2.56B Wedgetail Handshake
themerge.co
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Whats going on with the Air Force's NGAD next-gen fighter? It's hit a pause due to costs. Or is it budget? Or design? Maybe all of the above. We sorted the chaff to break out a clear picture. #Airforce #aerospace #nationalsecurity #military https://lnkd.in/gNStq9B9
🔷 Fighter Future Pause
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