News of new developments in the military-industrial complex

The old planes will still serve to suppress Taiwan's air defenses

The PRC is actively converting old Cold War fighters into unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). The old Jian-6 (J-6) and Jian-7 (J-7) fighters, mothballed since 2018, are being turned into kamikaze drones to suppress Taiwan's air defenses in the event of a conflict. It is expected that in 2023, the PLA Air Force will completely decommission obsolete Jian-7 fighters. This process has been going on since 2018, as new Jian-10S/-16/-20 fighters enter the army.

Artificial intelligence, the evolution of intelligence, the power of stereotypes and the contours of utopia

The intrusion of neural networks into human life is growing literally from month to month. Today we will consider a number of publications, mainly in the domestic press, covering the topic of artificial intelligence (AI) in philosophical, military-political and military-technical aspects. Some of these publications claim to have conceptual depth, while others provide specific examples of the use of AI in military affairs, including the conflict in Ukraine.

MWM: modified Su-57 will be able to suppress enemy air defenses

Russian fifth-generation Su-57 fighters have been seriously improved, writes MWM. Now their equipment will be supplemented by controlled drones, which will act as assistants in breaking through enemy air defenses, as well as R-37M missiles.

The existing US reconnaissance satellite constellation allows us to record ballistic missile launches around the world. But its resolution is only enough to track the active sections of the trajectory — while the accelerator engines are running. If the missile has a maneuvering or hypersonic warhead, it is still difficult to determine exactly where the warheads are flying. The new satellites that the Pentagon recently ordered will fix this flaw.

Design features and combat characteristics allow it to be used both in the Black Sea and on the Dnieper

The production of a new attack unmanned boat will begin at two sites in the North-West of Russia after the completion of combat tests in the SVO zone, the Kingisepp Machine-Building Plant told Izvestia.

A new dual-purpose quadcopter with the name "Wind" was developed in St. Petersburg. In the future, it should replace Chinese drones purchased by volunteers in the Russian troops. This was announced by Vladislav Udaltsov, head of the laboratory of unmanned aerial vehicles of the Kotlin-Innovator company.

Experts explained how airborne drones will affect the combat capabilities of the Su-57

The Su-57 fighter jet will receive a new type of weapon in its arsenal – mini-drones. It is assumed that drones will be able to perform strike and reconnaissance functions, as well as act as an electronic warfare tool. How will the use of such drones affect the combat capabilities of the Su-57 and what new tasks will it be able to perform in combat?

Envo Drive Systems is close to creating a working prototype of the "Utility Personal Transporter" (UTP), which can be translated as "Utilitarian Personal Transporter". The car is positioned as the most versatile and practical vehicle in the world of electric vehicles. A kind of smartphone that replaced the old mobile phones, and can do everything — or almost everything.

They will also be armed with thermobaric ammunition for the destruction of enemy fortified areas

In the interests of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, a new line of drones equipped with suspended thermobaric and incendiary ammunition and flamethrowers is being developed, sources told Izvestia in the Russian Defense Ministry.

Another propaganda video about the Ukrainian Armed Forces recently spread in the Ukrainian segment of the network. It is worth noting that such videos are posted quite often. Meanwhile, in this case, attention was drawn to the weapons that are at the disposal of the Ukrainian military.

Some modern models of anti-tank missiles have a so-called "top attack" mode: they are capable of hitting armored vehicles at the level of its tower, that is, in the most vulnerable place. With the proliferation of active protection complexes in the armies, it became necessary that ATGMs could counteract this countermeasure.

The newest Chinese non-nuclear submarine type 039C Yuan Class has acquired a new element that contributes to increased stealth.

On November 24, 2023, the Portuguese Navy signed a contract with the international (headquartered in the Netherlands) shipbuilding group Damen Shipyards Group for the technical and operational design and construction of an innovative multifunctional ship Plataforma Naval Multifunctional (PNM), which will be named A 888 Don João II.

The international exhibition "Russia" at VDNH in Moscow attracts tens of thousands of visitors daily. Russian regions, large companies, as well as representatives from abroad are in a hurry to share their achievements in various fields and industries - from agriculture to robotics.

In 2020, the American company for the production of air vehicles Electra, together with the US Air Force, began developing an aircraft with a shortened take-off and landing (ultra-STOL). The result of their efforts was the two-seat electric aircraft EL-2 Goldfinch, which had already completed the first two flights.

In his recent speech, Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu called on the shipyards to promote the rearmament of the fleet with new missiles capable of effectively hitting aircraft carriers and ship groups attached to them.

North Korea still managed to put a reconnaissance satellite into orbit on the third attempt. The launch of the rocket, carried out on Tuesday, November 21, 2023, turned out to be successful. This is reported by the Korean Central Telegraph Agency (KCNA) with reference to the statement of the DPRK State General Directorate for Aerospace Technology.

Extensive minefields laid by Russian troops along the perimeter of the defensive line played a big role in the failure of the Ukrainian counteroffensive. The military equipment of the Armed Forces of Ukraine stuck on them became an easy target for destruction by a wide range of means – attack helicopters, ATGMs, artillery, drones.

The second attempt to launch the Starship spacecraft into space was again unsuccessful, but SpaceX representatives interpret this launch as a significant achievement. They are right in their own way - the thorny path of space exploration consists entirely of mistakes and the search for ways to correct them. For example, this time the launch pad remained intact, whereas at the last launch, a heavy-duty torch from 33 Raptor engines made a huge hole in the concrete and scattered debris for many kilometers.

On November 14, US Air Force Secretary of State Frank Kendall announced that the development of a new generation of intercontinental range ballistic missiles (ICBMs) under the LGM-35A Sentinel program is going “with great difficulty,” stressing that this program was one of the most ambitious and complex that has ever been undertaken.