News of new developments in the military-industrial complex

The Armed Forces are showing increasing interest in UAVs

In October, the Aerospace Forces received the first batch of Orion multifunctional unmanned aerial vehicles, as well as control points. The novelty was developed as part of the development work of "Pacer" and lasted for more than nine years.

NUST MISIS scientists in collaboration with Russian and foreign colleagues were able to improve the technology of obtaining medical alloys with shape memory. The new technique will improve the reliability of existing surgical devices and develop a number of new ones. The results of the study are published in the journal JOM.

We remind our readers that the main "standard" block of a quantum computer is a quantum bit, a qubit that can simultaneously store and process the quantum information contained in it.

The British company Supacat has completed the development of a set of conversion of Jackal 1 diesel armored vehicles into hybrid ones without loss of driving characteristics. According to Jane's, the company also prepared the first such armored vehicle for the installation of the kit and testing. All work was completed in mid-December last year, but the company announced this only now.

Previously, the TKN-AI commander's observation device with active-pulse illumination was used. In comparison with it, the new sight has a number of advantages, for example, it allows you to more effectively conduct a circular view of the terrain.

On the eve of his 70th birthday, the Honored Test Pilot of the Russian Federation, Hero of Russia, retired Major General Magomed Tolboev told TASS about the most promising modern military aircraft and the MAKS-2021 air show.

The Nevsky Design Bureau has started developing a floating airfield for the Arctic region. Studies of the architectural and structural appearance of floating airfields and islands are being carried out, TASS writes with reference to the materials of the Design Bureau dedicated to the 90th anniversary of the enterprise.

The author turns to the most advanced military topic: are hypersonic missiles so invulnerable? After all, it is with them that Russia's hopes are connected "not with numbers, but with the ability" to defend itself against the superior forces of the NATO bloc. The author claims that hypersonic missiles are not so superior to ballistic missiles, which means that they will not provide a "balance of fear" for cheap.

The Americans are making progress in creating anti-submarine drones. January 19, portal defensenews.com He reported that the US Navy and General Atomics successfully tested the MQ-9A Block V Reaper drone with a kit for setting up sonar buoys.

The GJ-11 Sharp Sword heavy class reconnaissance and strike unmanned aerial vehicle was photographed in flight for the first time. Previously, this UAV was demonstrated in October 2019, at a military parade in Beijing dedicated to the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China. Among the promising equipment, it was taken through Tiananmen Square.

Kalashnikov assault rifles have been produced in the Balkans for half a century and are only getting better. January 19, portal thefirearmblog.com He reported that the Serbian company Zastava Arms presented a new AK-74M clone at the GunFest 2021 weapons exhibition.

The unpretentious aircraft is able to operate in the conditions of the Far North

On the eve of 2021, a new Russian passenger aircraft IL-114-300 made its first flight. Completion of tests and certification is expected in 2022, and the start of serial deliveries - from 2023. It will also be used in military transport aviation. The unpretentious IL-114 and IL-112 are able to take off from airfields with short and not very high-quality runways, which is an absolute plus of the new machines.

The self-propelled guns "Lotus" and "Coalition-SV" have different calibers, but the same tasks

At the very end of last year, preliminary tests of the self-propelled artillery gun 2S42 "Lotus", intended for use in the Airborne Forces, began. Their program includes self-propelled aircraft landing, moving over rough terrain of a complex profile, overcoming obstacles, shooting, including on the move and afloat. After that, state acceptance tests will begin. And the adoption of the "Lotus" should be expected as early as next year.

Defense News: the US will test the "killer of the Black Sea Fleet of the Russian Federation"

The Pentagon will test the AGM-158C anti-ship missile, which in the United States is called the "killer of the Russian Black Sea Fleet". The missile has a range of about 950 km, is resistant to interference and is designed to detect targets using onboard sensors, without relying on guidance from a drone or a warship.

As reported by the TASS news agency on January 18, 2021, JSC "Nevsky Design Bureau" (NPKB, part of JSC "United Shipbuilding Corporation") has developed two new projects of universal ships, in particular the universal sea ship (UMK) "Varan" and a new universal landing ship (UDC). This is stated in the materials of the NPKB, dedicated to the 90th anniversary of the enterprise and available to TASS.

On January 15, 2021, it was reported that on December 23, 2020, the General Directorate of Armaments (Direction Générale de l'Armement - DGA) of the French Ministry of the Armed Forces issued a contract to a consortium of French companies Nexter Systems and Texelis for the supply of the first 364 serial Serval multi-purpose armored vehicles with a 4x4 wheel formula, also designated VBMR Leger (Véhicule blindé multi-rôles) to the French army.

The Americans decided to develop the military direction of nuclear energy. So far, the current President, Donald Trump, has signed a decree on the development of low-power nuclear reactors for the armed forces and space exploration. For the first time in half a century, the United States will use nuclear energy not only in the Navy. About why Washington needs new compact reactors-in the material of RIA Novosti.

The Russian military for the first time reported on the conduct of network-centric exercises, during which self-propelled artillery installations (ACS) "Msta" were used, equipped with the equipment of a unified control system, RIA Novosti reports.

At the end of 2020, the Air Force Office of Scientific Research at the Air Force Research Laboratory awarded 17 grants for quantum information research, two of which focused on the use of quantum computing to overcome problems in navigation without the use of GPS, according to the publication Inside GNSS. Quantum computing and quantum sensors use quantum bits (qubits) to speed up computing processes while performing multiple operations simultaneously, which is beyond the capabilities of modern computers. 

The American company General Atomics, together with the US Navy, tested the MQ-9A Block V Reaper unmanned aerial vehicle in an anti-submarine role. According to Defense News, during the tests, the device was used to search for an underwater target that simulates a submarine. The tests were conducted as part of the MQ-9B SeaGuardian maritime patrol drone development project.