Lifeboat Foundation

ARLINGTON, Va. – U.S. military researchers are approaching industry to enhance atomic vapor sensors for electric field sensing, imaging, communications, and quantum information science (QIS).

Officials of the U.S. Defense Advanced research Projects Agency (DARPA) in Arlington, Va., have issued a broad agency announcement (HR001124S0031) for the Enhancing Quantum Sensor Technologies with Rydberg Atoms (EQSTRA) program.

EQSTRA seeks to enhance the performance, capabilities, and maturity of atomic vapor sensors for future compact, calibration-free, small, and lightweight devices with low drift, and quantum-limited accuracy and sensitivity.

A new study confirmed that a 3500-year-old Mycenaean suit of armor was combat-ready, as evidenced by tests with Greek Marines enduring a rigorous combat simulation, highlighting its significant role in Mycenaean military prowess.

A study recently published in the open-access journal PLOS ONE reveals that a famous Mycenaean suit of armor was designed for extended combat, not just for ceremonial purposes. The research, conducted by Andreas Flouris and colleagues at the University of Thessaly in Greece, supports its use in active warfare.

One of the oldest known suits of European armor is a 3500-year-old suit found near the village of Dendra, a few kilometers away from ancient Mycenae. Since its discovery in 1960, it has been unclear if this was a ceremonial suit or if it was suitable for battle. This question has important implications for understanding warfare in Late Bronze Age Europe, but no historical accounts describe the use of this style of armor. In this study, researchers combine historical and experimental evidence to investigate the combat suitability of the Dendra armor.

When placed at the tip of a turbine blade, the c-shaped “winglet” inspired by the condor reduces drag, potentially increasing the turbine’s efficiency by up to 10% in optimal conditions, according to a study published in the journal Energy.

The wings of soaring birds have also been adapted for use in commercial and military aircraft around the world to increase their lift, says co-author Brian Fleck, a professor of mechanical engineering and expert in fluid dynamics.

Continue reading “World’s heaviest soaring bird inspires wind power design” »

Space weapons have been launched to intercept satellites.

US believes Russia’s recently launched satellite can inspect and attack other satellites in low Earth orbit.

Join our newsletter to get the latest military space news every Tuesday by veteran defense journalist Sandra Erwin.

The estimated $1 billion IDIQ contract — a pre-negotiated agreement between the government and multiple vendors — is for a program known as R2C2, short for Rapid Resilient Command and Control, focused on developing a next-generation ground system built on a commercial cloud architecture.

DefenseScoop was exclusively briefed on Central Command’s new Desert Sentry commercial solutions opening, in partnership with the CDAO.

The Army has determined who will be the functional mangers for electronic warfare.

Bell Textron Inc., a Textron Inc. company, has been down-selected for Phase 1B of U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) Speed and Runway Independent Technologies (SPRINT) X-Plane program. The SPRINT program intends to design, build, and fly an X-Plane, an experimental aircraft to demonstrate enabling technologies and integrated concepts necessary for a transformational combination of aircraft speed and runway independence for the next generation of air mobility platforms. In Phase 1A, Bell executed conceptual design review and will move into preliminary design efforts for the SPRINT X-plane. Bell completed risk reduction testing at Holloman Air Force Base in late 2023, showcasing folding rotor, integrated propulsion, and flight control technologies.

The SPRINT X-plane is intended to be a proof-of-concept technology demonstrator and its flight test program seeks to validate enabling technologies that can be scaled to different size military aircraft. Bell is building on its investment in High-Speed Vertical Takeoff and Landing (HSVTOL) technology and past X-plane experience to inform the X-plane development for this program. Bell’s HSVTOL technology blends the hover capability of a helicopter with the speed (400+ kts), range, and survivability of jet aircraft. Bell has developed high-speed vertical lift technology for more than 85 years, pioneering innovative VTOL configurations like the X-14, X-22, XV-3 and XV-15 for NASA, the U.S. Army and U.S. Air Force, and continues to build on its proven history of fast flight from the Bell X-1.

Tesla will not launch a refreshed Model Y this year, chief executive Elon Musk said in a post on social media X on Saturday.