AI-Enabled Cognitive Electronic Warfare Capability Plugs Into F-16's Existing Radar Warning Receiver
In CADS, we are seeing the emergence of cognitive electronic warfare — the ability for an electronic countermeasure and radar warning system to autonomously adapt to radio frequency threats, including those that are not even loaded into its threat library. Clearly, the convenience of being able to install CADS on F-16s and other aircraft already equipped with AN/ALR-69 makes it a very attractive option that could really impact survivability of these platforms in future fights.
The video below, shot at the Air Force Association's 2025 Warfare Symposium in Aurora, Colorado, last week, gives us a broader look at CADS and what it is supposed to do:
Contact the author: Tyer@twz.com
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Yahoo
12 hours ago
- Yahoo
Glimpses Of China's New Air Combat Drones Emerge Ahead Of Massive Military Parade
More imagery of Chinese 'loyal wingman' type drones, or at least mockups thereof, that are set to make their official debut at a major upcoming military parade has emerged. The uncrewed aircraft are just one part of a massive reveal of new capabilities around this event, some possibly aspirational, but some very real. At least five different loyal wingmen drones, also now commonly referred to as Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) by the USAF, had already been expected to be shown at the upcoming parade in Beijing, based on satellite imagery of the preparations that TWZ previously reported on. It is possible that some of the designs are higher-performance uncrewed combat air vehicles (UCAV) with enhanced degrees of autonomy, but that could still have collaborative capabilities. The GJ-11 Sharp Sword stealthy flying-wing drone, a centerpiece of Chinese UCAV developments to date, and lower-tier medium-altitude long-endurance (MALE) types will also be part of the parade. We can now see that one of the designs that will be shown at the parade, seen below, has a clear resemblance to the FH-97, which is at least heavily inspired by the XQ-58A Valkyrie from U.S. drone maker Kratos. However, the others do not readily align with known Chinese types. Yesterday, a new image emerged offering a better look at one of the designs, which has a traditional wing and tail arrangement, as well as a top-mounted air intake. Another picture of this drone also began circulating online earlier today. As noted, it has distinct similarities to the FH-97, which was first shown publicly at China's Zhuhai Airshow in 2021. The angular shaping of the vertical stabilizers, in particular, very much aligns with the FH-97, as well as the XQ-58. Comparisons have also been drawn to General Atomics YFQ-42A, which is now under development for the U.S. Air Force's CCA program, but that design has vertical stabilizers with a different trapezoidal shape. It is worth noting here that the company behind the FH-97, Aerospace Times Feihong Technology Corporation, a subsidiary of the state-run China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC), also presented a very different design dubbed the FH-97A in 2022. Unlike the FH-97, the FH-97A is a dead ringer for the MQ-28 Ghost Bat developed by Boeing's division in Australia. What we are seeing now might be a further addition to the FH-97 line. Today, additional images emerged showing two of the other new drone designs, which are tailless with modified delta wings. One of the designs has a very slender nose in front of a significantly wider body, while the other (also seen in an image at the top of this story) has a broader nose and center section. Both of them are still under wraps, with details that could point to their engine layouts and other features obscured. Based on their sizes compared to the trucks carrying them, the two drones are significantly larger than the FH-97-esque design. The larger size of the drones also points to higher performance. It's also worth noting that the drone with the broader design is highly similar, if not the same as an airframe or mockup thereof spotted in satellite imagery of the Chinese plane maker Shenyang's main plant earlier this year, which TWZ was first to report on. However, it is not entirely clear from what we can see now if the wings on the two designs are exactly the same. Two other drone designs seen in the previous satellite imagery of the parade preparations, which also appear to be tailless with modified diamond-like delta and cranked-kite wings, have yet to come into clearer view. As TWZ has previously reported, all of this reflects China's clear pursuit of multiple CCA and/or UCAV designs for land-based use, as well as operations from aircraft carriers and big-deck amphibious warfare ships. The two-seat J-20S stealth fighter is also now routinely depicted acting as an airborne drone controller, a role TWZ has long highlighted as being ideal for the aircraft. The KJ-500 airborne early warning and control aircraft is also regularly discussed as part of China's future crewed-uncrewed air combat ecosystem, and it has been suggested that the H-6 missile carrier aircraft could act as a launch platform for lower-tier tactical drones. Un passage dans un reportage de CCTV-7 montre la possible collaboration entre un J-20 biplace et des #drones GJ-11 à faible observabilité.La représentativité est à confirmer. — East Pendulum (@HenriKenhmann) October 12, 2022 I suspect there may not be a single dedicated cca/MMUT platform Rather different CCAs for varying roles of ISR/EW and A2A/G combat etchttps:// — Húrin (@Hurin92) July 5, 2025 H-6K drops multiple drones — 彩云香江 (@louischeung_hk) October 12, 2022 China has also secured a broader position as a global leader in advanced uncrewed aviation developments. What appears to be a very large, low-observable, flying-wing, high-altitude, long-endurance unmanned aircraft also emerged earlier this year, as TWZ was first to report. Beyond CCA/UCAV-type drones, the upcoming parade, which will take place on September 3, will mark the 80th anniversary of the country's victory over Japan in World War II, is going to feature a variety of what Chinese authorities have referred to as 'new-type combat capabilities.' On the uncrewed aviation front, what looks to be a new vertical takeoff and landing-capable drone will be on display. From what can be seen of the design so far, it may have a twin intermeshing rotor design. This is a rare configuration for helicopters, crewed or uncrewed. The Kaman Corporation in the United States is best known for producing designs with this configuration, including a pair of CQ-24 drone versions of the company's K-MAX helicopter, which the U.S. Marine Corps operated for a time in Afghanistan. And another intersting find by bsdnf/SDF:'Intermeshing-rotor UAV like Kaman K-MAX/CQ-24A? Very compact & foldable rotor design, which means it can be carried on ship. The large fuselage may be used for transport missions like the K-MAX, but closer to Z-20 and more reasonable.' — @Rupprecht_A (@RupprechtDeino) August 16, 2025 And also the rotary UAV/UCAV — @Rupprecht_A (@RupprechtDeino) August 17, 2025 Imagery of the ongoing preparations shows that a number of new missile designs are also set to make their public debut. This includes the YJ-17, which has a shape in line with past 'waverider' type hypersonic missiles, as well as the YJ-19, with a style of air intake often seen on designs with scramjet engines. Another design, labeled YJ-20, has a long conical-like shape that is very much in line with a mysterious missile seen being fired from what was said to be a Type 055 destroyer in a video that appeared online in 2022. Various new missiles (ship UVLS launch?) confirmed, my 2c on roles:– YJ-15, ramjet compact supersonic?– YJ-17, waverider hypersonic glide?– YJ-19, ?maybe scramjet hypersonic?– YJ-20, biconical hypersonic/aeroballistic? Possibly seen before from REautomaton, SDF — Rick Joe (@RickJoe_PLA) August 17, 2025 The PLAN will publicly display 3 types of hypersonic anti-ship missiles in its inventory for this years VJ Day Parade.->Hypersonic Cruise Missile (HCM) ->Hypersonic Glide Vehicle with a delta-winged body similar to the DF-17->Hypersonic Glide Vehicle with a bi-conic design… — SomePLAOSINT (@someplaosint) August 16, 2025 What may be a new intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), or another type of very large weapon with a ballistic-missile like capability, as well as other new ground-launched missiles, also look set to be unveiled at the parade. Lack of launch stations on the right hand side of the cab and the short stature of the canister makes me suspect this is a loading vehicle but we'd need to see if it has a launch table or not before coming to any firm conclusions — Decker Eveleth (@dex_eve) August 16, 2025 The PLA Rocket Force's (PLARF) commitment to a new seemingly subsonic ground-launched land-attack cruise missile is a notable development given the strikingly modest scale at which the CJ-10 and CJ-10A cruise missiles are understood to have been the… — Shahryar Pasandideh (@shahpas) August 16, 2025 Previously unseen very large uncrewed underwater vehicles (UUV) with torpedo-like shapes, as well as uncrewed surface vessels (USV), will also be showcased at the parade. PLA Long UUV – AJX002 — David Wang (@Nickatgreat1220) August 16, 2025 Images now circulating online also confirm that a number of new crewed tracked and wheeled armored vehicles will also feature prominently in the parade. There had been speculation that at least one new armored vehicle design would break cover at the event after a video showing mysteriously unidentified vehicles concealed underneath large, box-like structures began circulating on social media in July. Some of the armored vehicle crew members seen taking part in the parade preparations are wearing headsets of a kind often associated with augmented reality vision systems. Uncrewed ground vehicles (UGV) will also be on display at the parade. PLA Airborne Armored IFV — David Wang (@Nickatgreat1220) August 17, 2025 PLA Gen IV Light Tank & Fire Support Platform — David Wang (@Nickatgreat1220) August 16, 2025 PLA 105mm Unmanned Combat Vehicle(?) — David Wang (@Nickatgreat1220) August 16, 2025 — David Wang (@Nickatgreat1220) August 17, 2025 UGVs — David Wang (@Nickatgreat1220) August 16, 2025 A variety of ground-based air and missile defense systems, including directed energy weapons, will take part in the parade, as well. PLA Unknown Air Defense Convoy | BeijingHQ-11(?)HQ-16(?)HQ-19(?)HQ-26(?)HQ-29(?)HQ-32(?) — David Wang (@Nickatgreat1220) August 16, 2025 PLA Huge Laser Vehicle | Beijing — David Wang (@Nickatgreat1220) August 16, 2025 It is, of course, important to stress that it is not immediately clear how many of the drones and other 'new' systems that will take part in the parade are actually operationally or even close to being put into service. Mockups have been shown at many major Chinese military parades in the past. At the same time, in many cases, those designs have turned into very real capabilities, with the GJ-11 being one of the best-known examples. A stealthier iteration of the GJ-11 design was one of the big reveals at a parade to mark the 70th anniversary of the founding of the Communist state in China in 2019. All of this reflects larger efforts by the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) to modernize its capabilities across the board. While the PLA retains a heavy regional focus, including around preparedness for a potential military intervention against Taiwan and enforcing China's widely rejected territorial claims in the South China Sea, it has also been working to expand its ability to project power further and further abroad. The PLA's nuclear deterrence capabilities and associated doctrine have also evolved significantly in recent years. Altogether, Beijing looks set to make full use of the upcoming parade on September 3 to send signals globally through the official debut of a host of new CCA/UCAV-type drones and many other advanced capabilities, big and small. Contact the author: joe@ Solve the daily Crossword
Business Insider
a day ago
- Business Insider
'Breakthrough EVs': Ford Stock (NYSE:F) Notches Up on New Battery Details
An electric vehicle (EV) is only as good as its battery, at the end of the day. Legacy automaker Ford (F) is likely aware of this, and has a novel new prospect coming as a result. The new line of EVs Ford has on tap will have an unexpected feature: a much smaller battery. But this is less a problem than you may think. In fact, Ford stock is up fractionally in Friday afternoon's trading. Elevate Your Investing Strategy: Take advantage of TipRanks Premium at 50% off! Unlock powerful investing tools, advanced data, and expert analyst insights to help you invest with confidence. So how does a smaller battery win Ford's new EV line any friends? As it turns out, the smaller battery will produce a car with a similar range as those cars with bigger batteries. The battery in question will offer 51 kilowatt-hours of power, which is only about half the size of the batteries currently found in the F-150 Lightning. But if Ford can make an EV that gets the necessary 250-300 mile per charge range that most electric vehicles consider 'table stakes' these days, Ford might be able to make lighter-weight vehicles that are also less expensive, a combination that is only too important in a time when everyone is still feeling the inflationary pinch that started a few years ago and has yet to relent. 'Liquid Carbon' Mustang Of course, Ford is not all about electric vehicles; EVs represent a small portion of Ford's total sales, as gas engines still rule the day. And new reports about the Ford Mustang GTD 'Liquid Carbon' are already delivering some impressive visuals of the kind that might make Porsche (POAHY) quake in fear. Indeed, the GTD Liquid Carbon does look a lot like a 911 GT3 RS. Moreover, it is also a car that has bypassed the paint process and instead stuck with bonded carbon fiber all around. It is not all about looks, though, as reports note the GTD Liquid Carbon features a 'Performance' pack as a standard edition, complete with a DRS flap on the rear win, dive planes, and a 'bigger splitter,' all of which adds up to Ford living up to its promise of ' no boring cars.' Is Ford Stock a Good Buy Right Now? Turning to Wall Street, analysts have a Hold consensus rating on F stock based on two Buys, nine Holds and three Sells assigned in the past three months, as indicated by the graphic below. After a 8.85% rally in its share price over the past year, the average F price target of $10.74 per share implies 6.24% downside risk.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Yahoo
Democrats decry move by Pentagon to pause $800 million in nearly done software projects
By Alexandra Alper WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Democrats took aim at the Trump administration after Reuters reported on Wednesday that the Navy and Air Force were poised to cancel nearly completed software projects worth over $800 million. The reason for the move was an effort by some officials at the services to steer new projects to companies like Salesforce and Palantir, in what could amount to a costly do-over. 'The Pentagon has yet to show that it had a good reason for halting these contracts in the last inning and scrapping work American tax dollars have already paid for," Democratic Senator Tim Kaine said in a statement. "If it can't show its homework, then this announcement - just days after Palantir's CEO spoke at Mike Johnson's Wyoming donor retreat - reeks of corruption.' Punchbowl reported this month that Palantir CEO Alex Karp planned to address Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson's annual big-donor retreat in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. The Pentagon and Air Force did not respond to requests for comment. The Navy declined to comment. Trump officials have said the administration is striving to make the contracting process more efficient. The comments show growing concern among Democratic lawmakers over waste at the Pentagon, even as Donald Trump took office vowing to rid the government of waste and abuse. The website of the Department of Government Efficiency, the agency he created to spearhead those efforts, lists over $14 billion in Defense Department contracts it claims to have canceled. But seven months into his presidency, some of his own actions have complicated DOGE's work, from firing the Pentagon's inspector general to issuing an executive order prioritizing speed and risk-taking in defense acquisitions. 'If you're serious about cracking down on waste, fraud, and abuse, the last thing you'd do is cancel $800 million in projects that are nearly ready to roll out just to turn around and steer the same work to corporations of your choosing," said Democratic Representative Maggie Goodlander, who sits on the House Armed Services Committee and served as an intelligence officer in the United States Navy Reserve. "This maneuver is an insult to taxpayers and servicemembers across America," she added. Salud Carbajal, another House Democrat who sits on the Armed Services Committee, said the behavior was part of a pattern of waste at the Pentagon under Trump. 'I understand that our military's acquisition and procurement processes aren't flawless, but this administration has repeatedly shown a blatant disregard for the responsible use of taxpayer dollars,' said Carbajal, citing "lavish" military parades and "unnecessary" troop deployments in Los Angeles. Democratic U.S. Representative Jill Tokuda, who also sits on the committee, echoed Carbajal's remarks. "Stripping away critical oversight guardrails is unnecessary and downright reckless," she said, adding that after many delays, the Pentagon was finally poised to implement military pay systems that could pass an audit. "Taxpayers should not fund sweetheart deals for the well connected."
