Latest news with #Link16
Miami Herald
07-04-2025
- Business
- Miami Herald
GA-ASI Expands Targeting Capability for MQ-9B SeaGuardian(R)
New Software Will Provide In-Flight Target Updates SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA / ACCESS Newswire / April 7, 2025 / General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) has demonstrated software that will provide in-flight target updates that will enable the MQ-9B SeaGuardian® Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) to close gaps on maritime targets. In a recent ground test, GA-ASI demonstrated the ability to send sensor data to the missile via Link 16 messaging. The software, part of General Atomics' Quadratix software enterprise, was validated in a Systems Integration Lab and is gearing up for a live-fire demonstration later this year. "We continue to build on the innovative capabilities of SeaGuardian for the U.S. Navy," said GA-ASI President David R. Alexander. "The targeting we've demonstrated will be especially valuable in contested environments, enabling an unmanned asset like SeaGuardian to be used for higher-risk missions instead of putting manned assets at risk." Being able to fire and use SeaGuardian for targeting will significantly enhance the aircraft's mission set. GA-ASI first showcased its targeting capability for SeaGuardian during the U.S. Navy's Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2024. SeaGuardian is a maritime derivative of GA-ASI's MQ-9B SkyGuardian® and remains the first UAS to offer multi-domain Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance, and Targeting (ISR&T) as an internal payload that can search the ocean's surface and its depths in support of Fleet Operations. With strong demand already in place, GA-ASI anticipates increasing interest in the MQ-9B SeaGuardian because it delivers high-end maritime capabilities at a significantly lower cost than traditional manned maritime platforms. About GA-ASI General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. is the world's foremost builder of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS). Logging more than 8 million flight hours, the Predator® line of UAS has flown for over 30 years and includes MQ-9A Reaper®, MQ-1C Gray Eagle® 25M, MQ-20 Avenger®, XQ-67A, YFQ-42A, and MQ-9B SkyGuardian®/SeaGuardian®. The company is dedicated to providing long-endurance, multi-mission solutions that deliver persistent situational awareness and rapid strike. Contact Information GA-ASI Media Relations asi-mediarelations@ 524-8101 SOURCE: General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. press release
Russia Today
15-02-2025
- Politics
- Russia Today
Ukrainian F-16 downed by friendly fire
Ukraine may have accidentally shot down one of its own F-16 fighter jets due to the Biden administration's decision to withhold critical coordination technology, according to a column by a member of The Wall Street Journal's editorial board on Friday. The crash in late August killed Ukrainian pilot Aleksey Mes, 30, who had recently returned from training in Denmark. The General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces said at the time that an F-16 fighter jet had crashed while repelling a Russian missile attack. Moscow did not comment on the incident. An investigation is ongoing. The crash is likely to have been a case of friendly fire involving Ukraine's western-provided Patriot air defense system, columnist Jillian Kay Melchior claimed, citing a Ukrainian lawmaker and other sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity. READ MORE: French jets will swiftly be shot down if flown by Ukraine – Rostec The allegation was first made by Ukrainian lawmaker Maryana Bezuglaya days after the crash. Melchior cited a source with firsthand knowledge of the investigation as saying that physical evidence at the crash site suggested the jet was shot down by a missile. According to Melchior, the Biden administration withheld the Link 16 tactical network, a key technology that helps ground-based air defense systems distinguish between friendly and enemy aircraft. Link 16 provides real-time situational awareness by connecting all network members, including aircraft, ground units, and air defense. Neither Ukraine's F-16s nor its Patriot systems were equipped with Link 16 when the jets arrived in Ukraine in mid-2024, the column noted. 'Link 16 is such a vital and sensitive tool that the US might have been reluctant to provide it – in keeping with the abundance of caution that characterized the Biden administration's Ukraine policy.' While the US has been one of Ukraine's largest military backers, delivery of advanced weaponry was often delayed over concerns about escalating the conflict with Russia. Washington initially hesitated to provide long-range missiles, advanced air defense systems, and fighter jets, only to approve their transfer after months of debate. The F-16s, delivered to Kiev by Denmark and the Netherlands, were seen as a potential game-changer. However, their effectiveness has been limited by outdated radar systems and the absence of Link 16. Ukraine has received fewer than 20 F-16s so far, and the crash in August was the first reported loss of one of the aircraft. READ MORE: NATO F-16 pilot killed in Russian strike – TASS Last year, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that F-16s would not be able to change the situation on the battlefield. If the jets are used against Russia from airfields in third countries, Moscow will consider them legitimate targets for its armed forces, he warned.
Yahoo
14-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
WSJ: Ukraine may have shot down its F-16 over summer due to "US overcautiousness"
The Wall Street Journal has published a column on the probable cause of the F-16 fighter jet crash that resulted in the death of pilot Oleksii Mes on 26 August 2024. The newspaper writes that it was friendly fire from a Patriot air defence system, although Ukraine has not officially reported this. Source: Jillian Kay Melchior's column in The Wall Street Journal Details: The disaster, the sources said, may have been caused by the Link 16 friend and foe system, which was disabled on the Patriots handed over to Ukraine. The Link 16 tactical network provides a real-time overview of all elements of the system – aircraft, ground units, air defence assets and command. This makes operations safer for allies and more deadly for the opponent. Link 16 also reduces the risk to pilots during flights. The first Patriot air defence systems arrived in Ukraine in April 2023. WSJ cites Dariia Kaleniuk, co-founder of the International Centre for Ukrainian Victory, as saying that the Patriot was disconnected from Link 16 because no one expected Ukraine to receive F-16 fighters. And when the West approved the transfer of the fighter jets a few months later, "that was not fixed". As the author suggests, Link 16 is such an important and sensitive tool that the US may have been unwilling to provide it to Ukraine due to the excessive caution characteristic of the Biden administration's policy towards Ukraine. The Pentagon responded to Melchior's request by saying that it does not comment on the configuration of weapons provided to partners and advised to contact the Ukrainian side. Sources claim that efforts are underway to address this shortcoming but refused to provide details. Background: On 29 August, The Wall Street Journal, citing sources, reported that an F-16 fighter jet was destroyed in a plane crash in Ukraine on 26 August. Also on 26 August, Air Command Zakhid (West) of the Armed Forces of Ukraine said that Ukrainian pilot Oleksii Mes was killed while repelling a large-scale Russian combined missile and drone attack on 26 August. The General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces reported that an F-16 fighter jet crashed while repelling a Russian missile attack, and the pilot died. Support UP or become our patron!
