Latest news with #TheArmy
Yahoo
24-07-2025
- Yahoo
What the Army is doing to keep its tanks alive against drones
Despite the claims of internet experts, tanks and other armor aren't obsolete, but they have a major problem. On modern battlefields, main battle tanks that were once the lords of the plains are being taken out by cheap quadcopter drones that some had written off as toys for idle hobbyists just ten years ago, despite their almost immediate weaponization by militant groups. Other threats, like loitering munitions, and a proliferation of anti-tank guided missiles (ATGM) with top-attack capability like the Next generation Light Anti-tank Weapon (NLAW), make this one of the most dangerous times for armor since the British Mark I became the first tank to see combat on Sept. 15, 1916, on the Somme. With armor facing threats like never before, the Army is requesting $108 million in the fiscal year 2026 budget for technology to enhance its survivability. Leaders are funding a modular suite of protection technologies that can be added to current and future armed vehicles to keep them relevant and survivable. The branch, with thousands of Abrams tanks and armored vehicles like the Bradley and Stryker, is building the future fleet to detect threats early, disrupt them with jammers or sensor spoofing, defeat them with interceptors or directed energy weapons, and disappear using camouflage, signature reduction, and deception. At the heart of this new approach is the Modular Active Protection System (MAPS). It is essentially an operating system for vehicle defense, designed to let the Army, or anybody else, mix and match sensors, launchers, jammers, and countermeasures across its vehicle fleet. A MAPS-compatible Bradley or Abrams could field different defensive kits depending on the mission or threat environment. One of the key components of MAPS is the hard-kill interceptor — typically short-range projectiles designed to knock out incoming rockets, ATGMS, or drones. They're most commonly called active protection systems (APS). Systems like Trophy and Iron Fist have seen real-world success on Israeli vehicles. The Iron-First Light Decoupled was chosen to protect Bradleys while the Trophy APS has been on Abrams for some time. These systems have their drawbacks, however. They can be easily overwhelmed, require reloading, and are expensive, though a bargain if they keep a vehicle and the crew alive. Top Stories This Week News The Army has a novel solution to its drone problem: Shoot them with tanks The Army has a novel solution to its drone problem: Shoot them with tanks By Matt White News A Marine general will command the Naval Academy for the first time A Marine general will command the Naval Academy for the first time By Matt White News Marine who criticized leaders for Afghanistan withdrawal to head promotions review Marine who criticized leaders for Afghanistan withdrawal to head promotions review By Jeff Schogol According to the budget documents, $92 million of the $108 million requested is going to manufacture top attack defenses, commonly called 'cope cages.' The design hasn't been finalized, so it's yet unknown how effective they will be against drone-dropped munitions, which active protection systems can struggle with due to their angle of drop and the speed of the falling munition. Systems like Iron Fist are being updated to deal with this particular top attack threat, but as we mentioned, it can be easily overwhelmed. Another big piece of how the Army plans to protect against small drones is lasers, particularly the 50-kilowatt units mounted on Directed Energy Maneuver Short Range Air Defense, or DE M-SHORAD Stryker variants. These systems have undergone multiple rounds of testing and have been deployed to Europe and the Middle East. In these tests, the lasers proved capable of downing small drones, but not without problems. Soldiers identified that the weapon's power draw, which is significant, was complicated by the need to remain mobile and move often. Things like dust, rain, fog, and other common environmental elements on a battlefield also proved to be an issue. Leaders are also aware that the harder you are to see, the harder you are to kill, so they're investing in other passive protection measures. Technologies such as signature management paint are mentioned in the budget, but other efforts like noise-reduction and modular camouflage systems are being implemented as well. Reducing the electromagnetic, thermal, and acoustic signatures emitted from a vehicle can give crews time to identify a threat before it identifies them, and allow soldiers to employ whatever countermeasure is appropriate. What still remains to be seen is how effective all this will be, and if it can keep armor from sliding into irrelevance. In our latest YouTube video, we get deeper into what all these systems do well, what they don't, and if this will just turn tanks into even more expensive targets. Solve the daily Crossword
Indian Express
17-07-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
July 17, 1985, Forty Years Ago: Decoding CVR
The preliminary hearing of the cockpit voice recorder (CVR) of the ill-fated Air India Jumbo, Kanishka, established that the snapping of communication was 'sudden and abrupt'. The preliminary run was done at the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre. The spokesman and secretary to the court of inquiry, S N Sharma, said the preliminary run of the tape was 'pretty good and normal'. Conditions for peace Tamil groups have set out four basic principles that they say are vital to Tamil interests and which they want recognised in any new proposals for ending the ethnic conflict. Neelan Tiruchelvam, a spokesman for the Tamil United Liberation Front, said the principles were conveyed to the government at peace talks in Thimphu. They are the acceptance of the Tamils as a national minority, recognition of their traditional homelands, the right to self-determination and citizenship and the right to live in Sri Lanka for all Tamils. Army withdrawn The Army, which was called in to assist the civil administration in Ahmedabad and Baroda to contain violence in the wake of the anti-reservation agitation, has been withdrawn. It will, however, stand by. The decision to withdraw the 2,000-odd troops was taken at a high-power meeting of state government officials with the Army and police. Longowal's plan Harchand Singh Longowal, president of the Shiromani Akali Dal (Longowal) has said that the Akali Dal had decided to organise district-level conferences all over Punjab and parts of Haryana. These will be held from August 1 to 20 to mobilise the masses for the new line of action, to be announced on August 20, for the acceptance of its long-pending demands.
Yahoo
13-06-2025
- Yahoo
Fort Benning upgrades range to accommodate new sniper rifle
The Army is upgrading a multipurpose sniper training range at Fort Benning, Georgia to handle new weapons that can shoot farther than the current range allows. The improvements are part of a series of modernization efforts scheduled over the next seven years, according to an Army release. As part of the modernization initiative, Burroughs Range was upgraded to extend a section of the range from 800 meters to 1,100 meters. A future upgrade includes some target areas being expanded to distances of up to 1,200 meters, offering improved training opportunities for soldiers using the range. 'The current sniper rifle system used by the Army has an effective range of about 1,000 meters,' said Shane Duncanson, Fort Benning range planner. Newest sniper rifle for soldiers, Marines takes on final hurdle before fielding The Army's newest sniper rifle, the Mk22, can strike targets as far as 1,500 to 1,800 meters, Duncanson said. The Mk22 is a multi-caliber, bolt-action rifle that replaces the M2010, M110 and M107 sniper rifles. 'The requirements for changes to the training ranges came from new weapons systems being introduced,' said John Nolt, acting director of Directorate of Plans, Training, Mobilization & Security at Fort Benning. Completed in 1976, Burroughs Range was initially designed as a heavy sniper training facility, with armored targets placed throughout the training area, according to the release. Additionally, a two-meter tall, 225-meter-long, 21-meter-deep berm, complete with a moving target rail system to its rear, is located on the west side of the range at 800 meters from the shooting positions. 'As the battlefield changes, our training ranges have to change, too,' said Jason Olive, Fort Benning range officer. 'As Burroughs Range transitions to the Army's newest Multipurpose Sniper Range, the requirement for a moving armored target was eliminated, which required the removal of the berm and tracks behind it, allowing additional line of sight and an area to incorporate the Army's newest trackless moving target technology.' The construction work at Burroughs Range involved leveling the berm, demolishing the obsolete rail system — which featured a 44-centimeter concrete base and a 20-centimeter rebar barrier extending along the entire 225-meter length — gradually leveling the land behind the berm, removing trees and clearing debris throughout the range. 'Burroughs Range was built back in a day when 1,000 meters was the farthest someone could shoot, and typically a solider would train at 600-800 meters,' Duncanson said. 'We're in the process of doing small incremental improvements so that we can use the new weapon systems and rounds at 1,200 meters.' Personnel from Fort Benning, as well as the Georgia Army National Guard's 177th Engineer Support Company, 878th Engineer Battalion out of Augusta, Georgia, and the Army Reserve's 718th Engineer Company, 926th Engineer Battalion out of Birmingham, Alabama all contributed to modifying the range. 'This type of training allows us to meet directly on the job site with our active duty and Reserve counterparts,' said Warrant Officer James Jarrett, a construction officer with 177th Engineer Support Company. The ongoing modernization of training ranges across Fort Benning is focused on improving soldiers' training, readiness and operational capabilities, according to the release.
Yahoo
03-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Army releases new primer on organization, purpose for leaders
The Army has released a primer for leaders to better understand the Army, how it's organized and their purpose within the ranks. Field Manual 1, 'The Army: A Primer to Our Profession of Arms,' was released in mid-May and is available for download from the Army's website. The slim volume — 10 chapters in 74 pages — was written in plain language and avoids jargon to better communicate the Army's message. 'Focus is on junior leaders — lieutenants and sergeants — with the intent of explaining in clear language what the Army expects of them and what they can expect of the Army,' Rich Creed Jr., director of the Combined Arms Doctrine Directorate, recently told Army Times. 'It does so with historical vignettes pertaining to leadership during the types of operations junior leaders should be prepared to experience, and an uncomplicated explanation of what makes up the Army and how it is organized.' Beyond those ranks, the book is expected to be a touchstone for leaders as they progress through the ranks. As individuals rise into leadership positions, they can refer to the book to see how it reflects their responsibilities at every level. 'At higher levels of professional military education, you may have a block of time to discuss the material from different perspectives. Rather than learning the material in the book, you might think through, 'How am I taking the material in FM 1 and making it real in my unit?' Or 'How is FM 1 serving as the foundation for how I coach, counsel and mentor?'' Creed said. The primer is a companion piece to Army Doctrine Publication 1, 'The Army,' a denser description of the service written for more experienced individuals. The directorate is shipping print copies of the primer to Cadet Command, Basic Officer Leader Courses and Officer Candidate Schools for the graduating classes of 2025 and 2026, Creed said. But anyone can download an electronic copy from the Army Publication Directorate website. The 10 chapters are divided into three main sections. The first section discusses the importance of a warrior mindset and preparing all soldiers for battle. 'We are all part of a team and need to have certain basic skills and attitudes, regardless of where we happen to serve,' Creed said. 'We do so as a member of the profession of arms, which is different than the ancient idea of warriors fighting as individuals for themselves and personal glory.' The section ends with a discussion on leadership and understanding the responsibilities of being a leader and a good follower. The second section lays out what the Army is for, what the Army does and what it's composed of in terms of organizations and people. The final section discusses soldiers' obligations as members of the joint force and when they operate with allies and partners. It ends with what the Army owes its civilian leadership and fellow American citizens, Creed said.
American Military News
31-05-2025
- American Military News
Video: Fmr. Delta Force operator shares dangerous hostage rescue story
Larry Vickers, a U.S. Army veteran and a former Delta Force operator, shared an account on Thursday of the Delta Force's Operation Acid Gambit hostage rescue of Kurt Muse from a prison in Panama in December of 1989. During a Thursday interview with podcaster Shawn Ryan, Vickers explained that Muse's rescue as part of Operation Acid Gambit was a dangerous hostage rescue attempt due to a prison guard threatening to kill the hostage if the United States attempted to rescue him from Panama's La Comandancia prison. According to The Army's website, Muse was imprisoned in Panama for leading opposition against Manuel Noriega, the former dictator of Panama. 'There was a guard that had told Kurt if there was a rescue attempt, he was going to kill him,' Vickers said. 'Because Kurt, I think, asked him, 'Hey, if there's a rescue attempt for me, what are you going to do?' And he goes, 'I'll kill you.'' 'This guy was in the room right across from Kurt,' Vickers added. 'So the priority was to get down to Kurt as soon as possible to beat this guy. You know, before this guy gets a situational awareness, figures out what's going on, goes over to Kurt's cell, and kills him.' READ MORE: Video/Pic: Last living American hostage released by Hamas During Thursday's podcast interview, Vickers shared details about how he was almost killed by his team's own 'C6 charge,' how the Delta Force Team entered the building after snipers disabled the prison's power, and how the team encountered one of the prison guards before reaching Muse's location. 'He was in a room across, and the G team went in and killed him. Yep, he's armed with a pistol,' Vickers told Ryan. 'I think the guy, I think he was in a shower, if memory serves me correct. G team found him in the shower. I think the guy went for his pistol, already had a pistol in his hand. They killed him.' 'Yep, they got Muse out. They brought in a little, you know, kit, aviator kit bag, and had body armor and a helmet, you know, a body armor and a Kevlar helmet. Peeled him out. I remember seeing him go up the stairs,' Vickers added. 'Couple things. We get up. We tell him, 'Hey, you know, PC secure to get the extraction birds out.' The reason the book's called 'Six Minutes To Freedom' was because from when we touched down to when we called, you know, PC secure, called for EXO was six minutes.'
