Latest news with #UAS
The Sun
2 hours ago
- Business
- The Sun
Mindef updates its oversight, defence procurement measures: Khaled Nordin
PETALING JAYA: The Defence Ministry is currently progressing with the procurement of several high-priority strategic defence assets including warships, drones, fighter jets, and air defence systems, while implementing new oversight mechanisms to prevent a repeat of past project leakages such as the Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) controversy. In a written reply to Datuk Dr Ahmad Marzuk Shaary (PN-Pengkalan Chepa), Defence Minister Datuk Seri Khaled Nordin said the LCS project has reached 72.9% completion as of June 25, 2025, slightly behind the original 76.1% target due to rework on piping and cable systems following recommendations from design authority Naval Group. 'The first LCS vessel entered the 'Setting to Work' phase in May and is scheduled for its first sea sailing in December 2025,' he said. The second ship, which underwent a technical downslip in May, is expected to begin harbour and sea acceptance tests before being delivered to the Royal Malaysian Navy in April 2027. Construction of LCS3 to LCS5 is currently on schedule, with delivery of LCS3 planned in 2027 and the remaining ships to follow every eight months, concluding in 2029. The Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) is also acquiring three ANKA unmanned aerial systems (UAS) from Turkish Aerospace Industries, with 99% of assembly and 85% of system integration completed. The drones are slated for delivery in February 2026. On air defence, the GM400a long-range radar system under development in Bintulu has reached 60% completion and is expected to be operational by April 2027. RMAF is also acquiring 18 FLIT-LCA aircraft from Korean Aerospace Industries, with 69.47% of work completed, 3.47% ahead of schedule. These deliveries are scheduled from October 2026 to August 2027. Additionally, two maritime patrol aircraft (MPA) from Leonardo S.P.A. are under procurement, with one expected by June 2026 and the second by September 2026. The project currently stands at 65.8% completion, ahead of its 52.4% contractual timeline. To ensure transparency and prevent mismanagement, Khaled said the ministry is engaging central agencies such as the Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Economy, Implementation Coordination Unit (ICU), and the Attorney-General's Chambers in project monitoring. 'We've also established a Development Action Committee chaired by the Defence Ministry secretary-general, and another at ministerial level, to ensure procurement stays on schedule,' he said, adding that regular site visits, domestic and international, are being conducted to track progress.
Time of India
12 hours ago
- Science
- Time of India
Training prog for tribals focuses on safe use of pesticides
Mysuru: Vice chancellor of University of Agricultural Sciences (UAS), Bangalore, SV Suresha said that climate change poses challenges to agricultural practices, necessitating new crop varieties and technologies, which the university is addressing through many projects. Speaking during a Field Day hosted by the varsity with the Indian Council for Agricultural Research (ICAR), New Delhi, and the Skill Development Centre (SDC), UAS Bangalore, under the Tribal Sub-Plan at Basavanagiri Haadi and Sollepura in HD Kote taluk, he emphasised the importance of the safe usage of pesticides, saying they can contaminate natural resources and leave harmful residues behind. The VC added, "Given that many of these tribal farmers are first-generation agriculturists with less than a decade of experience, the training served as an essential primer on both current challenges and sustainable practices. " Over 100 tribal farmers in the two villages set an example in safe and climate-smart sustainable agriculture, which was displayed during the event on Tuesday. The initiative forms part of the project that focuses on the safe use of pesticides for the healthy livelihood of tribal farmers. Intensive training The selected farmers participated in a 5-day intensive programme at the Farmers' Training Institute (FTI), UAS Bangalore, before returning to their villages to implement the techniques. Each participant received agricultural inputs, including cotton and sorghum seeds, fertilisers, pesticide sprayers, tarpaulins, bio-fungicides, and personal protective gear for spraying.
Time of India
a day ago
- Science
- Time of India
Tribal farmers embrace climate-smart agriculture and safe crop protection measures with ICAR–UAS Bangalore
MYSURU: Over 100 tribal farmers from Basavanagiri Haadi and Sollepura villages in H.D. Kote taluk are emerging as role models in climate-smart and safe sustainable agriculture. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now This achievement is part of two key initiatives—'Ensuring safe use of pesticide for healthy livelihood of tribal farmers during crop protection operations' and 'Adoption of climate-smart integrated crop systems to improve the livelihood of ST population through field demonstrations, input supply and improved technology dissemination to mitigate the effects of climate change.' The projects are being implemented by the University of Agricultural Sciences (UAS), Bangalore, with funding from the Indian Council for Agricultural Research (ICAR), New Delhi, and the Skill Development Centre (SDC), UAS Bangalore, under the Tribal Sub-Plan (TSP). A field demonstration held on July 29 showcased live implementation of climate-resilient agricultural technologies and safe pesticide practices. The demo covered 50 acres of cotton, 75 acres of sorghum, and 100 acres of vegetable and fruit crops, all cultivated by tribal farmers trained at GKVK, UAS Bangalore. Speaking on the occasion, UAS Vice Chancellor Dr. S.V. Suresha said, 'Climate change poses serious challenges to agriculture. These must be met with new crop varieties and advanced technologies, which our university is introducing through such projects.' He also emphasized the importance of safe pesticide use, warning that misuse can harm both life and the environment by contaminating natural resources and leaving harmful residues. Given that many of the participating tribal farmers are first-generation agriculturists with less than ten years of experience, the training they received proved critical. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Farmers attended a five-day intensive course at the Farmers Training Institute (FTI), UAS Bangalore, before applying the techniques in their fields. Each farmer received essential inputs—cotton and sorghum seeds, fertilizers, pesticide sprayers, tarpaulins, bio-fungicides, and personal protective equipment. The visible success of their harvests was also credited to timely field advice and interventions by Dr. Manjula (Plant Pathologist) and Dr. Somshekar (Agronomist). 'Farmers have successfully grown their crops by implementing the technologies provided during the training,' said Dr. Nagaratna, Director of the PPMC Cell. Dr. Shivaram, Director of Research, highlighted the importance of adjusting sowing windows and cropping patterns based on current rainfall trends. The field day served as a platform for demonstrating and disseminating climate-resilient and safety-conscious agricultural practices among tribal communities, reinforcing the success and replicability of the model.
Time of India
2 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Putin's guards spotted with new high-tech anti-drone weapon amid rising drone threats
In a recent public appearance with Russian President Vladimir Putin , members of his security detail were observed carrying what appears to be a newly deployed anti-drone weapon , signaling Russia's expanding efforts to counter the growing threat posed by unmanned aerial systems (UAS). This marks a notable development in Russia's approach to protecting high-profile figures and critical infrastructure amid increasingly sophisticated drone threats on modern battlefields and within domestic security environments. The new anti-drone weapon According to Defence Blog, observers noted that one of the security officers escorting President Putin was carrying a portable, X-shaped interceptor system believed to be designed to detect, track, and disable hostile drones. This type of weapon is particularly suited to intercepting low-flying or first-person-view (FPV) drones, which are often used in close-range reconnaissance or attack missions and have proven difficult to counter with traditional defenses. Explore courses from Top Institutes in Please select course: Select a Course Category MCA Cybersecurity Operations Management Artificial Intelligence Finance Data Science Design Thinking others Product Management Public Policy PGDM Leadership Degree Management healthcare Others Project Management CXO Technology Data Science Healthcare Digital Marketing Data Analytics MBA Skills you'll gain: Programming Proficiency Data Handling & Analysis Cybersecurity Awareness & Skills Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning Duration: 24 Months Vellore Institute of Technology VIT Master of Computer Applications Starts on Aug 14, 2024 Get Details — sentinelmonitor (@sentinelmonitor) The sighting reflects broader Russian investments in mobile counter-UAS technology , aiming to respond quickly to sudden drone incursions, especially in urban or civilian areas where fixed defenses are ineffective or impractical. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Brain tumor has left my son feeling miserable; please help! Donate For Health Donate Now Undo Why anti-drone systems are critical for Russia The deployment is timely, given the increasing use of drones in the conflict with Ukraine. Ukrainian forces have employed a wide range of drones—from commercial quadcopters to loitering munitions and more advanced strike UAVs. These drones have been used for both surveillance and attacks, often bypassing traditional defense systems due to their small size and agility. In response, Russian forces have fielded a mix of countermeasures, including mobile electronic warfare (EW) platforms such as backpack jammers and vehicle-mounted systems like the Abzats . These systems are capable of jamming radio signals and disrupting the control of enemy drones. Live Events However, with many modern drones now featuring autonomous navigation and machine learning-based evasion, electronic jamming alone is insufficient. As a result, Russia has begun integrating kinetic countermeasures—such as drone-on-drone interceptors—and is actively developing laser-based systems to physically destroy UAVs. Laser weapons and Russia's counter-drone strategy In 2025, Russian authorities began public testing of mobile laser air defense systems . While the technical details remain classified, reports confirm that several systems demonstrated the ability to rapidly detect and disable aerial targets, including drone swarms. Despite the promise of laser-based countermeasures, their effectiveness is limited by factors such as bad weather, fog, or rain, and they require high amounts of energy, making them less suitable for mobile use over extended periods. Implications of the new interceptor seen with Putin's guards The interceptor seen with Putin's security detail suggests a targeted deployment of counter-UAS systems for close-range, VIP protection. Such weapons provide real-time defense in open or urban areas where drone attacks could pose a serious risk to high-ranking officials. Its compact, soldier-carried design implies it can be deployed instantly, without the need for support vehicles or stationary equipment. This move underscores the Kremlin's prioritization of advanced drone countermeasures—not only in frontline warfare but also in the high-security environments surrounding national leadership.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Putin Is Tightening His Grip On Russia's Internet With Dramatic New Tactic, UK Says
Vladimir Putin is tightening his grip on the online information space in Russia by implementing regular blackouts, according to the UK. The Ministry of Defence (MoD) reported last week that the Kremlin has been rolling out extensive cellular (mobile) internet blackouts across its own country. A staggering 654 outages occurred just in June – nearly 10 times the amount recorded the previous month. 'These outages impacted coverage for over half the country,' the MoD said. 'The Russian government has formally stated that the blackouts are intended to block Ukrainian uncrewed aerial systems (UAS) reliant on cellular signals, but independent reports suggest the goal is tighter control over online information.' Fixed line or wired internet connections are rising as well, with a group of exile Russian journalists in The Medusa Project recording up to 20-21 day internet shutdowns in various regions across the whole nation. ATMs and digital payments have been disrupted, and public safety alerts have supposedly taking place as a consequence. The intelligence officials pointed out that at least one period of outages did align with a wave of drone strikes from Ukraine, when Russia claimed it had downed more than 200 Ukrainian weapons. But, as the Medusa Project said earlier this month, 'the seemingly random nature of the shutdowns makes it difficult to identify consistent patterns or a clear logic behind the authorities' decisions.' They added: 'Some regions that would logically be high-priority targets for Ukrainian strikes have experienced relatively few attacks, while others that fall outside all of these categories have been hit much more frequently.' Difficulty accessing the internet is not the only way Russian lives have been impacted by the brutal war. For the first time since the tradition began in 2017, Moscow called off the 'Day of the Russian Navy' parade meant to take place on Sunday. Historically, other nations would also attend on the Russian national holiday to compare all of their warships. British intelligence suggests this cancellation was due to 'force protection concerns'. And, of course, this is all on top of the astounding number of casualties the Russian army has endured since invading Ukraine in February 2022. As the MoD wrote: 'Even after enduring 1 million battlefield losses in Ukraine, its' clear that Russia has no plans to end the suffering of its illegal war. The Kremlin cares more about territorial conquest than peace in Europe.' These MoD updates come as American efforts to negotiate a Russian peace deal with Ukraine continue to struggle. However, US president Donald Trump is reportedly planning on raising the ongoing war with UK prime minister Keir Starmer during his current visit to Scotland. Before he departed for his trip, Trump told US reporters he is looking at imposing further sanctions on Russia. Related... UK Warns Russia Is 'Escalating Its Global Campaign' To Subvert Its Enemies Trump Renews Lie That Russia Did Not Help Him In 2016, With Tulsi Gabbard's Help Russia 'Increasing Pace Of Gains' In Ukraine Despite Trump's Peace Plea, Says UK
