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To meet the challenges of future operating environments, the US military and others will need systems that can operate and share data across all domains. While the idea of multi-domain is still largely conceptual, the requirement is already shaping the development of the next generation of equipment. We hear from Lockheed Martin about the challenges of integrating systems across land, sea, air, space and cyber.

We also speak to Recorded Future’s Insikt Group about its discovery of leaked US Air Force documents on the Dark Web, take a look at Dstl’s project to develop drones and ground robots for frontline logistics support, and find out how Cranfield University researchers are tackling toxic contamination on live-fire ranges.

Plus, we speak to Raytheon about its counter UAS solutions and round up what this year’s Farnborough Airshow has told us about the future of air combat training and the technologies supporting it.

In this issue

A look inside multi-domain warfare with Lockheed Martin
The multi-domain space is heating up with governments and industry investing in new systems and their integration. Lockheed Martin’s Kimberly Ponders tells Andy Tunnicliffe which technologies will support militaries in working seamlessly across air, land and sea in the future.
Read the article here.

Drone plans for sale: military documents on the dark web
In June, Recorded Future’s Insikt Group made an unprecedented discovery: documents relating to the MQ-9 Reaper drone for sale on the dark web. Berenice Baker speaks to Andrei Barysevich, director of advanced collection at Insikt Group, to find out how the documents were discovered and what the incident means for government security.
Read the article here.

How autonomous delivery drones could revolutionise military logistics
The UK’s Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) is working with other government agencies to develop drones and unmanned ground robots with autonomous ‘deliver to order’ capability for frontline military logistics support. Julian Turner finds out more.
Read the article here.

Live-fire ranges: take aim, fire, now clean up
The damage live-fire ranges can do to the environment has only recently become apparent. Andrew Tunnicliffe takes a look at what the risks are, how they can be addressed and the importance of good training.
Read the article here.

Taking out drone threats: Raytheon showcases counter UAS technology
What does it take to stop a dangerous drone in the battlespace or civil airspace? At Farnborough Airshow, Raytheon showcased the technologies it is developing to counter the growing threat of attacks by unmanned aerial systems (UAS). Berenice Baker reports.
Read the article here.

Days of thunder: British military aircraft from Hurricane to Tempest
The UK’s new £2bn fighter aircraft programme, Tempest, was announced at Farnborough International Airshow. As Tempest hovers on the horizon, Callum Tyndall takes a look at what is known about the programme so far, and revisits the history of British military aircraft named after storms.
Read the article here.

Live and virtual environments shape the future air combat training
Air combat and the equipment it relies on are evolving rapidly and pilot training needs to keep pace with the technology. The recent Farnborough Airshow showcased various components of the holistic approach to air combat training, from new schools through simulation to making in-combat training more realistic. Berenice Baker reports.
Read the article here.

Inside Operation Sea Guardian
Footage released by NATO offers an insight into Operation Sea Guardian and shows how crews aboard ships from Croatia, Italy and the UK work together to carry out maritime counter-terrorism missions.
Watch the video here.

Mastering supply chain complexity to ensure naval asset readiness
Navies have to deal with a complex portfolio of stakeholders. Military organisations, OEMs, contractors and third-party providers maintaining equipment via service-based agreements all need to work together to ensure asset readiness. The key is to treat IT systems not as a transactional tool but as a strategic enabler, writes Evan Butler-Jones, director for defence product line at IFS’s Aerospace & Defence business unit.
Read the article here

Next issue preview

The UK’s Dstl is seeking proposals for novel approaches to predictive cyber security and, in the longer term, develop a deployable solution to predict and counter future cyber threats. We explore how predictive cyber security solutions could be used to reduce the likelihood and impact of cyber threats to government agencies and defence manufacturers.

We also find out how a US Army research project is developing robots that can learn to autonomously work in teams with soldiers, check in on the US Air Force’s hypersonic weapons programme, and look at new tech designed to protect pilots’ eyes from low-intensity lasers while in flight.

Plus, we report on new tech designed to detect explosives hidden in electrical items, find out how the US Navy is turning its nuclear attack subs into underwater spies with the help of new sonar and artificial intelligence, and hear from Viasat how effective information sharing can help prevent data bottlenecks in military operations.

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