The federal government is trying to address growing concerns about generative artificial intelligence with a voluntary code of conduct for developers. Innovation, Science & Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne expects it to “build safety and trust as the technology spreads.” [node:read-more:link]
A Lockheed Martin F-35B flown by the U.S. Marine Corps from a base in South Carolina crashed September 18 after its pilot ejected safely. However, it took several hours to find the debris because the stealth fighter’s transponder stopped working. [node:read-more:link]
Polish Defence Minister Mariusz Błaszczak has approved a framework deal to buy 486 launcher-loader module kits for its Lockheed Martin HIMARS weapons. “Deliveries are expected to begin in 2025,” his Armament Agency said September 11, adding that the program “foresees transfer of technology” which could set the stage for domestic production. [node:read-more:link]
In a bid to expand its presence in the rapidly-evolving artificial intelligence sector, Sweden’s Saab AB has acquired California-based CrowdAI, which has been under contract to the U.S. Defense Department. No financial details were disclosed but Saab’s president in the U.S. says the acquisition means “new capability as well as deeply-rooted relationships with new customers.” [node:read-more:link]
Labour shortages and environmental issues are delaying the transfer of Canada’s Aerospace Engineering Test Establishment to Ottawa from Cold Lake, Alberta. The hangar was expected to be ready this year but won’t be until 2025; meanwhile the 54 personnel who have already moved are working at a temporary location. [node:read-more:link]
The U.S. Army plans to draw on Ukraine’s use of donated M1 Abrams tanks on the battlefield as it considers a major upgrade of the General Dynamics Land Systems platform. “The Abrams tank can no longer grow its capabilities without adding weight,” says Brigadier-General Geoffrey Norman, head of a next-generation combat vehicle team. “The war in Ukraine has highlighted a critical need for integrated protections for soldiers, built from within.” [node:read-more:link]
U.S. prosecutors have charged a Russian-German citizen, Arthur Petrov, with smuggling embargoed microelectronics with military potential to Russia. Arrested in Cyprus at the request of the U.S., Petrov and two unnamed Russians are accused of using shell companies to conceal the fraudulent procurement from U.S. distributors of microelectronics subject to American export controls from February 2022 until August 2023. [node:read-more:link]
Powered robotic vehicles are being developed for many armies but Argentina, Chile and Ecuador still rely on real horsepower for operations in their mountainous terrain and dense forests. [node:read-more:link]
Hensoldt AG, a German-based multinational, has released a standalone passive radar package which it says has the promise to detect stealth aircraft. A company spokesman said four customers, which he declined to name, have ordered the Twinvis system that uses reflected civilian broadcast airwaves to track targets. [node:read-more:link]
Officially neutral insofar as the Ukraine-Russia conflict is concerned, China today restricted exports of civilian drones which could be converted to military use. The restrictions apply to drones which can fly beyond line-of sight, be used to throw objects and weigh more than seven kilograms. [node:read-more:link]
Washington state-based L3Harris Technologies, which has some 3,000 employees in Canada, has been permitted to take over Aerojet Rocketdyne, one of two major U.S. rocket-motor manufacturers, also based in Washington. The deal was confirmed after U.S. trade regulators opted not to block the deal despite concerns about corporate concentration. [node:read-more:link]
Air Force General Glen VanHerck, head of U.S. Northern Command and NORAD, said July 20 that the Chinese surveillance balloon that transited North America earlier this year exposed gaps in the U.S. ability to detect airborne threats and propelled the development of new surveillance technology. [node:read-more:link]
The U.S. the Government Accountability Office says that the Defense Department, despite plans to spend billions on developing artificial intelligence tools over the next several years, still lacks an acquisition strategy, potentially risking money on technologies that don’t address future challenges from AI-enabled adversaries. [node:read-more:link]
Forty-one defence projects in all domains are being underwritten by €842 million in new European Defense Fund support. Air, naval and space-based early warning projects are among the most high-profile ventures, notably closing gaps in airborne electronic attack capabilities. [node:read-more:link]
With the U.S. Air Force accepting proposals for its next generation of fighter aircraft with a view to awarding a contract next year, Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall warns that costs will be “multiples” of the Lockheed Martin “fifth generation” F-35 and F-22 programs, both of which ran well over budget. [node:read-more:link]
