On Nov. 28, a shadow emerged from the depths of the South China Sea, not far from the shores of the Philippines. It was the Russian Kilo-class submarine RS Ufa, an underwater vessel nicknamed the “Black Hole” by the US Navy for its stealth capabilities, surfacing within the Philippines’ Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) around 80 nautical miles west of Cape Calavite in Occidental Mindoro. The Philippine Navy, alerted to the submarine’s presence by their own intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities, quickly scrambled the warship BRP Jose Rizal (FF150) and four aircraft to monitor the situation.
Author: alert5
JMSDF Selects SeaGuardian for Maritime Surveillance
The Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) has taken a decisive step into the future of maritime defence, selecting General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc.’s (GA-ASI) SeaGuardian Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) systems for its Long Endurance Unmanned Aerial Vehicle program. The selection, announced in December 2024, follows over 1.5 years of rigorous testing and evaluation by the JMSDF. The service began its trial operation project with the SeaGuardian in April 2023, putting the system through its paces to assess its suitability for Japan’s challenging maritime environment. This move mirrors a similar decision by the Japan Coast Guard (JCG). On Aug. 15, the JCG signed a contract for the purchase of two SeaGuardian RPAs from GA-ASI, with delivery expected in 2025. This follows the JCG’s ongoing Company-Owned, Contractor-Operated agreement with GA-ASI, which began in April 2022 and has seen SeaGuardians actively supporting a range of JCG missions.
Continue reading “JMSDF Selects SeaGuardian for Maritime Surveillance”
The GE F110: A Forty-Year Legacy of Power and Innovation
GE Aerospace’s F110 engine is celebrating 40 years of continuous production, a remarkable achievement for a powerplant born from what some call the “Great Engine War” of the 1980s. This war saw GE challenge Pratt & Whitney’s dominance in supplying engines for the US Air Force’s F-15 and F-16 fighter jets. The F110 ultimately emerged as a champion, powering these aircraft for the US military and 16 other nations.
Continue reading “The GE F110: A Forty-Year Legacy of Power and Innovation”
Communist Party member among Chinese students accused of spying on U.S. carrier in Busan
South Korean authorities investigating three Chinese students accused of illegally filming the American nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, the USS Theodore Roosevelt, while it was docked in Busan on Jun. 25 have found out that one of the accused have previously been recognised as a model member of the Chinese Communist Party. The incident has raised serious concerns as investigators believe the students may have been acting under the direction of Chinese intelligence.
Continue reading “Communist Party member among Chinese students accused of spying on U.S. carrier in Busan”
SiAW cores first flight test milestone
The U.S. Air Force successfully released its new Stand-in Attack Weapon (SiAW) from an F-16 over the Gulf of Mexico on Nov. 7. The test, involving a jettison test vehicle (JTV), marked the first time the SiAW separated from an aircraft. The JTV lacked a rocket motor and internal electronics, focusing solely on the weapon’s safe separation from the aircraft.
Continue reading “SiAW cores first flight test milestone”