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14 Mar 24. NORAD Commander: Incursions by Unmanned Aircraft Systems on Southern Border Likely Exceed 1,000 a Month.
There are likely more than 1,000 incursions by unmanned aircraft systems along the U.S.-Mexico border each month, said the U.S. Northern Command’s top general during testimony today at a Senate Armed Services Committee posture hearing.
“I don’t know the actual number — I don’t think anybody does — but it’s in the thousands,” said Air Force Gen. Gregory M. Guillot in response to one senator’s query.
When asked about the period of time that it takes to reach that number of incursions, Guillot responded, “I would say in probably over a month. We… probably have over 1,000 a month.”
Though the exact number of UAS incursions along the border remains unknown, Guillot, who took over as commander of Northcom and the North American Aerospace Defense Command on Feb. 5, said he learned the approximate number recently while talking to officials with U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the Department of Justice.
“The number of incursions was something that was alarming to me as I took command last month,” Guillot said.
When asked if such incursions present a defense threat to the homeland, Guillot said he hasn’t seen any of the incursions “manifest in a threat to the level of national defense,” but he said he does “see the potential only growing.”
In recent years, members of Congress have shown a growing, bipartisan concern about dangerous UAS activity, including activity linked to drug and human traffickers who have used UAS technology to facilitate their illegal operations.
As a command being primarily tasked with continuously providing “worldwide detection, validation and warning of a ballistic missile attack on North America,” NORAD is also charged with providing “continental detection, validation, warning and aerospace control” of airborne threats to North America, including unmanned aircraft systems, according to the NORAD website.
Committee members also asked Guillot if DOD has a system in place for base commanders to deal with UAS incursions over U.S. military installations.
“The services do have authorities, but work remains to be done to ensure that … we have standardized operating procedures to address those threats,” he said.
Guillot added that he will recommend to the Defense Department, the joint force, and Congress ways NORAD and Northcom can play a role in standardizing procedures once he has completed the 90-day assessment of NORAD and Northcom, which he began last month.
Guillot assured the committee he was able to get a grasp of the size and scope of the UAS issue early on.
“Shortly after taking command and beginning my 90-day assessment, I realized that the challenge of the large increase in the number of incursions by UASs was something that was going to drive and change probably the direction of my first year in command because of that acute number.”
Beyond conventional, human-operated unmanned aircraft systems, Guillot also addressed what lessons NORAD learned from the high-altitude, Chinese balloon incursion over North American airspace in early 2023.
Guillot said that NORAD has since adjusted the sensitivity of its radars. “And that has allowed us to have better domain awareness in that regime,” he said.
Today’s hearing took place as part of Congress’ review of DOD’s authorization request for fiscal year 2025. (Source: U.S. DoD)
12 Mar 24. Safomar showcases innovative Narma UAV for civil and military applications. Safomar Technologies has demonstrated the Narma AF200 vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) fixed wing unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) to potential civil and military users in South Africa, who could use it for everything from blood transport to surveillance.
The AF200 is an electric dual tilt-rotor aircraft that operates as a multicopter when hovering and a fixed wing UAV when cruising. Maximum flight time is 25 minutes when hovering with a 3 kg payload, or 45 minutes when cruising in level flight with a 3 kg payload. Maximum altitude is 3 000 metres.
Thanks to stabilisation technology, the aircraft can withstand a 12 m/s average wind, 17 m/s gusts, and temperatures up to 40 degrees Celsius – the AF200 is claimed to be able to withstand greater crosswinds than ordinary VTOL UAVs. Maximum payload is 5 kg; empty weight is 11 kg or 17 kg with batteries.
The 1.8 metre wide AF200 features an automatically deployable parachute for emergencies, LTE communications and built-in surveillance camera.
It is manufactured by South Korean company NARMA (New AeRoMission Accomplishment), which claimed to launch the world’s first electric tilt-rotor VTOL UAV in 2019. NARMA also manufactures the smaller AF100 tilt-rotor UAV, with a 1.1 kg payload, and several multi-copter UAVs.
The AF200 was launched in South Africa in 2022 and demonstrated at the September 2022 Africa Aerospace and Defence exhibition. This year the company aims to expand with sales in Kenya, South Africa and elsewhere.
Locally, Safomar Technologies is offering the UAV for sale, and to further promote the aircraft held a demonstration at the RPAS Training Academy Field outside Centurion on 16 February in collaboration with sister company TAU Aerospace and Advanced Technologies. This attracted delegations from the South African National Defence Force, SA defence industry, and civil sector, including South African National Blood Service representatives, who are looking to use UAVs for blood transport under the Bloodwing programme.
Marius Cronje, Technical Sales and Project Manager at Safomar Technologies, said the AF200 is a good candidate for the South African National Blood Service, especially as it can drop a payload in flight.
He told defenceWeb that there is a big move towards parcel delivery in South Africa, and this could really take off if the Civil Aviation Authority approves air transport corridors for UAVs.
Safomar Technologies is a subsidiary company within the Safomar Holdings Group, and specialises in the delivery of ITAR free intelligence, security, and defence solutions in the air-, land- and maritime domain for both state-owned and private sectors.
(Source: https://www.defenceweb.co.za/)
14 Mar 24. Maldives Receives Six Bayraktar TB2 UCAVs Amid Tensions with India. Turkey has started supplying the Maldives with its combat drone, Bayraktar TB2, amid high tensions between the island nation and India. The agreement between the two countries foresees a supply of a command control station and six TB2 unmanned combat aerial vehicles (UCAVs) to meet the security requirements of Maldivian armed forces.
The shipment comes just months after Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu visited Turkey in November 2023. Muizzu talked with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and visited several Turkish defense industry companies.
The drone supply comes amid growing tensions between the Maldives and India since Muizzu came to power last year. The island nation, which traditionally had close ties to India, has been pivoting toward Beijing since Muizzu was elected in October on a promise to end the country’s pro-India stance.
He has made an issue of the presence of the Indian troops in his country. He has pushed New Delhi to withdraw its nearly 80 military personnel stationed there to provide technical and medical assistance.
Developed by Baykar, the TB2s have helped swing conflicts in multiple countries, such as Azerbaijan, Libya and Ukraine, where they played a pivotal role in countering Russian forces early into Moscow’s invasion.
Baykar made exports worth a record $1.76 bn in 2023, it said on Thursday. It accounted for over 30% of Turkish defense companies’ all-time high sales of about $5.5bn. (Source: UAS VISION/Daily Sabah)
14 Mar 24. Greensea IQ Strengthens its Global Presence Signing Major Contract with BUVI Scandinavia at Oceanology International.
In a strategic move to strengthen its global market presence, Greensea IQ, a leading provider of marine robotics software and integrated solutions, proudly announces the signing of BUVI Scandinavia (BUVI) to join its international sales team. The signing took place today at Oceanology International on the Greensea IQ stand (G200) and follows another recent signing of the Spanish sales representative Uniformidad Y Suminstros De Proteccion (USP).
The introduction of these two new additions represents a significant milestone in Greensea IQ’s continuous global expansion efforts, and commitment to providing exceptional service and support to clients worldwide. With this expansion, Greensea IQ’s footprint will now encompass Finland, Norway, Sweden, and Spain.
The new business relationships will see BUVI and USP represent Greensea IQ and its complete range of Bayonet autonomous underwater ground vehicles (AUGVs). Offering a wealth of experience and specialized expertise, each representative will ultimately facilitate the increased accessibility of the Bayonet AUGVs within their respective markets. Their regional expertise will be instrumental in tailoring Greensea IQ’s offerings, fostering strong relationships with local customers and partners.
BUVI was established in 2011 and has extensive experience in ROVs, underwater technology
and other underwater assignments. BUVI Scandinavia is a trusted partner for its clients in the region offering consultation, training, and support to deliver subsea solutions and technology that is capable, efficient, and user-friendly for their customers. Serving as Greensea IQ’s international representative, BUVI will support sales for Greensea IQ’s Bayonet AUGVs to its clientele across all of Scandinavia. providing an established and trusted partner to drive Greensea IQ’s growth and impact in the region.
“BUVI Scandinavia has been following the development of Greensea IQ and its software in ROVs for some time,” said Marie Fleetwood, CEO & Marketing BUVI Scandinavia. “Now that BUVI Scandinavia’s focus on underwater solutions has taken bigger steps towards Search, Security, Police, Military, Defense, and Surveillance, the Bayonet AUGV range has become an obvious and perfect addition to our portfolio of products and solutions.”
“With Greensea IQ’s strength in developing intelligent ocean solutions and BUVI Scandinavia’s network of contacts in Scandinavia and Europe, we look forward to being a Greensea IQ representative and a strong team together.”
USP, backed by 40 years of expertise, stands as a distinguished authority in advising and equipping various sectors, including law enforcement, armed forces, private security, and the civil sector. It specializes in providing superior solutions for police and military needs, including ballistic solutions and specific products tailored to diverse requirements. The addition of the Bayonet line up to its portfolio will undoubtedly increase Greensea IQ’s standing among the Spanish defense and commercial clientele of USP, capitalizing on USP’s trusted reputation.
Rob Howard, Greensea IQ’s CGO, expressed enthusiasm for the expansion, “We are excited to welcome BUVI Scandinavia and USP to our Growth Team. Their representation in these key regions strengthens our efforts to provide Greensea IQ products and services on a global scale.”
The recruitment of sales representatives for Scandinavia and Spain is part of Greensea IQ’s comprehensive strategy to expand its international presence and global footprint. By investing in local professionals, the company aims to facilitate greater market penetration, improve customer satisfaction, and drive sustainable growth.
11 Mar 24. Green Berets Integrate FPV Drones in Joint Exercise with Greek Special Forces. The United States Army Special Forces have integrated First-Person View (FPV) drones into their operational repertoire. This advancement was showcased during Exercise Trojan Footprint, a collaborative training effort with Greek special operations forces near Nea Peramos, Greece, on March 1, 2024. The exercise aimed at bolstering NATO partnerships, interoperability, and readiness across the alliance.
FPV drones, known for providing operators with a drone’s-eye view through goggles, are emerging as pivotal tools in modern reconnaissance missions. The Green Berets, specifically from the 10th Special Forces Group (Airborne), used the drones for reconnaissance during a live drill, showcasing the direct application and benefits of this technology in real-time operational scenarios. The significance of FPV drones in military strategy has been underlined by their proven effectiveness in conflict zones, notably the Ukraine-Russia war. These drones, which have been adapted to carry weaponry, represent a leap forward in tactical operations, allowing for high-speed, precision strikes against enemy positions, effectively acting as remotely controlled, suicide-style units. (Source: https://www.sofx.com/)
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The British Robotics Seed Fund is the first SEIS-qualifying investment fund specialising in UK-based robotics businesses. The focus of the fund is to deliver superior returns to investors by making targeted investments in a mixed basket of the most innovative and disruptive businesses that are exploiting the new generation of robotics technologies in defence and other sector applications.
Automation and robotisation are beginning to drive significant productivity improvements in the global economy heralding a new industrial revolution. The fund allows investors to benefit from this exciting opportunity, whilst also delivering the extremely attractive tax reliefs offered by the Seed Enterprise Investment Scheme (SEIS). For many private investors, the amount of specialist knowledge required to assess investments in robotics is not practical and hence investing through a fund structure makes good sense.
The fund appoints expert mentors to work with each investee company to further maximise the chance of success for investors. Further details are available on request.
www.britbots.com/fund
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